Computer simulation of fat and muscle burn in long-distance bird migration

PubMed

Pennycuick

1998-03-07

The mechanical power required from a bird's flight muscles was recalculated at regular intervals (default 6 min), and the energy consumed in the interval was accounted for by reducing fuel reserves, which also reduced the all-up mass and the body cross-sectional area. Part of the energy requirement was met by consuming flight muscle tissue, according to one of three alternative "muscle burn criteria". These were (1) specific work held constant, (2) power density held constant and (3) muscle mass held constant, i.e. no muscle consumed. Holding the specific work constant produced results in the best agreement with the results of other studies. This criterion was therefore selected to compare simulated flights of three very different species whose flight and migrations have been extensively studied, (1) Thrush Nightingale (Luscinia luscinia), (2) Knot (Calidris canutus) and (3) Whooper Swan (Cygnus cygnus). The ratio of protein to fat consumed ranged from 0.19 to 0.36, depending mainly on the starting value assumed for the muscle fraction. Specific work and starting power density were much higher for the Whooper Swan than for the two smaller species, suggesting that the latter have power to spare for climbing to high cruising altitudes, whereas the swan has not. If all three species were able to reach high cruising altitudes, the result would be a large reduction in journey time, which in turn would result in a small increase in range, due to a saving of energy required for basal metabolism. On current assumptions, the proportion of the fuel energy spent on basal metabolism would be eight times higher in the Thrush Nightingale than in the Whooper Swan, consequently the gain in range due to flying high would be greater in the smaller bird. In order to run the simulation, assumptions have been made at the primary physical level, to calculate the mechanical power required, and also at the secondary physiological level, to convert this into fuel consumption. The physical assumptions mostly take the form of variables whose existence is not in doubt, but whose values are poorly known, whereas in the case of some of the most important physiological variables, even the principles are unknown. Attention is drawn to a number of problems in need of attention, including (1) the mass and energy requirements of respiratory and circulatory organs required to sustain aerobically a given level of mechanical power; (2) the capabilities of bird lungs at high altitudes; (3) the possibility that heart muscle and lung tissue may be consumed in flight; (4) the two "biological constants", isometric force per myosin fibril and inverse power density of mitochondria; (5) the energy density of different fuels, and the conversion efficiency of the flight muscles; and (6) the manner in which basal metabolism combines with other demands for power in an exercising animal. Copyright 1998 Academic Press Limited

Evolution of robust circadian clocks in Drosophila melanogaster populations reared in constant dark for over 330 generations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shindey, Radhika; Varma, Vishwanath; Nikhil, K. L.; Sharma, Vijay Kumar

2016-10-01

Robustness is considered to be an important feature of biological systems which may evolve when the functionality of a trait is associated with higher fitness across multiple environmental conditions. Thus, the ability to maintain stable biological phenotypes across environments is thought to be of adaptive value. Previously, we have reported higher intrinsic activity levels (activity levels of free-running rhythm in constant darkness) and power of rhythm (as assessed by amplitude of the periodogram) in Drosophila melanogaster populations (stocks) reared in constant darkness (DD stocks) as compared to those reared in constant light (LL stocks) and 12:12-h light-dark cycles (LD stocks) for over 19 years (˜330 generations). In the current study, we intended to examine whether the enhanced levels of activity observed in DD stocks persist under various environments such as photoperiods, ambient temperatures, non-24-h light-dark (LD) cycles, and semi-natural conditions (SN). We found that DD stocks largely retain their phenotype of enhanced activity levels across most of the above-mentioned environments suggesting the evolution of robust circadian clocks in DD stocks. Furthermore, we compared the peak activity levels of the three stocks across different environmental conditions relative to their peaks in constant darkness and found that the change in peak activity levels upon entrainment was not significantly different across the three stocks for any of the examined environmental conditions. This suggests that the enhancement of activity levels in DD stocks is not due to differential sensitivity to environment. Thus, these results suggest that rearing in constant darkness (DD) leads to evolution of robust circadian clocks suggesting a possible adaptive value of possessing such rhythms under constant dark environments.

Evolution of robust circadian clocks in Drosophila melanogaster populations reared in constant dark for over 330 generations.

PubMed

Shindey, Radhika; Varma, Vishwanath; Nikhil, K L; Sharma, Vijay Kumar

2016-10-01

Robustness is considered to be an important feature of biological systems which may evolve when the functionality of a trait is associated with higher fitness across multiple environmental conditions. Thus, the ability to maintain stable biological phenotypes across environments is thought to be of adaptive value. Previously, we have reported higher intrinsic activity levels (activity levels of free-running rhythm in constant darkness) and power of rhythm (as assessed by amplitude of the periodogram) in Drosophila melanogaster populations (stocks) reared in constant darkness (DD stocks) as compared to those reared in constant light (LL stocks) and 12:12-h light-dark cycles (LD stocks) for over 19 years (∼330 generations). In the current study, we intended to examine whether the enhanced levels of activity observed in DD stocks persist under various environments such as photoperiods, ambient temperatures, non-24-h light-dark (LD) cycles, and semi-natural conditions (SN). We found that DD stocks largely retain their phenotype of enhanced activity levels across most of the above-mentioned environments suggesting the evolution of robust circadian clocks in DD stocks. Furthermore, we compared the peak activity levels of the three stocks across different environmental conditions relative to their peaks in constant darkness and found that the change in peak activity levels upon entrainment was not significantly different across the three stocks for any of the examined environmental conditions. This suggests that the enhancement of activity levels in DD stocks is not due to differential sensitivity to environment. Thus, these results suggest that rearing in constant darkness (DD) leads to evolution of robust circadian clocks suggesting a possible adaptive value of possessing such rhythms under constant dark environments.

Characterization of the electrical output of flat-plate photovoltaic arrays

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gonzalez, C. C.; Hill, G. M.; Ross, R. G., Jr.

1982-01-01

The electric output of flat-plate photovoltaic arrays changes constantly, due primarily to changes in cell temperature and irradiance level. As a result, array loads such as direct-current to alternating-current power conditioners must be able to accommodate widely varying input levels, while maintaining operation at or near the array maximum power point.The results of an extensive computer simulation study that was used to define the parameters necessary for the systematic design of array/power-conditioner interfaces are presented as normalized ratios of power-conditioner parameters to array parameters, to make the results universally applicable to a wide variety of system sizes, sites, and operating modes. The advantages of maximum power tracking and a technique for computing average annual power-conditioner efficiency are discussed.

Control over high peak-power laser light and laser-driven X-rays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Baozhen; Banerjee, Sudeep; Yan, Wenchao; Zhang, Ping; Zhang, Jun; Golovin, Grigory; Liu, Cheng; Fruhling, Colton; Haden, Daniel; Chen, Shouyuan; Umstadter, Donald

2018-04-01

An optical system was demonstrated that enables continuous control over the peak power level of ultrashort duration laser light. The optical characteristics of amplified and compressed femtosecond-duration light from a chirped-pulse amplification laser are shown to remain invariant and maintain high-fidelity using this system. When the peak power was varied by an order-of-magnitude, up to its maximum attainable value, the phase, spectral bandwidth, polarization state, and focusability of the light remained constant. This capability led to precise control of the focused laser intensity and enabled a correspondingly high level of control over the power of an all-laser-driven Thomson X-ray light source.

Sensitivity of resonant tunneling diode photodetectors.

PubMed

Pfenning, Andreas; Hartmann, Fabian; Langer, Fabian; Kamp, Martin; Höfling, Sven; Worschech, Lukas

2016-09-02

We have studied the sensitivity of AlGaAs/GaAs double barrier resonant tunneling diode photodetectors with an integrated GaInNAs absorption layer for light sensing at the telecommunication wavelength of λ = 1.3 μm for illumination powers from pico- to microwatts. The sensitivity decreases nonlinearly with power. An illumination power increase of seven orders of magnitude leads to a reduction of the photocurrent sensitivity from S I  = 5.82 × 10(3) A W(-1) to 3.2 A W(-1). We attribute the nonlinear sensitivity-power dependence to an altered local electrostatic potential due to hole-accumulation that on the one hand tunes the tunneling current, but on the other hand affects the lifetime of photogenerated holes. In particular, the lifetime decreases exponentially with increasing hole population. The lifetime reduction results from an enhanced electrical field, a rise of the quasi-Fermi level, and an increased energy splitting within the triangular potential well. The non-constant sensitivity is a direct result of the non-constant lifetime. Based on these findings, we provide an expression that allows us to calculate the sensitivity as a function of illumination power and bias voltage, show a way to model the time-resolved photocurrent, and determine the critical power up to which the resonant tunneling diode photodetector sensitivity can be assumed constant.

Equivalent refractive-index structure constant of non-Kolmogorov turbulence.

PubMed

Li, Yujie; Zhu, Wenyue; Wu, Xiaoqing; Rao, Ruizhong

2015-09-07

The relationship between the non-Kolmogorov refractive-index structure constant and the Kolmogorov refractive-index structure constant is derived by using the refractive-index structure function and the variance of refractive-index fluctuations. It shows that the non-Kolmogorov structure constant is proportional to the Kolmogorov structure constant and the scaling factor depends on the outer scale and the spectral power law. For a fixed Kolmogorov structure constant, the non-Kolmogorov structure constant increases with a increasing outer scale for the power law less than 11/3, the trend is opposite for the power law greater than 11/3. This equivalent relation provides a way of obtaining the non-Kolmogorov structure constant by using the Kolmogorov structure constant.

Photovoltaic array: Power conditioner interface characteristics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gonzalez, C. C.; Hill, G. M.; Ross, R. G., Jr.

1982-01-01

The electrical output (power, current, and voltage) of flat plate solar arrays changes constantly, due primarily to changes in cell temperature and irradiance level. As a result, array loads such as dc-to-ac power conditioners must be capable of accommodating widely varying input levels while maintaining operation at or near the maximum power point of the array. The array operating characteristics and extreme output limits necessary for the systematic design of array load interfaces under a wide variety of climatic conditions are studied. A number of interface parameters are examined, including optimum operating voltage, voltage energy, maximum power and current limits, and maximum open circuit voltage. The effect of array degradation and I-V curve fill factor or the array power conditioner interface is also discussed. Results are presented as normalized ratios of power conditioner parameters to array parameters, making the results universally applicable to a wide variety of system sizes, sites, and operating modes.

Modeling a constant power load for nickel-hydrogen battery testing using SPICE

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bearden, Douglas B.; Lollar, Louis F.; Nelms, R. M.

1990-01-01

The effort to design and model a constant power load for the HST (Hubble Space Telescope) nickel-hydrogen battery tests is described. The constant power load was designed for three different simulations on the batteries: life cycling, reconditioning, and capacity testing. A dc-dc boost converter was designed to act as this constant power load. A boost converter design was chosen because of the low test battery voltage (4 to 6 VDC) generated and the relatively high power requirement of 60 to 70 W. The SPICE model was shown to consistently predict variations in the actual circuit as various designs were attempted. It is concluded that the confidence established in the SPICE model of the constant power load ensures its extensive utilization in future efforts to improve performance in the actual load circuit.

Modeling and performance improvement of the constant power regulator systems in variable displacement axial piston pump.

PubMed

Park, Sung Hwan; Lee, Ji Min; Kim, Jong Shik

2013-01-01

An irregular performance of a mechanical-type constant power regulator is considered. In order to find the cause of an irregular discharge flow at the cut-off pressure area, modeling and numerical simulations are performed to observe dynamic behavior of internal parts of the constant power regulator system for a swashplate-type axial piston pump. The commercial numerical simulation software AMESim is applied to model the mechanical-type regulator with hydraulic pump and simulate the performance of it. The validity of the simulation model of the constant power regulator system is verified by comparing simulation results with experiments. In order to find the cause of the irregular performance of the mechanical-type constant power regulator system, the behavior of main components such as the spool, sleeve, and counterbalance piston is investigated using computer simulation. The shape modification of the counterbalance piston is proposed to improve the undesirable performance of the mechanical-type constant power regulator. The performance improvement is verified by computer simulation using AMESim software.

Measurement technology of RF interference current in high current system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Zhihua; Li, Jianxuan; Zhang, Xiangming; Zhang, Lei

2018-06-01

Current probe is a detection method commonly used in electromagnetic compatibility. With the development of power electronics technology, the power level of power conversion devices is constantly increasing, and the power current of the electric energy conversion device in the electromagnetic launch system can reach 10kA. Current probe conventionally used in EMC (electromagnetic compatibility) detection cannot meet the test requirements on high current system due to the magnetic saturation problem. The conventional high current sensor is also not suitable for the RF (Radio Frequency) interference current measurement in high current power device due to the high noise level in the output of active amplifier. In this paper, a passive flexible current probe based on Rogowski coil and matching resistance is proposed that can withstand high current and has low noise level, to solve the measurement problems of interference current in high current power converter. And both differential mode and common mode current detection can be easily carried out with the proposed probe because of the probe's flexible structure.

Mitigating Short-Term Variations of Photovoltaic Generation Using Energy Storage with VOLTTRON

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morrissey, Kevin

A smart-building communications system performs smoothing on photovoltaic (PV) power generation using a battery energy storage system (BESS). The system runs using VOLTTRON(TM), a multi-agent python-based software platform dedicated to power systems. The VOLTTRON(TM) system designed for this project runs synergistically with the larger University of Washington VOLTTRON(TM) environment, which is designed to operate UW device communications and databases as well as to perform real-time operations for research. One such research algorithm that operates simultaneously with this PV Smoothing System is an energy cost optimization system which optimizes net demand and associated cost throughout a day using the BESS. The PV Smoothing System features an active low-pass filter with an adaptable time constant, as well as adjustable limitations on the output power and accumulated battery energy of the BESS contribution. The system was analyzed using 26 days of PV generation at 1-second resolution. PV smoothing was studied with unconstrained BESS contribution as well as under a broad range of BESS constraints analogous to variable-sized storage. It was determined that a large inverter output power was more important for PV smoothing than a large battery energy capacity. Two methods of selecting the time constant in real time, static and adaptive, are studied for their impact on system performance. It was found that both systems provide a high level of PV smoothing performance, within 8% of the ideal case where the best time constant is known ahead of time. The system was run in real time using VOLTTRON(TM) with BESS limitations of 5 kW/6.5 kWh and an adaptive update period of 7 days. The system behaved as expected given the BESS parameters and time constant selection methods, providing smoothing on the PV generation and updating the time constant periodically using the adaptive time constant selection method.

Dual power, constant speed electric motor system

DOEpatents

Kirschbaum, H.S.

1984-07-31

A dual capacity permanent split capacitor electric motor system is provided with a stator having main and auxiliary windings. The main stator winding includes two winding sections which are connected in parallel with each other and across a pair of line terminals while the auxiliary winding is connected in series with a capacitor to form a circuit branch which is connected between the line terminals for operation at a first output power level. Switching means are provided to reconnect the main stator winding sections in series with each other and in series with a second capacitor to form a circuit branch which is connected between the line terminals while the stator auxiliary winding is connected directly between the line terminals for operation at a second output power level. Automatic rotation reversal occurs when the motor switches from the first to the second output power level. 6 figs.

Dual power, constant speed electric motor system

DOEpatents

Kirschbaum, Herbert S.

1984-01-01

A dual capacity permanent split capacitor electric motor system is provided with a stator having main and auxiliary windings. The main stator winding includes two winding sections which are connected in parallel with each other and across a pair of line terminals while the auxiliary winding is connected in series with a capacitor to form a circuit branch which is connected between the line terminals for operation at a first output power level. Switching means are provided to reconnect the main stator winding sections in series with each other and in series with a second capacitor to form a circuit branch which is connected between the line terminals while the stator auxiliary winding is connected directly between the line terminals for operation at a second output power level. Automatic rotation reversal occurs when the motor switches from the first to the second output power level.

Modeling and Performance Improvement of the Constant Power Regulator Systems in Variable Displacement Axial Piston Pump

PubMed Central

Park, Sung Hwan; Lee, Ji Min; Kim, Jong Shik

2013-01-01

An irregular performance of a mechanical-type constant power regulator is considered. In order to find the cause of an irregular discharge flow at the cut-off pressure area, modeling and numerical simulations are performed to observe dynamic behavior of internal parts of the constant power regulator system for a swashplate-type axial piston pump. The commercial numerical simulation software AMESim is applied to model the mechanical-type regulator with hydraulic pump and simulate the performance of it. The validity of the simulation model of the constant power regulator system is verified by comparing simulation results with experiments. In order to find the cause of the irregular performance of the mechanical-type constant power regulator system, the behavior of main components such as the spool, sleeve, and counterbalance piston is investigated using computer simulation. The shape modification of the counterbalance piston is proposed to improve the undesirable performance of the mechanical-type constant power regulator. The performance improvement is verified by computer simulation using AMESim software. PMID:24282389

Three-Level 48-Pulse STATCOM with Pulse Width Modulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Bhim; Srinivas, Kadagala Venkata

2016-03-01

In this paper, a new control strategy of a three-level 48-pulse static synchronous compensator (STATCOM) is proposed with a constant dc link voltage and pulse width modulation at fundamental frequency switching. The proposed STATCOM is realized using eight units of three-level voltage source converters (VSCs) to form a three-level 48-pulse STATCOM. The conduction angle of each three-level VSC is modulated to control the ac converter output voltage, which controls the reactive power of the STATCOM. A fuzzy logic controller is used to control the STATCOM. The dynamic performance of the STATCOM is studied for the control of the reference reactive power, the reference terminal voltage and under the switching of inductive and capacitive loads.

High power RF solid state power amplifier system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sims, III, William Herbert (Inventor); Chavers, Donald Gregory (Inventor); Richeson, James J. (Inventor)

2011-01-01

A high power, high frequency, solid state power amplifier system includes a plurality of input multiple port splitters for receiving a high-frequency input and for dividing the input into a plurality of outputs and a plurality of solid state amplifier units. Each amplifier unit includes a plurality of amplifiers, and each amplifier is individually connected to one of the outputs of multiport splitters and produces a corresponding amplified output. A plurality of multiport combiners combine the amplified outputs of the amplifiers of each of the amplifier units to a combined output. Automatic level control protection circuitry protects the amplifiers and maintains a substantial constant amplifier power output.

Performance of a Low-Power Cylindrical Hall Thruster

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Polzin, Kurt A.; Markusic, Thomas E.; Stanojev, Boris J.; Dehoyos, Amado; Raitses, Yevgeny; Smirnov, Artem; Fisch, Nathaniel J.

2007-01-01

Recent mission studies have shown that a Hall thruster which operates at relatively constant thrust efficiency (45-55%) over a broad power range (300W - 3kW) is enabling for deep space science missions when compared with slate-of-the-art ion thrusters. While conventional (annular) Hall thrusters can operate at high thrust efficiency at kW power levels, it is difficult to construct one that operates over a broad power envelope down to 0 (100 W) while maintaining relatively high efficiency. In this note we report the measured performance (I(sub sp), thrust and efficiency) of a cylindrical Hall thruster operating at 0 (100 W) input power.

Variable criteria sequential stopping rule: Validity and power with repeated measures ANOVA, multiple correlation, MANOVA and relation to Chi-square distribution.

PubMed

Fitts, Douglas A

2017-09-21

The variable criteria sequential stopping rule (vcSSR) is an efficient way to add sample size to planned ANOVA tests while holding the observed rate of Type I errors, α o , constant. The only difference from regular null hypothesis testing is that criteria for stopping the experiment are obtained from a table based on the desired power, rate of Type I errors, and beginning sample size. The vcSSR was developed using between-subjects ANOVAs, but it should work with p values from any type of F test. In the present study, the α o remained constant at the nominal level when using the previously published table of criteria with repeated measures designs with various numbers of treatments per subject, Type I error rates, values of ρ, and four different sample size models. New power curves allow researchers to select the optimal sample size model for a repeated measures experiment. The criteria held α o constant either when used with a multiple correlation that varied the sample size model and the number of predictor variables, or when used with MANOVA with multiple groups and two levels of a within-subject variable at various levels of ρ. Although not recommended for use with χ 2 tests such as the Friedman rank ANOVA test, the vcSSR produces predictable results based on the relation between F and χ 2 . Together, the data confirm the view that the vcSSR can be used to control Type I errors during sequential sampling with any t- or F-statistic rather than being restricted to certain ANOVA designs.

Position-insensitive long range inductive power transfer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kwan, Christopher H.; Lawson, James; Yates, David C.; Mitcheson, Paul D.

2014-11-01

This paper presents results of an improved inductive wireless power transfer system for reliable long range powering of sensors with milliwatt-level consumption. An ultra-low power flyback impedance emulator operating in open loop is used to present the optimal load to the receiver's resonant tank. Transmitter power modulation is implemented in order to maintain constant receiver power and to prevent damage to the receiver electronics caused by excessive received voltage. Received power is steady up to 3 m at around 30 mW. The receiver electronics and feedback system consumes 3.1 mW and so with a transmitter input power of 163.3 W the receiver becomes power neutral at 4.75 m. Such an IPT system can provide a reliable alternative to energy harvesters for supplying power concurrently to multiple remote sensors.

Geometrical feature of the scaling behavior of the limit-point pressure of inflated hyperelastic membranes.

PubMed

Tamadapu, Ganesh; Dhavale, Nikhil Nandkumar; DasGupta, Anirvan

2013-11-01

The occurrence of the limit-point instability is an intriguing phenomenon observed during stretching of hyperelastic membranes. In toy rubber balloons, this phenomenon may be experienced in the sudden reduction in the level of difficulty of blowing the balloon accompanied by its rapid inflation. The present paper brings out a link between the geometry and strain-hardening parameter of the membrane, and the occurrence of the limit-point instability. Inflation of membranes with different geometries and boundary conditions is considered, and the corresponding limit-point pressures are obtained for different strain-hardening parameter values. Interestingly, it is observed that the limit-point pressure for the different geometries is inversely proportional to a geometric parameter of the uninflated membrane. This dependence is shown analytically, which can be extended to a general membrane geometry. More surprisingly, the proportionality constant has a power-law dependence on the nondimensional material strain-hardening parameter. The constants involved in the power-law relation are universal constants for a particular membrane geometry.

Systems and methods for providing power to a load based upon a control strategy

DOEpatents

Perisic, Milun; Kajouke, Lateef A; Ransom, Ray M

2013-12-24

Systems and methods are provided for an electrical system. The electrical system includes a load, an interface configured to receive a voltage from a voltage source, and a controller configured to receive the voltage from the voltage source through the interface and to provide a voltage and current to the load. Wherein, when the controller is in a constant voltage mode, the controller provides a constant voltage to the load, when the controller is in a constant current mode, the controller provides a constant current to the load, and when the controller is in a constant power mode, the controller provides a constant power to the load.

CONSTRAINTS ON SPATIAL VARIATIONS IN THE FINE-STRUCTURE CONSTANT FROM PLANCK

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

O'Bryan, Jon; Smidt, Joseph; De Bernardis, Francesco

2015-01-01

We use the cosmic microwave background (CMB) anisotropy data from Planck to constrain the spatial fluctuations of the fine-structure constant α at a redshift of 1100. We use a quadratic estimator to measure the four-point correlation function of the CMB temperature anisotropies and extract the angular power spectrum fine-structure constant spatial variations projected along the line of sight at the last scattering surface. At tens of degree angular scales and above, we constrain the fractional rms fluctuations of the fine-structure constant to be (δα/α){sub rms} < 3.4 × 10{sup –3} at the 68% confidence level. We find no evidence formore » a spatially varying α at a redshift of 10{sup 3}.« less

Mathematical modelling of Bit-Level Architecture using Reciprocal Quantum Logic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Narendran, S.; Selvakumar, J.

2018-04-01

Efficiency of high-performance computing is on high demand with both speed and energy efficiency. Reciprocal Quantum Logic (RQL) is one of the technology which will produce high speed and zero static power dissipation. RQL uses AC power supply as input rather than DC input. RQL has three set of basic gates. Series of reciprocal transmission lines are placed in between each gate to avoid loss of power and to achieve high speed. Analytical model of Bit-Level Architecture are done through RQL. Major drawback of reciprocal Quantum Logic is area, because of lack in proper power supply. To achieve proper power supply we need to use splitters which will occupy large area. Distributed arithmetic uses vector- vector multiplication one is constant and other is signed variable and each word performs as a binary number, they rearranged and mixed to form distributed system. Distributed arithmetic is widely used in convolution and high performance computational devices.

Investigating Electrostatic Precipitator Design Parameters for Efficient Control of Particulate Matter in Thermal Power Plant: A Case Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rai, P.; Gautam, N.; Chandra, H.

2018-06-01

This work deals with the analysis and modification of operational parameters for meeting the emission standards, set by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)/State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) from time to time of electrostatic precipitator (ESP). The analysis is carried out by using standard chemical analysis supplemented by the relevant data collected from Korba East Phase (Ph)-III thermal power plant, under Chhattisgarh State Electricity Board (CSEB) operating at Korba, Chhattisgarh. Chemical analysis is used to predict the emission level for different parameters of ESP. The results reveal that for a constant outlet PM concentration and fly ash percentage, the total collection area decreases with the increase in migration velocity. For constant migration velocity and outlet PM concentration, the total collection area increases with the increase in the fly ash percent. For constant migration velocity and outlet e PM concentration, the total collection area increases with the ash content in the coal. i.e. from minimum ash to maximum ash. As far as the efficiency is concerned, it increases with the fly ash percent, ash content and the inlet dust concentration but decreases with the outlet PM concentration at constant migration velocity, fly ash and ash content.

Investigating Electrostatic Precipitator Design Parameters for Efficient Control of Particulate Matter in Thermal Power Plant: A Case Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rai, P.; Gautam, N.; Chandra, H.

2018-02-01

This work deals with the analysis and modification of operational parameters for meeting the emission standards, set by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)/State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) from time to time of electrostatic precipitator (ESP). The analysis is carried out by using standard chemical analysis supplemented by the relevant data collected from Korba East Phase (Ph)-III thermal power plant, under Chhattisgarh State Electricity Board (CSEB) operating at Korba, Chhattisgarh. Chemical analysis is used to predict the emission level for different parameters of ESP. The results reveal that for a constant outlet PM concentration and fly ash percentage, the total collection area decreases with the increase in migration velocity. For constant migration velocity and outlet PM concentration, the total collection area increases with the increase in the fly ash percent. For constant migration velocity and outlet e PM concentration, the total collection area increases with the ash content in the coal. i.e. from minimum ash to maximum ash. As far as the efficiency is concerned, it increases with the fly ash percent, ash content and the inlet dust concentration but decreases with the outlet PM concentration at constant migration velocity, fly ash and ash content.

Wintertime Overnight NOx Removal in a Southeastern United States Coal-Fired Power Plant Plume: A Model for Understanding Winter NOx Processing and Its Implications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fibiger, Dorothy L.; McDuffie, Erin E.; Dube, William P.; Aikin, Kenneth C.; Lopez-Hilifiker, Felipe D.; Lee, Ben H.; Green, Jaime R.; Fiddler, Marc N.; Holloway, John S.; Ebben, Carlena;

Wintertime Overnight NOx Removal in a Southeastern United States Coal-fired Power Plant Plume: A Model for Understanding Winter NOx Processing and its Implications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fibiger, Dorothy L.; McDuffie, Erin E.; Dubé, William P.; Aikin, Kenneth C.; Lopez-Hilfiker, Felipe D.; Lee, Ben H.; Green, Jaime R.; Fiddler, Marc N.; Holloway, John S.; Ebben, Carlena; Sparks, Tamara L.; Wooldridge, Paul; Weinheimer, Andrew J.; Montzka, Denise D.; Apel, Eric C.; Hornbrook, Rebecca S.; Hills, Alan J.; Blake, Nicola J.; DiGangi, Josh P.; Wolfe, Glenn M.; Bililign, Solomon; Cohen, Ronald C.; Thornton, Joel A.; Brown, Steven S.

2018-01-01

Nitric oxide (NO) is emitted in large quantities from coal-burning power plants. During the day, the plumes from these sources are efficiently mixed into the boundary layer, while at night, they may remain concentrated due to limited vertical mixing during which they undergo horizontal fanning. At night, the degree to which NO is converted to HNO3 and therefore unable to participate in next-day ozone (O3) formation depends on the mixing rate of the plume, the composition of power plant emissions, and the composition of the background atmosphere. In this study, we use observed plume intercepts from the Wintertime INvestigation of Transport, Emissions and Reactivity campaign to test sensitivity of overnight NOx removal to the N2O5 loss rate constant, plume mixing rate, background O3, and background levels of volatile organic compounds using a 2-D box model of power plant plume transport and chemistry. The factor that exerted the greatest control over NOx removal was the loss rate constant of N2O5. At the lowest observed N2O5 loss rate constant, no other combination of conditions converts more than 10% of the initial NOx to HNO3. The other factors did not influence NOx removal to the same degree.

The feasibility of water injection into the turbine coolant to permit gas turbine contingency power for helicopter application

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Van Fossen, G. J.

1983-01-01

It is pointed out that in certain emergency situations it may be desirable to obtain power from a helicopter engine at levels greater than the maximum rating. Yost (1976) has reported studies concerning methods of power augmentation in the one engine inoperative (OEI) case. It was found that a combination of water/alcohol injection into the inlet and overtemperature/overspeed could provide adequate emergency power. The present investigation is concerned with the results of a feasibility study which analytically investigated the maximum possible level of augmentation with constant gas generator turbine stress rupture life as a constraint. In the proposed scheme, the increased engine output is obtained by turbine overtemperature, however, the temperature of the compressor bleed air used for hot section cooling is lowered by injecting and evaporating water.

East Meet West? U.S. and China: Strategies for Global Leadership

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-03-01

construct to serve as a broader framework for this research project to describe instruments of national power in a constantly changing, resource...construct to serve as a broader framework for this research project to describe instruments of national power in a constantly changing, resource...for this research project to describe instruments of national power in a constantly changing, resource-constrained, geopolitical environment. This

Hardware Model of a Shipboard Generator

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-05-19

controller output PM motor power RM motor resistance Td derivative time constant Tf1 fuel valve time constant Tg1 governor time constant Tg2 governor...in speed, sending a response signal to the fuel valve that regulates gas turbine power. At this point, there is an inherent variation between the...basic response analysis [5]. 29 Electrical Power Rotor Inertia Amplifiers Fuel Valve Turbine Dynamics Rotational Friction and Windage

Active high-power RF switch and pulse compression system

DOEpatents

Tantawi, Sami G.; Ruth, Ronald D.; Zolotorev, Max

1998-01-01

A high-power RF switching device employs a semiconductor wafer positioned in the third port of a three-port RF device. A controllable source of directed energy, such as a suitable laser or electron beam, is aimed at the semiconductor material. When the source is turned on, the energy incident on the wafer induces an electron-hole plasma layer on the wafer, changing the wafer's dielectric constant, turning the third port into a termination for incident RF signals, and. causing all incident RF signals to be reflected from the surface of the wafer. The propagation constant of RF signals through port 3, therefore, can be changed by controlling the beam. By making the RF coupling to the third port as small as necessary, one can reduce the peak electric field on the unexcited silicon surface for any level of input power from port 1, thereby reducing risk of damaging the wafer by RF with high peak power. The switch is useful to the construction of an improved pulse compression system to boost the peak power of microwave tubes driving linear accelerators. In this application, the high-power RF switch is placed at the coupling iris between the charging waveguide and the resonant storage line of a pulse compression system. This optically controlled high power RF pulse compression system can handle hundreds of Megawatts of power at X-band.

Investigation of operating parameters on CO2 splitting by dielectric barrier discharge plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pan, CHEN; Jun, SHEN; Tangchun, RAN; Tao, YANG; Yongxiang, YIN

2017-12-01

Experiments of CO2 splitting by dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma were carried out, and the influence of CO2 flow rate, plasma power, discharge voltage, discharge frequency on CO2 conversion and process energy efficiency were investigated. It was shown that the absolute quantity of CO2 decomposed was only proportional to the amount of conductive electrons across the discharge gap, and the electron amount was proportional to the discharge power; the energy efficiency of CO2 conversion was almost a constant at a lower level, which was limited by CO2 inherent discharge character that determined a constant gap electric field strength. This was the main reason why CO2 conversion rate decreased as the CO2 flow rate increase and process energy efficiency was decreased a little as applied frequency increased. Therefore, one can improve the CO2 conversion by less feed flow rate or larger discharge power in DBD plasma, but the energy efficiency is difficult to improve.

Hand and Power Tools

DTIC Science & Technology

1998-01-01

equipped with a constant- pressure switch or control: drills; tappers; fastener drivers; horizontal, vertical, and angle grinders with wheels more than...hand-held power tools must be equipped with either a positive “on-off” control switch, a constant pressure switch , or a “lock-on” control: disc sanders...percussion tools with no means of holding accessories securely, must be equipped with a constant- pressure switch that will shut off the power when the

Effect of material constants on power output in piezoelectric vibration-based generators.

PubMed

Takeda, Hiroaki; Mihara, Kensuke; Yoshimura, Tomohiro; Hoshina, Takuya; Tsurumi, Takaaki

2011-09-01

A possible power output estimation based on material constants in piezoelectric vibration-based generators is proposed. A modified equivalent circuit model of the generator was built and was validated by the measurement results in the generator fabricated using potassium sodium niobate-based and lead zirconate titanate (PZT) ceramics. Subsequently, generators with the same structure using other PZT-based and bismuth-layered structure ferroelectrics ceramics were fabricated and tested. The power outputs of these generators were expressed as a linear functions of the term composed of electromechanical coupling coefficients k(sys)(2) and mechanical quality factors Q*(m) of the generator. The relationship between device constants (k(sys)(2) and Q*(m)) and material constants (k(31)(2) and Q(m)) was clarified. Estimation of the power output using material constants is demonstrated and the appropriate piezoelectric material for the generator is suggested.

Analysis of combustion spectra containing organ pipe tone by cepstral techniques

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miles, J. H.; Wasserbauer, C. A.

1982-01-01

Signal reinforcements and cancellations due to standing waves may distort constant bandwidth combustion spectra. Cepstral techniques previously applied to the ground reflection echo problem are used to obtain smooth broadband data and information on combustion noise propagation. Internal fluctuating pressure measurements made using a J47 combustor attached to a 6.44 m long duct are analyzed. Measurements made with Jet A and hydrogen fuels are compared. The acoustic power levels inferred from the measurements are presented for a range of low heat release rate operating conditions near atmospheric pressure. For these cases, the variation with operating condition of the overall acoustic broadband power level for both hydrogen and Jet A fuels is consistent with previous results showing it was proportional to the square of the heat release rate. However, the overall acoustic broadband power level generally is greater for hydrogen than for Jet A.

dParFit: A computer program for fitting diatomic molecule spectral data to parameterized level energy expressions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Le Roy, Robert J.

2017-01-01

This paper describes FORTRAN program dParFit, which performs least-squares fits of diatomic molecule spectroscopic data involving one or more electronic states and one or more isotopologues, to parameterized expressions for the level energies. The data may consist of any combination of microwave, infrared or electronic vibrotational bands, fluorescence series or binding energies (from photo-association spectroscopy). The level energies for each electronic state may be described by one of: (i) band constants {Gv ,Bv ,Dv , … } for each vibrational level, (ii) generalized Dunham expansions, (iii) pure near-dissociation expansions (NDEs), (iv) mixed Dunham/NDE expressions, or (v) individual term values for each distinct level of each isotopologue. Different representations may be used for different electronic states and/or for different types of constants in a given fit (e.g., Gv and Bv may be represented one way and centrifugal distortion constants another). The effect of Λ-doubling or 2Σ splittings may be represented either by band constants (qvB or γvB, qvD or γvD, etc.) for each vibrational level of each isotopologue, or by using power series expansions in (v + 1/2) to represent those constants. Fits to Dunham or NDE expressions automatically incorporate normal first-order semiclassical mass scaling to allow combined analyses of multi-isotopologue data. In addition, dParFit may fit to determine atomic-mass-dependent terms required to account for breakdown of the Born-Oppenheimer and first-order semiclassical approximations. In any of these types of fits, one or more subsets of these parameters for one or more of the electronic states may be held fixed, while a limited parameter set is varied. The program can also use a set of read-in constants to make predictions and calculate deviations [ycalc -yobs ] for any chosen input data set, or to generate predictions of arbitrary data sets.

Performance of Low-Power Pulsed Arcjets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burton, Rodney L.

1995-01-01

The Electric Propulsion Laboratory at UIUC has in place all the capability and diagnostics required for performance testing of low power pulsed and DC arcjets. The UIUC thrust stand is operating with excellent accuracy and sensitivity at very low thrust levels. An important aspect of the experimental setup is the use of a PID controller to maintain a constant thruster position, which reduces hysterisis effects. Electrical noise from the arcjet induces some noise into the thrust signal, but this does not affect the measurement.

Multistage quantum absorption heat pumps.

PubMed

Correa, Luis A

2014-04-01

It is well known that heat pumps, while being all limited by the same basic thermodynamic laws, may find realization on systems as "small" and "quantum" as a three-level maser. In order to quantitatively assess how the performance of these devices scales with their size, we design generalized N-dimensional ideal heat pumps by merging N-2 elementary three-level stages. We set them to operate in the absorption chiller mode between given hot and cold baths and study their maximum achievable cooling power and the corresponding efficiency as a function of N. While the efficiency at maximum power is roughly size-independent, the power itself slightly increases with the dimension, quickly saturating to a constant. Thus, interestingly, scaling up autonomous quantum heat pumps does not render a significant enhancement beyond the optimal double-stage configuration.

Method and apparatus for reading thermoluminescent phosphors

DOEpatents

Braunlich, Peter F.; Tetzlaff, Wolfgang

1987-01-01

An apparatus and method for rapidly reading thermoluminescent phosphors to determine the amount of luminescent energy stored therein. The stored luminescent energy is interpreted as a measure of the total exposure of the thermoluminescent phosphor to ionizing radiation. The thermoluminescent phosphor reading apparatus uses a laser to generate a laser beam. The laser beam power level is monitored by a laser power detector and controlled to maintain the power level nearly constant. A shutter or other laser beam interrupting means is used to control exposure of the thermoluminescent phosphor to the laser beam. The laser beam can be equalized using an optical equalizer so that the laser beam has an approximately uniform power density across the beam. The heated thermoluminescent phosphor emits a visible or otherwise detectable luminescent emission which is measured as an indication of the radiation exposure of the thermoluminescent phosphors. Also disclosed are preferred signal processing and control circuits.

Clinical and structural outcomes after arthroscopic repair of full-thickness rotator cuff tears with and without platelet-rich product supplementation: a meta-analysis and meta-regression.

PubMed

Warth, Ryan J; Dornan, Grant J; James, Evan W; Horan, Marilee P; Millett, Peter J

2015-02-01

The purpose of this study was to perform a systematic review, meta-analysis, and meta-regression of all Level I and Level II studies comparing the clinical or structural outcomes, or both, after rotator cuff repair with and without platelet-rich product (PRP) supplementation. A literature search of the PubMed and EMBASE databases was performed to identify all Level I or II studies comparing the clinical or structural outcomes, or both, after arthroscopic repair of full-thickness rotator cuff tears with (PRP+ group) and without (PRP- group) PRP supplementation. Data included outcome scores (American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons [ASES], University of California Los Angeles [UCLA], Constant, Simple Shoulder Test [SST] and visual analog scale [VAS] scores) and retears diagnosed with imaging studies. Meta-analyses compared preoperative, postoperative, and gain in outcome scores and relative risk ratios for retears. Meta-regression compared the effect of PRP treatment on outcome scores and retear rates according to 6 covariates. Minimum effect sizes that were detectable with 80% power were also calculated for each study. Eleven studies were included in this review and a maximum of 8 studies were used for meta-analyses according to data availability. There were no statistically significant differences between the PRP+ and PRP- groups for overall outcome scores or retear rates (P > .05). Overall gain in the Constant score was decreased when liquid PRP was injected over the tendon surface compared with PRP application at the tendon-bone interface (-6.88 points v +0.78 points, respectively; P = .046); however, this difference did not reach the previously reported minimum clinically important difference (MCID) for Constant scores. When the initial tear size was greater than 3 cm in anterior-posterior length, the PRP+ group exhibited decreased retear rates after double-row repairs when compared with the PRP- group (25.9% v 57.1%, respectively; P = .046). Sensitivity power analyses revealed that most included studies were only powered to detect large differences in outcome scores between groups. There were no statistically significant differences in overall gain in outcome scores or retear rates between treatment groups. Gain in Constant scores was significantly increased when PRPs were applied at the tendon-bone interface when compared with application over the top of the repaired tendon. Retear rates were significantly decreased when PRPs were used for the treatment of tears greater than 3 cm in anterior-posterior length using a double-row technique. Most of the included studies were only powered to detect large differences in outcome scores between treatment groups. In addition, an increased risk for selection, performance, and attrition biases was found. Level II, meta-analysis of Level I and Level II studies. Copyright © 2015 Arthroscopy Association of North America. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Space Nuclear Power Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Houts, Michael G.

2012-01-01

Fission power and propulsion systems can enable exciting space exploration missions. These include bases on the moon and Mars; and the exploration, development, and utilization of the solar system. In the near-term, fission surface power systems could provide abundant, constant, cost-effective power anywhere on the surface of the Moon or Mars, independent of available sunlight. Affordable access to Mars, the asteroid belt, or other destinations could be provided by nuclear thermal rockets. In the further term, high performance fission power supplies could enable both extremely high power levels on planetary surfaces and fission electric propulsion vehicles for rapid, efficient cargo and crew transfer. Advanced fission propulsion systems could eventually allow routine access to the entire solar system. Fission systems could also enable the utilization of resources within the solar system.

Pulsed photothermal interferometry for spectroscopic gas detection with hollow-core optical fibre

PubMed Central

Lin, Yuechuan; Jin, Wei; Yang, Fan; Ma, Jun; Wang, Chao; Ho, Hoi Lut; Liu, Yang

2016-01-01

Gas detection with hollow-core photonic bandgap fibre (HC-PBF) and pulsed photothermal (PT) interferometry spectroscopy are studied theoretically and experimentally. A theoretical model is developed and used to compute the gas-absorption-induced temperature and phase modulation in a HC-PBF filled with low-concentration of C2H2 in nitrogen. The PT phase modulation dynamics for different pulse duration, peak power and energy of pump beam are numerically modelled, which are supported by the experimental results obtained around the P(9) absorption line of C2H2 at 1530.371 nm. Thermal conduction is identified as the main process responsible for the phase modulation dynamics. For a constant peak pump power level, the phase modulation is found to increase with pulse duration up to ~1.2 μs, while it increases with decreasing pulse duration for a constant pulse energy. It is theoretically possible to achieve ppb level detection of C2H2 with ~1 m length HC-PBF and a pump beam with ~10 ns pulse duration and ~100 nJ pulse energy. PMID:28009011

Pulsed photothermal interferometry for spectroscopic gas detection with hollow-core optical fibre.

PubMed

Lin, Yuechuan; Jin, Wei; Yang, Fan; Ma, Jun; Wang, Chao; Ho, Hoi Lut; Liu, Yang

2016-12-23

Gas detection with hollow-core photonic bandgap fibre (HC-PBF) and pulsed photothermal (PT) interferometry spectroscopy are studied theoretically and experimentally. A theoretical model is developed and used to compute the gas-absorption-induced temperature and phase modulation in a HC-PBF filled with low-concentration of C 2 H 2 in nitrogen. The PT phase modulation dynamics for different pulse duration, peak power and energy of pump beam are numerically modelled, which are supported by the experimental results obtained around the P(9) absorption line of C 2 H 2 at 1530.371 nm. Thermal conduction is identified as the main process responsible for the phase modulation dynamics. For a constant peak pump power level, the phase modulation is found to increase with pulse duration up to ~1.2 μs, while it increases with decreasing pulse duration for a constant pulse energy. It is theoretically possible to achieve ppb level detection of C 2 H 2 with ~1 m length HC-PBF and a pump beam with ~10 ns pulse duration and ~100 nJ pulse energy.

Dielectric properties, optimum formulation and microwave baking conditions of chickpea cakes.

PubMed

Alifakı, Yaşar Özlem; Şakıyan, Özge

2017-03-01

The aim of this study was to correlate dielectric properties with quality parameters, and to optimize cake formulation and baking conditions by response surface methodology. Weight loss, color, specific volume, hardness and porosity were evaluated. The samples with different DATEM (0.4, 0.8 and 1.2%) and chickpea flour concentrations (30, 40 and 50%) were baked in microwave oven at different power (300, 350, 400 W) and baking times (2.50, 3.0, 3.50 min). It was found that microwave power showed significant effect on color, while baking time showed effect on weight loss, porosity, hardness, specific volume and dielectric properties. Emulsifier level affected porosity, specific volume and dielectric constant. Chickpea flour level affected porosity, color, hardness and dielectric properties of cakes. The optimum microwave power, baking time, DATEM level and chickpea flour level were found as 400 W, 2.84 min, 1.2% and 30%, respectively. The comparison between conventionally baked and the microwave baked cakes at optimum points showed that color difference, weight loss, specific volume and porosity values of microwave baked cakes were less than those of conventionally baked cakes, on the other hand, hardness values were higher. Moreover, a negative correlation between dielectric constant and porosity, and weight loss values were detected for microwave baked samples. A negative correlation between dielectric loss factor and porosity was observed. These correlations indicated that quality characteristics of a microwave baked cake sample can be assessed from dielectric properties. These correlations provides understanding on the behavior of food material during microwave processing.

Power-control switch

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kessler, L. L.

1976-01-01

Constant-current source creates drive current independent of input-voltage variations, 50% reduction in power loss in base drive circuitry, maintains essentially constant charge rate, and improves rise-time consistency over input voltage range.

Constant-Pressure Hydraulic Pump

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Galloway, C. W.

1982-01-01

Constant output pressure in gas-driven hydraulic pump would be assured in new design for gas-to-hydraulic power converter. With a force-multiplying ring attached to gas piston, expanding gas would apply constant force on hydraulic piston even though gas pressure drops. As a result, pressure of hydraulic fluid remains steady, and power output of the pump does not vary.

Testing activities at the National Battery Test Laboratory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hornstra, F.; Deluca, W. H.; Mulcahey, T. P.

The National Battery Test Laboratory (NBTL) is an Argonne National Laboratory facility for testing, evaluating, and studying advanced electric storage batteries. The facility tests batteries developed under Department of Energy programs and from private industry. These include batteries intended for future electric vehicle (EV) propulsion, electric utility load leveling (LL), and solar energy storage. Since becoming operational, the NBTL has evaluated well over 1400 cells (generally in the form of three- to six-cell modules, but up to 140-cell batteries) of various technologies. Performance characterization assessments are conducted under a series of charge/discharge cycles with constant current, constant power, peak power, and computer simulated dynamic load profile conditions. Flexible charging algorithms are provided to accommodate the specific needs of each battery under test. Special studies are conducted to explore and optimize charge procedures, to investigate the impact of unique load demands on battery performance, and to analyze the thermal management requirements of battery systems.

Experimental investigation of a variable speed constant frequency electric generating system from a utility perspective

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Herrera, J. I.; Reddoch, T. W.; Lawler, J. S.

1985-01-01

As efforts are accelerated to improve the overall capability and performance of wind electric systems, increased attention to variable speed configurations has developed. A number of potentially viable configurations have emerged. Various attributes of variable speed systems need to be carefully tested to evaluate their performance from the utility points of view. With this purpose, the NASA experimental variable speed constant frequency (VSCF) system has been tested. In order to determine the usefulness of these systems in utility applications, tests are required to resolve issues fundamental to electric utility systems. Legitimate questions exist regarding how variable speed generators will influence the performance of electric utility systems; therefore, tests from a utility perspective, have been performed on the VSCF system and an induction generator at an operating power level of 30 kW on a system rated at 200 kVA and 0.8 power factor.

Buffering PV output during cloud transients with energy storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moumouni, Yacouba

Consideration of the use of the major types of energy storage is attempted in this thesis in order to mitigate the effects of power output transients associated with grid-tied CPV systems due to fast-moving cloud coverage. The approach presented here is to buffer intermittency of CPV output power with an energy storage device (used batteries) purchased cheaply from EV owners or battery leasers. When the CPV is connected to the grid with the proper energy storage, the main goal is to smooth out the intermittent solar power and fluctuant load of the grid with a convenient control strategy. This thesis provides a detailed analysis with appropriate Matlab codes to put onto the grid during the day time a constant amount of power on one hand and on the other, shift the less valuable off-peak electricity to the on-peak time, i.e. between 1pm to 7pm, where the electricity price is much better. In this study, a range of base constant power levels were assumed including 15kW, 20kW, 21kW, 22kW, 23kW, 24kW and 25kW. The hypothesis based on an iterative solution was that the capacity of the battery was increased by steps of 5 while the base supply was decreased by the same step size until satisfactorily results were achieved. Hence, it turned out with the chosen battery capacity of 54kWh coupled to the data from the Amonix CPV 7700 unit for Las Vegas for a 3-month period, it was found that 20kW was the largest constant load the system can supply uninterruptedly to the utility company. Simulated results are presented to show the feasibility of the proposed scheme.

Linear-phase delay filters for ultra-low-power signal processing in neural recording implants.

PubMed

Gosselin, Benoit; Sawan, Mohamad; Kerherve, Eric

2010-06-01

We present the design and implementation of linear-phase delay filters for ultra-low-power signal processing in neural recording implants. We use these filters as low-distortion delay elements along with an automatic biopotential detector to perform integral waveform extraction and efficient power management. The presented delay elements are realized employing continuous-time OTA-C filters featuring 9th-order equiripple transfer functions with constant group delay. Such analog delay enables processing neural waveforms with reduced overhead compared to a digital delay since it does not requires sampling and digitization. It uses an allpass transfer function for achieving wider constant-delay bandwidth than all-pole does. Two filters realizations are compared for implementing the delay element: the Cascaded structure and the Inverse follow-the-leader feedback filter. Their respective strengths and drawbacks are assessed by modeling parasitics and non-idealities of OTAs, and by transistor-level simulations. A budget of 200 nA is used in both filters. Experimental measurements with the chosen filter topology are presented and discussed.

Dynamics of Perceived Exertion in Constant-Power Cycling: Time- and Workload-Dependent Thresholds

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Balagué, Natàlia; Hristovski, Robert; García, Sergi; Aguirre, Cecilia; Vázquez, Pablo; Razon, Selen; Tenenbaum, Gershon

2015-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to test the dynamics of perceived exertion shifts (PES) as a function of time and workload during constant-power cycling. Method: Fifty-two participants assigned to 4 groups performed a cycling task at 4 different constant workloads corresponding to their individual rates of perceived exertion (RPEs = 13, 15,…

Design, Control, and Modeling of a New Voltage Source Converter for HVDC System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohan, Madhan; Singh, Bhim; Ketan Panigrahi, Bijaya

2013-05-01

Abstract: A New Voltage Source Converter (VSC) based on neutral clamped three-level circuit is proposed for High Voltage DC (HVDC) system. The proposed VSC is designed in a multipulse configuration. The converter is operated by Fundamental Frequency Switching (FFS). A new control method is developed for achieving all the necessary control aspects of HVDC system such as independent real and reactive power control, bidirectional real and reactive power control. The basic of the control method is varying the pulse width and by keeping the dc link voltage constant. The steady state and dynamic performances of HVDC system interconnecting two different frequencies network are demonstrated for active and reactive power control. Total number of transformers used in this system are reduced to half in comparison with the two-level VSCs for both active and reactive power control. The performance of the HVDC system is improved in terms of reduced harmonics level even at fundamental frequency switching. The harmonic performance of the designed converter is also studied for different value of the dead angle (β), and the optimized range of the dead angle is achieved for varying reactive power requirement. Simulation results are presented for the designed three level multipulse voltage source converters with the proposed control algorithm.

Development of an Atmospheric Dispersion Model for Heavier-Than-Air Gas Mixtures. Volume 3. DEGADIS User’s Manual.

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-05-01

interpolates between a pair of points based on a list of supplied values (C-2). () ALP estimates the ambient wind profile power a by minimizing the integral...Typical Values of Surface Roughness 7 1.2. Representative Konin-Obukhov Lengths arnd Power Law Exponents for Different Atmospheric Stabilities 8 IV.1...a constant in power law wind profile 0 constant in a correlation r gama function 𔄁 ratio of (p - pa)/Cc 6 constant in a correlation y AMonin-Obukhov

A Statistical Analysis Plan to Support the Joint Forward Area Air Defense Test.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-08-02

hy estahlishing a specific significance level prior to performing the statistical test (traditionally a levels are set at .01 or .05). What is often...undesirable increase in 8. For constant a levels , the power (I - 8) of a statistical test can he increased by Increasing the sample size of the test. fRef...ANOVA Iparison Test on MOP I=--ferences Exist AmongF "Upon MOP "A" Factor I "A" Factor I 1MOP " A " Levels ? I . I I I _ _ ________ IPerform k-Sample Com- I

New constraints on time-dependent variations of fundamental constants using Planck data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hart, Luke; Chluba, Jens

2018-02-01

Observations of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) today allow us to answer detailed questions about the properties of our Universe, targeting both standard and non-standard physics. In this paper, we study the effects of varying fundamental constants (i.e. the fine-structure constant, αEM, and electron rest mass, me) around last scattering using the recombination codes COSMOREC and RECFAST++. We approach the problem in a pedagogical manner, illustrating the importance of various effects on the free electron fraction, Thomson visibility function and CMB power spectra, highlighting various degeneracies. We demonstrate that the simpler RECFAST++ treatment (based on a three-level atom approach) can be used to accurately represent the full computation of COSMOREC. We also include explicit time-dependent variations using a phenomenological power-law description. We reproduce previous Planck 2013 results in our analysis. Assuming constant variations relative to the standard values, we find the improved constraints αEM/αEM, 0 = 0.9993 ± 0.0025 (CMB only) and me/me, 0 = 1.0039 ± 0.0074 (including BAO) using Planck 2015 data. For a redshift-dependent variation, αEM(z) = αEM(z0) [(1 + z)/1100]p with αEM(z0) ≡ αEM, 0 at z0 = 1100, we obtain p = 0.0008 ± 0.0025. Allowing simultaneous variations of αEM(z0) and p yields αEM(z0)/αEM, 0 = 0.9998 ± 0.0036 and p = 0.0006 ± 0.0036. We also discuss combined limits on αEM and me. Our analysis shows that existing data are not only sensitive to the value of the fundamental constants around recombination but also its first time derivative. This suggests that a wider class of varying fundamental constant models can be probed using the CMB.

Some theoretical considerations of longitudinal stability in power-on flight with special reference to wind-tunnel testing, November 1942

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Donlan, C. J.

1976-01-01

Some problems relating to longitudinal stability in power-on flight are considered. A derivation is included which shows that, under certain conditions, the rate of change of the pitching moment coefficient with lift coefficient as obtained in wind tunnel tests simulating constant power operation is directly proportional to one of the indices of stability commonly associated with flight analysis, (the slope of the curve relating the elevator angle for trim and lift coefficient). The necessity of analyzing power-on wind tunnel data for trim conditions is emphasized, and a method is provided for converting data obtained from constant thrust tests to simulated constant throttle flight conditions.

A new broadband square law detector. [microwave radiometers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reid, M. S.; Gardner, R. A.; Stelzried, C. T.

1975-01-01

A broadband constant law detector was developed for precision power measurements, radio metric measurements, and other applications. It has a wide dynamic range and an accurate square law response. Other desirable characteristics, which are all included in a single compact unit, are: (1) high-level dc output with immunity to ground loop problems; (2) fast response times; (3) ability to insert known time constants; and (4) good thermal stability. The detector and its performance are described in detail. The detector can be operated in a programmable system with a ten-fold increase in accuracy. The use and performance of the detector in a noise-adding radiometer system is also discussed.

Homotopy method for optimization of variable-specific-impulse low-thrust trajectories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chi, Zhemin; Yang, Hongwei; Chen, Shiyu; Li, Junfeng

2017-11-01

The homotopy method has been used as a useful tool in solving fuel-optimal trajectories with constant-specific-impulse low thrust. However, the specific impulse is often variable for many practical solar electric power-limited thrusters. This paper investigates the application of the homotopy method for optimization of variable-specific-impulse low-thrust trajectories. Difficulties arise when the two commonly-used homotopy functions are employed for trajectory optimization. The optimal power throttle level and the optimal specific impulse are coupled with the commonly-used quadratic and logarithmic homotopy functions. To overcome these difficulties, a modified logarithmic homotopy function is proposed to serve as a gateway for trajectory optimization, leading to decoupled expressions of both the optimal power throttle level and the optimal specific impulse. The homotopy method based on this homotopy function is proposed. Numerical simulations validate the feasibility and high efficiency of the proposed method.

Model of Energy Spectrum Parameters of Ground Level Enhancement Events in Solar Cycle 23

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, S.-S.; Qin, G.

2018-01-01

Mewaldt et al. (2012) fitted the observations of the ground level enhancement (GLE) events during solar cycle 23 to the double power law equation to obtain the four spectral parameters, the normalization constant C, low-energy power law slope γ1, high-energy power law slope γ2, and break energy E0. There are 16 GLEs from which we select 13 for study by excluding some events with complicated situation. We analyze the four parameters with conditions of the corresponding solar events. According to solar event conditions, we divide the GLEs into two groups, one with strong acceleration by interplanetary shocks and another one without strong acceleration. By fitting the four parameters with solar event conditions we obtain models of the parameters for the two groups of GLEs separately. Therefore, we establish a model of energy spectrum of solar cycle 23 GLEs, which may be used in prediction in the future.

Wireless sensing system for non-invasive monitoring of attributes of contents in a container

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Woodard, Stanley E. (Inventor)

2010-01-01

A wireless sensing system monitors the level, temperature, magnetic permeability and electrical dielectric constant of a non-gaseous material in a container. An open-circuit electrical conductor is shaped to form a two-dimensional geometric pattern that can store and transfer electrical and magnetic energy. The conductor resonates in the presence of a time-varying magnetic field to generate a harmonic response. The conductor is mounted in an environmentally-sealed housing. A magnetic field response recorder wirelessly transmits the time-varying magnetic field to power the conductor, and wirelessly detects the harmonic response that is an indication of at least one of level of the material in the container, temperature of the material in the container, magnetic permeability of the material in the container, and dielectric constant of the material in the container.

A variable-speed, constant-frequency wind power generation scheme using a slip-ring induction generator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Velayudhan, C.; Bundell, J. H.

This paper investigates a variable-speed, constant-frequency double output induction generator which is capable of absorbing the mechanical energy from a fixed pitch wind turbine and converting it into electrical energy at constant grid voltage and frequency. Rotor power at varying voltage and frequency is either fed to electronically controlled resistances and used as heat energy or is rectified, inverted by a controllable line-commutated inverter and returned to the grid. Optimal power tracking is by means of an adaptive controller which controls the developed torque of the generator by monitoring the shaft speed.

A novel power converter for photovoltaic applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuvarajan, S.; Yu, Dachuan; Xu, Shanguang

A simple and economical power conditioner to convert the power available from solar panels into 60 Hz ac voltage is described. The raw dc voltage from the solar panels is converted to a regulated dc voltage using a boost converter and a large capacitor and the dc output is then converted to 60 Hz ac using a bridge inverter. The ratio between the load current and the short-circuit current of a PV panel at maximum power point is nearly constant for different insolation (light) levels and this property is utilized in designing a simple maximum power point tracking (MPPT) controller. The controller includes a novel arrangement for sensing the short-circuit current without disturbing the operation of the PV panel and implementing MPPT. The switching losses in the inverter are reduced by using snubbers. The results obtained on an experimental converter are presented.

Nuclear Energy for Space Exploration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Houts, Michael G.

2010-01-01

Nuclear power and propulsion systems can enable exciting space exploration missions. These include bases on the moon and Mars; and the exploration, development, and utilization of the solar system. In the near-term, fission surface power systems could provide abundant, constant, cost-effective power anywhere on the surface of the Moon or Mars, independent of available sunlight. Affordable access to Mars, the asteroid belt, or other destinations could be provided by nuclear thermal rockets. In the further term, high performance fission power supplies could enable both extremely high power levels on planetary surfaces and fission electric propulsion vehicles for rapid, efficient cargo and crew transfer. Advanced fission propulsion systems could eventually allow routine access to the entire solar system. Fission systems could also enable the utilization of resources within the solar system. Fusion and antimatter systems may also be viable in the future

Radiation Hardened, Modulator ASIC for High Data Rate Communications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McCallister, Ron; Putnam, Robert; Andro, Monty; Fujikawa, Gene

2000-01-01

Satellite-based telecommunication services are challenged by the need to generate down-link power levels adequate to support high quality (BER approx. equals 10(exp 12)) links required for modem broadband data services. Bandwidth-efficient Nyquist signaling, using low values of excess bandwidth (alpha), can exhibit large peak-to-average-power ratio (PAPR) values. High PAPR values necessitate high-power amplifier (HPA) backoff greater than the PAPR, resulting in unacceptably low HPA efficiency. Given the high cost of on-board prime power, this inefficiency represents both an economical burden, and a constraint on the rates and quality of data services supportable from satellite platforms. Constant-envelope signals offer improved power-efficiency, but only by imposing a severe bandwidth-efficiency penalty. This paper describes a radiation- hardened modulator which can improve satellite-based broadband data services by combining the bandwidth-efficiency of low-alpha Nyquist signals with high power-efficiency (negligible HPA backoff).

Human responses to upright tilt: a window on central autonomic integration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cooke, W. H.; Hoag, J. B.; Crossman, A. A.; Kuusela, T. A.; Tahvanainen, K. U.; Eckberg, D. L.

1999-01-01

1. We examined interactions between haemodynamic and autonomic neural oscillations during passive upright tilt, to gain better insight into human autonomic regulatory mechanisms. 2. We recorded the electrocardiogram, finger photoplethysmographic arterial pressure, respiration and peroneal nerve muscle sympathetic activity in nine healthy young adults. Subjects breathed in time with a metronome at 12 breaths min-1 (0.2 Hz) for 5 min each, in supine, and 20, 40, 60, 70 and 80 deg head-up positions. We performed fast Fourier transform (and autoregressive) power spectral analyses and integrated low-frequency (0.05-0.15 Hz) and respiratory-frequency (0. 15-0.5 Hz) spectral powers. 3. Integrated areas of muscle sympathetic bursts and their low- and respiratory-frequency spectral powers increased directly and significantly with the tilt angle. The centre frequency of low-frequency sympathetic oscillations was constant before and during tilt. Sympathetic bursts occurred more commonly during expiration than inspiration at low tilt angles, but occurred equally in expiration and inspiration at high tilt angles. 4. Systolic and diastolic pressures and their low- and respiratory-frequency spectral powers increased, and R-R intervals and their respiratory-frequency spectral power decreased progressively with the tilt angle. Low-frequency R-R interval spectral power did not change. 5. The cross-spectral phase angle between systolic pressures and R-R intervals remained constant and consistently negative at the low frequency, but shifted progressively from positive to negative at the respiratory frequency during tilt. The arterial baroreflex modulus, calculated from low-frequency cross-spectra, decreased at high tilt angles. 6. Our results document changes of baroreflex responses during upright tilt, which may reflect leftward movement of subjects on their arterial pressure sympathetic and vagal response relations. The intensity, but not the centre frequency of low-frequency cardiovascular rhythms, is modulated by the level of arterial baroreceptor input. Tilt reduces respiratory gating of sympathetic and vagal motoneurone responsiveness to stimulatory inputs for different reasons; during tilt, sympathetic stimulation increases to a level that overwhelms the respiratory gate, and vagal stimulation decreases to a level below that necessary for maximal respiratory gating to occur.

Human responses to upright tilt: a window on central autonomic integration.

PubMed

Cooke, W H; Hoag, J B; Crossman, A A; Kuusela, T A; Tahvanainen, K U; Eckberg, D L

1999-06-01

1. We examined interactions between haemodynamic and autonomic neural oscillations during passive upright tilt, to gain better insight into human autonomic regulatory mechanisms. 2. We recorded the electrocardiogram, finger photoplethysmographic arterial pressure, respiration and peroneal nerve muscle sympathetic activity in nine healthy young adults. Subjects breathed in time with a metronome at 12 breaths min-1 (0.2 Hz) for 5 min each, in supine, and 20, 40, 60, 70 and 80 deg head-up positions. We performed fast Fourier transform (and autoregressive) power spectral analyses and integrated low-frequency (0.05-0.15 Hz) and respiratory-frequency (0. 15-0.5 Hz) spectral powers. 3. Integrated areas of muscle sympathetic bursts and their low- and respiratory-frequency spectral powers increased directly and significantly with the tilt angle. The centre frequency of low-frequency sympathetic oscillations was constant before and during tilt. Sympathetic bursts occurred more commonly during expiration than inspiration at low tilt angles, but occurred equally in expiration and inspiration at high tilt angles. 4. Systolic and diastolic pressures and their low- and respiratory-frequency spectral powers increased, and R-R intervals and their respiratory-frequency spectral power decreased progressively with the tilt angle. Low-frequency R-R interval spectral power did not change. 5. The cross-spectral phase angle between systolic pressures and R-R intervals remained constant and consistently negative at the low frequency, but shifted progressively from positive to negative at the respiratory frequency during tilt. The arterial baroreflex modulus, calculated from low-frequency cross-spectra, decreased at high tilt angles. 6. Our results document changes of baroreflex responses during upright tilt, which may reflect leftward movement of subjects on their arterial pressure sympathetic and vagal response relations. The intensity, but not the centre frequency of low-frequency cardiovascular rhythms, is modulated by the level of arterial baroreceptor input. Tilt reduces respiratory gating of sympathetic and vagal motoneurone responsiveness to stimulatory inputs for different reasons; during tilt, sympathetic stimulation increases to a level that overwhelms the respiratory gate, and vagal stimulation decreases to a level below that necessary for maximal respiratory gating to occur.

Measurement of the fine-structure constant as a test of the Standard Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parker, Richard H.; Yu, Chenghui; Zhong, Weicheng; Estey, Brian; Müller, Holger

2018-04-01

Measurements of the fine-structure constant α require methods from across subfields and are thus powerful tests of the consistency of theory and experiment in physics. Using the recoil frequency of cesium-133 atoms in a matter-wave interferometer, we recorded the most accurate measurement of the fine-structure constant to date: α = 1/137.035999046(27) at 2.0 × 10‑10 accuracy. Using multiphoton interactions (Bragg diffraction and Bloch oscillations), we demonstrate the largest phase (12 million radians) of any Ramsey-Bordé interferometer and control systematic effects at a level of 0.12 part per billion. Comparison with Penning trap measurements of the electron gyromagnetic anomaly ge ‑ 2 via the Standard Model of particle physics is now limited by the uncertainty in ge ‑ 2; a 2.5σ tension rejects dark photons as the reason for the unexplained part of the muon’s magnetic moment at a 99% confidence level. Implications for dark-sector candidates and electron substructure may be a sign of physics beyond the Standard Model that warrants further investigation.

Optical Properties of Lithium Terbium Fluoride and Implications for Performance in High Power Lasers (Postprint)

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-02-01

Maximum 200 words) LiTbF4 has the potential to replace traditional magneto-optic (MO) garnet materials as a Faraday rotator in high power laser systems...TERMS LiTbF4; magneto-optic (MO) garnet materials; Faraday rotator; high power laser; Verdet constant; Sellmeier; optical isolator 16. SECURITY... Faraday rotator in high power laser systems due to its high Verdet constant. New measurements are reported of the ordinary and extraor- dinary

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ben-Zvi, I.

Various authors have previously studied the theory and practice of cavity testing, notably an extensive treatment by Powers [1] and Padamsee [2]. The advent of the digital Low Level RF (LLRF) electronics based on Field Programmable Logic Arrays (FPGA) provides various improvements over the rather complex systems used in the past as well as enabling new measurement techniques.In this document we reintroduce a technique that seems to have fallen out of practice in recent times, that is obtaining the coupling constant β through measurements from just one port, the reflected power port, of the directional coupler placed in front ofmore » the cavity.« less

Quantitative evaluation method for nonlinear characteristics of piezoelectric transducers under high stress with complex nonlinear elastic constant

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miyake, Susumu; Kasashima, Takashi; Yamazaki, Masato; Okimura, Yasuyuki; Nagata, Hajime; Hosaka, Hiroshi; Morita, Takeshi

2018-07-01

The high power properties of piezoelectric transducers were evaluated considering a complex nonlinear elastic constant. The piezoelectric LCR equivalent circuit with nonlinear circuit parameters was utilized to measure them. The deformed admittance curve of piezoelectric transducers was measured under a high stress and the complex nonlinear elastic constant was calculated by curve fitting. Transducers with various piezoelectric materials, Pb(Zr,Ti)O3, (K,Na)NbO3, and Ba(Zr,Ti)O3–(Ba,Ca)TiO3, were investigated by the proposed method. The measured complex nonlinear elastic constant strongly depends on the linear elastic and piezoelectric constants. This relationship indicates that piezoelectric high power properties can be controlled by modifying the linear elastic and piezoelectric constants.

Effect of workload setting on propulsion technique in handrim wheelchair propulsion.

PubMed

van Drongelen, Stefan; Arnet, Ursina; Veeger, Dirkjan H E J; van der Woude, Lucas H V

2013-03-01

To investigate the influence of workload setting (speed at constant power, method to impose power) on the propulsion technique (i.e. force and timing characteristics) in handrim wheelchair propulsion. Twelve able-bodied men participated in this study. External forces were measured during handrim wheelchair propulsion on a motor driven treadmill at different velocities and constant power output (to test the forced effect of speed) and at power outputs imposed by incline vs. pulley system (to test the effect of method to impose power). Outcome measures were the force and timing variables of the propulsion technique. FEF and timing variables showed significant differences between the speed conditions when propelling at the same power output (p < 0.01). Push time was reduced while push angle increased. The method to impose power only showed slight differences in the timing variables, however not in the force variables. Researchers and clinicians must be aware of testing and evaluation conditions that may differently affect propulsion technique parameters despite an overall constant power output. Copyright © 2012 IPEM. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Calculation of crystalline lens power in chickens with a customized version of Bennett's equation.

PubMed

Iribarren, Rafael; Rozema, Jos J; Schaeffel, Frank; Morgan, Ian G

2014-03-01

This paper customizes Bennett's equation for calculating lens power in chicken eyes from refraction, keratometry and biometry. Previously published data on refraction, corneal power, anterior chamber depth, lens thickness, lens radii of curvature, axial length and eye power in chickens aged 10-90 days were used to estimate Gullstrand's lens power and Bennett's lens power for chicken eyes, and to calculate the lens equivalent refractive index. Bennett's A and B constants for the front and back surface powers of the lens were calculated for data measured from day 10 to 90 at 10 day intervals, and mean customized constants were calculated. The mean customized constants for Bennett's equation for chicks were A=0.574±0.023 and B=0.379±0.021. As found previously, lens power decreases with age in chicks, while corneal power decreases and axial length increases. The lens equivalent refractive index decreases with age from 10 to 90 days after hatching. Bennett's equation can be used to calculate lens power in chicken eyes for studies on animal myopia, using standard biometry. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

On developing an optimal design procedure for a bimorph piezoelectric cantilever energy harvester under a predefined volume

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aboulfotoh, Noha; Twiefel, Jens

2018-06-01

A typical vibration harvester is tuned to operate at resonance in order to maximize the power output. There are many design parameter sets for tuning the harvester to a specific frequency, even for simple geometries. This work studies the impact of the geometrical parameters on the harvested power while keeping the resonance frequency constant in order to find the combination of the parameters that optimizes the power under a predefined volume. A bimorph piezoelectric cantilever is considered for the study. It consists of two piezoelectric layers and a middle non-piezoelectric layer and holds a tip mass. A theoretical model was derived to obtain the system parameters and the power as functions of the design parameters. Formulas for the optimal load resistance that provide maximum power capability at resonance and anti-resonance frequency were derived. The influence of the width on the power is studied, considering a constant mass ratio (between the tip mass and the mass of the beam). This keeps the resonance frequency constant while changing the width. The influence of the ratio between the thickness of the middle layer and that of the piezoelectric layer is also studied. It is assumed that the total thickness of the cantilever is constant and the middle layer has the same mechanical properties (elasticity and density) as the piezoelectric layer. This keeps the resonance frequency constant while changing the ratio between the thicknesses. Finally, the influence of increasing the free length as well as of increasing the mass ratio on the power is investigated. This is done by first, increasing each of them individually and secondly, by increasing each of them simultaneously while increasing the total thickness under the condition of maintaining a constant resonance frequency. Based on the analysis of these influences, recommendations as to how to maximize the geometrical parameters within the available volume and mass are presented.

Non-minimal derivative coupling gravity in cosmology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gumjudpai, Burin; Rangdee, Phongsaphat

2015-11-01

We give a brief review of the non-minimal derivative coupling (NMDC) scalar field theory in which there is non-minimal coupling between the scalar field derivative term and the Einstein tensor. We assume that the expansion is of power-law type or super-acceleration type for small redshift. The Lagrangian includes the NMDC term, a free kinetic term, a cosmological constant term and a barotropic matter term. For a value of the coupling constant that is compatible with inflation, we use the combined WMAP9 (WMAP9 + eCMB + BAO + H_0) dataset, the PLANCK + WP dataset, and the PLANCK TT, TE, EE + lowP + Lensing + ext datasets to find the value of the cosmological constant in the model. Modeling the expansion with power-law gives a negative cosmological constants while the phantom power-law (super-acceleration) expansion gives positive cosmological constant with large error bar. The value obtained is of the same order as in the Λ CDM model, since at late times the NMDC effect is tiny due to small curvature.

Solar maximum: Solar array degradation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miller, T.

1985-01-01

The 5-year in-orbit power degradation of the silicon solar array aboard the Solar Maximum Satellite was evaluated. This was the first spacecraft to use Teflon R FEP as a coverglass adhesive, thus avoiding the necessity of an ultraviolet filter. The peak power tracking mode of the power regulator unit was employed to ensure consistent maximum power comparisons. Telemetry was normalized to account for the effects of illumination intensity, charged particle irradiation dosage, and solar array temperature. Reference conditions of 1.0 solar constant at air mass zero and 301 K (28 C) were used as a basis for normalization. Beginning-of-life array power was 2230 watts. Currently, the array output is 1830 watts. This corresponds to a 16 percent loss in array performance over 5 years. Comparison of Solar Maximum Telemetry and predicted power levels indicate that array output is 2 percent less than predictions based on an annual 1.0 MeV equivalent election fluence of 2.34 x ten to the 13th power square centimeters space environment.

18 CFR 806.12 - Constant-rate aquifer testing.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... groundwater availability analysis to determine the availability of water during a 1-in-10-year recurrence... 18 Conservation of Power and Water Resources 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Constant-rate aquifer testing. 806.12 Section 806.12 Conservation of Power and Water Resources SUSQUEHANNA RIVER BASIN...

Batteryless magneto-driven portable radiac

DOEpatents

Waechter, David A.; Bjarke, George O.; Trujillo, Faustin; Wolf, Michael A.; Umbarger, C. John

1986-01-01

A hand-powered alternator for generating an alternating voltage provides same through a rectifier to a high capacity capacitor which stores the resultant dc voltage and drives a voltage regulator to provide a constant low voltage output for a portable radiation detection instrument. The instrument includes a Geiger-Muller detector tube whose output is fed to a pulse detector and then through an event counter and LCD driver circuit to an LCD bar graph for visual display. An audio driver and an audio output is also provided. All circuitry used is low power so that the capacitor can be readily charged to a sufficient level to provide power for at least 30 minutes. A low voltage indicator is provided on the LCD display to indicate the need for manual recharging.

Point-ahead limitation on reciprocity tracking. [in earth-space optical link

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shapiro, J. H.

1975-01-01

The average power received at a spacecraft from a reciprocity-tracking transmitter is shown to be the free-space diffraction-limited result times a gain-reduction factor that is due to the point-ahead requirement. For a constant-power transmitter, the gain-reduction factor is approximately equal to the appropriate spherical-wave mutual-coherence function. For a constant-average-power transmitter, an exact expression is obtained for the gain-reduction factor.

Investigation of the frequency response of constant voltage anemometers in turbulent flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sadeghi Hassanlouei, Atabak

A commercially available anemometer system considered as a prototype, the constant voltage anemometer (CVA), is presented and its working principle is studied and analyzed. We detail the different procedures and corrections that have to be applied to voltage signals to deduce corresponding velocity signals, including the effect of the thermal inertia of the sensor. Results are compared to another anemometer system widely used in research and industry, the constant temperature anemometer (CTA), for validation requirements. Measurements are performed in the turbulent region of a subsonic axisymmetric jet and include mean velocities, root-mean-square (rms) values of velocity fluctuations and power spectral densities. In the same range of operation, we show that the two instruments give similar results. The CVA anemometer slightly underestimates the rms velocity values given by the CTA anemometer which is attributed to a non-linear effect. We show that the cut-off frequency of the CVA system is higher than the more commonly used CTA system, and that the electronic noise level is lower. The constant voltage anemometer is thus an excellent alternative to the constant temperature anemometer for low turbulent flows with rich frequency content, such as supersonic and hypersonic flows.

Load characteristics of wireless power transfer system with different resonant types and resonator numbers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yiming; Zhao, Zhengming; Chen, Kainan; Fan, Jun

2017-05-01

Wireless Power Transfer (WPT) has been the research focus and applied in many fields. Normally power is transferred wirelessly to charge the battery, which requires specific load characteristics. The load characteristics are essential for the design and operation of the WPT system. This paper investigates the load characteristics of the WPT system with different resonant types and resonator numbers. It is found that in a WPT system with series or LCL resonance under a constant voltage source, the load characteristic is determined by the number of inductors. Even number of inductors results in a constant current characteristic and odd number constant voltage characteristic. Calculations, simulations, and experiments verify the analysis.

Generation of spectrally-stable continuous-wave emission and ns pulses at 800 nm and 975 nm with a peak power of 4 W using a distributed Bragg reflector laser and a ridge-waveguide power amplifier

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klehr, A.; Wenzel, H.; Fricke, J.; Bugge, F.; Liero, A.; Hoffmann, Th.; Erbert, G.; Tränkle, G.

2015-03-01

Semiconductor based sources which emit high-power spectrally stable nearly diffraction-limited optical pulses in the nanosecond range are ideally suited for a lot of applications, such as free-space communications, metrology, material processing, seed lasers for fiber or solid state lasers, spectroscopy, LIDAR and frequency doubling. Detailed experimental investigations of 975 nm and 800 nm diode lasers based on master oscillator power amplifier (MOPA) light sources are presented. The MOPA systems consist of distributed Bragg reflector lasers (DBR) as master oscillators driven by a constant current and ridge waveguide power amplifiers which can be driven DC and by current pulses. In pulse regime the amplifiers modulated with rectangular current pulses of about 5 ns width and a repetition frequency of 200 kHz act as optical gates, converting the continuous wave (CW) input beam emitted by the DBR lasers into a train of short optical pulses which are amplified. With these experimental MOPA arrangements no relaxation oscillations in the pulse power occur. With a seed power of about 5 mW at a wavelength of 973 nm output powers behind the amplifier of about 1 W under DC injection and 4 W under pulsed operation, corresponding to amplification factors of 200 (amplifier gain 23 dB) and 800 (gain 29 dB) respectively, are reached. At 800 nm a CW power of 1 W is obtained for a seed power of 40 mW. The optical spectra of the emission of the amplifiers exhibit a single peak at a constant wavelength with a line width < 10 pm in the whole investigated current ranges. The ratios between laser and ASE levels were > 50 dB. The output beams are nearly diffraction limited with beam propagation ratios M2lat ~ 1.1 and M2ver ~ 1.2 up to 4 W pulse power.

Propulsion options for the HI SPOT long endurance drone airship. Final report, November 1978-August 1979

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Marcy, W.L.; Hookway, R.O.

1979-09-15

Airbreathing, monofueled, stored-energy, and solar-rechargeable propulsion systems have been studied for the HI SPOT Long Endurance Drone Airship, providing constant-level electrical power as well as variable aerodynamic thrust to maintain position in winds varying from 15 to 100 knots at high altitude. A hydrogen fueled airbreathing engine is optimum for mission lengths up to 30 days or more.

Influence of coupling distribution on some acoustic resonant effects in amorphous compounds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Devaud, M.; Prieur, J.-Y.

1988-08-01

The consequences of taking into account the distribution of the coupling constants between phonons and two level systems in amorphous compounds are considered in two concrete experimental situations: saturation and hole-burning experiments. It is shown that, if the general shapes of the variation curves are not much influenced by the distribution, however it is essential to take it into account when determining the critical power.

Idea Bank: Progress through Incentives: How One Music Program Helps Students Progress to Higher Levels of Musicianship

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boyd, Joshua

2013-01-01

Students are motivated when they have a constant system of rewards. They have a desire to please others and be recognized. It was with this idea in mind that the Smokey Road Middle School Band in Newman, Georgia, started using the "Power in the Progress System" in 2011. This system, created by H. Dwight Satterwhite, a professor of music…

W' expenditure and reconstitution during severe intensity constant power exercise: mechanistic insight into the determinants of W'.

PubMed

Broxterman, Ryan M; Skiba, Phillip F; Craig, Jesse C; Wilcox, Samuel L; Ade, Carl J; Barstow, Thomas J

2016-10-01

The sustainable duration of severe intensity exercise is well-predicted by critical power (CP) and the curvature constant (W'). The development of the W'BAL model allows for the pattern of W' expenditure and reconstitution to be characterized and this model has been applied to intermittent exercise protocols. The purpose of this investigation was to assess the influence of relaxation phase duration and exercise intensity on W' reconstitution during dynamic constant power severe intensity exercise. Six men (24.6 ± 0.9 years, height: 173.5 ± 1.9 cm, body mass: 78.9 ± 5.6 kg) performed severe intensity dynamic handgrip exercise to task failure using 50% and 20% duty cycles. The W'BAL model was fit to each exercise test and the time constant for W' reconstitution (τW') was determined. The τW' was significantly longer for the 50% duty cycle (1640 ± 262 sec) than the 20% duty cycle (863 ± 84 sec, P = 0.02). Additionally, the relationship between τW' and CP was well described as an exponential decay (r(2) = 0.90, P < 0.0001). In conclusion, the W'BAL model is able to characterize the expenditure and reconstitution of W' across the contraction-relaxation cycles comprising severe intensity constant power handgrip exercise. Moreover, the reconstitution of W' during constant power severe intensity exercise is influenced by the relative exercise intensity, the duration of relaxation between contractions, and CP. © 2016 The Authors. Physiological Reports published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of the American Physiological Society and The Physiological Society.

Ultrasonication and the quality of human milk: variation of power and time of exposure.

PubMed

Christen, Lukas; Lai, Ching Tat; Hartmann, Peter E

2012-08-01

Donor human milk is pasteurized to prevent the potential risk of the transmission of pathogens to preterm infants. Currently, Holder pasteurization (human milk held at 62·5°C for 30 min) is used in most human milk banks, but has the disadvantage that it results in excessive inactivation of important bioactive components. Power-ultrasound (20-100 kHz) is an emerging technology for the preservation of foods and could be an alternative method for the treatment of human milk. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of different ultrasound settings on the elimination of Escherichia coli and the retention of bile salt stimulated lipase (BSSL) activity. Ultrasonication with a constant power decreased Esch. coli viability exponentially over time until the processing temperature increased to sub-pasteurization level to between 51·4 and 58·5°C, then a log10 1·3 decrease was observed (P<0·05). BSSL activity decreased to 91% until a temperature of 51·4°C and then it decreased to 8% between 51·4 and 64·9°C. Ultrasonication with a constant energy and various power and exposure times showed the highest temperature (53·7°C) when treated with the longest exposure time and lowest ultrasound-power (276 s at 3·62 W) compared with 37·6°C for 39 s at 25·64 W. The findings predict that the viability of Esch. coli could be reduced by log10 5 with a minimal loss of activity of BSSL by applying 13·8 kJ of energy in 12 ml of human milk using high ultrasound power over a short exposure time to ensure that the temperature remains below the critical level for protein denaturation. Alternatively, the use of lower power settings such as the 26 W used in the present studies would require a cooling system to ensure the human milk BSSL was protected against temperature denaturation.

Carbon nanotube vacuum gauges with wide-dynamic range and processes thereof

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Manohara, Harish (Inventor); Kaul, Anupama B. (Inventor)

2013-01-01

A miniature thermal conductivity gauge employs a carbon single-walled-nanotube. The gauge operates on the principle of thermal exchange between the voltage-biased nanotube and the surrounding gas at low levels of power and low temperatures to measure vacuum across a wide dynamic range. The gauge includes two terminals, a source of constant voltage to the terminals, a single-walled carbon nanotube between the terminals, a calibration of measured conductance of the nanotube to magnitudes of surrounding vacuum and a current meter in electrical communication with the source of constant voltage. Employment of the nanotube for measuring vacuum includes calibrating the electrical conductance of the nanotube to magnitudes of vacuum, exposing the nanotube to a vacuum, applying a constant voltage across the nanotube, measuring the electrical conductance of the nanotube in the vacuum with the constant voltage applied and converting the measured electrical conductance to the corresponding calibrated magnitude of vacuum using the calibration. The nanotube may be suspended to minimize heat dissipation through the substrate, increasing sensitivity at even tower pressures.

Electron wind in strong wave guide fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krienen, F.

1985-03-01

The X-ray activity observed near highly powered waveguide structures is usually caused by local electric discharges originating from discontinuities such as couplers, tuners or bends. In traveling waves electrons move in the direction of the power flow. Seed electrons can multipactor in a traveling wave, the moving charge pattern is different from the multipactor in a resonant structure and is self-extinguishing. The charge density in the wave guide will modify impedance and propagation constant of the wave guide. The radiation level inside the output wave guide of the SLAC, 50 MW, S-band, klystron is estimated. Possible contributions of radiation to window failure are discussed.

A methodology for constraining power in finite element modeling of radiofrequency ablation.

PubMed

Jiang, Yansheng; Possebon, Ricardo; Mulier, Stefaan; Wang, Chong; Chen, Feng; Feng, Yuanbo; Xia, Qian; Liu, Yewei; Yin, Ting; Oyen, Raymond; Ni, Yicheng

2017-07-01

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a minimally invasive thermal therapy for the treatment of cancer, hyperopia, and cardiac tachyarrhythmia. In RFA, the power delivered to the tissue is a key parameter. The objective of this study was to establish a methodology for the finite element modeling of RFA with constant power. Because of changes in the electric conductivity of tissue with temperature, a nonconventional boundary value problem arises in the mathematic modeling of RFA: neither the voltage (Dirichlet condition) nor the current (Neumann condition), but the power, that is, the product of voltage and current was prescribed on part of boundary. We solved the problem using Lagrange multiplier: the product of the voltage and current on the electrode surface is constrained to be equal to the Joule heating. We theoretically proved the equality between the product of the voltage and current on the surface of the electrode and the Joule heating in the domain. We also proved the well-posedness of the problem of solving the Laplace equation for the electric potential under a constant power constraint prescribed on the electrode surface. The Pennes bioheat transfer equation and the Laplace equation for electric potential augmented with the constraint of constant power were solved simultaneously using the Newton-Raphson algorithm. Three problems for validation were solved. Numerical results were compared either with an analytical solution deduced in this study or with results obtained by ANSYS or experiments. This work provides the finite element modeling of constant power RFA with a firm mathematical basis and opens pathway for achieving the optimal RFA power. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Measurement of the fine-structure constant as a test of the Standard Model.

PubMed

Parker, Richard H; Yu, Chenghui; Zhong, Weicheng; Estey, Brian; Müller, Holger

2018-04-13

Measurements of the fine-structure constant α require methods from across subfields and are thus powerful tests of the consistency of theory and experiment in physics. Using the recoil frequency of cesium-133 atoms in a matter-wave interferometer, we recorded the most accurate measurement of the fine-structure constant to date: α = 1/137.035999046(27) at 2.0 × 10 -10 accuracy. Using multiphoton interactions (Bragg diffraction and Bloch oscillations), we demonstrate the largest phase (12 million radians) of any Ramsey-Bordé interferometer and control systematic effects at a level of 0.12 part per billion. Comparison with Penning trap measurements of the electron gyromagnetic anomaly g e - 2 via the Standard Model of particle physics is now limited by the uncertainty in g e - 2; a 2.5σ tension rejects dark photons as the reason for the unexplained part of the muon's magnetic moment at a 99% confidence level. Implications for dark-sector candidates and electron substructure may be a sign of physics beyond the Standard Model that warrants further investigation. Copyright © 2018 The Authors, some rights reserved; exclusive licensee American Association for the Advancement of Science. No claim to original U.S. Government Works.

Shift in power during an interview situation: methodological reflections inspired by Foucault and Bourdieu.

PubMed

Aléx, Lena; Hammarström, Anne

2008-06-01

This paper presents methodological reflections on power sharing and shifts of power in various interview situations. Narratives are said to be shaped by our attempts to position ourselves within social and cultural circumstances. In an interview situation, power can be seen as something that is created and that shifts between the interviewer and the interviewed. Reflexivity is involved when we as interviewers attempt to look at a situation or a concept from various perspectives. A modified form of discourse analysis inspired by subject positioning was used to reflect on power relations in four different interview situations. The analyses indicate that reflection on the power relations can lead to other forms of understanding of the interviewee. The main conclusion that can be drawn from this study is that power relations are created within an interview situation and therefore it is important to be aware of dominant perspectives. Researchers and nurses face the challenge of constantly raising their level of consciousness about power relationships, and discursive reflexivity is one way of doing this. Thus, reflexivity is an important part of the qualitative research process.

An investigation of accelerating mode and decelerating mode constant-momentum mass spectrometry and their application to a residual gas analyzer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ng, Y. S.

1977-01-01

A theoretical analysis of constant momentum mass spectrometry was made. A maximum resolving power for the decelerating mode constant momentum mass spectrometer was shown theoretically to exist for a beam of ions of known energy. A vacuum system and an electron beam ionization source was constructed. Supporting electronics for a residual gas analyzer were built. Experimental investigations of various types of accelerating and decelerating impulsive modes of a constant momentum mass spectrometer as applied to a residual gas analyzer were made. The data indicate that the resolving power for the decelerating mode is comparable to that of the accelerating mode.

Pulse Shaped Constant Envelope 8-PSK Modulation Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tao, Jianping; Horan, Sheila

1997-01-01

This report provides simulation results for constant envelope pulse shaped 8 Level Phase Shift Keying (8 PSK) modulation for end to end system performance. In order to increase bandwidth utilization, pulse shaping is applied to signals before they are modulated. This report provides simulation results of power spectra and measurement of bit errors produced by pulse shaping in a non-linear channel with Additive White Gaussian Noise (AWGN). The pulse shaping filters can placed before (Type B) or after (Type A) signals are modulated. Three kinds of baseband filters, 5th order Butterworth, 3rd order Bessel and Square-Root Raised Cosine with different BTs or roll off factors, are utilized in the simulations. The simulations were performed on a Signal Processing Worksystem (SPW).

Double synchronized switch harvesting (DSSH): a new energy harvesting scheme for efficient energy extraction.

PubMed

Lallart, Mickaël; Garbuio, Lauric; Petit, Lionel; Richard, Claude; Guyomar, Daniel

2008-10-01

This paper presents a new technique for optimized energy harvesting using piezoelectric microgenerators called double synchronized switch harvesting (DSSH). This technique consists of a nonlinear treatment of the output voltage of the piezoelectric element. It also integrates an intermediate switching stage that ensures an optimal harvested power whatever the load connected to the microgenerator. Theoretical developments are presented considering either constant vibration magnitude, constant driving force, or independent extraction. Then experimental measurements are carried out to validate the theoretical predictions. This technique exhibits a constant output power for a wide range of load connected to the microgenerator. In addition, the extracted power obtained using such a technique allows a gain up to 500% in terms of maximal power output compared with the standard energy harvesting method. It is also shown that such a technique allows a fine-tuning of the trade-off between vibration damping and energy harvesting.

Generation of spectrally stable continuous-wave emission and ns pulses with a peak power of 4 W using a distributed Bragg reflector laser and a ridge-waveguide power amplifier.

PubMed

Klehr, A; Wenzel, H; Fricke, J; Bugge, F; Erbert, G

2014-10-06

We have developed a diode-laser based master oscillator power amplifier (MOPA) light source which emits high-power spectrally stabilized and nearly-diffraction limited optical pulses in the nanoseconds range as required by many applications. The MOPA consists of a distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) laser as master oscillator driven by a constant current and a ridge waveguide power amplifier (PA) which can be driven by a constant current (DC) or by rectangular current pulses with a width of 5 ns at a repetition frequency of 200 kHz. Under pulsed operation the amplifier acts as an optical gate, converting the CW input beam emitted by the DBR laser into a train of short amplified optical pulses. With this experimental MOPA arrangement no relaxation oscillations occur. A continuous wave power of 1 W under DC injection and a pulse power of 4 W under pulsed operation are reached. For both operational modes the optical spectrum of the emission of the amplifier exhibits a peak at a constant wavelength of 973.5 nm with a spectral width < 10 pm.

Limitations of the Conventional Phase Advance Method for Constant Power Operation of the Brushless DC Motor

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lawler, J.S.

2001-10-29

The brushless dc motor (BDCM) has high-power density and efficiency relative to other motor types. These properties make the BDCM well suited for applications in electric vehicles provided a method can be developed for driving the motor over the 4 to 6:1 constant power speed range (CPSR) required by such applications. The present state of the art for constant power operation of the BDCM is conventional phase advance (CPA) [1]. In this paper, we identify key limitations of CPA. It is shown that the CPA has effective control over the developed power but that the current magnitude is relatively insensitivemore » to power output and is inversely proportional to motor inductance. If the motor inductance is low, then the rms current at rated power and high speed may be several times larger than the current rating. The inductance required to maintain rms current within rating is derived analytically and is found to be large relative to that of BDCM designs using high-strength rare earth magnets. Th us, the CPA requires a BDCM with a large equivalent inductance.« less

Anisotropies in the diffuse gamma-ray background measured by the Fermi LAT

DOE PAGES

Ackermann, M.; Ajello, M.; Albert, A.; ...

2012-04-23

The contribution of unresolved sources to the diffuse gamma-ray background could induce anisotropies in this emission on small angular scales. Here, we analyze the angular power spectrum of the diffuse emission measured by the Fermi Large Area Telescope at Galactic latitudes | b | > 30 ° in four energy bins spanning 1–50 GeV. At multipoles ℓ ≥ 155 , corresponding to angular scales ≲ 2 ° , angular power above the photon noise level is detected at > 99.99 % confidence level in the 1–2 GeV, 2–5 GeV, and 5–10 GeV energy bins, and at > 99 % confidencemore » level at 10–50 GeV. Within each energy bin the measured angular power takes approximately the same value at all multipoles ℓ ≥ 155 , suggesting that it originates from the contribution of one or more unclustered source populations. Furthermore, the amplitude of the angular power normalized to the mean intensity in each energy bin is consistent with a constant value at all energies, C P / < I > 2 = 9.05 ± 0.84 × 10 - 6 sr , while the energy dependence of C P is consistent with the anisotropy arising from one or more source populations with power-law photon spectra with spectral index Γ s = 2.40 ± 0.07 . We also discuss the implications of the measured angular power for gamma-ray source populations that may provide a contribution to the diffuse gamma-ray background.« less

Load insensitive electrical device. [power converters for supplying direct current at one voltage from a source at another voltage

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schwarz, F. C. (Inventor)

1974-01-01

A class of power converters is described for supplying direct current at one voltage from a source at another voltage. It includes a simple passive circuit arrangement of solid-state switches, inductors, and capacitors by which the output voltage of the converter tends to remain constant in spite of changes in load. The switches are sensitive to the current flowing in the circuit and are employed to permit the charging of capacitance devices in accordance with the load requirements. Because solid-state switches (such as SCR's) may be used with relatively high voltage and because of the inherent efficiency of the invention that permits relatively high switching frequencies, power supplies built in accordance with the invention, together with their associated cabling, can be substantially lighter in weight for a given output power level and efficiency of operation than systems of the prior art.

Thermal dephasing in second-harmonic generation of an amplified copper-vapor laser beam in beta barium borate.

PubMed

Prakash, Om; Dixit, Sudhir Kumar; Bhatnagar, Rajiva

2005-03-20

The conversion efficiency in second-harmonic generation of an amplified beam in a master-oscillator power amplifier copper-vapor laser (CVL) is lower than that of the oscillator beam alone. This lower efficiency is often vaguely attributed to wave-front degradation in the amplifier. We investigate the role of wave-front degradation and thermal dephasing in the second-harmonic generation of a CVL from a beta-barium borate crystal. Choosing two beams with constant intrapulse divergence, one from a generalized diffraction filtered resonator master oscillator alone and other obtained by amplifying oscillator by use of a power amplifier, we show that at low flux levels the decrease in efficiency is due to wave-front degradation. At a fundamental power above the critical power for thermal dephasing, the decrease is due to increased UV absorption and consequent thermal dephasing. Thermal dephasing is higher for the beam with the lower coherence width.

Gas phase recombination of hydrogen and deuterium atoms. Ph.D. Thesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Trainor, D. W.; Ham, D. O.; Kaufman, F.

1973-01-01

Rate constants for the reaction H + H + M - H2 + M, with M = H2, He, and Ar were measured over the temperature range 77 to 298 K. Hydrogen atoms were produced by thermal dissociation and absolute atom concentrations were measured through use of self-balancing, isothermal catalytic probe detector. The specific rate constants were 8.1 + or - 0.4 x 10 to the minus 33rd power, 7.0 + or - 0.4 x 10 to the minus 33rd power, and 9.2 + or - 0.6 x at 298 K for M = H2, He, and Ar respectively; these values rising to 18.5 + or - 2.2 x 10 to the minus 33rd power, 12.0 + or - 1.5 x 10 to the minus 33rd power, and 27.4 + or - 4.6 x 10 to the minus 33rd power cm to the 6th power/molecules sq/sec at 77 K. for the equivalent deuterium atom process with D2 as the third body, the rate constants are 6.1 + or - 0.3 x 10 to the minus 33rd power cm to the 6th power/molecules sq/sec at 298 K and 15.1 + or - 1.0 x 10 to the minus 33rd power cm to the 6th power/molecules sq/sec at 77 K. These values are compared with previous experimental measurements and with recent theoretical calculations.

Frequency Combs in the XUV by Intra-Laser High Harmonic Generation for Ultra-Precise Measurements of the Fine Structure Constant

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-06-03

example, all atomic clocks for the European satellite -based global positioning system GALLILEO were manufactured in Neuchatel. With the integration...realization of numerous other exciting devices in various areas like advancement of sensors and nano- technological devices. Summary of Project...losses of the resonator . Achieving passive femtosecond pulse formation at these record-high power levels will require eliminating any destabilizing

U.S. Air Force Posture Statement 2000

DTIC Science & Technology

2000-01-01

quality of life for all Air Force members assigned to the headquarters. It will fo- cus on cutting costs, eliminating redun- dancies, reducing work of...of life initia- tives at the base level are essential. We re- alize that while we recruit individuals, we retain families . Especially with so many...power and constant vigilance. Our world-class people make it work — they will always be our first priority. We are an expedi- tionary aerospace force

Load converter interactions with the secondary system in the Space Station Freedom power management and distribution DC test bed

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lebron, Ramon C.

1992-01-01

The NASA LeRC in Cleveland, Ohio, is responsible for the design, development, and assembly of the Space Station Freedom (SSF) Electrical Power System (EPS). In order to identify and understand system level issues during the SSF Program design and development phases, a system Power Management and Distribution (PMAD) DC test bed was assembled. Some of the objectives of this test bed facility are the evaluation of, system efficiency, power quality, system stability, and system protection and reconfiguration schemes. In order to provide a realistic operating scenario, dc Load Converter Units are used in the PMAD dc test bed to characterize the user interface with the power system. These units are dc to dc converters that provide the final system regulation before power is delivered to the load. This final regulation is required on the actual space station because the majority of user loads will require voltage levels different from the secondary bus voltage. This paper describes the testing of load converters in an end to end system environment (from solar array to loads) where their interactions and compatibility with other system components are considered. Some of the system effects of interest that are presented include load converters transient behavior interactions with protective current limiting switchgear, load converters ripple effects, and the effects of load converter constant power behavior with protective features such as foldback.

Load converter interactions with the secondary system in the Space Station Freedom power management and distribution dc test bed

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lebron, Ramon C.

1992-01-01

The NASA LeRC in Cleveland, Ohio, is responsible for the design, development, and assembly of the Space Station Freedom (SSF) Electrical Power System (EPS). In order to identify and understand system level issues during the SSF program design and development phases, a system Power Management and Distribution (PMAD) dc test bed was assembled. Some of the objectives of this test bed facility are the evaluation of, system efficiency, power quality, system stability, and system protection and reconfiguration schemes. In order to provide a realistic operating scenario, dc Load Converter Units are used in the PMAD dc test bed to characterize the user interface with the power system. These units are dc to dc converters that provide the final system regulation before power is delivered to the load. This final regulation is required on the actual space station because the majority of user loads will require voltage levels different from the secondary bus voltage. This paper describes the testing of load converters in an end to end system environment (from solar array to loads) where their interactions and compatibility with other system components are considered. Some of the system effects of interest that are presented include load converters transient behavior interactions with protective current limiting switchgear, load converters ripple effects, and the effects of load converter constant power behavior with protective features such as foldback.

Improving electrofishing catch consistency by standardizing power

USGS Publications Warehouse

Burkhardt, Randy W.; Gutreuter, Steve

1995-01-01

The electrical output of electrofishing equipment is commonly standardized by using either constant voltage or constant amperage, However, simplified circuit and wave theories of electricity suggest that standardization of power (wattage) available for transfer from water to fish may be critical for effective standardization of electrofishing. Electrofishing with standardized power ensures that constant power is transferable to fish regardless of water conditions. The in situ performance of standardized power output is poorly known. We used data collected by the interagency Long Term Resource Monitoring Program (LTRMP) in the upper Mississippi River system to assess the effectiveness of standardizing power output. The data consisted of 278 electrofishing collections, comprising 9,282 fishes in eight species groups, obtained during 1990 from main channel border, backwater, and tailwater aquatic areas in four reaches of the upper Mississippi River and one reach of the Illinois River. Variation in power output explained an average of 14.9% of catch variance for night electrofishing and 12.1 % for day electrofishing. Three patterns in catch per unit effort were observed for different species: increasing catch with increasing power, decreasing catch with increasing power, and no power-related pattern. Therefore, in addition to reducing catch variation, controlling power output may provide some capability to select particular species. The LTRMP adopted standardized power output beginning in 1991; standardized power output is adjusted for variation in water conductivity and water temperature by reference to a simple chart. Our data suggest that by standardizing electrofishing power output, the LTRMP has eliminated substantial amounts of catch variation at virtually no additional cost.

Fully Electrical Modeling of Thermoelectric Generators with Contact Thermal Resistance Under Different Operating Conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siouane, Saima; Jovanović, Slaviša; Poure, Philippe

2017-01-01

The Seebeck effect is used in thermoelectric generators (TEGs) to supply electronic circuits by converting the waste thermal into electrical energy. This generated electrical power is directly proportional to the temperature difference between the TEG module's hot and cold sides. Depending on the applications, TEGs can be used either under constant temperature gradient between heat reservoirs or constant heat flow conditions. Moreover, the generated electrical power of a TEG depends not only on these operating conditions, but also on the contact thermal resistance. The influence of the contact thermal resistance on the generated electrical power have already been extensively reported in the literature. However, as reported in Park et al. (Energy Convers Manag 86:233, 2014) and Montecucco and Knox (IEEE Trans Power Electron 30:828, 2015), while designing TEG-powered circuit and systems, a TEG module is mostly modeled with a Thévenin equivalent circuit whose resistance is constant and voltage proportional to the temperature gradient applied to the TEG's terminals. This widely used simplified electrical TEG model is inaccurate and not suitable under constant heat flow conditions or when the contact thermal resistance is considered. Moreover, it does not provide realistic behaviour corresponding to the physical phenomena taking place in a TEG. Therefore, from the circuit designer's point of view, faithful and fully electrical TEG models under different operating conditions are needed. Such models are mainly necessary to design and evaluate the power conditioning electronic stages and the maximum power point tracking algorithms of a TEG power supply. In this study, these fully electrical models with the contact thermal resistance taken into account are presented and the analytical expressions of the Thévenin equivalent circuit parameters are provided.

RELAP5 Model of the First Wall/Blanket Primary Heat Transfer System

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Popov, Emilian L; Yoder Jr, Graydon L; Kim, Seokho H

2010-06-01

ITER inductive power operation is modeled and simulated using a system level computer code to evaluate the behavior of the Primary Heat Transfer System (PHTS) and predict parameter operational ranges. The control algorithm strategy and derivation are summarized in this report as well. A major feature of ITER is pulsed operation. The plasma does not burn continuously, but the power is pulsed with large periods of zero power between pulses. This feature requires active temperature control to maintain a constant blanket inlet temperature and requires accommodation of coolant thermal expansion during the pulse. In view of the transient nature ofmore » the power (plasma) operation state a transient system thermal-hydraulics code was selected: RELAP5. The code has a well-documented history for nuclear reactor transient analyses, it has been benchmarked against numerous experiments, and a large user database of commonly accepted modeling practices exists. The process of heat deposition and transfer in the blanket modules is multi-dimensional and cannot be accurately captured by a one-dimensional code such as RELAP5. To resolve this, a separate CFD calculation of blanket thermal power evolution was performed using the 3-D SC/Tetra thermofluid code. A 1D-3D co-simulation more realistically models FW/blanket internal time-dependent thermal inertia while eliminating uncertainties in the time constant assumed in a 1-D system code. Blanket water outlet temperature and heat release histories for any given ITER pulse operation scenario are calculated. These results provide the basis for developing time dependent power forcing functions which are used as input in the RELAP5 calculations.« less

A Grid Connected Photovoltaic Inverter with Battery-Supercapacitor Hybrid Energy Storage

PubMed Central

Guerrero-Martínez, Miguel Ángel; Barrero-González, Fermín

2017-01-01

The power generation from renewable power sources is variable in nature, and may contain unacceptable fluctuations, which can be alleviated by using energy storage systems. However, the cost of batteries and their limited lifetime are serious disadvantages. To solve these problems, an improvement consisting in the collaborative association of batteries and supercapacitors has been studied. Nevertheless, these studies don’t address in detail the case of residential and large-scale photovoltaic systems. In this paper, a selected combined topology and a new control scheme are proposed to control the power sharing between batteries and supercapacitors. Also, a method for sizing the energy storage system together with the hybrid distribution based on the photovoltaic power curves is introduced. This innovative contribution not only reduces the stress levels on the battery, and hence increases its life span, but also provides constant power injection to the grid during a defined time interval. The proposed scheme is validated through detailed simulation and experimental tests. PMID:28800102

A Grid Connected Photovoltaic Inverter with Battery-Supercapacitor Hybrid Energy Storage.

PubMed

Miñambres-Marcos, Víctor Manuel; Guerrero-Martínez, Miguel Ángel; Barrero-González, Fermín; Milanés-Montero, María Isabel

2017-08-11

The power generation from renewable power sources is variable in nature, and may contain unacceptable fluctuations, which can be alleviated by using energy storage systems. However, the cost of batteries and their limited lifetime are serious disadvantages. To solve these problems, an improvement consisting in the collaborative association of batteries and supercapacitors has been studied. Nevertheless, these studies don't address in detail the case of residential and large-scale photovoltaic systems. In this paper, a selected combined topology and a new control scheme are proposed to control the power sharing between batteries and supercapacitors. Also, a method for sizing the energy storage system together with the hybrid distribution based on the photovoltaic power curves is introduced. This innovative contribution not only reduces the stress levels on the battery, and hence increases its life span, but also provides constant power injection to the grid during a defined time interval. The proposed scheme is validated through detailed simulation and experimental tests.

Research on grid connection control technology of double fed wind generator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ling, Li

2017-01-01

The composition and working principle of variable speed constant frequency doubly fed wind power generation system is discussed in this thesis. On the basis of theoretical analysis and control on the modeling, the doubly fed wind power generation simulation control system is designed based on a TMS320F2407 digital signal processor (DSP), and has done a large amount of experimental research, which mainly include, variable speed constant frequency, constant pressure, Grid connected control experiment. The running results show that the design of simulation control system is reasonable and can meet the need of experimental research.

1998 Conference on Precision Electromagnetic Measurements Digest. Proceedings.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nelson, T. L.

The following topics were dealt with: fundamental constants; caesium standards; AC-DC transfer; impedance measurement; length measurement; units; statistics; cryogenic resonators; time transfer; QED; resistance scaling and bridges; mass measurement; atomic fountains and clocks; single electron transport; Newtonian constant of gravitation; stabilised lasers and frequency measurements; cryogenic current comparators; optical frequency standards; high voltage devices and systems; international compatibility; magnetic measurement; precision power measurement; high resolution spectroscopy; DC transport standards; waveform acquisition and analysis; ion trap standards; optical metrology; quantised Hall effect; Josephson array comparisons; signal generation and measurement; Avogadro constant; microwave networks; wideband power standards; antennas, fields and EMC; quantum-based standards.

Characterization of In-Flight Processing of Alumina Powder Using a DC-RF Hybrid Plasma Flow System at Constant Low Operating Power

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nishiyama, H.; Onodera, M.; Igawa, J.; Nakajima, T.

2009-12-01

The aim of this study is to provide the optimum operating conditions for enhancing in-flight alumina particle heating as much as possible for particle spheroidization and aggregation of melted particles using a DC-RF hybrid plasma flow system even at constant low operating power based on the thermofluid considerations. It is clarified that the swirl flow and higher operating pressure enhance the particle melting and aggregation of melted particles coupled with increasing gas temperature downstream of a plasma uniformly in the radial direction at constant electrical discharge conditions.

Optimization of a matched-filter receiver for frequency hopping code acquisition in jamming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pawlowski, P. R.; Polydoros, A.

A matched-filter receiver for frequency hopping (FH) code acquisition is optimized when either partial-band tone jamming or partial-band Gaussian noise jamming is present. The receiver is matched to a segment of the FH code sequence, sums hard per-channel decisions to form a test, and uses multiple tests to verify acquisition. The length of the matched filter and the number of verification tests are fixed. Optimization is then choosing thresholds to maximize performance based upon the receiver's degree of knowledge about the jammer ('side-information'). Four levels of side-information are considered, ranging from none to complete. The latter level results in a constant-false-alarm-rate (CFAR) design. At each level, performance sensitivity to threshold choice is analyzed. Robust thresholds are chosen to maximize performance as the jammer varies its power distribution, resulting in simple design rules which aid threshold selection. Performance results, which show that optimum distributions for the jammer power over the total FH bandwidth exist, are presented.

Doubly Fed Induction Generator in an Offshore Wind Power Plant Operated at Rated V/Hz: Preprint

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Muljadi, E.; Singh, M.; Gevorgian, V.

2012-06-01

This paper introduces the concept of constant Volt/Hz operation of offshore wind power plants. The deployment of offshore WPPs requires power transmission from the plant to the load center inland. Since this power transmission requires submarine cables, there is a need to use High-Voltage Direct Current transmission, which is economical for transmission distances longer than 50 kilometers. In the concept presented here, the onshore substation is operated at 60 Hz synced with the grid, and the offshore substation is operated at variable frequency and voltage, thus allowing the WPP to be operated at constant Volt/Hz.

Femtosecond soliton source with fast and broad spectral tunability.

PubMed

Masip, Martin E; Rieznik, A A; König, Pablo G; Grosz, Diego F; Bragas, Andrea V; Martinez, Oscar E

2009-03-15

We present a complete set of measurements and numerical simulations of a femtosecond soliton source with fast and broad spectral tunability and nearly constant pulse width and average power. Solitons generated in a photonic crystal fiber, at the low-power coupling regime, can be tuned in a broad range of wavelengths, from 850 to 1200 nm using the input power as the control parameter. These solitons keep almost constant time duration (approximately 40 fs) and spectral widths (approximately 20 nm) over the entire measured spectra regardless of input power. Our numerical simulations agree well with measurements and predict a wide working wavelength range and robustness to input parameters.

A LATENT PERIOD IN THE ACTION OF COPPER ON RESPIRATION

PubMed Central

Cook, S. F.

1926-01-01

1. When copper chloride is allowed to act on Aspergillus niger there is at first a period during which there is no change in the rate of the production of carbon dioxide, following which the rate of respiration falls. The interval of no change is called the latent period. 2. When the copper is removed from the external solution before the end of the latent period this interval is prolonged. The rate of respiration then falls to a new level below the normal level. 3. Experiments on Nitella and on Valonia indicate that the copper penetrates the cell almost immediately. 4. The length of the latent period varies inversely as a constant power of the concentration of the copper. 5. These results are explained by assuming that the copper is made active in the respiration system by means of a reversible reaction. By using appropriate velocity constants the experimental curves can be duplicated by calculated curves. PMID:19872281

Fuel Cells for Backup Power in Telecommunications Facilities (Fact Sheet)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

2009-04-01

Telecommunications providers rely on backup power to maintain a constant power supply, to prevent power outages, and to ensure the operability of cell towers, equipment, and networks. The backup power supply that best meets these objectives is fuel cell technology.

Thermodynamic constraints on a varying cosmological-constant-like term from the holographic equipartition law with a power-law corrected entropy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Komatsu, Nobuyoshi

2017-11-01

A power-law corrected entropy based on a quantum entanglement is considered to be a viable black-hole entropy. In this study, as an alternative to Bekenstein-Hawking entropy, a power-law corrected entropy is applied to Padmanabhan's holographic equipartition law to thermodynamically examine an extra driving term in the cosmological equations for a flat Friedmann-Robertson-Walker universe at late times. Deviations from the Bekenstein-Hawking entropy generate an extra driving term (proportional to the α th power of the Hubble parameter, where α is a dimensionless constant for the power-law correction) in the acceleration equation, which can be derived from the holographic equipartition law. Interestingly, the value of the extra driving term in the present model is constrained by the second law of thermodynamics. From the thermodynamic constraint, the order of the driving term is found to be consistent with the order of the cosmological constant measured by observations. In addition, the driving term tends to be constantlike when α is small, i.e., when the deviation from the Bekenstein-Hawking entropy is small.

Effects of air ventilation during stationary exercise testing.

PubMed

Van Schuylenbergh, R; Vanden Eynde, B; Hespel, P

2004-07-01

The impact of air ventilation on performance and physiological responses during stationary exercise in the laboratory was studied. Fourteen well-trained cyclists performed three exercise tests on a cycle ergometer, each separated by a 1-week interval. The first test was a graded test to determine the power output corresponding with the 4-mmol l(-1) lactate level. Tests 2 and 3 were 30-min constant-load tests at a power output corresponding with this 4-mmol l(-1) lactate threshold. One constant-load test was performed in the absence (NAV), whilst the other was performed in the presence (AV) of air ventilation (3 m s(-1)). During the constant-load tests, heart rate, tympanic temperature, blood lactate concentration and oxygen uptake (VO2) were measured at 10-min intervals and at the end of the test. Differences between the two test conditions were evaluated using paired t-tests. During NAV, 12 subjects interrupted the test due to premature exhaustion (exercise duration <30 min), versus only seven in AV ( P<0.05). At the end of the test tympanic temperature was 35.9 (0.2) degrees C in AV and was higher in NAV [36.7 (0.2) degrees C, P<0.05]. Exercise heart rate increased at a faster rate during NAV [+2.2 (0.3) beats min(-1)] than during AV [+1.5 (0.2) beats min(-1), P<0.05]. Blood lactate concentration and VO2 were similar between conditions. Air ventilation is essential to prevent an upward shift in the lactate:heart rate as well as the power output:heart rate relationship during laboratory exercise testing and indoor exercise training.

Modeling AC ripple currents in HTS coated conductors by integral equations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grilli, Francesco; Xu, Zhihan

2016-12-01

In several HTS applications, the superconducting tapes experience the simultaneous presence of DC and AC excitations. For example in high-current DC cables, where the transport current is not perfectly constant, but it exhibits some ripples at different frequencies introduced by the rectification process (AC-DC conversion). These ripples give rise to dissipation, whose magnitude and possible influence on the device's cooling requirements need to be evaluated. Here we report a study of the AC losses in a HTS coated conductor subjected to DC currents and AC ripples simultaneously. The modeling approach is based on an integral equation method for thin superconductors: the superconducting tape is modeled as a 1-D object with a non-linear resistivity, which includes the dependence of the critical current density Jc on the magnetic field. The model, implemented in a commercial finite-element program, runs very fast (the simulation of one AC cycle typically takes a few seconds on standard desktop workstation): this allows simulating a large number of cycles and estimating when the AC ripple losses stabilize to a constant value. The model is used to study the influence of the flux creep power index n on the stabilization speed and on the AC loss values, as well as the effect of using a field-dependent Jc instead of a constant one. The simulations confirm that the dissipation level should not be a practical concern in HTS DC cables. At the same time, however, they reveal a strong dependence of the results upon the power index n and the form of Jc , which spurs the question whether the power-law is the most suitable description of the superconductor's electrical behavior for this kind of analysis.

Development of a hardware-based AC microgrid for AC stability assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Swanson, Robert R.

As more power electronic-based devices enable the development of high-bandwidth AC microgrids, the topic of microgrid power distribution stability has become of increased interest. Recently, researchers have proposed a relatively straightforward method to assess the stability of AC systems based upon the time-constants of sources, the net bus capacitance, and the rate limits of sources. In this research, a focus has been to develop a hardware test system to evaluate AC system stability. As a first step, a time domain model of a two converter microgrid was established in which a three phase inverter acts as a power source and an active rectifier serves as an adjustable constant power AC load. The constant power load can be utilized to create rapid power flow transients to the generating system. As a second step, the inverter and active rectifier were designed using a Smart Power Module IGBT for switching and an embedded microcontroller as a processor for algorithm implementation. The inverter and active rectifier were designed to operate simultaneously using a synchronization signal to ensure each respective local controller operates in a common reference frame. Finally, the physical system was created and initial testing performed to validate the hardware functionality as a variable amplitude and variable frequency AC system.

Understanding Chemical Sensitivity and Surface Response in Detecting Trace Levels of Explosives Using Vibrational Sum Frequency Spectroscopy

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-11-04

coated with enamel paint containing black, blue, red, and yellow pigment. The chemical compositions of the pigments are not known, but they show... enamel paint containing black pigment. VSFS signal intensities, ISFG,, has been normalized to constant incident laser power for each spectra. RDX...surface that has been coated with a 1 mm thick layer of enamel paint containing blue pigment. VSFS signal intensities, ISFG,, has been normalized to

A benchtop biorobotic platform for in vitro observation of muscle-tendon dynamics with parallel mechanical assistance from an elastic exoskeleton.

PubMed

Robertson, Benjamin D; Vadakkeveedu, Siddarth; Sawicki, Gregory S

2017-05-24

We present a novel biorobotic framework comprised of a biological muscle-tendon unit (MTU) mechanically coupled to a feedback controlled robotic environment simulation that mimics in vivo inertial/gravitational loading and mechanical assistance from a parallel elastic exoskeleton. Using this system, we applied select combinations of biological muscle activation (modulated with rate-coded direct neural stimulation) and parallel elastic assistance (applied via closed-loop mechanical environment simulation) hypothesized to mimic human behavior based on previously published modeling studies. These conditions resulted in constant system-level force-length dynamics (i.e., stiffness), reduced biological loads, increased muscle excursion, and constant muscle average positive power output-all consistent with laboratory experiments on intact humans during exoskeleton assisted hopping. Mechanical assistance led to reduced estimated metabolic cost and MTU apparent efficiency, but increased apparent efficiency for the MTU+Exo system as a whole. Findings from this study suggest that the increased natural resonant frequency of the artificially stiffened MTU+Exo system, along with invariant movement frequencies, may underlie observed limits on the benefits of exoskeleton assistance. Our novel approach demonstrates that it is possible to capture the salient features of human locomotion with exoskeleton assistance in an isolated muscle-tendon preparation, and introduces a powerful new tool for detailed, direct examination of how assistive devices affect muscle-level neuromechanics and energetics. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Emulating DC constant power load: a robust sliding mode control approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Suresh; Fulwani, Deepak; Kumar, Vinod

2017-09-01

This article presents emulation of a programmable power electronic, constant power load (CPL) using a dc/dc step-up (boost) converter. The converter is controlled by a robust sliding mode controller (SMC). A novel switching surface is proposed to ensure a required power sunk by the converter. The proposed dc CPL is simple in design, has fast dynamic response and high accuracy, and offers an inexpensive alternative to study converters for cascaded dc distribution power system applications. Furthermore, the proposed CPL is sufficiently robust against the input voltage variations. A laboratory prototype of the proposed dc CPL has been developed and validated with SMC realised through OPAL-RT platform. The capability of the proposed dc CPL is confirmed via experimentations in varied scenarios.

Equivalent Electromagnetic Constants for Microwave Application to Composite Materials for the Multi-Scale Problem

PubMed Central

Fujisaki, Keisuke; Ikeda, Tomoyuki

2013-01-01

To connect different scale models in the multi-scale problem of microwave use, equivalent material constants were researched numerically by a three-dimensional electromagnetic field, taking into account eddy current and displacement current. A volume averaged method and a standing wave method were used to introduce the equivalent material constants; water particles and aluminum particles are used as composite materials. Consumed electrical power is used for the evaluation. Water particles have the same equivalent material constants for both methods; the same electrical power is obtained for both the precise model (micro-model) and the homogeneous model (macro-model). However, aluminum particles have dissimilar equivalent material constants for both methods; different electric power is obtained for both models. The varying electromagnetic phenomena are derived from the expression of eddy current. For small electrical conductivity such as water, the macro-current which flows in the macro-model and the micro-current which flows in the micro-model express the same electromagnetic phenomena. However, for large electrical conductivity such as aluminum, the macro-current and micro-current express different electromagnetic phenomena. The eddy current which is observed in the micro-model is not expressed by the macro-model. Therefore, the equivalent material constant derived from the volume averaged method and the standing wave method is applicable to water with a small electrical conductivity, although not applicable to aluminum with a large electrical conductivity. PMID:28788395

Survivorship analysis when cure is a possibility: a Monte Carlo study.

PubMed

Goldman, A I

1984-01-01

Parametric survivorship analyses of clinical trials commonly involves the assumption of a hazard function constant with time. When the empirical curve obviously levels off, one can modify the hazard function model by use of a Gompertz or Weibull distribution with hazard decreasing over time. Some cancer treatments are thought to cure some patients within a short time of initiation. Then, instead of all patients having the same hazard, decreasing over time, a biologically more appropriate model assumes that an unknown proportion (1 - pi) have constant high risk whereas the remaining proportion (pi) have essentially no risk. This paper discusses the maximum likelihood estimation of pi and the power curves of the likelihood ratio test. Monte Carlo studies provide results for a variety of simulated trials; empirical data illustrate the methods.

Performance of a Miniaturized Arcjet

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sankovic, John M.; Jacobson, David T.

1995-01-01

Performance measurements were obtained and life-limiting mechanisms were identified on a laboratory-model arcjet thruster designed to operate at a nominal power level of 300 W. The design employed a supersonic-arc-attachment concept and was operated from 200 to 400 W on hydrogen/nitrogen mixtures in ratios simulating fully decomposed hydrazine and ammonia. Power was provided by breadboard power processor. Performance was found to be a strong function of propellant flow rate. Anode losses were essentially constant for the range of mass flow rates tested. It is believed that the performance is dominated by viscous effects. Significantly improved performance was noted with simulated ammonia operation. At 300 W the specific impulse on simulated ammonia was 410 s with an efficiency of 0.34, while simulated hydrazine provided 370 s specific impulse at an efficiency of 0.27.

Investigation into constant envelope orthogonal frequency division multiplexing for polarization-division multiplexing coherent optical communication

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yupeng; Ding, Ding

2017-09-01

Benefiting from the high spectral efficiency and low peak-to-average power ratio, constant envelope orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) is a promising technique in coherent optical communication. Polarization-division multiplexing (PDM) has been employed as an effective way to double the transmission capacity in the commercial 100 Gb/s PDM-QPSK system. We investigated constant envelope OFDM together with PDM. Simulation results show that the acceptable maximum launch power into the fiber improves 10 and 6 dB for 80- and 320-km transmission, respectively (compared with the conventional PDM OFDM system). The maximum reachable distance of the constant envelope OFDM system is able to reach 800 km, and even 1200 km is reachable if an ideal erbium doped fiber amplifier is employed.

Drying kinetics and characteristics of combined infrared-vacuum drying of button mushroom slices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salehi, Fakhreddin; Kashaninejad, Mahdi; Jafarianlari, Ali

2017-05-01

Infrared-vacuum drying characteristics of button mushroom ( Agaricus bisporus) were evaluated in a combined dryer system. The effects of drying parameters, including infrared radiation power (150-375 W), system pressure (5-15 kPa) and time (0-160 min) on the drying kinetics and characteristics of button mushroom slices were investigated. Both the infrared lamp power and vacuum pressure influenced the drying time of button mushroom slices. The rate constants of the nine different kinetic's models for thin layer drying were established by nonlinear regression analysis of the experimental data which were found to be affected mainly by the infrared power level while system pressure had a little effect on the moisture ratios. The regression results showed that the Page model satisfactorily described the drying behavior of button mushroom slices with highest R value and lowest SE values. The effective moisture diffusivity increases as power increases and range between 0.83 and 2.33 × 10-9 m2/s. The rise in infrared power has a negative effect on the ΔE and with increasing in infrared radiation power it was increased.

Low-level laser therapy on skeletal muscle inflammation: evaluation of irradiation parameters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mantineo, Matías; Pinheiro, João P.; Morgado, António M.

2014-09-01

We evaluated the effect of different irradiation parameters in low-level laser therapy (LLLT) for treating inflammation induced in the gastrocnemius muscle of rats through cytokines concentration in systemic blood and analysis of muscle tissue. We used continuous (830 and 980 nm) and pulsed illuminations (830 nm). Animals were divided into five groups per wavelength (10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 mW), and a control group. LLLT was applied during 5 days with a constant irradiation time and area. TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-2, and IL-6 cytokines were quantified by ELISA. Inflammatory cells were counted using microscopy. Identical methodology was used with pulsed illumination. Average power (40 mW) and duty cycle were kept constant (80%) at five frequencies (5, 25, 50, 100, and 200 Hz). For continuous irradiation, treatment effects occurred for all doses, with a reduction of TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 cytokines and inflammatory cells. Continuous irradiation at 830 nm was more effective, a result explained by the action spectrum of cytochrome c oxidase (CCO). Best results were obtained for 40 mW, with data suggesting a biphasic dose response. Pulsed wave irradiation was only effective for higher frequencies, a result that might be related to the rate constants of the CCO internal electron transfer process.

Voltage dependence of acetylcholine receptor channel gating in rat myoballs

PubMed Central

1992-01-01

Whole-cell currents from nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (AChR) channels were studied in rat myoballs using a light-activated agonist to determine the voltage dependence of the macroscopic opening and closing rate constants. Myoballs were bathed in a solution containing a low concentration of the inactive isomer of the photoisomerizable azobenzene derivative, cis-Bis-Q. A light flash was then presented to produce a known concentration jump of agonist, trans-Bis-Q, across a wide range of membrane potentials in symmetrical solutions (NaCl or CsCl on both sides) or asymmetrical solutions (NaCl in the bath and CsCl in the pipette). At the low agonist concentration used in this study, the reciprocal of the macroscopic time constants gives an unambiguous measure of the effective closing rate. It showed an exponential decrease with membrane hyperpolarization between +20 and - 100 mV, but tended to level off at more depolarized and at more hyperpolarized membrane potentials. The relative effective opening rate was derived from the steady-state conductance, the single-channel conductance, and the apparent closing rate; it decreased sharply in the depolarizing region and tended to level off and then turn up in the hyperpolarizing region. The two effective rate constants were shown to depend on the first, second, and third power of membrane potential. PMID:1460456

Renewable Electrolysis | Hydrogen and Fuel Cells | NREL

Science.gov Websites

variable-input power conditions Designing and developing shared power-electronics packages and controllers Development NREL develops power electronics interfaces for renewable electrolysis systems to characterize and constant voltage DC bus and power electronics to regulate power output and to convert wild alternating

Rapid changes in arousal states of healthy volunteers during robot-assisted gait training: a quantitative time-series electroencephalography study

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Robot-assisted gait training (RAGT) is expected to be an effective rehabilitative intervention for patients with gait disturbances. However, the monotonous gait pattern provided by robotic guidance tends to induce sleepiness, and the resultant decreased arousal during RAGT may negatively affect gait training progress. This study assessed electroencephalography (EEG)-based, objective sleepiness during RAGT and examined whether verbal or nonverbal warning sounds are effective stimuli for counteracting such sleepiness. Methods Twelve healthy men walked on a treadmill for 6 min, while being guided by a Gait-Assistance Robot, under 3 experimental conditions: with sine-wave sound stimulation (SS), verbal sound stimulation (VS), and no sound stimulation (NS). The volunteers were provided with warning sound stimulation at 4 min (ST1), 4 min 20 s (ST2), 4 min 40 s (ST3), and 5 min (ST4) after the start of RAGT. EEGs were recorded at the central (Cz) and occipital (O1 and O2) regions (International 10–20 system) before and during RAGT, and 4-s segments of EEG data were extracted from the filtered data during the 8 experimental periods: middle of the eyes-closed condition; middle of the eyes-open condition; beginning of RAGT; immediately before ST1; immediately after ST1, ST2, ST3, and ST4. According to the method used in the Karolinska drowsiness test, the power densities of the theta, alpha 1, and alpha 2 bands were calculated as indices of objective sleepiness. Results Comparisons of the findings between baseline and before ST showed that the power densities of the alpha 1 and 2 bands tended to increase, whereas the theta power density increased significantly (P < .05). During NS, the power densities remained at a constant high level until after ST4. During SS and VS, the power densities were attenuated immediately to the same degree and maintained at a constant low level until after ST4. Conclusions This study is the first to demonstrate that EEG-measured arousal levels decrease within a short time during RAGT, but are restored and maintained by intermittent warning sound stimulation. PMID:24725811

Planck Constant Determination from Power Equivalence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Newell, David B.

2000-04-01

Equating mechanical to electrical power links the kilogram, the meter, and the second to the practical realizations of the ohm and the volt derived from the quantum Hall and the Josephson effects, yielding an SI determination of the Planck constant. The NIST watt balance uses this power equivalence principle, and in 1998 measured the Planck constant with a combined relative standard uncertainty of 8.7 x 10-8, the most accurate determination to date. The next generation of the NIST watt balance is now being assembled. Modification to the experimental facilities have been made to reduce the uncertainty components from vibrations and electromagnetic interference. A vacuum chamber has been installed to reduce the uncertainty components associated with performing the experiment in air. Most of the apparatus is in place and diagnostic testing of the balance should begin this year. Once a combined relative standard uncertainty of one part in 10-8 has been reached, the power equivalence principle can be used to monitor the possible drift in the artifact mass standard, the kilogram, and provide an accurate alternative definition of mass in terms of fundamental constants. *Electricity Division, Electronics and Electrical Engineering Laboratory, Technology Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce. Contribution of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, not subject to copyright in the U.S.

Research on Experiment of Islanding Protection Device of Grid-connected Photovoltaic System Based on RTDS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Ning; Yang, Jia; Cheng, Zheng; Chen, Bo; Su, Yong Chun; Shu, Zhan; Zou, Jin

2017-06-01

Solar photovoltaic power generation is the power generation using solar cell module converting sunlight into DC electric energy. In the paper an equivalent model of solar photovoltaic power generation system is built in RTDS. The main circuit structure of the two-stage PV grid-connected system consists of the DC-DC, DC-AC circuit. The MPPT (Maximum Power Point Tracking) control of the PV array is controlled by adjusting the duty ratio of the DC-DC circuit. The proposed control strategy of constant voltage/constant reactive power (V/Q) control is successfully implemented grid-connected control of the inverter when grid-connected operation. The closed-loop experiment of islanding protection device of photovoltaic power plant on RTDS, verifies the correctness of the simulation model, and the experimental verification can be applied to this type of device.

Numerical simulation of the generation of turbulence from cometary ion pick-up

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goldstein, M. L.; Roberts, D. A.; Matthaeus, W. H.

1987-01-01

Observations of magnetic field fluctuations near Comet Halley have revealed a rapid development of a Kolmogoroff-like turbulence spectrum extending from below 0.01 Hz to above 0.1 Hz. Spectra obtained far from the comet have a strong peak in power near the Doppler-shifted ion-cyclotron frequency of singly ionized water. Closer to the comet, the spectrum at higher frequencies is enhanced in power level over the background solar wind spectrum by approximately an order of magnitude. The equations of incompressible MHD are solved using a two-dimensional 256 x 256 mode spectral method code to simulate this spectral evolution as an inertial range turbulent cascade. The initial conditions contained a constant magnetic field and a single coherent wave mode at a low wave number. The solar wind turbulence was modeled by a background noise spectrum having a Kolmogoroff spectral index. The coherent mode decayed into an inertial range spectrum with Kolmogoroff slope within a few eddy-turnover times. Both the time scale and the increase in power level of the turbulence seen in the simulation are in accord with the Giotto observations.

Sizing Dynamic Wireless Charging for Light-Duty Electric Vehicles in Roadway Applications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Foote, Andrew P; Ozpineci, Burak; Chinthavali, Madhu Sudhan

Dynamic wireless charging is a possible cure for the range limitations seen in electric vehicles (EVs) once implemented in highways or city streets. The contribution of this paper is the use of experimental data to show that the expected energy gain from a dynamic wireless power transfer (WPT) system is largely a function of average speed, which allows the power level and number of coils per mile of a dynamic WPT system to be sized for the sustained operation of an EV. First, data from dynamometer testing is used to determine the instantaneous energy requirements of a light-duty EV. Then,more » experimental data is applied to determine the theoretical energy gained by passing over a coil as a function of velocity and power level. Related simulations are performed to explore possible methods of placing WPT coils within roadways with comparisons to the constant velocity case. Analyses with these cases demonstrate what system ratings are needed to meet the energy requirements of the EV. The simulations are also used to determine onboard energy storage requirements for each driving cycle.« less

Variability of individual genetic load: consequences for the detection of inbreeding depression.

PubMed

Restoux, Gwendal; Huot de Longchamp, Priscille; Fady, Bruno; Klein, Etienne K

2012-03-01

Inbreeding depression is a key factor affecting the persistence of natural populations, particularly when they are fragmented. In species with mixed mating systems, inbreeding depression can be estimated at the population level by regressing the average progeny fitness by the selfing rate of their mothers. We applied this method using simulated populations to investigate how population genetic parameters can affect the detection power of inbreeding depression. We simulated individual selfing rates and genetic loads from which we computed fitness values. The regression method yielded high statistical power, inbreeding depression being detected as significant (5 % level) in 92 % of the simulations. High individual variation in selfing rate and high mean genetic load led to better detection of inbreeding depression while high among-individual variation in genetic load made it more difficult to detect inbreeding depression. For a constant sampling effort, increasing the number of progenies while decreasing the number of individuals per progeny enhanced the detection power of inbreeding depression. We discuss the implication of among-mother variability of genetic load and selfing rate on inbreeding depression studies.

Integrated Power Adapter: Isolated Converter with Integrated Passives and Low Material Stress

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

2010-09-01

ADEPT Project: CPES at Virginia Tech is developing an extremely efficient power converter that could be used in power adapters for small, lightweight laptops and other types of mobile electronic devices. Power adapters convert electrical energy into useable power for an electronic device, and they currently waste a lot of energy when they are plugged into an outlet to power up. CPES at Virginia Tech is integrating high-density capacitors, new magnetic materials, high-frequency integrated circuits, and a constant-flux transformer to create its efficient power converter. The high-density capacitors enable the power adapter to store more energy. The new magnetic materialsmore » also increase energy storage, and they can be precisely dispensed using a low-cost ink-jet printer which keeps costs down. The high-frequency integrated circuits can handle more power, and they can handle it more efficiently. And, the constant-flux transformer processes a consistent flow of electrical current, which makes the converter more efficient.« less

The dc power circuits: A compilation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1972-01-01

A compilation of reports concerning power circuits is presented for the dissemination of aerospace information to the general public as part of the NASA Technology Utilization Program. The descriptions for the electronic circuits are grouped as follows: dc power supplies, power converters, current-voltage power supply regulators, overload protection circuits, and dc constant current power supplies.

Numerical Modeling of Dependence of Separative Power of the Gas Centrifuge on the Length of Rotor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bogovalov, S. V.; Borisevich, V. D.; Borman, V. D.; Tronin, I. V.; Tronin, V. N.

Numerical modelling and optimization of the gas flow and isotope separation in the Iguasu gas centrifuge (GC) for uranium enrichment have been performed for different lengths of the rotor. The calculations show that the specific separative power of the GC reduces with the length of the rotor. We show that the reduction of the specific separative power is connected with the growth of the pressure in the optimal regime and corresponding growth of temperature to prevent the working gas sublimation. The specific separative power remains constant with the growth of the rotor length provided that the temperature of the rotor is taken to be constant.

Microfabricated microengine with constant rotation rate

DOEpatents

Romero, Louis A.; Dickey, Fred M.

1999-01-01

A microengine uses two synchronized linear actuators as a power source and converts oscillatory motion from the actuators into constant rotational motion via direct linkage connection to an output gear or wheel. The microengine provides output in the form of a continuously rotating output gear that is capable of delivering drive torque at a constant rotation to a micromechanism. The output gear can have gear teeth on its outer perimeter for directly contacting a micromechanism requiring mechanical power. The gear is retained by a retaining means which allows said gear to rotate freely. The microengine is microfabricated of polysilicon on one wafer using surface micromachining batch fabrication.

Constant Switching Frequency DTC for Matrix Converter Fed Speed Sensorless Induction Motor Drive

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mir, Tabish Nazir; Singh, Bhim; Bhat, Abdul Hamid

2018-05-01

The paper presents a constant switching frequency scheme for speed sensorless Direct Torque Control (DTC) of Matrix Converter fed Induction Motor Drive. The use of matrix converter facilitates improved power quality on input as well as motor side, along with Input Power Factor control, besides eliminating the need for heavy passive elements. Moreover, DTC through Space Vector Modulation helps in achieving a fast control over the torque and flux of the motor, with added benefit of constant switching frequency. A constant switching frequency aids in maintaining desired power quality of AC mains current even at low motor speeds, and simplifies input filter design of the matrix converter, as compared to conventional hysteresis based DTC. Further, stator voltage estimation from sensed input voltage, and subsequent stator (and rotor) flux estimation is done. For speed sensorless operation, a Model Reference Adaptive System is used, which emulates the speed dependent rotor flux equations of the induction motor. The error between conventionally estimated rotor flux (reference model) and the rotor flux estimated through the adaptive observer is processed through PI controller to generate the rotor speed estimate.

Incorporating Midbrain Adaptation to Mean Sound Level Improves Models of Auditory Cortical Processing

PubMed Central

Schoppe, Oliver; King, Andrew J.; Schnupp, Jan W.H.; Harper, Nicol S.

2016-01-01

Adaptation to stimulus statistics, such as the mean level and contrast of recently heard sounds, has been demonstrated at various levels of the auditory pathway. It allows the nervous system to operate over the wide range of intensities and contrasts found in the natural world. Yet current standard models of the response properties of auditory neurons do not incorporate such adaptation. Here we present a model of neural responses in the ferret auditory cortex (the IC Adaptation model), which takes into account adaptation to mean sound level at a lower level of processing: the inferior colliculus (IC). The model performs high-pass filtering with frequency-dependent time constants on the sound spectrogram, followed by half-wave rectification, and passes the output to a standard linear–nonlinear (LN) model. We find that the IC Adaptation model consistently predicts cortical responses better than the standard LN model for a range of synthetic and natural stimuli. The IC Adaptation model introduces no extra free parameters, so it improves predictions without sacrificing parsimony. Furthermore, the time constants of adaptation in the IC appear to be matched to the statistics of natural sounds, suggesting that neurons in the auditory midbrain predict the mean level of future sounds and adapt their responses appropriately. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT An ability to accurately predict how sensory neurons respond to novel stimuli is critical if we are to fully characterize their response properties. Attempts to model these responses have had a distinguished history, but it has proven difficult to improve their predictive power significantly beyond that of simple, mostly linear receptive field models. Here we show that auditory cortex receptive field models benefit from a nonlinear preprocessing stage that replicates known adaptation properties of the auditory midbrain. This improves their predictive power across a wide range of stimuli but keeps model complexity low as it introduces no new free parameters. Incorporating the adaptive coding properties of neurons will likely improve receptive field models in other sensory modalities too. PMID:26758822

Estimation of marginal costs at existing waste treatment facilities.

PubMed

Martinez-Sanchez, Veronica; Hulgaard, Tore; Hindsgaul, Claus; Riber, Christian; Kamuk, Bettina; Astrup, Thomas F

2016-04-01

This investigation aims at providing an improved basis for assessing economic consequences of alternative Solid Waste Management (SWM) strategies for existing waste facilities. A bottom-up methodology was developed to determine marginal costs in existing facilities due to changes in the SWM system, based on the determination of average costs in such waste facilities as function of key facility and waste compositional parameters. The applicability of the method was demonstrated through a case study including two existing Waste-to-Energy (WtE) facilities, one with co-generation of heat and power (CHP) and another with only power generation (Power), affected by diversion strategies of five waste fractions (fibres, plastic, metals, organics and glass), named "target fractions". The study assumed three possible responses to waste diversion in the WtE facilities: (i) biomass was added to maintain a constant thermal load, (ii) Refused-Derived-Fuel (RDF) was included to maintain a constant thermal load, or (iii) no reaction occurred resulting in a reduced waste throughput without full utilization of the facility capacity. Results demonstrated that marginal costs of diversion from WtE were up to eleven times larger than average costs and dependent on the response in the WtE plant. Marginal cost of diversion were between 39 and 287 € Mg(-1) target fraction when biomass was added in a CHP (from 34 to 303 € Mg(-1) target fraction in the only Power case), between -2 and 300 € Mg(-1) target fraction when RDF was added in a CHP (from -2 to 294 € Mg(-1) target fraction in the only Power case) and between 40 and 303 € Mg(-1) target fraction when no reaction happened in a CHP (from 35 to 296 € Mg(-1) target fraction in the only Power case). Although average costs at WtE facilities were highly influenced by energy selling prices, marginal costs were not (provided a response was initiated at the WtE to keep constant the utilized thermal capacity). Failing to systematically address and include costs in existing waste facilities in decision-making may unintendedly lead to higher overall costs at societal level. To avoid misleading conclusions, economic assessment of alternative SWM solutions should not only consider potential costs associated with alternative treatment but also include marginal costs associated with existing facilities. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Exhaust turbine and jet propulsion systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leist, Karl; Knornschild, Eugen

1951-01-01

DVL experimental and analytical work on the cooling of turbine blades by using ram air as the working fluid over a sector or sectors of the turbine annulus area is summarized. The subsonic performance of ram-jet, turbo-jet, and turbine-propeller engines with both constant pressure and pulsating-flow combustion is investigated. Comparison is made with the performance of a reciprocating engine and the advantages of the gas turbine and jet-propulsion engines are analyzed. Nacelle installation methods and power-level control are discussed.

Wheelchair ergometer. Development of a prototype with electronic braking.

PubMed

Forchheimer, F; Lundberg, A

1986-01-01

A new wheelchair ergometer is described, which compensates for the pulsating character of the work by an automatic control system. This makes it possible to maintain a constant level of power during wheelchair work. An automatic control system has been integrated in an electronically braked bicycle ergometer, and a pedal unit from Rodby Electronic bicycle ergometer RE 820 has been coupled to a modified test wheelchair. With this device, the physical working capacity during submaximal circumstances can be tested in handicapped persons.

Variable gas spring for matching power output from FPSE to load of refrigerant compressor

DOEpatents

Chen, Gong; Beale, William T.

1990-01-01

The power output of a free piston Stirling engine is matched to a gas compressor which it drives and its stroke amplitude is made relatively constant as a function of power by connecting a gas spring to the drive linkage from the engine to the compressor. The gas spring is connected to the compressor through a passageway in which a valve is interposed. The valve is linked to the drive linkage so it is opened when the stroke amplitude exceeds a selected limit. This allows compressed gas to enter the spring, increase its spring constant, thus opposing stroke increase and reducing the phase lead of the displacer ahead of the piston to reduce power output and match it to a reduced load power demand.

Variable gas spring for matching power output from FPSE to load of refrigerant compressor

DOEpatents

Chen, G.; Beale, W.T.

1990-04-03

The power output of a free piston Stirling engine is matched to a gas compressor which it drives and its stroke amplitude is made relatively constant as a function of power by connecting a gas spring to the drive linkage from the engine to the compressor. The gas spring is connected to the compressor through a passageway in which a valve is interposed. The valve is linked to the drive linkage so it is opened when the stroke amplitude exceeds a selected limit. This allows compressed gas to enter the spring, increase its spring constant, thus opposing stroke increase and reducing the phase lead of the displacer ahead of the piston to reduce power output and match it to a reduced load power demand. 6 figs.

On variable hydrostatic transmission for road vehicles, powered by supply of fluid at constant pressure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Magi, M.; Freivald, A.; Andersson, I.; Ericsson, U.

1981-01-01

Various hydrostatic power transmission systems for automotive applications with power supply at constant pressure and unrestricted flow and with a Volvo Flygmotor variable displacement motor as the principal unit were investigated. Two most promising concepts were analyzed in detail and their main components optimized for minimum power loss at the EPA Urban Driving Cycle. The best fuel consumption is less than 10 lit. per 100 kM for a 1542 kG vehicle with a hydrostatic motor and a two speed gear box in series (braking power not recovered). Realistic system pressure affects the fuel consumption just slightly, but the package volume/weight drastically. Back pressure increases losses significantly. Special attention was paid to description of the behavior and modeling of the losses of variable displacement hydrostatic machines.

A study of Schwarz converters for nuclear powered spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stuart, Thomas A.; Schwarze, Gene E.

1987-01-01

High power space systems which use low dc voltage, high current sources such as thermoelectric generators, will most likely require high voltage conversion for transmission purposes. This study considers the use of the Schwarz resonant converter for use as the basic building block to accomplish this low-to-high voltage conversion for either a dc or an ac spacecraft bus. The Schwarz converter has the important assets of both inherent fault tolerance and resonant operation; parallel operation in modular form is possible. A regulated dc spacecraft bus requires only a single stage converter while a constant frequency ac bus requires a cascaded Schwarz converter configuration. If the power system requires constant output power from the dc generator, then a second converter is required to route unneeded power to a ballast load.

Evaluation of Improvements to Brayton Cycle Performance.

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-05-29

cogeneration systems. They are International Power Technology (IPT), Palo Alto, California and Mechanical Technology, Inc. (MTI), Latham, New York [13]. IPT...constant (10) For a constant Reynold’s number and dimensions, the friction factor will be constant. The relationship for friction of internal ...equation for the friction factor of internal turbulent flow is expressed as Ap -friction =f(Re) - constant. (12) pV 2 Applying Equation (11), Equation (12

Application of dielectric constant measurement in microwave sludge disintegration and wastewater purification processes.

PubMed

Kovács, Petra Veszelovszki; Lemmer, Balázs; Keszthelyi-Szabó, Gábor; Hodúr, Cecilia; Beszédes, Sándor

2018-05-01

It has been numerously verified that microwave radiation could be advantageous as a pre-treatment for enhanced disintegration of sludge. Very few data related to the dielectric parameters of wastewater of different origins are available; therefore, the objective of our work was to measure the dielectric constant of municipal and meat industrial wastewater during a continuous flow operating microwave process. Determination of the dielectric constant and its change during wastewater and sludge processing make it possible to decide on the applicability of dielectric measurements for detecting the organic matter removal efficiency of wastewater purification process or disintegration degree of sludge. With the measurement of dielectric constant as a function of temperature, total solids (TS) content and microwave specific process parameters regression models were developed. Our results verified that in the case of municipal wastewater sludge, the TS content has a significant effect on the dielectric constant and disintegration degree (DD), as does the temperature. The dielectric constant has a decreasing tendency with increasing temperature for wastewater sludge of low TS content, but an adverse effect was found for samples with high TS and organic matter contents. DD of meat processing wastewater sludge was influenced significantly by the volumetric flow rate and power level, as process parameters of continuously flow microwave pre-treatments. It can be concluded that the disintegration process of food industry sludge can be detected by dielectric constant measurements. From technical purposes the applicability of dielectric measurements was tested in the purification process of municipal wastewater, as well. Determination of dielectric behaviour was a sensitive method to detect the purification degree of municipal wastewater.

Power Transfer in Physical Systems.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaeck, Jack A.

1990-01-01

Explores the power transfer using (1) a simple electric circuit consisting of a power source with internal resistance; (2) two different mechanical systems (gravity driven and constant force driven); (3) ecological examples; and (4) a linear motor. (YP)

Development of a 20 mA negative hydrogen ion source for cyclotrons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Etoh, H.; Onai, M.; Arakawa, Y.; Aoki, Y.; Mitsubori, H.; Sakuraba, J.; Kato, T.; Mitsumoto, T.; Yajima, S.; Hatayama, A.; Okumura, Y.

2017-08-01

A cesiated DC negative ion source has been developed for proton cyclotrons in medical applications. A continuous H- beam of 23 mA was stably extracted at an arc power of 3 kW. The beam current gradually decreases with a constant arc power and without additional Cs injection and the decay rate was about 0.03 mA (0.14%) per hour. A feed-back control system that automatically adjusts the arc power to stabilize the beam current is able to keep the beam current constant at ±0.04 mA (±0.2%).

The Atacama Cosmology Telescope: cosmological parameters from three seasons of data

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sievers, Jonathan L.; Appel, John William; Hlozek, Renée A.

2013-10-01

We present constraints on cosmological and astrophysical parameters from high-resolution microwave background maps at 148 GHz and 218 GHz made by the Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT) in three seasons of observations from 2008 to 2010. A model of primary cosmological and secondary foreground parameters is fit to the map power spectra and lensing deflection power spectrum, including contributions from both the thermal Sunyaev-Zeldovich (tSZ) effect and the kinematic Sunyaev-Zeldovich (kSZ) effect, Poisson and correlated anisotropy from unresolved infrared sources, radio sources, and the correlation between the tSZ effect and infrared sources. The power ℓ{sup 2}C{sub ℓ}/2π of the thermal SZmore » power spectrum at 148 GHz is measured to be 3.4±1.4  μK{sup 2} at ℓ = 3000, while the corresponding amplitude of the kinematic SZ power spectrum has a 95% confidence level upper limit of 8.6  μK{sup 2}. Combining ACT power spectra with the WMAP 7-year temperature and polarization power spectra, we find excellent consistency with the LCDM model. We constrain the number of effective relativistic degrees of freedom in the early universe to be N{sub eff} = 2.79±0.56, in agreement with the canonical value of N{sub eff} = 3.046 for three massless neutrinos. We constrain the sum of the neutrino masses to be Σm{sub ν} < 0.39 eV at 95% confidence when combining ACT and WMAP 7-year data with BAO and Hubble constant measurements. We constrain the amount of primordial helium to be Y{sub p} = 0.225±0.034, and measure no variation in the fine structure constant α since recombination, with α/α{sub 0} = 1.004±0.005. We also find no evidence for any running of the scalar spectral index, dn{sub s}/dln k = −0.004±0.012.« less

The Atacama Cosmology Telescope: Cosmological Parameters from Three Seasons of Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Seivers, Jonathan L.; Hlozek, Renee A.; Nolta, Michael R.; Acquaviva, Viviana; Addison, Graeme E.; Ade, Peter A. R.; Aguirre, Paula; Amiri, Mandana; Appel, John W.; Barrientos, L. Felipe;

Ensemble Kalman Filter for Dynamic State Estimation of Power Grids Stochastically Driven by Time-correlated Mechanical Input Power

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rosenthal, William Steven; Tartakovsky, Alex; Huang, Zhenyu

State and parameter estimation of power transmission networks is important for monitoring power grid operating conditions and analyzing transient stability. Wind power generation depends on fluctuating input power levels, which are correlated in time and contribute to uncertainty in turbine dynamical models. The ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF), a standard state estimation technique, uses a deterministic forecast and does not explicitly model time-correlated noise in parameters such as mechanical input power. However, this uncertainty affects the probability of fault-induced transient instability and increased prediction bias. Here a novel approach is to model input power noise with time-correlated stochastic fluctuations, and integratemore » them with the network dynamics during the forecast. While the EnKF has been used to calibrate constant parameters in turbine dynamical models, the calibration of a statistical model for a time-correlated parameter has not been investigated. In this study, twin experiments on a standard transmission network test case are used to validate our time-correlated noise model framework for state estimation of unsteady operating conditions and transient stability analysis, and a methodology is proposed for the inference of the mechanical input power time-correlation length parameter using time-series data from PMUs monitoring power dynamics at generator buses.« less

Ensemble Kalman Filter for Dynamic State Estimation of Power Grids Stochastically Driven by Time-correlated Mechanical Input Power

DOE PAGES

Rosenthal, William Steven; Tartakovsky, Alex; Huang, Zhenyu

2017-10-31

State and parameter estimation of power transmission networks is important for monitoring power grid operating conditions and analyzing transient stability. Wind power generation depends on fluctuating input power levels, which are correlated in time and contribute to uncertainty in turbine dynamical models. The ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF), a standard state estimation technique, uses a deterministic forecast and does not explicitly model time-correlated noise in parameters such as mechanical input power. However, this uncertainty affects the probability of fault-induced transient instability and increased prediction bias. Here a novel approach is to model input power noise with time-correlated stochastic fluctuations, and integratemore » them with the network dynamics during the forecast. While the EnKF has been used to calibrate constant parameters in turbine dynamical models, the calibration of a statistical model for a time-correlated parameter has not been investigated. In this study, twin experiments on a standard transmission network test case are used to validate our time-correlated noise model framework for state estimation of unsteady operating conditions and transient stability analysis, and a methodology is proposed for the inference of the mechanical input power time-correlation length parameter using time-series data from PMUs monitoring power dynamics at generator buses.« less

A Computational Framework for Analyzing Stochasticity in Gene Expression

PubMed Central

Sherman, Marc S.; Cohen, Barak A.

2014-01-01

Stochastic fluctuations in gene expression give rise to distributions of protein levels across cell populations. Despite a mounting number of theoretical models explaining stochasticity in protein expression, we lack a robust, efficient, assumption-free approach for inferring the molecular mechanisms that underlie the shape of protein distributions. Here we propose a method for inferring sets of biochemical rate constants that govern chromatin modification, transcription, translation, and RNA and protein degradation from stochasticity in protein expression. We asked whether the rates of these underlying processes can be estimated accurately from protein expression distributions, in the absence of any limiting assumptions. To do this, we (1) derived analytical solutions for the first four moments of the protein distribution, (2) found that these four moments completely capture the shape of protein distributions, and (3) developed an efficient algorithm for inferring gene expression rate constants from the moments of protein distributions. Using this algorithm we find that most protein distributions are consistent with a large number of different biochemical rate constant sets. Despite this degeneracy, the solution space of rate constants almost always informs on underlying mechanism. For example, we distinguish between regimes where transcriptional bursting occurs from regimes reflecting constitutive transcript production. Our method agrees with the current standard approach, and in the restrictive regime where the standard method operates, also identifies rate constants not previously obtainable. Even without making any assumptions we obtain estimates of individual biochemical rate constants, or meaningful ratios of rate constants, in 91% of tested cases. In some cases our method identified all of the underlying rate constants. The framework developed here will be a powerful tool for deducing the contributions of particular molecular mechanisms to specific patterns of gene expression. PMID:24811315

Stirling Convertor Control for a Concept Rover at NASA Glenn Research Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blaze-Dugala, Gina M.

2009-01-01

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company (LMSSC), Sunpower Inc., and NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) have been developing an Advanced Stirling Radioisotope Generator (ASRG) for potential use as an electric power system for space science missions. This generator would make use of the free-piston Stirling cycle to achieve higher conversion efficiency than currently used alternatives. NASA GRC initiated an experiment with an ASRG simulator to demonstrate the functionality of a Stirling convertor on a mobile application, such as a rover. The ASRG simulator made use of two Advanced Stirling Convertors to convert thermal energy from a heat source to electricity. The ASRG simulator was designed to incorporate a minimum amount of support equipment, allowing integration onto a rover powered directly by the convertors. Support equipment to provide control was designed including a linear AC regulator controller, constant power controller, and Li-ion battery charger controller. The ASRG simulator is controlled by a linear AC regulator controller. The rover is powered by both a Stirling convertor and Li-ion batteries. A constant power controller enables the Stirling convertor to maintain a constant power output when additional power is supplied by the Li-ion batteries. A Li-ion battery charger controller limits the charging current and cut off current of the batteries. This paper discusses the design, fabrication, and implementation of these three controllers.

An innovative high-power constant-current pulsed-arc power-supply for a high-density pulsed-arc-plasma ion-source using a LaB6-filament.

PubMed

Ueno, A; Oguri, H; Ikegami, K; Namekawa, Y; Ohkoshi, K; Tokuchi, A

2010-02-01

An innovative high-power constant-current (CC) pulsed-arc (PA) power-supply (PS) indispensable for a high-density PA plasma ion-source using a lanthanum hexaboride (LaB(6)) filament was devised by combining a constant-voltage (CV) PA-PS, which is composed of an insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) switch, a CV direct-current (dc) PS and a 270 mF capacitor with a CC-PA-PS, which is composed of an IGBT-switch, a CC-dc-PS and a 400 microH inductor, through the inductor. The hybrid-CC-PA-PS succeeded in producing a flat arc-pulse with a peak power of 56 kW (400 A x 140 V) and a duty factor of more than 1.5% (600 micros x 25 Hz) for Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex (J-PARC) H(-) ion-source stably. It also succeeded in shortening the 99% rising-time of the arc-pulse-current to about 20 micros and tilting up or down the arc-pulse-current arbitrarily and almost linearly by changing the setting voltage of its CV-dc-PS.

Development of procedures for calculating stiffness and damping properties of elastomers in engineering applications. Part 2: Elastomer characteristics at constant temperature

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gupta, P. K.; Tessarzik, J. M.; Cziglenyi, L.

1974-01-01

Dynamic properties of a commerical polybutadiene compound were determined at a constant temperature of 32 C by a forced-vibration resonant mass type of apparatus. The constant thermal state of the elastomer was ensured by keeping the ambient temperature constant and by limiting the power dissipation in the specimen. Experiments were performed with both compression and shear specimens at several preloads (nominal strain varying from 0 to 5 percent), and the results are reported in terms of a complex stiffness as a function of frequency. Very weak frequency dependence is observed and a simple power law type of correlation is shown to represent the data well. Variations in the complex stiffness as a function of preload are also found to be small for both compression and shear specimens.

Modeling of flowing gas diode pumped alkali lasers: dependence of the operation on the gas velocity and on the nature of the buffer gas.

PubMed

Barmashenko, B D; Rosenwaks, S

2012-09-01

A simple, semi-analytical model of flowing gas diode pumped alkali lasers (DPALs) is presented. The model takes into account the rise of temperature in the lasing medium with increasing pump power, resulting in decreasing pump absorption and slope efficiency. The model predicts the dependence of power on the flow velocity in flowing gas DPALs and checks the effect of using a buffer gas with high molar heat capacity and large relaxation rate constant between the 2P3/2 and 2P1/2 fine-structure levels of the alkali atom. It is found that the power strongly increases with flow velocity and that by replacing, e.g., ethane by propane as a buffer gas the power may be further increased by up to 30%. Eight kilowatt is achievable for 20 kW pump at flow velocity of 20  m/s.

Hyperfine interaction constants of 14NO2 in 14 500-16 800 cm-1 energy region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tada, Kohei; Hirata, Michihiro; Kasahara, Shunji

2017-10-01

We observed hyperfine-resolved high-resolution fluorescence excitation spectra of k = 0, N = 1 ← 0 transitions in 82 vibronic bands of the à 2B2 ← X ˜ 2A1 system of 14NO2 in the 14 500-16 800 cm-1 region by crossing a jet-cooled molecular beam and a single-mode dye laser beam at right angles. We determined hyperfine interaction constants of the lower and upper states for all the observed vibronic bands based on the analysis of the hyperfine structures of k = 0, N = 1 ← 0 transitions. Most of the determined Fermi contact interaction constants were found to be distributed in 0.0013-0.0038 cm-1, which are intermediate in magnitude between those in lower and higher energy region reported by other groups. A sharp decreasing of the Fermi contact interaction constant was found in 16 200-16 600 cm-1, and it may be caused by the interaction with the dark C ˜ 2A2 state. The hyperfine interaction constants are powerful clues to obtain reliable vibronic assignment. We tentatively assigned vibronic bands located at 14 836 cm-1, 15 586 cm-1, and 16 322 cm-1 as the transitions to the intrinsic (0,7,0), (0,8,0), and (0,9,0) vibrational levels of the à 2B2 state, respectively.

Batteryless magneto-driven portable radiac

DOEpatents

Waechter, D.A.; Bjarke, G.O.; Trujillo, F.; Wolf, M.A.; Umbarger, C.J.

1984-10-19

A hand-powerd alternator for generating an alternating voltage provides same through a rectifier to a high capacity capacitor which stores the resultant dc voltage and drives a voltage regulator to provide a constant low voltage output for a portable radiation detection instrument. The instrument includes a Geiger-Mueller detector tube whose output is fed to a pulse detector and then through an event counter and LCD driver circuit to an LCD bar graph for visual display. An audio driver and an audio output is also provided. All circuitry used is low power so that the capacitor can be readily charged to a sufficient level to provide power for at least 30 minutes. A low voltage indicator is provided on the LCD display to indicate the need for manual recharging.

Comparison of simulation results with sea-level experimental data on 10(14) - 10(16) air shower cores

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ash, A. G.

1985-01-01

Simulation predictions for the Leeds 35 sq m horizontal discharge chamber array for proton primaries with a approx. E sup 2.7 spectrum extrapolated from balloon data to 10 to the 16th power eV give power law rho (r)-spectra with constant slope approx. -2 consistent with the experimental data up to the point at which they steepen but overshooting them at higher densities, and at high shower sizes predicted cores which are significantly steeper than those observed. Further comparisons with results for heavy nuclei primaries (up to A = 56) point to the inadequacy of changes in primary composition to account for the observed density spectra and core flattening, and the shower size spectrum together, and point, therefore, to the failure of the scaling interaction model at approx. 10 to the 15th power eV primary energy.

Disk MHD generator study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Retallick, F. D.

1980-01-01

Directly-fired, separately-fired, and oxygen-augmented MHD power plants incorporating a disk geometry for the MHD generator were studied. The base parameters defined for four near-optimum-performance MHD steam power systems of various types are presented. The finally selected systems consisted of (1) two directly fired cases, one at 1920 K (2996F) preheat and the other at 1650 K (2500 F) preheat, (2) a separately-fired case where the air is preheated to the same level as the higher temperature directly-fired cases, and (3) an oxygen augmented case with the same generator inlet temperature of 2839 (4650F) as the high temperature directly-fired and separately-fired cases. Supersonic Mach numbers at the generator inlet, gas inlet swirl, and constant Hall field operation were specified based on disk generator optimization. System pressures were based on optimization of MHD net power. Supercritical reheat stream plants were used in all cases. Open and closed cycle component costs are summarized and compared.

Efficient Radio Frequency Inductive Discharges in Near Atmospheric Pressure Using Immittance Conversion Topology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Razzak, M. Abdur; Takamura, Shuichi; Uesugi, Yoshihiko; Ohno, Noriyasu

A radio frequency (rf) inductive discharge in atmospheric pressure range requires high voltage in the initial startup phase and high power during the steady state sustainment phase. It is, therefore, necessary to inject high rf power into the plasma ensuring the maximum use of the power source, especially where the rf power is limited. In order to inject the maximum possible rf power into the plasma with a moderate rf power source of few kilowatts range, we employ the immittance conversion topology by converting a constant voltage source into a constant current source to generate efficient rf discharge by inductively coupled plasma (ICP) technique at a gas pressure with up to one atmosphere in argon. A novel T-LCL immittance circuit is designed for constant-current high-power operation, which is practically very important in the high-frequency range, to provide high effective rf power to the plasma. The immittance conversion system combines the static induction transistor (SIT)-based radio frequency (rf) high-power inverter circuit and the immittance conversion elements including the rf induction coil. The basic properties of the immittance circuit are studied by numerical analysis and verified the results by experimental measurements with the inductive plasma as a load at a relatively high rf power of about 4 kW. The performances of the immittance circuit are also evaluated and compared with that of the conventional series resonance circuit in high-pressure induction plasma generation. The experimental results reveal that the immittance conversion circuit confirms injecting higher effective rf power into the plasma as much as three times than that of the series resonance circuit under the same operating conditions and same dc supply voltage to the inverter, thereby enhancing the plasma heating efficiency to generate efficient rf inductive discharges.

Constant-roll tachyon inflation and observational constraints

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Qing; Gong, Yungui; Fei, Qin

2018-05-01

For the constant-roll tachyon inflation, we derive the analytical expressions for the scalar and tensor power spectra, the scalar and tensor spectral tilts and the tensor to scalar ratio to the first order of epsilon1 by using the method of Bessel function approximation. The derived ns-r results are compared with the observations, we find that only the constant-roll inflation with ηH being a constant is consistent with the observations and observations constrain the constant-roll inflation to be slow-roll inflation. The tachyon potential is also reconstructed for the constant-roll inflation which is consistent with the observations.

Grid-connected wind and photovoltaic system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Devabakthuni, Sindhuja

The objective of this thesis is to design a grid connected wind and photovoltaic system. A new model of converter control was designed which maintains the voltage of the bus to grid as constant when combined system of solar and wind is connected to AC bus. The model is designed to track maximum power at each point irrespective of changes in irradiance, temperature and wind speed which affects the power supplied to grid. Solar power from the sun is not constant as it is affected by changes in irradiances and temperature. Even the wind power is affected by wind speed. A MPPT controller was designed for both systems. A boost converter is designed which uses the pulses from MPPT controller to boost the output. Wind system consists of wind turbine block from the MATLAB with a pitch angle controller to maintain optimum pitch angle. The output from wind turbine is connected to a permanent magnet synchronous generator. The unregulated DC output from the photovoltaic system is directly given to boost converter. The AC output from the wind system is given to an uncontrolled rectifier to get a unregulated DC output. The unregulated DC output goes to the boost converter. A voltage source inverter was designed which converts the rectified DC output from the boost converter to AC power. The inverter is designed to maintain constant AC bus voltage irrespective of the disturbances in the power supply. Photovoltaic and wind systems are individually designed for 5KW each in MATLAB-Simulink environment. In this thesis, the models were subjected to changes in irradiance, temperature and wind speed and the results were interpreted. The model was successful in tracking maximum at every instant and the AC bus voltage was maintained constant throughout the simulation.

Examining System-Wide Impacts of Solar PV Control Systems with a Power Hardware-in-the-Loop Platform

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Williams, Tess L.; Fuller, Jason C.; Schneider, Kevin P.

2014-06-08

High penetration levels of distributed solar PV power generation can lead to adverse power quality impacts, such as excessive voltage rise, voltage flicker, and reactive power values that result in unacceptable voltage levels. Advanced inverter control schemes have been developed that have the potential to mitigate many power quality concerns. However, local closed-loop control may lead to unintended behavior in deployed systems as complex interactions can occur between numerous operating devices. To enable the study of the performance of advanced control schemes in a detailed distribution system environment, a test platform has been developed that integrates Power Hardware-in-the-Loop (PHIL) withmore » concurrent time-series electric distribution system simulation. In the test platform, GridLAB-D, a distribution system simulation tool, runs a detailed simulation of a distribution feeder in real-time mode at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) and supplies power system parameters at a point of common coupling. At the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), a hardware inverter interacts with grid and PV simulators emulating an operational distribution system. Power output from the inverters is measured and sent to PNNL to update the real-time distribution system simulation. The platform is described and initial test cases are presented. The platform is used to study the system-wide impacts and the interactions of inverter control modes—constant power factor and active Volt/VAr control—when integrated into a simulated IEEE 8500-node test feeder. We demonstrate that this platform is well-suited to the study of advanced inverter controls and their impacts on the power quality of a distribution feeder. Additionally, results are used to validate GridLAB-D simulations of advanced inverter controls.« less

The Increase of Power Efficiency of Underground Coal Mining by the Forecasting of Electric Power Consumption

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Efremenko, Vladimir; Belyaevsky, Roman; Skrebneva, Evgeniya

2017-11-01

In article the analysis of electric power consumption and problems of power saving on coal mines are considered. Nowadays the share of conditionally constant costs of electric power for providing safe working conditions underground on coal mines is big. Therefore, the power efficiency of underground coal mining depends on electric power expense of the main technological processes and size of conditionally constant costs. The important direction of increase of power efficiency of coal mining is forecasting of a power consumption and monitoring of electric power expense. One of the main approaches to reducing of electric power costs is increase in accuracy of the enterprise demand in the wholesale electric power market. It is offered to use artificial neural networks to forecasting of day-ahead power consumption with hourly breakdown. At the same time use of neural and indistinct (hybrid) systems on the principles of fuzzy logic, neural networks and genetic algorithms is more preferable. This model allows to do exact short-term forecasts at a small array of input data. A set of the input parameters characterizing mining-and-geological and technological features of the enterprise is offered.

Power output measurement during treadmill cycling.

PubMed

Coleman, D A; Wiles, J D; Davison, R C R; Smith, M F; Swaine, I L

2007-06-01

The study aim was to consider the use of a motorised treadmill as a cycling ergometry system by assessing predicted and recorded power output values during treadmill cycling. Fourteen male cyclists completed repeated cycling trials on a motorised treadmill whilst riding their own bicycle fitted with a mobile ergometer. The speed, gradient and loading via an external pulley system were recorded during 20-s constant speed trials and used to estimate power output with an assumption about the contribution of rolling resistance. These values were then compared with mobile ergometer measurements. To assess the reliability of measured power output values, four repeated trials were conducted on each cyclist. During level cycling, the recorded power output was 257.2 +/- 99.3 W compared to the predicted power output of 258.2 +/- 99.9 W (p > 0.05). For graded cycling, there was no significant difference between measured and predicted power output, 268.8 +/- 109.8 W vs. 270.1 +/- 111.7 W, p > 0.05, SEE 1.2 %. The coefficient of variation for mobile ergometer power output measurements during repeated trials ranged from 1.5 % (95 % CI 1.2 - 2.0 %) to 1.8 % (95 % CI 1.5 - 2.4 %). These results indicate that treadmill cycling can be used as an ergometry system to assess power output in cyclists with acceptable accuracy.

Novel concept for driving the linear compressor of a micro-miniature split Stirling cryogenic cooler

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maron, V.; Veprik, A.; Finkelstein, L.; Vilenchik, H.; Ziv, I.; Pundak, N.

2009-05-01

New methods of carrying out homeland security and antiterrorist operations call for the development of a new generation of mechanically cooled, portable, battery powered infrared imagers, relying on micro-miniature Stirling cryogenic coolers of rotary or linear types. Since split Stirling linearly driven micro-miniature cryogenic coolers have inherently longer life spans, low vibration export and better aural stealth as compared to their rotary driven rivals, they are more suitable for the above applications. The performance of such cryogenic coolers depends strongly on the efficacy of their electronic drivers. In a traditional approach, the PWM power electronics produce the fixed frequency tonal driving voltage/current, the magnitude of which is modulated via a PID control law so as to maintain the desired focal plane array temperature. The disadvantage of such drivers is that they draw high ripple current from the system's power bus. This results in the need for an oversized DC power supply (battery packs) and power electronic components, low efficiency due to excessive conductive losses and high residual electromagnetic interference which in turn degrades the performance of other systems connected to the same power bus. Without either an active line filter or large and heavy passive filtering, other electronics can not be powered from the same power bus, unless they incorporate heavy filtering at their inputs. The authors present the results of a feasibility study towards developing a novel "pumping" driver consuming essentially constant instant battery power/current without making use of an active or passive filter. In the tested setup, the driver relies on a bidirectional controllable bridge, invertible with the driving frequency, and a fast regulated DC/DC converter which maintains a constant level of current consumed from the DC power supply and thus operates in input current control mode. From the experimental results, the steady-state power consumed by the linear compressor remains the same as compared with the traditional sine wave driver, the voltage and current drawn from the battery pack is essentially free of low frequency ripple (this without use of any kind of filtering) and the overall coefficient of performance of the driver is in excess of 94% over the entire working range of supply voltages. Such a driver free of sine forming PWM stage and have reduced power peaks in all power conversion components.

[Indicators of dynamic work tolerability in healthy subjects].

PubMed

Capodaglio, E M; Capodaglio, P

1997-01-01

This paper reports a study on the dynamics of tolerability in performing dynamic cycling in healthy subjects. Data on individually tolerable levels (power x duration) was obtained from 9 subjects by means of three submaximal tests on an ergometric bicycle lasting < or = 40 minutes, with constant load (50%, 65% and 80% of maximum VO2 reached during a previous test of increasing difficulty within the limits of the symptoms). During performance of the test we monitored heart rate and subjective perception of fatigue (Borg's 10-point scale). We then defined the individual functions of "isoperception", which expressed the individual trend of the product "power x duration" at identical subjective perception score. On the basis of the metabolic parameters monitored, the individual isoperceptive functions at a "moderate" level of fatigue (3 on the Borg scale) were defined as "tolerability) threshold" for prolonged dynamic cycling. The product "power x duration" defined by the isoperceptive curves at a "moderate" level of fatigue does in fact reflect the individual aerobic capacity that can be sustained for prolonged dynamic activity (under 60 minutes). In order to validate the hypothesis of tolerability of the functions identified, three further short tests were performed (duration < or = 8.5 minutes) on an ergometric bicycle, with measurement of ventilatory and metabolic parameters.

Development of model reference adaptive control theory for electric power plant control applications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mabius, L.E.

1982-09-15

The scope of this effort includes the theoretical development of a multi-input, multi-output (MIMO) Model Reference Control (MRC) algorithm, (i.e., model following control law), Model Reference Adaptive Control (MRAC) algorithm and the formulation of a nonlinear model of a typical electric power plant. Previous single-input, single-output MRAC algorithm designs have been generalized to MIMO MRAC designs using the MIMO MRC algorithm. This MRC algorithm, which has been developed using Command Generator Tracker methodologies, represents the steady state behavior (in the adaptive sense) of the MRAC algorithm. The MRC algorithm is a fundamental component in the MRAC design and stability analysis.more » An enhanced MRC algorithm, which has been developed for systems with more controls than regulated outputs, alleviates the MRC stability constraint of stable plant transmission zeroes. The nonlinear power plant model is based on the Cromby model with the addition of a governor valve management algorithm, turbine dynamics and turbine interactions with extraction flows. An application of the MRC algorithm to a linearization of this model demonstrates its applicability to power plant systems. In particular, the generated power changes at 7% per minute while throttle pressure and temperature, reheat temperature and drum level are held constant with a reasonable level of control. The enhanced algorithm reduces significantly control fluctuations without modifying the output response.« less

Is wealthier always healthier? The impact of national income level, inequality, and poverty on public health in Latin America.

PubMed

Biggs, Brian; King, Lawrence; Basu, Sanjay; Stuckler, David

2010-07-01

Despite findings indicating that both national income level and income inequality are each determinants of public health, few have studied how national income level, poverty and inequality interact with each other to influence public health outcomes. We analyzed the relationship between gross domestic product (GDP) per capita in purchasing power parity, extreme poverty rates, the gini coefficient for personal income and three common measures of public health: life expectancy, infant mortality rates, and tuberculosis (TB) mortality rates. Introducing poverty and inequality as modifying factors, we then assessed whether the relationship between GDP and health differed during times of increasing, decreasing, and decreasing or constant poverty and inequality. Data were taken from twenty-two Latin American countries from 1960 to 2007 from the December 2008 World Bank World Development Indicators, World Health Organization Global Tuberculosis Database 2008, and the Socio-Economic Database for Latin America and the Caribbean. Consistent with previous studies, we found increases in GDP have a sizable positive impact on population health. However, the strength of the relationship is powerfully influenced by changing levels of poverty and inequality. When poverty was increasing, greater GDP had no significant effect on life expectancy or TB mortality, and only led to a small reduction in infant mortality rates. When inequality was rising, greater GDP had only a modest effect on life expectancy and infant mortality rates, and no effect on TB mortality rates. In sharp contrast, during times of decreasing or constant poverty and inequality, there was a very strong relationship between increasing GDP and higher life expectancy and lower TB and infant mortality rates. Finally, inequality and poverty were found to exert independent, substantial effects on the relationship between national income level and health. Wealthier is indeed healthier, but how much healthier depends on how increases in wealth are distributed. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Heat pipe cooling of power processing magnetics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hansen, I. G.; Chester, M.

1979-01-01

The constant demand for increased power and reduced mass has raised the internal temperature of conventionally cooled power magnetics toward the upper limit of acceptability. The conflicting demands of electrical isolation, mechanical integrity, and thermal conductivity preclude significant further advancements using conventional approaches. However, the size and mass of multikilowatt power processing systems may be further reduced by the incorporation of heat pipe cooling directly into the power magnetics. Additionally, by maintaining lower more constant temperatures, the life and reliability of the magnetic devices will be improved. A heat pipe cooled transformer and input filter have been developed for the 2.4 kW beam supply of a 30-cm ion thruster system. This development yielded a mass reduction of 40% (1.76 kg) and lower mean winding temperature (20 C lower). While these improvements are significant, preliminary designs predict even greater benefits to be realized at higher power. This paper presents the design details along with the results of thermal vacuum operation and the component performance in a 3 kW breadboard power processor.

Submicrosecond Power-Switching Test Circuit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Folk, Eric N.

2006-01-01

A circuit that changes an electrical load in a switching time shorter than 0.3 microsecond has been devised. This circuit can be used in testing the regulation characteristics of power-supply circuits . especially switching power-converter circuits that are supposed to be able to provide acceptably high degrees of regulation in response to rapid load transients. The combination of this power-switching circuit and a known passive constant load could be an attractive alternative to a typical commercially available load-bank circuit that can be made to operate in nominal constant-voltage, constant-current, and constant-resistance modes. The switching provided by a typical commercial load-bank circuit in the constant-resistance mode is not fast enough for testing of regulation in response to load transients. Moreover, some test engineers do not trust the test results obtained when using commercial load-bank circuits because the dynamic responses of those circuits are, variously, partly unknown and/or excessively complex. In contrast, the combination of this circuit and a passive constant load offers both rapid switching and known (or at least better known) load dynamics. The power-switching circuit (see figure) includes a signal-input section, a wide-hysteresis Schmitt trigger that prevents false triggering in the event of switch-contact bounce, a dual-bipolar-transistor power stage that drives the gate of a metal oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET), and the MOSFET, which is the output device that performs the switching of the load. The MOSFET in the specific version of the circuit shown in the figure is rated to stand off a potential of 100 V in the "off" state and to pass a current of 20 A in the "on" state. The switching time of this circuit (the characteristic time of rise or fall of the potential at the drain of the MOSFET) is .300 ns. The circuit can accept any of three control inputs . which one depending on the test that one seeks to perform: a repetitive waveform from a signal generator, momentary closure of a push-button switch, or closure or opening of a manually operated on/off switch. In the case of a signal generator, one can adjust the frequency and duty cycle as needed to obtain the desired AC power-supply response, which one could display on an oscilloscope. Momentary switch closure could be useful for obtaining (and, if desired, displaying on an oscilloscope set to trigger on an event) the response of a power supply to a single load transient. The on/off switch can be used to switch between load states in which static-load regulation measurements are performed.

The broad applicability of the disk laser principle: from CW to ps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Killi, Alexander; Stolzenburg, Christian; Zawischa, Ivo; Sutter, Dirk; Kleinbauer, Jochen; Schad, Sven; Brockmann, Rüdiger; Weiler, Sascha; Neuhaus, Jörg; Kalfhues, Steffen; Mehner, Eva; Bauer, Dominik; Schlueter, Holger; Schmitz, Christian

2009-02-01

The quasi two-dimensional geometry of the disk laser results in conceptional advantages over other geometries. Fundamentally, the thin disk laser allows true power scaling by increasing the pump spot diameter on the disk while keeping the power density constant. This scaling procedure keeps optical peak intensity, temperature, stress profile, and optical path differences in the disk nearly unchanged. The required pump beam brightness - a main cost driver of DPSSL systems - also remains constant. We present these fundamental concepts and present results in the wide range of multi kW-class CW-sources, high power Q-switched sources and ultrashort pulsed sources.

Constant-current control method of multi-function electromagnetic transmitter.

PubMed

Xue, Kaichang; Zhou, Fengdao; Wang, Shuang; Lin, Jun

2015-02-01

Based on the requirements of controlled source audio-frequency magnetotelluric, DC resistivity, and induced polarization, a constant-current control method is proposed. Using the required current waveforms in prospecting as a standard, the causes of current waveform distortion and current waveform distortion's effects on prospecting are analyzed. A cascaded topology is adopted to achieve 40 kW constant-current transmitter. The responsive speed and precision are analyzed. According to the power circuit of the transmitting system, the circuit structure of the pulse width modulation (PWM) constant-current controller is designed. After establishing the power circuit model of the transmitting system and the PWM constant-current controller model, analyzing the influence of ripple current, and designing an open-loop transfer function according to the amplitude-frequency characteristic curves, the parameters of the PWM constant-current controller are determined. The open-loop transfer function indicates that the loop gain is no less than 28 dB below 160 Hz, which assures the responsive speed of the transmitting system; the phase margin is 45°, which assures the stabilization of the transmitting system. Experimental results verify that the proposed constant-current control method can keep the control error below 4% and can effectively suppress load change caused by the capacitance of earth load.

Constant-current control method of multi-function electromagnetic transmitter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xue, Kaichang; Zhou, Fengdao; Wang, Shuang; Lin, Jun

2015-02-01

Based on the requirements of controlled source audio-frequency magnetotelluric, DC resistivity, and induced polarization, a constant-current control method is proposed. Using the required current waveforms in prospecting as a standard, the causes of current waveform distortion and current waveform distortion's effects on prospecting are analyzed. A cascaded topology is adopted to achieve 40 kW constant-current transmitter. The responsive speed and precision are analyzed. According to the power circuit of the transmitting system, the circuit structure of the pulse width modulation (PWM) constant-current controller is designed. After establishing the power circuit model of the transmitting system and the PWM constant-current controller model, analyzing the influence of ripple current, and designing an open-loop transfer function according to the amplitude-frequency characteristic curves, the parameters of the PWM constant-current controller are determined. The open-loop transfer function indicates that the loop gain is no less than 28 dB below 160 Hz, which assures the responsive speed of the transmitting system; the phase margin is 45°, which assures the stabilization of the transmitting system. Experimental results verify that the proposed constant-current control method can keep the control error below 4% and can effectively suppress load change caused by the capacitance of earth load.

Analysis of the Nonlinear Characteristics of Microwave Power Heterojunction Bipolar Transistors and Optoelectronic Integrated Circuits.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Samelis, Apostolos

A physical basis for large-signal HBT modeling was established in terms of transit times using a Monte Carlo analysis of AlGaAs/GaAs and GaInP/GaAs designs. Static carriers located in the collector-subcollector interface were found to prohibit accurate evaluation of transit times from electron velocity profiles. These carriers also influence the bias dependence of device capacitances. Analytical parameter extraction techniques for DC, thermal and high frequency HBT parameters were developed and applied to HBT large-signal modeling. The "impedance block" conditioned optimization technique was introduced to facilitate parameter extraction. Physical analysis of HBTs by means of Volterra Series techniques showed that C_{bc } dominates nonlinear distortion in high gain amplifiers. Designs with that C_{bc }-V_{cb} characteristics i.e. p -n collector HBTs lead to more than 10 dB IP3 improvement over n-collector HBTs. Nonlinear current cancellation was found to improve intermodulation distortion. A Gummel -Poon-based HBT large-signal model incorporating self-heating effects was developed and applied to AlGaAs/GaAs HBTs. Maximum power drive was shown to occur using constant V _{be} father than I_ {b} bias. The device temperature of constant I_{b} biased HBTs decreases at increased rf-drive levels ensuring in this case safer device operation. A large-signal model incorporating "soft" -breakdown effects typical of InP/InGaAs HBTs was developed and found to model succesfully the power characteristics of OEICs built with them. The effective large-signal transimpedance of a cascode transimpedance preamplifier was evaluated using this model and found to degrade by 3dBOmega for a variation of P_{in} from -65 to -5 dBm. Self-bias of individual transistors was studied and found to be related to variations of the amplifier characteristics at higher rf-drive levels. The power characteristics of CE and CB AlGaAs/GaAs HBTs were investigated using an on -wafer source/load pull setup developed for this purpose. The load-pull power, intermodulation and efficiency contours of power CE HBTs are eccentric due to the feedback provided by C_{bc} between the input and output of the device. Concentric contours were found for P_{out} and PAE of CB HBTs.

Effect of a constant-level lighting control system on small offices with windows. Final technical report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Edgar, L.

To reduce energy consumption stemming from lighting, some of the fixtures in Army office buildings have been delamped and building energy managers have instituted the policy of turning lights off when not in use. Even with these measures, lighting is still one of the largest consumers of electricity. The current problem is to find ways to reduce the energy consumption of lighting systems when they are in use. The objectives of this research was to provide information on the performance and energy savings potential of constant level lighting (CLL) controls. Based on a review of product information, researchers selected themore » Conservolite Plus 20 for testing and installed it in 10 office spaces. After 4 months of operation, a survey of the office occupants revealed that they were satisfied with the CLL system. Although electrical cost savings were realized, the payback period varied greatly, depending on the cost of replacing old or inoperable lamps and ballasts. Before large scale installation of CLL systems, it is recommended that the power factor and harmonic distortion be monitored at a large facility.« less

Examining System-Wide Impacts of Solar PV Control Systems with a Power Hardware-in-the-Loop Platform

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Williams, Tess L.; Fuller, Jason C.; Schneider, Kevin P.

2014-10-11

High penetration levels of distributed solar PV power generation can lead to adverse power quality impacts such as excessive voltage rise, voltage flicker, and reactive power values that result in unacceptable voltage levels. Advanced inverter control schemes have been proposed that have the potential to mitigate many power quality concerns. However, closed-loop control may lead to unintended behavior in deployed systems as complex interactions can occur between numerous operating devices. In order to enable the study of the performance of advanced control schemes in a detailed distribution system environment, a Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) platform has been developed. In the HIL system,more » GridLAB-D, a distribution system simulation tool, runs in real-time mode at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) and supplies power system parameters at a point of common coupling to hardware located at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). Hardware inverters interact with grid and PV simulators emulating an operational distribution system and power output from the inverters is measured and sent to PNNL to update the real-time distribution system simulation. The platform is described and initial test cases are presented. The platform is used to study the system-wide impacts and the interactions of controls applied to inverters that are integrated into a simulation of the IEEE 8500-node test feeder, with inverters in either constant power factor control or active volt/VAR control. We demonstrate that this HIL platform is well-suited to the study of advanced inverter controls and their impacts on the power quality of a distribution feeder. Additionally, the results from HIL are used to validate GridLAB-D simulations of advanced inverter controls.« less

Construction of a new watt balance with the goal to realize the kilogram in the US

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schlamminger, Stephan; Haddad, Darine; Seifert, Frank; Chao, Leon; Newell, David; Pratt, Jon

2015-04-01

A watt balance is a mechanical device that compares mechanical power to electrical power. Since electrical power is measured using quantum physics by employing the Josephson effect and the Quantum Hall effect, electrical power can be measured as a product of a known factor, two frequencies, and the Planck constant h. Mechanical power is given by mgv , where m is the mass of a weight, g the local acceleration, and v the velocity. Hence, the watt balance provides a link between mass and Planck's constant. Currently several watt balances worldwide are employed to measure h. A redefinition of the international system of units (SI) is currently in discussion and may become reality as early as 2018. In the new SI, the numerical value of the Planck constant will be fixed and the watt balance is a means to realize the unit of mass. Researchers at NIST are preparing for a new SI and we have started in 2011 with plans to design a new watt balance capable of realizing the kilogram with relative uncertainties of a few parts in 108. Construction of the new watt balance has started in 2014. In my talk, I will show some of the latest results achieved with this apparatus.

Flux Renormalization in Constant Power Burnup Calculations

DOE PAGES

Isotalo, Aarno E.; Aalto Univ., Otaniemi; Davidson, Gregory G.; ...

2016-06-15

To more accurately represent the desired power in a constant power burnup calculation, the depletion steps of the calculation can be divided into substeps and the neutron flux renormalized on each substep to match the desired power. Here, this paper explores how such renormalization should be performed, how large a difference it makes, and whether using renormalization affects results regarding the relative performance of different neutronics–depletion coupling schemes. When used with older coupling schemes, renormalization can provide a considerable improvement in overall accuracy. With previously published higher order coupling schemes, which are more accurate to begin with, renormalization has amore » much smaller effect. Finally, while renormalization narrows the differences in the accuracies of different coupling schemes, their order of accuracy is not affected.« less

Motor power factor controller with a reduced voltage starter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nola, F. J. (Inventor)

1981-01-01

A power factor type motor controller is disclosed in which the conventional power factor constant voltage command signal is replaced during a starting interval with a graduated control voltage. This continuation-impart of a pending patent application (Serial No. 199, 765: Three Phase Factor Controller) provides a means for modifying the operation of the system for a motor start-up interval of 5 to 30 second. Using a ramp generators, an initial ramp-like signal replaces a constant power factor signal supplied by a potentiometer. The ramp-like signal is applied to a 15 terminal where it is summed with an operating power factor signal from phase detectors in order to obtain a control signal for ultimately controlling SCR devices. The SCR devices are turned on at an advancing rate with time responsive to the combination signal described rather than simply a function of a ramp-like signal alone.

Exposure of farm workers to electromagnetic radiation from cellular network radio base stations situated on rural agricultural land.

PubMed

Pascuzzi, Simone; Santoro, Francesco

2015-01-01

The electromagnetic field (EMF) levels generated by mobile telephone radio base stations (RBS) situated on rural-agricultural lands were assessed in order to evaluate the exposure of farm workers in the surrounding area. The expected EMF at various distances from a mobile telephone RBS was calculated using an ad hoc numerical forecast model. Subsequently, the electric fields around some RBS on agricultural lands were measured, in order to obtain a good approximation of the effective conditions at the investigated sites. The viability of this study was tested according to the Italian Regulations concerning general and occupational public exposure to time-varying EMFs. The calculated E-field values were obtained with the RBS working constantly at full power, but during the in situ measurements the actual power emitted by RBS antennas was lower than the maximum level, and the E-field values actually registered were much lower than the calculated values.

In vitro fragmentation efficiency of holmium: yttrium-aluminum-garnet (YAG) laser lithotripsy--a comprehensive study encompassing different frequencies, pulse energies, total power levels and laser fibre diameters.

PubMed

Kronenberg, Peter; Traxer, Olivier

2014-08-01

To assess the fragmentation (ablation) efficiency of laser lithotripsy along a wide range of pulse energies, frequencies, power settings and different laser fibres, in particular to compare high- with low-frequency lithotripsy using a dynamic and innovative testing procedure free from any human interaction bias. An automated laser fragmentation testing system was developed. The unmoving laser fibres fired at the surface of an artificial stone while the stone was moved past at a constant velocity, thus creating a fissure. The lithotripter settings were 0.2-1.2 J pulse energies, 5-40 Hz frequencies, 4-20 W power levels, and 200 and 550 μm core laser fibres. Fissure width, depth, and volume were analysed and comparisons between laser settings, fibres and ablation rates were made. Low frequency-high pulse energy (LoFr-HiPE) settings were (up to six times) more ablative than high frequency-low pulse energy (HiFr-LoPE) at the same power levels (P < 0.001), as they produced deeper (P < 0.01) and wider (P < 0.001) fissures. There were linear correlations between pulse energy and fragmentation volume, fissure width, and fissure depth (all P < 0.001). Total power did not correlate with fragmentation measurements. Laser fibre diameter did not affect fragmentation volume (P = 0.81), except at very low pulse energies (0.2 J), where the large fibre was less efficient (P = 0.015). At the same total power level, LoFr-HiPE lithotripsy was most efficient. Pulse energy was the key variable that drove fragmentation efficiency. Attention must be paid to prevent the formation of time-consuming bulky debris and adapt the lithotripter settings to one's needs. As fibre diameter did not affect fragmentation efficiency, small fibres are preferable due to better scope irrigation and manoeuvrability. © 2013 The Authors. BJU International © 2013 BJU International.

Ultrasonic-generated fluid velocity with Sovereign WhiteStar micropulse and continuous phacoemulsification.

PubMed

Steinert, Roger F; Schafer, Mark E

2006-02-01

To evaluate and compare ultrasonic turbulence created by conventional and micropulse ultrasound technology. Sonora Medical Systems, Longmont, Colorado, USA. A high-resolution digital ultrasound probe imaged the zone around a phacoemulsification tip. Doppler analysis allowed determination of flow. The fluid velocity was measured at 4 levels of ultrasound power at a constant flow, comparing the ultrasonic conditions of continuous energy to WhiteStar micropulses. In addition to the normal baseline irrigation and aspiration, fluid movement was detected directly below the phaco tip, produced by a nonlinear effect known as acoustic streaming. Acoustic streaming increased with increased phacoemulsification power for both conditions. At each of the 4 levels of power, fluid velocity away from the tip was less with micropulse technology than with continuous phacoemulsification. The demonstrated decrease in acoustic streaming flow away from the phaco tip with Sovereign WhiteStar micropulse technology compared to conventional ultrasound provides an objective explanation for clinical observations of increased stability of nuclear fragments at the tip and less turbulence in the anterior chamber during phacoemulsification. This methodology can be used to examine and compare fluid flow and turbulence under a variety of clinically relevant conditions.

Accuracy of the Velotron ergometer and SRM power meter.

PubMed

Abbiss, C R; Quod, M J; Levin, G; Martin, D T; Laursen, P B

2009-02-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the accuracy of the Velotron cycle ergometer and the SRM power meter using a dynamic calibration rig over a range of exercise protocols commonly applied in laboratory settings. These trials included two sustained constant power trials (250 W and 414 W), two incremental power trials and three high-intensity interval power trials. To further compare the two systems, 15 subjects performed three dynamic 30 km performance time trials. The Velotron and SRM displayed accurate measurements of power during both constant power trials (<1% error). However, during high-intensity interval trials the Velotron and SRM were found to be less accurate (3.0%, CI=1.6-4.5% and -2.6%, CI=-3.2--2.0% error, respectively). During the dynamic 30 km time trials, power measured by the Velotron was 3.7+/-1.9% (CI=2.9-4.8%) greater than that measured by the SRM. In conclusion, the accuracy of the Velotron cycle ergometer and the SRM power meter appears to be dependent on the type of test being performed. Furthermore, as each power monitoring system measures power at various positions (i.e. bottom bracket vs. rear wheel), caution should be taken when comparing power across the two systems, particularly when power is variable.

Performance and acoustic prediction of counterrotating propeller configurations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Denner, B. W.; Korkan, K. D.

1989-01-01

The Davidson (1981) numerical method is used to predict the performance of a counterrotating propeller configuration over a range of different front and back disk rotation speeds with constant-speed propellers; this has yielded such overall performance parameters as integrated thrust, torque, and power, as well as the radial variation of blade torque and thrust. Since the unsteady component of the noise from a counterrotating propeller configuration is minimal in the plane of the propeller disk, this approach is restricted to noise-level predictions for observer locations in this region.

Constant-Current Source For Measuring Low Resistances

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Toomath, Robert L.

1996-01-01

Constant-current source constructed for measuring electrical resistances up to few ohms in power-supply equipment. By setting current at 1 A and measuring resulting voltage drop across item under test, one obtains voltage reading numerically equal to resistance in ohms.

Computational Approaches to the Chemical Equilibrium Constant in Protein-ligand Binding.

PubMed

Montalvo-Acosta, Joel José; Cecchini, Marco

2016-12-01

The physiological role played by protein-ligand recognition has motivated the development of several computational approaches to the ligand binding affinity. Some of them, termed rigorous, have a strong theoretical foundation but involve too much computation to be generally useful. Some others alleviate the computational burden by introducing strong approximations and/or empirical calibrations, which also limit their general use. Most importantly, there is no straightforward correlation between the predictive power and the level of approximation introduced. Here, we present a general framework for the quantitative interpretation of protein-ligand binding based on statistical mechanics. Within this framework, we re-derive self-consistently the fundamental equations of some popular approaches to the binding constant and pinpoint the inherent approximations. Our analysis represents a first step towards the development of variants with optimum accuracy/efficiency ratio for each stage of the drug discovery pipeline. © 2016 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Simple constant-current-regulated power supply

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Priebe, D. H. E.; Sturman, J. C.

1977-01-01

Supply incorporates soft-start circuit that slowly ramps current up to set point at turn-on. Supply consists of full-wave rectifier, regulating pass transistor, current feedback circuit, and quad single-supply operational-amplifier circuit providing control. Technique is applicable to any system requiring constant dc current, such as vacuum tube equipment, heaters, or battery charges; it has been used to supply constant current for instrument calibration.

Effect of Free Stream Turbulence on the Performance of a Marine Hydrokinetic Turbine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vinod, Ashwin; Banerjee, Arindam

2015-11-01

The effects of controlled and elevated levels of free stream turbulence on the performance characteristics of a three bladed, constant chord, untwisted marine hydrokinetic turbine is tested experimentally. Controlled homogeneous free stream turbulence levels ranging from 3% to ~20% are achieved by employing an active grid turbulence generator that is placed at the entrance of the water channel test section and is equipped with motor controlled winglet shafts. In addition to free stream turbulence, various (turbine) operating conditions such as the free stream velocity and rotational speed are varied. A comparison of performance characteristics that includes the mean and standard deviations of the power coefficient (CP) , and thrust coefficient (CT) will be presented and compared to the case of a laminar free stream with FST levels <1%.

Theoretical Study of Electronic Structure and Thermoelectric Properties of Doped CuAlO2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poopanya, P.; Yangthaisong, A.; Rattanapun, C.; Wichainchai, A.

2011-05-01

The doping level dependence of thermoelectric properties of delafossite CuAlO2 has been investigated in the constant scattering time ( τ) approximation, starting from the first principles of electronic structure. In particular, the lattice parameters and the energy band structure were calculated using the total energy plane-wave pseudopotential method. It was found that the lattice parameters of CuAlO2 are a = 2.802 Å and c = 16.704 Å, and the internal parameter is u = 0.1097. CuAlO2 has an indirect band gap of 2.17 eV and a direct gap of 3.31 eV. The calculated energy band structures were then used to calculate the electrical transport coefficients of CuAlO2. By considering the effects of doping level and temperature, it was found that the Seebeck coefficient S( T) increases with increasing acceptor doping ( A d) level. The values of S( T) in our experiments correspond to an A d level at 0.262 eV, which is identified as the Fermi level of CuAlO2. Based on our experimental Seebeck coefficient and the electrical conductivity, the constant relaxation time is estimated to be 1 × 10-16 s. The power factor is large for a low A d level and increases with temperature. It is suggested that delafossite CuAlO2 can be considered as a promising thermoelectric oxide material at high doping and high temperature.

Geomorphological and hydrological implications of a given hydraulic geometry relationship, beyond the power-law

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, JongChun; Paik, Kyungrock

2015-04-01

Channel geometry and hydraulic characteristics of a given river network, i.e., spatio-temporal variability of width, depth, and velocity, can be described as power functional relationships of flow discharge, named 'hydraulic geometry' (Leopold and Maddock, 1953). Many studies have focused on the implication of this power-law itself, i.e., self-similarity, and accordingly its exponents. Coefficients of the power functional relationships, on the contrary, have received little attention. They are often regarded as empirical constants, determined by 'best fitting' to the power-law without significant scientific implications. Here, we investigate and claim that power-law coefficients of hydraulic geometry relationships carry vital information of a given river system. We approach the given problem on the basis of 'basin hydraulic geometry' formulation (Stall and Fok, 1968) which decomposes power-law coefficients into more elementary constants. The linkage between classical power-law relationship (Leopold and Maddock, 1953) and the basin hydraulic geometry is provided by Paik and Kumar (2004). On the basis of this earlier study, it can be shown that coefficients and exponents of power-law hydraulic geometry are interrelated. In this sense, we argue that more elementary constants that constitute both exponents and coefficients carry important messages. In this presentation, we will demonstrate how these elementary constants vary over a wide range of catchments provided from Stall and Fok (1968) and Stall and Yang (1970). Findings of this study can provide new insights on fundamental understanding about hydraulic geometry relationships. Further, we expect that this understanding can help interpretation of hydraulic geometry relationship in the context of flood propagation through a river system as well. Keywords: Hydraulic geometry; Power-law; River network References Leopold, L. B., & Maddock, T. J. (1953). The hydraulic geometry of stream channels and some physiographic implications. U. S. Geological Survey Professional Paper, 252. Paik, K., & Kumar, P. (2004). Hydraulic geometry and the nonlinearity of the network instantaneous response, Water Resource Research, 40, W03602. Stall, J. B., & Fok, Y. S. (1968). Hydraulic geometry of Illinois streams. University of Illinois Water Resources Center Research Report, 15. Stall, J. B., & Yang, C. T. (1970). Hydraulic geometry of 12 selected stream systems of the United States. University of Illinois Water Resources Center Research Report, 32.

Numerical modelling of the flow and isotope separation in centrifuge Iguasu for different lengths of the rotor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bogovalov, S. V.; Borisevich, V. D.; Borman, V. D.; Tronin, I. V.; Tronin, V. N.

2016-06-01

Numerical modelling and optimization of the gas flow and isotope separation in the Iguasu gas centrifuge (GC) for uranium enrichment have been performed for different lengths of the rotor. The calculations show that the specific separative power of the GC reduces with the length of the rotor. We show that the reduction of the specific separative power is connected with the growth of the pressure in the optimal regime and corresponding growth of temperature to prevent the working gas sublimation. The specific separative power remains constant with the growth of the rotor length provided that the temperature of the gas is taken to be constant.

Numerical modelling of the flow and isotope separation in centrifuge Iguasu for different lengths of the rotor

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bogovalov, S. V.; Borisevich, V. D.; Borman, V. D.

Numerical modelling and optimization of the gas flow and isotope separation in the Iguasu gas centrifuge (GC) for uranium enrichment have been performed for different lengths of the rotor. The calculations show that the specific separative power of the GC reduces with the length of the rotor. We show that the reduction of the specific separative power is connected with the growth of the pressure in the optimal regime and corresponding growth of temperature to prevent the working gas sublimation. The specific separative power remains constant with the growth of the rotor length provided that the temperature of the gasmore » is taken to be constant.« less

Concepts, challenges, and successes in modeling thermodynamics of metabolism.

PubMed

Cannon, William R

2014-01-01

The modeling of the chemical reactions involved in metabolism is a daunting task. Ideally, the modeling of metabolism would use kinetic simulations, but these simulations require knowledge of the thousands of rate constants involved in the reactions. The measurement of rate constants is very labor intensive, and hence rate constants for most enzymatic reactions are not available. Consequently, constraint-based flux modeling has been the method of choice because it does not require the use of the rate constants of the law of mass action. However, this convenience also limits the predictive power of constraint-based approaches in that the law of mass action is used only as a constraint, making it difficult to predict metabolite levels or energy requirements of pathways. An alternative to both of these approaches is to model metabolism using simulations of states rather than simulations of reactions, in which the state is defined as the set of all metabolite counts or concentrations. While kinetic simulations model reactions based on the likelihood of the reaction derived from the law of mass action, states are modeled based on likelihood ratios of mass action. Both approaches provide information on the energy requirements of metabolic reactions and pathways. However, modeling states rather than reactions has the advantage that the parameters needed to model states (chemical potentials) are much easier to determine than the parameters needed to model reactions (rate constants). Herein, we discuss recent results, assumptions, and issues in using simulations of state to model metabolism.

A geothermal AMTEC system

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schuller, M.J.; LeMire, R.A.; Horner-Richardson, K.

1995-12-31

The Phillips Laboratory Power and Thermal Management Division (PL/VTP), with the support of ORION International Technologies, is investigating new methods of advanced thermal to electric power conversion for space and terrestrial applications. The alkali metal thermal-to-electric converter (AMTEC), manufactured primarily by Advanced Modular Power Systems (AMPS) of Ann Arbor, MI, has reached a level of technological maturity which would allow its use in a constant, unattended thermal source, such as a geothermal field. Approximately 95,000 square miles in the western United States has hot dry rock with thermal gradients of 60 C/km and higher. Several places in the United Statesmore » and the world have thermal gradients of 500 C/km. Such heat sources represent an excellent thermal source for a system of modular power units using AMTEC devices to convert the heat to electricity. AMTEC cells using sodium as a working fluid require heat input at temperatures between 500 and 1,000 C to generate power. The present state of the art is capable of 15% efficiency with 800 C heat input and has demonstrated 18% efficiency for single cells. This paper discusses the basics of AMTEC operation, current drilling technology as a cost driver, design of modular AMTEC power units, heat rejection technologies, materials considerations, and estimates of power production from a geothermal AMTEC concept.« less

Constant peak-power single-frequency linearly-polarized all-fiber laser for coherent detection based on closed-loop feedback technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ding, Yaqian; Zhang, Xiang; Li, Dong; Wang, Dapeng; Zhang, Renzhong; Song, Chengying; Che, Haozhao; Wang, Rui; Guo, Baoling; Chen, Guanghui

2015-10-01

In this paper, a practical single-frequency high-repetition linearly-polarized eye-safe all-fiber laser with constant peak power is demonstrated. It is based on master-oscillator power amplifier (MOPA) system. A distributed feedback laser diode simulating at 1550nm with narrow linewidth of 2.3 kHz is employed as the seed source. It is modulated to a pulse laser with high repetition of 20 kHz and peak power of 10mW by an acousto-optic modulator (AOM). The pulse width is tunable between 100ns to 400ns. Two-stage cascade amplifier is established, which consists of a pre-amplifier and a power-amplifier. Amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) and stimulated billion scattering are well suppressed by special management. The output peak power of 30W is obtained, which has nearly diffraction-limited beam quality. It operates in linewidth of 1.2MHz, polarization-extinction ratio (PER) of 25dB and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of more than 40dB. Gain of the whole amplifier achieves nearly 35dB. Furthermore, an embedded control system (ECS) based on the WinCE operating system (OS) and the chip of S3C2440 is proposed. This control system based on closed-loop feedback technology makes the peak power keeping constant even the pulse width tunable, which is convenient for the end user of the radar. This robust portable laser is remarkable and fulfills the desire of coherent detection excellently.

Evolution of the radial electric field in high-Te ECH heated plasmas on LHD

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pablant, Novimir; Bitter, Manfred; Delgado Aparicio, Luis F.; Dinklage, Andreas; Gates, David; Goto, Motoshi; Ido, Takeshi; Hill, Kenneth H.; Kubo, Shin; Morita, Shigeru; Nagaoka, Kenichi; Oishi, Tetsutarou; Satake, Shinsuke; Takahashi, Hiromi; Yokoyama, Masayuki; LHD Experiment Group Team

2014-10-01

A detailed study is presented on the evolution of the radial electric field (Er) under a range of densities and injected ECH powers on the Large Helical Device (LHD). These plasmas focused on high-electron temperature ECH heated plasmas which exhibit a transition of Er from the ion-root to the electron-root when either the density is reduced or the ECH power is increased. Measurements of poloidal rotation were achieved using the X-Ray Imaging Crystal Spectrometer (XICS) and are compared with neo-classical predictions of the radial electric field using the GSRAKE and FORTEC-3D codes. This study is based on a series of experiments on LHD which used fast modulation of the gyrotrons on LHD to produce a detailed power scan with a constant power deposition profile. This is a novel application of this technique to LHD, and has provided the most detailed study to date on dependence of the radial electric field on the injected power. Detailed scans of the density at constant injected power were also made, allowing a separation of the power and density dependence.

Analysis of a dc bus system with a nonlinear constant power load and its delayed feedback control.

PubMed

Konishi, Keiji; Sugitani, Yoshiki; Hara, Naoyuki

2014-02-01

This paper tackles a destabilizing problem of a direct-current (dc) bus system with constant power loads, which can be considered a fundamental problem of dc power grid networks. The present paper clarifies scenarios of the destabilization and applies the well-known delayed-feedback control to the stabilization of the destabilized bus system on the basis of nonlinear science. Further, we propose a systematic procedure for designing the delayed feedback controller. This controller can converge the bus voltage exactly on an unstable operating point without accurate information and can track it using tiny control energy even when a system parameter, such as the power consumption of the load, is slowly varied. These features demonstrate that delayed feedback control can be considered a strong candidate for solving the destabilizing problem.

A Hybrid Maximum Power Point Tracking Method for Automobile Exhaust Thermoelectric Generator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Quan, Rui; Zhou, Wei; Yang, Guangyou; Quan, Shuhai

2017-05-01

To make full use of the maximum output power of automobile exhaust thermoelectric generator (AETEG) based on Bi2Te3 thermoelectric modules (TEMs), taking into account the advantages and disadvantages of existing maximum power point tracking methods, and according to the output characteristics of TEMs, a hybrid maximum power point tracking method combining perturb and observe (P&O) algorithm, quadratic interpolation and constant voltage tracking method was put forward in this paper. Firstly, it searched the maximum power point with P&O algorithms and a quadratic interpolation method, then, it forced the AETEG to work at its maximum power point with constant voltage tracking. A synchronous buck converter and controller were implemented in the electric bus of the AETEG applied in a military sports utility vehicle, and the whole system was modeled and simulated with a MATLAB/Simulink environment. Simulation results demonstrate that the maximum output power of the AETEG based on the proposed hybrid method is increased by about 3.0% and 3.7% compared with that using only the P&O algorithm and the quadratic interpolation method, respectively. The shorter tracking time is only 1.4 s, which is reduced by half compared with that of the P&O algorithm and quadratic interpolation method, respectively. The experimental results demonstrate that the tracked maximum power is approximately equal to the real value using the proposed hybrid method,and it can preferentially deal with the voltage fluctuation of the AETEG with only P&O algorithm, and resolve the issue that its working point can barely be adjusted only with constant voltage tracking when the operation conditions change.

Fourth-Order Vibrational Transition State Theory and Chemical Kinetics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stanton, John F.; Matthews, Devin A.; Gong, Justin Z.

2015-06-01

Second-order vibrational perturbation theory (VPT2) is an enormously successful and well-established theory for treating anharmonic effects on the vibrational levels of semi-rigid molecules. Partially as a consequence of the fact that the theory is exact for the Morse potential (which provides an appropriate qualitative model for stretching anharmonicity), VPT2 calculations for such systems with appropriate ab initio potential functions tend to give fundamental and overtone levels that fall within a handful of wavenumbers of experimentally measured positions. As a consequence, the next non-vanishing level of perturbation theory -- VPT4 -- offers only slight improvements over VPT2 and is not practical for most calculations since it requires information about force constants up through sextic. However, VPT4 (as well as VPT2) can be used for other applications such as the next vibrational correction to rotational constants (the ``gammas'') and other spectroscopic parameters. In addition, the marriage of VPT with the semi-classical transition state theory of Miller (SCTST) has recently proven to be a powerful and accurate treatment for chemical kinetics. In this talk, VPT4-based SCTST tunneling probabilities and cumulative reaction probabilities are give for the first time for selected low-dimensional model systems. The prospects for VPT4, both practical and intrinsic, will also be discussed.

Selective harmonic elimination strategy in eleven level inverter for PV system with unbalanced DC sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghoudelbourk, Sihem.; Dib, D.; Meghni, B.; Zouli, M.

2017-02-01

The paper deals with the multilevel converters control strategy for photovoltaic system integrated in distribution grids. The objective of the proposed work is to design multilevel inverters for solar energy applications so as to reduce the Total Harmonic Distortion (THD) and to improve the power quality. The multilevel inverter power structure plays a vital role in every aspect of the power system. It is easier to produce a high-power, high-voltage inverter with the multilevel structure. The topologies of multilevel inverter have several advantages such as high output voltage, lower total harmonic distortion (THD) and reduction of voltage ratings of the power semiconductor switching devices. The proposed control strategy ensures an implementation of selective harmonic elimination (SHE) modulation for eleven levels. SHE is a very important and efficient strategy of eliminating selected harmonics by judicious selection of the firing angles of the inverter. Harmonics elimination technique eliminates the need of the expensive low pass filters in the system. Previous research considered that constant and equal DC sources with invariant behavior; however, this research extends earlier work to include variant DC sources, which are typical of lead-acid batteries when used in system PV. This Study also investigates methods to minimize the total harmonic distortion of the synthesized multilevel waveform and to help balance the battery voltage. The harmonic elimination method was used to eliminate selected lower dominant harmonics resulting from the inverter switching action.

Test facility for the evaluation of microwave transmission components

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fong, C. G.; Poole, B. R.

1985-10-01

A Low Power Test Facility (LPTF) was developed to evaluate the performance of Electron Cyclotron Resonance Heating (ECRH) microwave transmission components for the Mirror Fusion Test Facility (MFTF-B). The facility generates 26 to 60 GHz in modes of TE01, TE02, or TE03 launched at power levels of 1/2 milliwatt. The propagation of the RF as it radiates from either transmitting or secondary reflecting microwave transmission components is recorded by a discriminating crystal detector mechanically manipulated at constant radius in spherical coordinates. The facility is used to test, calibrate, and verify the design of overmoded, circular waveguide components, quasi-optical reflecting elements before high power use. The test facility consists of microwave sources and metering components, such as VSWR, power and frequency meters, a rectangular TE10 to circular TE01 mode transducer, mode filter, circular TE01 to 2.5 in. diameter overmoded waveguide with mode converters for combination of TE01 to TE03 modes. This assembly then connects to a circular waveguide launcher or the waveguide component under test.

Flip-angle based ratiometric approach for pulsed CEST-MRI pH imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arena, Francesca; Irrera, Pietro; Consolino, Lorena; Colombo Serra, Sonia; Zaiss, Moritz; Longo, Dario Livio

2018-02-01

Several molecules have been exploited for developing MRI pH sensors based on the chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) technique. A ratiometric approach, based on the saturation of two exchanging pools at the same saturation power, or by varying the saturation power levels on the same pool, is usually needed to rule out the concentration term from the pH measurement. However, all these methods have been demonstrated by using a continuous wave saturation scheme that limits its translation to clinical scanners. This study shows a new ratiometric CEST-MRI pH-mapping approach based on a pulsed CEST saturation scheme for a radiographic contrast agent (iodixanol) possessing a single chemical exchange site. This approach is based on the ratio of the CEST contrast effects at two different flip angles combinations (180°/360° and 180°/720°), keeping constant the mean irradiation RF power (Bavg power). The proposed ratiometric approach index is concentration independent and it showed good pH sensitivity and accuracy in the physiological range between 6.0 and 7.4.

Chemical preconcentrator with integral thermal flow sensor

DOEpatents

Manginell, Ronald P.; Frye-Mason, Gregory C.

2003-01-01

A chemical preconcentrator with integral thermal flow sensor can be used to accurately measure fluid flow rate in a microanalytical system. The thermal flow sensor can be operated in either constant temperature or constant power mode and variants thereof. The chemical preconcentrator with integral thermal flow sensor can be fabricated with the same MEMS technology as the rest of the microanlaytical system. Because of its low heat capacity, low-loss, and small size, the chemical preconcentrator with integral thermal flow sensor is fast and efficient enough to be used in battery-powered, portable microanalytical systems.

An adaptive-binning method for generating constant-uncertainty/constant-significance light curves with Fermi -LAT data

DOE PAGES

Lott, B.; Escande, L.; Larsson, S.; ...

2012-07-19

Here, we present a method enabling the creation of constant-uncertainty/constant-significance light curves with the data of the Fermi-Large Area Telescope (LAT). The adaptive-binning method enables more information to be encapsulated within the light curve than with the fixed-binning method. Although primarily developed for blazar studies, it can be applied to any sources. Furthermore, this method allows the starting and ending times of each interval to be calculated in a simple and quick way during a first step. The reported mean flux and spectral index (assuming the spectrum is a power-law distribution) in the interval are calculated via the standard LATmore » analysis during a second step. In the absence of major caveats associated with this method Monte-Carlo simulations have been established. We present the performance of this method in determining duty cycles as well as power-density spectra relative to the traditional fixed-binning method.« less

The cost of large numbers of hypothesis tests on power, effect size and sample size.

PubMed

Lazzeroni, L C; Ray, A

2012-01-01

Advances in high-throughput biology and computer science are driving an exponential increase in the number of hypothesis tests in genomics and other scientific disciplines. Studies using current genotyping platforms frequently include a million or more tests. In addition to the monetary cost, this increase imposes a statistical cost owing to the multiple testing corrections needed to avoid large numbers of false-positive results. To safeguard against the resulting loss of power, some have suggested sample sizes on the order of tens of thousands that can be impractical for many diseases or may lower the quality of phenotypic measurements. This study examines the relationship between the number of tests on the one hand and power, detectable effect size or required sample size on the other. We show that once the number of tests is large, power can be maintained at a constant level, with comparatively small increases in the effect size or sample size. For example at the 0.05 significance level, a 13% increase in sample size is needed to maintain 80% power for ten million tests compared with one million tests, whereas a 70% increase in sample size is needed for 10 tests compared with a single test. Relative costs are less when measured by increases in the detectable effect size. We provide an interactive Excel calculator to compute power, effect size or sample size when comparing study designs or genome platforms involving different numbers of hypothesis tests. The results are reassuring in an era of extreme multiple testing.

Graduate Students' Perceptions of Professional Power in Social Work Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bundy-Fazioli, Kimberly; Quijano, Louise M.; Bubar, Roe

2013-01-01

The study of ways that professional power is perceived in social work practice is limited. This exploratory qualitative study analyzes second-year MSW students' perceptions of professional power in social work practice. This inquiry is guided by social constructivism and symbolic interactionism perspectives. The authors used constant comparison…

Amplitude-steered, pseudophased antenna array

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, C. C.; Martel, R. J.; Dietrich, F. J.; Koloboff, G. J.

1975-01-01

Beam may be smoothly scanned around ring array without instantaneous phase transitions while maintaining constant radiated power by gradually transferring power from receding element to element next to leading edge of driven segment, and by accomplishing antenna element switching during intervals when no power is being applied to elements being switched.

Power Systems Life Cycle Analysis Tool (Power L-CAT).

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Andruski, Joel; Drennen, Thomas E.

2011-01-01

The Power Systems L-CAT is a high-level dynamic model that calculates levelized production costs and tracks environmental performance for a range of electricity generation technologies: natural gas combined cycle (using either imported (LNGCC) or domestic natural gas (NGCC)), integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC), supercritical pulverized coal (SCPC), existing pulverized coal (EXPC), nuclear, and wind. All of the fossil fuel technologies also include an option for including carbon capture and sequestration technologies (CCS). The model allows for quick sensitivity analysis on key technical and financial assumptions, such as: capital, O&M, and fuel costs; interest rates; construction time; heat rates; taxes; depreciation;more » and capacity factors. The fossil fuel options are based on detailed life cycle analysis reports conducted by the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL). For each of these technologies, NETL's detailed LCAs include consideration of five stages associated with energy production: raw material acquisition (RMA), raw material transport (RMT), energy conversion facility (ECF), product transportation and distribution (PT&D), and end user electricity consumption. The goal of the NETL studies is to compare existing and future fossil fuel technology options using a cradle-to-grave analysis. The NETL reports consider constant dollar levelized cost of delivered electricity, total plant costs, greenhouse gas emissions, criteria air pollutants, mercury (Hg) and ammonia (NH3) emissions, water withdrawal and consumption, and land use (acreage).« less

Direct observation of 0.57 eV trap-related RF output power reduction in AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arehart, A. R.; Sasikumar, A.; Rajan, S.; Via, G. D.; Poling, B.; Winningham, B.; Heller, E. R.; Brown, D.; Pei, Y.; Recht, F.; Mishra, U. K.; Ringel, S. A.

2013-02-01

This paper reports direct evidence for trap-related RF output power loss in GaN high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) grown by metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) through increased concentration of a specific electron trap at EC-0.57 eV that is located in the drain access region, as a function of accelerated life testing (ALT). The trap is detected by constant drain current deep level transient spectroscopy (CID-DLTS) and the CID-DLTS thermal emission time constant precisely matches the measured drain lag. Both drain lag and CID-DLTS measurements show this state to already exist in pre-stressed devices, which coupled with its strong increase in concentration as a function of stress in the absence of significant increases in concentrations of other detected traps, imply its role in causing degradation, in particular knee walkout. This study reveals EC-0.57 eV trap concentration tracks degradation induced by ALT for MOCVD-grown HEMTs supplied by several commercial and university sources. The results suggest this defect has a common source and may be a key degradation pathway in AlGaN/GaN HEMTs and/or an indicator to predict device lifetime.

Corrosion of 310 stainless steel in H2-H2O-H2S gas mixtures: Studies at constant temperature and fixed oxygen potential

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rao, D. B.; Jacob, K. T.; Nelson, H. G.

1981-01-01

Corrosion of SAE 310 stainless steel in H2-H2O-H2S gas mixtures was studied at a constant temperature of 1150 K. Reactive gas mixtures were chosen to yield a constant oxygen potential of approximately 6 x 10 to the minus 13th power/cu Nm and sulfur potentials ranging from 0.19 x 10 to the minus 2nd power/cu Nm to 33 x 10 to the minus 2nd power/cu Nm. The kinetics of corrosion were determined using a thermobalance, and the scales were analyzed using metallography, scanning electron microscopy, and energy dispersive X-ray analysis. Two corrosion regimes, which were dependent on sulfur potential, were identified. At high sulfur potentials (p sub S sub 2 less than or equal to 2.7 x 10 to the minus 2nd power/cu Nm) the corrosion rates were high, the kinetics obeyed a linear rate equation, and the scales consisted mainly of sulfide phases similar to those observed from pure sulfication. At low sulfur potentials (P sub S sub 2 less than or equal to 0.19 x 10 to the minus 2nd power/cu Nm) the corrosion rates were low, the kinetics obeyed a parabolic rate equation, and scales consisted mainly of oxide phases.

Large-scale structure in brane-induced gravity. I. Perturbation theory

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Scoccimarro, Roman

2009-11-15

We study the growth of subhorizon perturbations in brane-induced gravity using perturbation theory. We solve for the linear evolution of perturbations taking advantage of the symmetry under gauge transformations along the extra-dimension to decouple the bulk equations in the quasistatic approximation, which we argue may be a better approximation at large scales than thought before. We then study the nonlinearities in the bulk and brane equations, concentrating on the workings of the Vainshtein mechanism by which the theory becomes general relativity (GR) at small scales. We show that at the level of the power spectrum, to a good approximation, themore » effect of nonlinearities in the modified gravity sector may be absorbed into a renormalization of the gravitational constant. Since the relation between the lensing potential and density perturbations is entirely unaffected by the extra physics in these theories, the modified gravity can be described in this approximation by a single function, an effective gravitational constant for nonrelativistic motion that depends on space and time. We develop a resummation scheme to calculate it, and provide predictions for the nonlinear power spectrum. At the level of the large-scale bispectrum, the leading order corrections are obtained by standard perturbation theory techniques, and show that the suppression of the brane-bending mode leads to characteristic signatures in the non-Gaussianity generated by gravity, generic to models that become GR at small scales through second-derivative interactions. We compare the predictions in this work to numerical simulations in a companion paper.« less

Piezo-based motion stages for heavy duty operation in clean environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karasikov, Nir; Peled, Gal; Yasinov, Roman; Gissin, Michael; Feinstein, Alan

2018-02-01

A range of heavy duty, ultra-precise motion stages had been developed for precise positioning in semiconductor manufacturing and metrology, for use in a clean room and high vacuum (HV and UHV) environments, to meet the precision requirements for 7, 5 nm nodes and beyond. These stages are powered by L1B2 direct drive ultrasonic motors, which allows combining long motion range, sub-nanometer positioning accuracy, high stiffness (in the direction of motion), low power consumption and active compensation of thermal and structural drift while holding position. The mechanical design, material selection for clean room and high vacuum preparation techniques are reviewed. Test results in a clean room are reported for a two-axis (X-Y) stage, having a load capacity of 30 kg, a motion range of 450 mm, a positioning accuracy of < 1 nm, a maximum motion speed of > 200 mm/s and a < 2 nm position stability (3 sigma). Long term drift compensation to sub-nm level, against thermal drift, has been validated for more than 10 hours. Heavy duty operation in a high vacuum is exemplified via a single axis stage operating at 5E-7 Torr, having a moving mass of 0.96 kg, oriented against gravity. The stage is operated periodically (up and down) over a travel length of 45 mm. The motion profile has a trapezoidal shape with an acceleration of 1m/s2 and a constant velocity of 100 mm/s. The operational parameters (average absolute position error during constant velocity, motor force, dead zone level) remain stable over more than 370000 passes (experiment duration).

Humans running in place on water at simulated reduced gravity.

PubMed

Minetti, Alberto E; Ivanenko, Yuri P; Cappellini, Germana; Dominici, Nadia; Lacquaniti, Francesco

2012-01-01

On Earth only a few legged species, such as water strider insects, some aquatic birds and lizards, can run on water. For most other species, including humans, this is precluded by body size and proportions, lack of appropriate appendages, and limited muscle power. However, if gravity is reduced to less than Earth's gravity, running on water should require less muscle power. Here we use a hydrodynamic model to predict the gravity levels at which humans should be able to run on water. We test these predictions in the laboratory using a reduced gravity simulator. We adapted a model equation, previously used by Glasheen and McMahon to explain the dynamics of Basilisk lizard, to predict the body mass, stride frequency and gravity necessary for a person to run on water. Progressive body-weight unloading of a person running in place on a wading pool confirmed the theoretical predictions that a person could run on water, at lunar (or lower) gravity levels using relatively small rigid fins. Three-dimensional motion capture of reflective markers on major joint centers showed that humans, similarly to the Basilisk Lizard and to the Western Grebe, keep the head-trunk segment at a nearly constant height, despite the high stride frequency and the intensive locomotor effort. Trunk stabilization at a nearly constant height differentiates running on water from other, more usual human gaits. The results showed that a hydrodynamic model of lizards running on water can also be applied to humans, despite the enormous difference in body size and morphology.

Thermal Management of a Nitrogen Cryogenic Loop Heat Pipe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gully, Ph.; Yan, T.

2010-04-01

Efficient thermal links are needed to ease the distribution of the cold power in satellites. Loop heat pipes are widely used at room temperature as passive thermal links based on a two-phase flow generated by capillary forces. Transportation of the cold power at cryogenic temperatures requires a specific design. In addition to the main loop, the cryogenic loop heat pipe (CLHP) features a hot reservoir and a secondary loop with a cold reservoir and a secondary evaporator which allows the cool down and the thermal management of the thermal link in normal cold operation. We have studied the influence of a heated cold reservoir and investigated the effect of parasitic heat loads on the performance of a nitrogen CLHP at around 80 K. It is shown that heating of the cold reservoir with a small amount of power (0.1 W) allows controlling the system temperature difference, which can be kept constant at a very low level (1 K) regardless of the transferred cold power (0-10 W). Parasitic heat loads have a significant effect on the thermal resistance, and the power applied on the secondary evaporator has to be increased up to 4 W to get stable operation.

The vibrational dependence of dissociative recombination: Rate constants for N{sub 2}{sup +}

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Guberman, Steven L., E-mail: slg@sci.org

Dissociative recombination rate constants are reported with electron temperature dependent uncertainties for the lowest 5 vibrational levels of the N{sub 2}{sup +} ground state. The rate constants are determined from ab initio calculations of potential curves, electronic widths, quantum defects, and cross sections. At 100 K electron temperature, the rate constants overlap with the exception of the third vibrational level. At and above 300 K, the rate constants for excited vibrational levels are significantly smaller than that for the ground level. It is shown that any experimentally determined total rate constant at 300 K electron temperature that is smaller thanmore » 2.0 × 10{sup −7} cm{sup 3}/s is likely to be for ions that have a substantially excited vibrational population. Using the vibrational level specific rate constants, the total rate constant is in very good agreement with that for an excited vibrational distribution found in a storage ring experiment. It is also shown that a prior analysis of a laser induced fluorescence experiment is quantitatively flawed due to the need to account for reactions with unknown rate constants. Two prior calculations of the dissociative recombination rate constant are shown to be inconsistent with the cross sections upon which they are based. The rate constants calculated here contribute to the resolution of a 30 year old disagreement between modeled and observed N{sub 2}{sup +} ionospheric densities.« less

Very-High-Energy γ-Ray Observations of the Blazar 1ES 2344+514 with VERITAS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Allen, C.; Archambault, S.; Archer, A.; Benbow, W.; Bird, R.; Bourbeau, E.; Brose, R.; Buchovecky, M.; Buckley, J. H.; Bugaev, V.; Cardenzana, J. V.; Cerruti, M.; Chen, X.; Christiansen, J. L.; Connolly, M. P.; Cui, W.; Daniel, M. K.; Eisch, J. D.; Falcone, A.; Feng, Q.; Fernandez-Alonso, M.; Finley, J. P.; Fleischhack, H.; Flinders, A.; Fortson, L.; Furniss, A.; Gillanders, G. H.; Griffin, S.; Grube, J.; Hütten, M.; Håkansson, N.; Hanna, D.; Hervet, O.; Holder, J.; Hughes, G.; Humensky, T. B.; Johnson, C. A.; Kaaret, P.; Kar, P.; Kelley-Hoskins, N.; Kertzman, M.; Kieda, D.; Krause, M.; Krennrich, F.; Kumar, S.; Lang, M. J.; Maier, G.; McArthur, S.; McCann, A.; Meagher, K.; Moriarty, P.; Mukherjee, R.; Nguyen, T.; Nieto, D.; O'Brien, S.; de Bhróithe, A. O'Faoláin; Ong, R. A.; Otte, A. N.; Park, N.; Petrashyk, A.; Pichel, A.; Pohl, M.; Popkow, A.; Pueschel, E.; Quinn, J.; Ragan, K.; Reynolds, P. T.; Richards, G. T.; Roache, E.; Rovero, A. C.; Rulten, C.; Sadeh, I.; Santander, M.; Sembroski, G. H.; Shahinyan, K.; Telezhinsky, I.; Tucci, J. V.; Tyler, J.; Wakely, S. P.; Weinstein, A.; Wilhelm, A.; Williams, D. A.

2017-10-01

We present very-high-energy γ-ray observations of the BL Lac object 1ES 2344+514 taken by the Very Energetic Radiation Imaging Telescope Array System between 2007 and 2015. 1ES 2344+514 is detected with a statistical significance above the background of 20.8σ in 47.2 h (livetime) of observations, making this the most comprehensive very-high-energy study of 1ES 2344+514 to date. Using these observations, the temporal properties of 1ES 2344+514 are studied on short and long times-scales. We fit a constant-flux model to nightly and seasonally binned light curves and apply a fractional variability test to determine the stability of the source on different time-scales. We reject the constant-flux model for the 2007-2008 and 2014-2015 nightly binned light curves and for the long-term seasonally binned light curve at the >3σ level. The spectra of the time-averaged emission before and after correction for attenuation by the extragalactic background light are obtained. The observed time-averaged spectrum above 200 GeV is satisfactorily fitted (χ2/NDF = 7.89/6) by a power-law function with an index Γ = 2.46 ± 0.06stat ± 0.20sys and extends to at least 8 TeV. The extragalactic-background-light-deabsorbed spectrum is adequately fit (χ2/NDF = 6.73/6) by a power-law function with an index Γ = 2.15 ± 0.06stat ± 0.20sys while an F-test indicates that the power law with an exponential cut-off function provides a marginally better fit (χ2/NDF = 2.56/5) at the 2.1σ level. The source location is found to be consistent with the published radio location and its spatial extent is consistent with a point source.

Multi-Channel, Constant-Current Power Source for Aircraft Applications

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-03-01

Special considerations impacting this design were minimizing volume, maintaining system power quality, and providing electrical fault protection...applications. Electrical loads, such as lighting, de-icing heaters, and actuators may be operated from this compact power conversion unit. Because of the...nature of aircraft systems, two of the most important design considerations are the maintenance of electrical power quality and minimization of weight

Pulse Shaped 8-PSK Bandwidth Efficiency and Spectral Spike Elimination

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tao, Jian-Ping

1998-01-01

The most bandwidth-efficient communication methods are imperative to cope with the congested frequency bands. Pulse shaping methods have excellent effects on narrowing bandwidth and increasing band utilization. The position of the baseband filters for the pulse shaping is crucial. Post-modulation pulse shaping (a low pass filter is located after the modulator) can change signals from constant envelope to non-constant envelope, and non-constant envelope signals through non-linear device (a SSPA or TWT) can further spread the power spectra. Pre-modulation pulse shaping (a filter is located before the modulator) will have constant envelope. These two pulse shaping methods have different effects on narrowing the bandwidth and producing bit errors. This report studied the effect of various pre-modulation pulse shaping filters with respect to bandwidth, spectral spikes and bit error rate. A pre-modulation pulse shaped 8-ary Phase Shift Keying (8PSK) modulation was used throughout the simulations. In addition to traditional pulse shaping filters, such as Bessel, Butterworth and Square Root Raised Cosine (SRRC), other kinds of filters or pulse waveforms were also studied in the pre-modulation pulse shaping method. Simulations were conducted by using the Signal Processing Worksystem (SPW) software package on HP workstations which simulated the power spectral density of pulse shaped 8-PSK signals, end to end system performance and bit error rates (BERS) as a function of Eb/No using pulse shaping in an AWGN channel. These results are compared with the post-modulation pulse shaped 8-PSK results. The simulations indicate traditional pulse shaping filters used in pre-modulation pulse shaping may produce narrower bandwidth, but with worse BER than those in post-modulation pulse shaping. Theory and simulations show pre- modulation pulse shaping could also produce discrete line power spectra (spikes) at regular frequency intervals. These spikes may cause interference with adjacent channel and reduce power efficiency. Some particular pulses (filters), such as trapezoid and pulses with different transits (such as weighted raised cosine transit) were found to reduce bandwidth and not generate spectral spikes. Although a solid state power amplifier (SSPA) was simulated in the non-linear (saturation) region, output power spectra did not spread due to the constant envelope 8-PSK signals.

Force Control Is Related to Low-Frequency Oscillations in Force and Surface EMG

PubMed Central

Moon, Hwasil; Kim, Changki; Kwon, Minhyuk; Chen, Yen Ting; Onushko, Tanya; Lodha, Neha; Christou, Evangelos A.

2014-01-01

Force variability during constant force tasks is directly related to oscillations below 0.5 Hz in force. However, it is unknown whether such oscillations exist in muscle activity. The purpose of this paper, therefore, was to determine whether oscillations below 0.5 Hz in force are evident in the activation of muscle. Fourteen young adults (21.07±2.76 years, 7 women) performed constant isometric force tasks at 5% and 30% MVC by abducting the left index finger. We recorded the force output from the index finger and surface EMG from the first dorsal interosseous (FDI) muscle and quantified the following outcomes: 1) variability of force using the SD of force; 2) power spectrum of force below 2 Hz; 3) EMG bursts; 4) power spectrum of EMG bursts below 2 Hz; and 5) power spectrum of the interference EMG from 10–300 Hz. The SD of force increased significantly from 5 to 30% MVC and this increase was significantly related to the increase in force oscillations below 0.5 Hz (R 2 = 0.82). For both force levels, the power spectrum for force and EMG burst was similar and contained most of the power from 0–0.5 Hz. Force and EMG burst oscillations below 0.5 Hz were highly coherent (coherence = 0.68). The increase in force oscillations below 0.5 Hz from 5 to 30% MVC was related to an increase in EMG burst oscillations below 0.5 Hz (R 2 = 0.51). Finally, there was a strong association between the increase in EMG burst oscillations below 0.5 Hz and the interference EMG from 35–60 Hz (R 2 = 0.95). In conclusion, this finding demonstrates that bursting of the EMG signal contains low-frequency oscillations below 0.5 Hz, which are associated with oscillations in force below 0.5 Hz. PMID:25372038

Replica Exchange Gaussian Accelerated Molecular Dynamics: Improved Enhanced Sampling and Free Energy Calculation.

PubMed

Huang, Yu-Ming M; McCammon, J Andrew; Miao, Yinglong

2018-04-10

Through adding a harmonic boost potential to smooth the system potential energy surface, Gaussian accelerated molecular dynamics (GaMD) provides enhanced sampling and free energy calculation of biomolecules without the need of predefined reaction coordinates. This work continues to improve the acceleration power and energy reweighting of the GaMD by combining the GaMD with replica exchange algorithms. Two versions of replica exchange GaMD (rex-GaMD) are presented: force constant rex-GaMD and threshold energy rex-GaMD. During simulations of force constant rex-GaMD, the boost potential can be exchanged between replicas of different harmonic force constants with fixed threshold energy. However, the algorithm of threshold energy rex-GaMD tends to switch the threshold energy between lower and upper bounds for generating different levels of boost potential. Testing simulations on three model systems, including the alanine dipeptide, chignolin, and HIV protease, demonstrate that through continuous exchanges of the boost potential, the rex-GaMD simulations not only enhance the conformational transitions of the systems but also narrow down the distribution width of the applied boost potential for accurate energetic reweighting to recover biomolecular free energy profiles.

Thermal characterizations analysis of high-power ThinGaN cool-white light-emitting diodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raypah, Muna E.; Devarajan, Mutharasu; Ahmed, Anas A.; Sulaiman, Fauziah

2018-03-01

Analysis of thermal properties plays an important role in the thermal management of high-power (HP) lighting-emitting diodes (LEDs). Thermal resistance, thermal capacitance, and thermal time constant are essential parameters for the optimal design of the LED device and system, particularly for dynamic performance study. In this paper, thermal characterization and thermal time constant of ThinGaN HP LEDs are investigated. Three HP cool-white ThinGaN LEDs from different manufacturers are used in this study. A forward-voltage method using thermal transient tester (T3Ster) system is employed to determine the LEDs' thermal parameters at various operating conditions. The junction temperature transient response is described by a multi-exponential function model to extract thermal time constants. The transient response curve is divided into three layers and expressed by three exponential functions. Each layer is associated with a particular thermal time constant, thermal resistance, and thermal capacitance. It is found that the thermal time constant of LED package is on the order of 22 to 100 ms. Comparison between the experimental results is carried out to show the design effects on thermal performance of the LED package.

A coupled nuclear reactor thermal energy storage system for enhanced load following operation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alameri, Saeed A.

Nuclear power plants usually provide base-load electric power and operate most economically at a constant power level. In an energy grid with a high fraction of renewable energy sources, future nuclear reactors may be subject to significantly variable power demands. These variable power demands can negatively impact the effective capacity factor of the reactor and result in severe economic penalties. Coupling the reactor to a large Thermal Energy Storage (TES) block will allow the reactor to better respond to variable power demands. In the system described in this thesis, a Prismatic-core Advanced High Temperature Reactor (PAHTR) operates at constant power with heat provided to a TES block that supplies power as needed to a secondary energy conversion system. The PAHTR is designed to have a power rating of 300 MW th, with 19.75 wt% enriched Tri-Structural-Isotropic UO 2 fuel and a five year operating cycle. The passive molten salt TES system will operate in the latent heat region with an energy storage capacity of 150 MWd. Multiple smaller TES blocks are used instead of one large block to enhance the efficiency and maintenance complexity of the system. A transient model of the coupled reactor/TES system is developed to study the behavior of the system in response to varying load demands. The model uses six-delayed group point kinetics and decay heat models coupled to thermal-hydraulic and heat transfer models of the reactor and TES system. Based on the transient results, the preferred TES design consists of 1000 blocks, each containing 11000 LiCl phase change material tubes. A safety assessment of major reactor events demonstrates the inherent safety of the coupled system. The loss of forced circulation study determined the minimum required air convection heat removal rate from the reactor core and the lowest possible reduced primary flow rate that can maintain the reactor in a safe condition. The loss of ultimate heat sink study demonstrated the ability of the TES to absorb the decay heat of the reactor fuel while cooling the PAHTR after an emergency shutdown. The simulated reactivity insertion accident assessment determined the maximum allowable reactivity insertion to the PAHTR as a function of shutdown response times.

The independent effects of speed and propulsive force on joint power generation in walking

PubMed Central

Browne, Michael G.; Franz, Jason R.

2017-01-01

Walking speed is modulated using propulsive forces (FP) during push-off and both preferred speed and FP decrease with aging. However, even prior to walking slower, reduced FP may be accompanied by potentially unfavorable changes in joint power generation. For example, compared to young adults, older adults exhibit a redistribution of mechanical power generation from the propulsive plantarflexor muscles to more proximal muscles acting across the knee and hip. Here, we used visual biofeedback based on real-time FP measurements to decouple and investigate the interaction between joint-level coordination, whole-body FP, and walking speed. 12 healthy young subjects walked on a dual-belt instrumented treadmill at a range of speeds (0.9 – 1.3 m/s). We immediately calculated the average FP from each speed. Subjects then walked at 1.3 m/s while completing a series of biofeedback trials with instructions to match their instantaneous FP to their averaged FP from slower speeds. Walking slower decreased FP and total positive joint work with little effect on relative joint-level contributions. Conversely, subjects walked at a constant speed with reduced FP, not by reducing total positive joint work, but by redistributing the mechanical demands of each step from the plantarflexor muscles during push-off to more proximal leg muscles during single support. Interestingly, these naturally emergent joint- and limb-level biomechanical changes, in the absence of neuromuscular constraints, resemble those due to aging. Our findings provide important reference data to understand the presumably complex interactions between joint power generation, whole-body FP, and walking speed in our aging population. PMID:28262285

An Analytic Approximation to Very High Specific Impulse and Specific Power Interplanetary Space Mission Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Williams, Craig Hamilton

1995-01-01

A simple, analytic approximation is derived to calculate trip time and performance for propulsion systems of very high specific impulse (50,000 to 200,000 seconds) and very high specific power (10 to 1000 kW/kg) for human interplanetary space missions. The approach assumed field-free space, constant thrust/constant specific power, and near straight line (radial) trajectories between the planets. Closed form, one dimensional equations of motion for two-burn rendezvous and four-burn round trip missions are derived as a function of specific impulse, specific power, and propellant mass ratio. The equations are coupled to an optimizing parameter that maximizes performance and minimizes trip time. Data generated for hypothetical one-way and round trip human missions to Jupiter were found to be within 1% and 6% accuracy of integrated solutions respectively, verifying that for these systems, credible analysis does not require computationally intensive numerical techniques.

A comparative study of optimum and suboptimum direct-detection laser ranging receivers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abshire, J. B.

1978-01-01

A summary of previously proposed receiver strategies for direct-detection laser ranging receivers is presented. Computer simulations are used to compare performance of candidate implementation strategies in the 1- to 100-photoelectron region. Under the condition of no background radiation, the maximum-likelihood and minimum mean-square error estimators were found to give the same performance for both bell-shaped and rectangular optical-pulse shapes. For signal energies greater than 100 photoelectrons, the root-mean-square range error is shown to decrease as Q to the -1/2 power for bell-shaped pulses and Q to the -1 power for rectangular pulses, where Q represents the average pulse energy. Of several receiver implementations presented, the matched-filter peak detector was found to be preferable. A similar configuration, using a constant-fraction discriminator, exhibited a signal-level dependent time bias.

Robust nanogenerators based on graft copolymers via control of dielectrics for remarkable output power enhancement

PubMed Central

Lee, Jae Won; Cho, Hye Jin; Chun, Jinsung; Kim, Kyeong Nam; Kim, Seongsu; Ahn, Chang Won; Kim, Ill Won; Kim, Ju-Young; Kim, Sang-Woo; Yang, Changduk; Baik, Jeong Min

2017-01-01

A robust nanogenerator based on poly(tert-butyl acrylate) (PtBA)–grafted polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) copolymers via dielectric constant control through an atom-transfer radical polymerization technique, which can markedly increase the output power, is demonstrated. The copolymer is mainly composed of α phases with enhanced dipole moments due to the π-bonding and polar characteristics of the ester functional groups in the PtBA, resulting in the increase of dielectric constant values by approximately twice, supported by Kelvin probe force microscopy measurements. This increase in the dielectric constant significantly increased the density of the charges that can be accumulated on the copolymer during physical contact. The nanogenerator generates output signals of 105 V and 25 μA/cm2, a 20-fold enhancement in output power, compared to pristine PVDF–based nanogenerator after tuning the surface potential using a poling method. The markedly enhanced output performance is quite stable and reliable in harsh mechanical environments due to the high flexibility of the films. On the basis of these results, a much faster charging characteristic is demonstrated in this study. PMID:28560339

Trajectory Optimization of a Bimodal Nuclear Powered Spacecraft to Mars

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-05-29

velocity M = initial mass of spacecraft o m= ion fuel expulsion rate (constant) 0 = thrust direction angle = gravitational constant of Sun AVto t...total velocity change possible for the impulsive engines AV1 = velocity change for Earth escape AV2 = velocity change for Mars capture AVto t = AV + AV

Impact of Measurement Error on Statistical Power: Review of an Old Paradox.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Richard H.; And Others

1995-01-01

The paradox that a Student t-test based on pretest-posttest differences can attain its greatest power when the difference score reliability is zero was explained by demonstrating that power is not a mathematical function of reliability unless either true score variance or error score variance is constant. (SLD)

Wind, Wave, and Tidal Energy Without Power Conditioning

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, Jack A.

2013-01-01

Most present wind, wave, and tidal energy systems require expensive power conditioning systems that reduce overall efficiency. This new design eliminates power conditioning all, or nearly all, of the time. Wind, wave, and tidal energy systems can transmit their energy to pumps that send high-pressure fluid to a central power production area. The central power production area can consist of a series of hydraulic generators. The hydraulic generators can be variable displacement generators such that the RPM, and thus the voltage, remains constant, eliminating the need for further power conditioning. A series of wind blades is attached to a series of radial piston pumps, which pump fluid to a series of axial piston motors attached to generators. As the wind is reduced, the amount of energy is reduced, and the number of active hydraulic generators can be reduced to maintain a nearly constant RPM. If the axial piston motors have variable displacement, an exact RPM can be maintained for all, or nearly all, wind speeds. Analyses have been performed that show over 20% performance improvements with this technique over conventional wind turbines

Modelling the activity of 129I in the primary coolant of a CANDU reactor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lewis, Brent J.; Husain, Aamir

2003-01-01

A mathematical treatment has been developed to describe the activity levels of 129I as a function of time in the primary heat transport system during constant power operation and for a reactor shutdown situation. The model accounts for a release of fission-product iodine from defective fuel rods and tramp uranium contamination on in-core surfaces. The physical transport constants of the model are derived from a coolant activity analysis of the short-lived radioiodine species. An estimate of 3×10 -9 has been determined for the coolant activity ratio of 129I/ 131I in a CANDU Nuclear Generating Station (NGS), which is in reasonable agreement with that observed in the primary coolant and for plant test resin columns from pressurized and boiling water reactor plants. The model has been further applied to a CANDU NGS, by fitting it to the observed short-lived iodine and long-lived cesium data, to yield a coolant activity ratio of ˜2×10 -8 for 129I/ 137Cs. This ratio can be used to estimate the levels of 129I in reactor waste based on a measurement of the activity of 137Cs.

Study of magnetic fields from power-frequency current on water lines.

PubMed

Lanera, D; Zapotosky, J E; Colby, J A

1997-01-01

The magnetic fields from power-frequency current flowing on water lines were investigated in a new approach that involved an area-wide survey in a small town. Magnetic fields were measured outside the residence under power cables and over water lines, and each residence was characterized as to whether it received water from a private well or the municipal water system. The magnetic field data revealed two statistical modes when they were related to water supply type. The data also showed that in the case of the high mode, the magnetic field remained constant along the line formed by power drop wires, at the back of the house, and the water hookup service, in front of the house, all the way to the street. The patterns are explained by the coincidence of measurement points and the presence of net current flowing on power mains, power drop conductors, residential plumbing, water service hookups, and water mains. These patterns, together with other characteristics of this magnetic field source, such as the gradual spatial fall-off of this field and the presence of a constant component in the time sequence, portray a magnetic field more uniform and constant in the residential environment than has been thought to exist. Such characteristics make up for the weakness of the source and make net current a significant source of exposure in the lives of individuals around the house, when human exposure to magnetic fields is assumed to be a cumulative effect over time. This, together with the bimodal statistical distribution of the residential magnetic field (related to water supply type), presents opportunities for retrospective epidemiological analysis. Water line type and its ability to conduct power-frequency current can be used as the historical marker for a bimodal exposure inference, as Wertheimer et al. have shown.

Timing of continuous motor imagery: the two-thirds power law originates in trajectory planning.

PubMed

Karklinsky, Matan; Flash, Tamar

2015-04-01

The two-thirds power law, v = γκ(-1/3), expresses a robust local relationship between the geometrical and temporal aspects of human movement, represented by curvature κ and speed v, with a piecewise constant γ. This law is equivalent to moving at a constant equi-affine speed and thus constitutes an important example of motor invariance. Whether this kinematic regularity reflects central planning or peripheral biomechanical effects has been strongly debated. Motor imagery, i.e., forming mental images of a motor action, allows unique access to the temporal structure of motor planning. Earlier studies have shown that imagined discrete movements obey Fitts's law and their durations are well correlated with those of actual movements. Hence, it is natural to examine whether the temporal properties of continuous imagined movements comply with the two-thirds power law. A novel experimental paradigm for recording sparse imagery data from a continuous cyclic tracing task was developed. Using the likelihood ratio test, we concluded that for most subjects the distributions of the marked positions describing the imagined trajectory were significantly better explained by the two-thirds power law than by a constant Euclidean speed or by two other power law models. With nonlinear regression, the β parameter values in a generalized power law, v = γκ(-β), were inferred from the marked position records. This resulted in highly variable yet mostly positive β values. Our results imply that imagined trajectories do follow the two-thirds power law. Our findings therefore support the conclusion that the coupling between velocity and curvature originates in centrally represented motion planning. Copyright © 2015 the American Physiological Society.

Radioactive contamination of arthropods from different trophic levels in hilly and mountainous areas after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident.

PubMed

Tanaka, Sota; Hatakeyama, Kaho; Takahashi, Sentaro; Adati, Tarô

2016-11-01

In order to understand the influence of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident on the ecosystem in hilly and mountainous areas of Fukushima Prefecture, chronological changes in the levels of radiocesium in arthropod species were investigated. From 2012 to 2014, arthropods from different trophic levels were sampled and the air radiation dose rates at the sampling sites were analyzed. The air radiation dose rates showed a significant and constant reduction over the 2 years at the sampling sites in Fukushima. The median radiocesium concentration ( 134 Cs +  137 Cs) detected in the rice grasshopper, Oxya yezoensis, and the Emma field cricket, Teleogryllus emma, dropped continuously to 0.080 and 0.078 Bq/g fresh weight, respectively, in 2014. In contrast, no significant reduction in radioactive contamination was observed in the Jorô spider, Nephila clavata, in which the level remained at 0.204 Bq/g in 2014. A significant positive correlation between radiocesium concentration and the air radiation dose rate was observed in the rice grasshopper, the Emma field cricket and the Jorô spider. The highest correlation coefficient (ρ = 0.946) was measured in the grasshopper. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Modeling the expenditure and reconstitution of work capacity above critical power.

PubMed

Skiba, Philip Friere; Chidnok, Weerapong; Vanhatalo, Anni; Jones, Andrew M

2012-08-01

The critical power (CP) model includes two constants: the CP and the W' [P = (W' / t) + CP]. The W' is the finite work capacity available above CP. Power output above CP results in depletion of the W' complete depletion of the W' results in exhaustion. Monitoring the W' may be valuable to athletes during training and competition. Our purpose was to develop a function describing the dynamic state of the W' during intermittent exercise. After determination of V˙O(2max), CP, and W', seven subjects completed four separate exercise tests on a cycle ergometer on different days. Each protocol comprised a set of intervals: 60 s at a severe power output, followed by 30-s recovery at a lower prescribed power output. The intervals were repeated until exhaustion. These data were entered into a continuous equation predicting balance of W' remaining, assuming exponential reconstitution of the W'. The time constant was varied by an iterative process until the remaining modeled W' = 0 at the point of exhaustion. The time constants of W' recharge were negatively correlated with the difference between sub-CP recovery power and CP. The relationship was best fit by an exponential (r = 0.77). The model-predicted W' balance correlated with the temporal course of the rise in V˙O(2) (r = 0.82-0.96). The model accurately predicted exhaustion of the W' in a competitive cyclist during a road race. We have developed a function to track the dynamic state of the W' during intermittent exercise. This may have important implications for the planning and real-time monitoring of athletic performance.

Hydroelectric voltage generation based on water-filled single-walled carbon nanotubes.

PubMed

Yuan, Quanzi; Zhao, Ya-Pu

2009-05-13

A DFT/MD mutual iterative method was employed to give insights into the mechanism of voltage generation based on water-filled single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs). Our calculations showed that a constant voltage difference of several mV would generate between the two ends of a carbon nanotube, due to interactions between the water dipole chains and charge carriers in the tube. Our work validates this structure of a water-filled SWCNT as a promising candidate for a synthetic nanoscale power cell, as well as a practical nanopower harvesting device at the atomic level.

The Association of Levels of and Decline in Grip Strength in Old Age with Trajectories of Life Course Occupational Position.

PubMed

Kröger, Hannes; Fritzell, Johan; Hoffmann, Rasmus

2016-01-01

The study of the influence of life course occupational position (OP) on health in old age demands analysis of time patterns in both OP and health. We study associations between life course time patterns of OP and decline in grip strength in old age. We analyze 5 waves from the Survey of Health Ageing and Retirement in Europe (n = 5108, ages 65-90). We use a pattern-mixture latent growth model to predict the level and decline in grip strength in old age by trajectory of life course OP. We extend and generalize the structured regression approach to establish the explanatory power of different life course models for both the level and decline of grip strength. Grip strength declined linearly by 0.70 kg (95% CI -0.74;-0.66) for men and 0.42 kg (95% CI -0.45;-0.39) for women per year. The level of men's grip strength can best be explained by a critical period during midlife, with those exposed to low OP during this period having 1.67 kg (95% CI -2.33;-1.00) less grip strength. These differences remain constant over age. For women, no association between OP and levels of or decline in grip strength was found. Men's OP in midlife seems to be a critical period for the level of grip strength in old age. Inequalities remain constant over age. The integration of the structured regression approach and latent growth modelling offers new possibilities for life course epidemiology.

Benchmarking the Algorithms to Detect Seasonal Signals Under Different Noise Conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klos, A.; Bogusz, J.; Bos, M. S.

2017-12-01

Global Positioning System (GPS) position time series contain seasonal signals. Among the others, annual and semi-annual are the most powerful. Widely, these oscillations are modelled as curves with constant amplitudes, using the Weighted Least-Squares (WLS) algorithm. However, in reality, the seasonal signatures vary over time, as their geophysical causes are not constant. Different algorithms have been already used to cover this time-variability, as Wavelet Decomposition (WD), Singular Spectrum Analysis (SSA), Chebyshev Polynomial (CP) or Kalman Filter (KF). In this research, we employed 376 globally distributed GPS stations which time series contributed to the newest International Terrestrial Reference Frame (ITRF2014). We show that for c.a. 20% of stations the amplitudes of seasonal signal varies over time of more than 1.0 mm. Then, we compare the WD, SSA, CP and KF algorithms for a set of synthetic time series to quantify them under different noise conditions. We show that when variations of seasonal signals are ignored, the power-law character is biased towards flicker noise. The most reliable estimates of the variations were found to be given by SSA and KF. These methods also perform the best for other noise levels while WD, and to a lesser extend also CP, have trouble in separating the seasonal signal from the noise which leads to an underestimation in the spectral index of power-law noise of around 0.1. For real ITRF2014 GPS data we discovered, that SSA and KF are capable to model 49-84% and 77-90% of the variance of the true varying seasonal signals, respectively.

An electric motor with magnetic bearings: A concept

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Studer, P. A.

1973-01-01

Because same magnetic flux is used to control rotor as to drive it, size, weight, and power required are minimized. Constant total current keeps motor torque invarient, and absence of mechanical bearings eliminates wear and reduces frictional power loss.

A design study for a simple-to-fly, constant attitude light aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smetana, F. O.; Humphreys, D. E.; Montoya, R. J.; Rickard, W. W.; Wilkinson, I. E.

1973-01-01

The activities during a four-year study by doctoral students to evolve in detail a design for a simple-to-fly, constant attitude light airplane are described. The study indicated that such aircraft could materially reduce the hazards to light airplane occupants which arise from the high pilot work load and poor visibility that occur during landing. Preliminary cost studies indicate that in volume production this system would increase the cost of the aircraft in roughly the same fashion that automatic transmission, power steering, power brakes, and cruise control increase the cost of a compact car.

Upper limits for the rate constant for the reaction Br + H2O2 yields HB2 + HO2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leu, M.-T.

1980-01-01

Upper limits for the rate constant for the reaction Br + H2O2 yields HBr + HO2 have been measured over the temperature range 298 to 417 K in a discharge flow system using a mass spectrometer as a detector. Results are k sub 1 less than 1.5 x 10 to the -15th power cu cm/s at 298 K and k sub 1 less than 3.0 x 10 to the -15th power cu cm/s at 417 K, respectively. The implication to stratospheric chemistry is discussed.

Rate constant for the fraction of atomic chlorine with formaldehyde from 200 to 500K

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Michael, J. V.; Nava, D. F.; Payne, W. A.; Stief, L. J.

1978-01-01

A flash photolysis - resonance fluorescence technique was used to measure rate constant. The results were independent of substantial variations in H2CO, total pressure (Ar), and flash intensity (i.e., initial Cl). The rate constant was shown to be invariant with temperature, the best representation for this temperature range being K = (7.48 + or - 0.50) x 10 to the minus 11 power cu cm molecule-1 s-1 where the error is one standard deviation. The rate constant is theoretically discussed and the potential importance of the reaction in stratospheric chemistry is considered.

Extending the Constant Power Speed Range of the Brushless DC Motor through Dual Mode Inverter Control -- Part I: Theory and Simulation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lawler, J.S.

2001-10-29

An inverter topology and control scheme has been developed that can drive low-inductance, surface-mounted permanent magnet motors over the wide constant power speed range required in electric vehicle applications. This new controller is called the dual-mode inverter control (DMIC) [1]. The DMIC can drive either the Permanent Magnet Synchronous Machine (PMSM) with sinusoidal back emf, or the brushless dc machine (BDCM) with trapezoidal emf in the motoring and regenerative braking modes. In this paper we concentrate on the BDCM under high-speed motoring conditions. Simulation results show that if all motor and inverter loss mechanisms are neglected, the constant power speedmore » range of the DMIC is infinite. The simulation results are supported by closed form expressions for peak and rms motor current and average power derived from analytical solution to the differential equations governing the DMIC/BDCM drive for the lossless case. The analytical solution shows that the range of motor inductance that can be accommodated by the DMIC is more than an order of magnitude such that the DMIC is compatible with both low- and high-inductance BDCMs. Finally, method is given for integrating the classical hysteresis band current control, used for motor control below base speed, with the phase advance of DMIC that is applied above base speed. The power versus speed performance of the DMIC is then simulated across the entire speed range.« less

Design of Single Stage Axial Turbine with Constant Nozzle Angle Blading for Small Turbojet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Putra Adnan, F.; Hartono, Firman

2018-04-01

In this paper, an aerodynamic design of a single stage gas generator axial turbine for small turbojet engine is explained. As per design requirement, the turbine should be able to deliver power output of 155 kW at 0.8139 kg/s gas mass flow, inlet total temperature of 1200 K and inlet total pressure of 335330 Pa. The design phase consist of several steps, i.e.: determination of velocity triangles in 2D plane, 2D blading design and 3D flow analysis at design point using Computational Fluid Dynamics method. In the determination of velocity triangles, two conditions are applied: zero inlet swirl (i.e. the gas flow enter the turbine at axial direction) and constant nozzle angle design (i.e. the inlet and outlet angle of the nozzle blade are constant from root to tip). The 2D approach in cascade plane is used to specify airfoil type at root, mean and tip of the blade based on inlet and outlet flow conditions. The 3D approach is done by simulating the turbine in full configuration to evaluate the overall performance of the turbine. The observed parameters including axial gap, stagger angle, and tip clearance affect its output power. Based on analysis results, axial gap and stagger angle are positively correlated with output power up to a certain point at which the power decreases. Tip clearance, however, gives inversely correlation with output power.

Novel operation and control of an electric vehicle aluminum/air battery system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Xin; Yang, Shao Hua; Knickle, Harold

The objective of this paper is to create a method to size battery subsystems for an electric vehicle to optimize battery performance. Optimization of performance includes minimizing corrosion by operating at a constant current density. These subsystems will allow for easy mechanical recharging. A proper choice of battery subsystem will allow for longer battery life, greater range and performance. For longer life, the current density and reaction rate should be nearly constant. The control method requires control of power by controlling electrolyte flow in battery sub modules. As power is increased more sub modules come on line and more electrolyte is needed. Solenoid valves open in a sequence to provide the required power. Corrosion is limited because there is no electrolyte in the modules not being used.

[Changes in Spatial Organization of Cortical Rhythm Vibrations in Children uner the Influence of Music].

PubMed

Shepovalnikov, A N; Egorov, M V

2015-01-01

Changes is systemic brain activity under influence of classical music (minor and major music) were studied at two groups of healthy children aged 5-6 years (n = 53). In 25 of studied children the Luscher test showed increased level of anxiety which significantly decreased after music therapy sessions. Bioelectrical cortical activity registered from 20 unipolar leads was subjected to correlation, coherence and factor analysis. Also the dynamics of the power spectrum for each of the EEG was studied. According to EEG all children after listening to both minor and major tones showed reorganization of brain rhythm structure accompanied by a decrease in the level of coherence and correlation of EEG; also was found significant and almost universal decrease in the EEG power spectrum. Registered EEG changes under the influence of classical music seems to reflect a decrease in excess of "internal tension" and weakening degree of "stiffness" to ensure the activity of cerebral structures responsible for mechanisms of "basic integration" which maintain constant readiness of brain to rapid and complete inclusion in action.

Microwave frequency effect in the formation of Au nanocolloids in polar and non-polar solvents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Horikoshi, Satoshi; Abe, Hideki; Sumi, Takuya; Torigoe, Kanjiro; Sakai, Hideki; Serpone, Nick; Abe, Masahiko

2011-04-01

Given earlier observations that microwave frequencies can have a substantial effect on the photoactivity of a well-known photocatalyst (TiO2), in the synthesis of 3,6-diphenyl-4-n-butylpyridazine through a Diels-Alder process, and in the one-pot solvent-free synthesis of a room-temperature ionic liquid, we proceeded to examine the frequency effects of the 5.8 and 2.45 GHz microwave (MW) radiation in the synthesis of gold nanoparticles in non-polar media, such as oleylamine, which have a low dielectric constant (ε'), and we further examine differences in shape and size under otherwise identical temperature conditions when the synthesis of the gold nanoparticles was carried out in an ethylene glycol polar medium in the presence of polyvinylpyrrolidone. Whereas a change in microwave frequency from 2.45 to 5.8 GHz at equal microwave power levels led to the synthesis of gold nanoparticles in the non-polar media, a change in the microwave frequency had no effect on the size and shape of the gold nanoparticles synthesized in polar media for identical microwave power levels.

Microwave frequency effect in the formation of Au nanocolloids in polar and non-polar solvents.

PubMed

Horikoshi, Satoshi; Abe, Hideki; Sumi, Takuya; Torigoe, Kanjiro; Sakai, Hideki; Serpone, Nick; Abe, Masahiko

2011-04-01

Given earlier observations that microwave frequencies can have a substantial effect on the photoactivity of a well-known photocatalyst (TiO(2)), in the synthesis of 3,6-diphenyl-4-n-butylpyridazine through a Diels-Alder process, and in the one-pot solvent-free synthesis of a room-temperature ionic liquid, we proceeded to examine the frequency effects of the 5.8 and 2.45 GHz microwave (MW) radiation in the synthesis of gold nanoparticles in non-polar media, such as oleylamine, which have a low dielectric constant (ε'), and we further examine differences in shape and size under otherwise identical temperature conditions when the synthesis of the gold nanoparticles was carried out in an ethylene glycol polar medium in the presence of polyvinylpyrrolidone. Whereas a change in microwave frequency from 2.45 to 5.8 GHz at equal microwave power levels led to the synthesis of gold nanoparticles in the non-polar media, a change in the microwave frequency had no effect on the size and shape of the gold nanoparticles synthesized in polar media for identical microwave power levels.

An ESR protocol based on relaxation phenomena of irradiated Japanese pepper

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ukai, Mitsuko; Nakamura, Hideo; Shimoyama, Yuhei

2006-03-01

We found various free radicals in a commercially available pepper in Japan before and after irradiation using electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy. The typical ESR spectrum of the pepper consists of a sextet centered at g = 2.0, a singlet at the same g-value and a singlet at g = 4.0. Upon gamma ray irradiation, a new pair of signals appeared in the pepper. The progressive saturation behavior (PSB) at various microwave power levels indicated quite different relaxation behaviors of those radicals. Namely, the peak intensity of the organic free radical component decreases in a monotonic fashion, whereas the Mn 2+ and Fe 3+ ESR signals substantially keep constant. This reflects the evidence of three independent radicals in the pepper before irradiation. The PSB of the pair peaks as induced by irradiation possessed quite different PSB from that of the free radical located at g = 2.0. We proposed a new protocol for the ESR detection of irradiated foods by the PSB method at different microwave power levels. This would call for a major modification of the CEN protocol in European Union.

Laser-activated remote phosphor light engine for projection applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Daniels, Martin; Mehl, Oliver; Hartwig, Ulrich

2015-09-01

Recent developments in blue emitting laser diodes enable attractive solutions in projection applications using phosphors for efficient light conversion with very high luminance levels. Various commercially available projectors incorporating this technology have entered the market in the past years. While luminous flux levels are still comparable to lamp-based systems, lifetime expectations of classical lamp systems are exceeded by far. OSRAM GmbH has been exploring this technology for several years and has introduced the PHASER® brand name (Phosphor + laser). State-of-the-art is a rotating phosphor wheel excited by blue laser diodes to deliver the necessary primary colors, either sequentially for single-imager projection engines, or simultaneously for 3-panel systems. The PHASER® technology enables flux and luminance scaling, which allows for smaller imagers and therefore cost-efficient projection solutions. The resulting overall efficiency and ANSI lumen specification at the projection screen of these systems is significantly determined by the target color gamut and the light transmission efficiency of the projection system. With increasing power and flux level demand, thermal issues, especially phosphor conversion related, dominate the opto-mechanical system design requirements. These flux levels are a great challenge for all components of an SSL-projection system (SSL:solid-state lighting). OSRAḾs PHASER® light engine platform is constantly expanded towards higher luminous flux levels as well as higher luminance levels for various applications. Recent experiments employ blue laser pump powers of multiple 100 Watts to excite various phosphors resulting in luminous flux levels of more than 40 klm.

Digital slip frequency generator and method for determining the desired slip frequency

DOEpatents

Klein, Frederick F.

1989-01-01

The output frequency of an electric power generator is kept constant with variable rotor speed by automatic adjustment of the excitation slip frequency. The invention features a digital slip frequency generator which provides sine and cosine waveforms from a look-up table, which are combined with real and reactive power output of the power generator.

Power of a Finite Speed Carnot Engine

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Agrawal, D. C.; Menon, V. J.

2009-01-01

A model of an endoreversible Carnot engine is considered where the piston moves with a constant speed "u." Expressions for the cycle time [tau] for the four branches, as well as output power, P[subscript W], are derived and the optimized root for maximum power is obtained in closed form. Our results are discussed in terms of the isothermal…

Physical Analysis of an Electric Resistor Heating

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perea Martins, J. E. M.

2018-01-01

This work describes a simple experiment to measure the resistor temperature as a function of the applied power and proves that it is an efficient way to introduce some important physical concepts in classroom, including the Joule's first law, hot-spot temperature, thermal resistance, thermal dissipation constant, time constant and the Newton's law…

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

AlHallak, M.; Chamoun, N.; Physikalisches Institut der Universität Bonn,Nußalle 12, D-53115 Bonn

We present a model of power law inflation generated by variation of the strong coupling constant. We then extend the model to two varying coupling constants which leads to a potential consisting of a linear combination of exponential terms. Some variants of the latter may be self-consistent and can accommodate the experimental data of the Planck 2015 and other recent experiments.

Performance Analysis of Thermoelectric Modules Consisting of Square Truncated Pyramid Elements Under Constant Heat Flux

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oki, Sae; Natsui, Shungo; Suzuki, Ryosuke O.

2018-01-01

System design of a thermoelectric (TE) power generation module is pursued in order to improve the TE performance. Square truncated pyramid shaped P-N pairs of TE elements are connected electronically in series in the open space between two flat insulator boards. The performance of the TE module consisting of 2-paired elements is numerically simulated using commercial software and original TE programs. Assuming that the heat radiating into the hot surface is regulated, i.e., the amount of heat from the hot surface to the cold one is steadily constant, as it happens for solar radiation heating, the performance is significantly improved by changing the shape and the alignment pattern of the elements. When the angle θ between the edge and the base is smaller than 72°, and when the cold surface is kept at a constant temperature, two patterns in particular, amongst the 17 studied, show the largest TE power and efficiency. In comparison to other geometries, the smarter square truncated pyramid shape can provide higher performance using a large cold bath and constant heat transfer by heat radiation.

Performance Analysis of Thermoelectric Modules Consisting of Square Truncated Pyramid Elements Under Constant Heat Flux

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oki, Sae; Natsui, Shungo; Suzuki, Ryosuke O.

2018-06-01

System design of a thermoelectric (TE) power generation module is pursued in order to improve the TE performance. Square truncated pyramid shaped P-N pairs of TE elements are connected electronically in series in the open space between two flat insulator boards. The performance of the TE module consisting of 2-paired elements is numerically simulated using commercial software and original TE programs. Assuming that the heat radiating into the hot surface is regulated, i.e., the amount of heat from the hot surface to the cold one is steadily constant, as it happens for solar radiation heating, the performance is significantly improved by changing the shape and the alignment pattern of the elements. When the angle θ between the edge and the base is smaller than 72°, and when the cold surface is kept at a constant temperature, two patterns in particular, amongst the 17 studied, show the largest TE power and efficiency. In comparison to other geometries, the smarter square truncated pyramid shape can provide higher performance using a large cold bath and constant heat transfer by heat radiation.

Rate constant for the H˙ + H2O → ˙OH + H2 reaction at elevated temperatures measured by pulse radiolysis.

PubMed

Muroya, Y; Yamashita, S; Lertnaisat, P; Sanguanmith, S; Meesungnoen, J; Jay-Gerin, J-P; Katsumura, Y

2017-11-22

Maintaining the structural integrity of materials in nuclear power plants is an essential issue associated with safe operation. Hydrogen (H 2 ) addition or injection to coolants is a powerful technique that has been widely applied such that the reducing conditions in the coolant water avoid corrosion and stress corrosion cracking (SCC). Because the radiation-induced reaction of ˙OH + H 2 → H˙ + H 2 O plays a crucial role in these systems, the rate constant has been measured at operation temperatures of the reactors (285-300 °C) by pulse radiolysis, generating sufficient data for analysis. The reverse reaction H˙ + H 2 O → ˙OH + H 2 is negligibly slow at ambient temperature; however, it accelerates considerably quickly at elevated temperatures. Although the reverse reaction reduces the effectiveness of H 2 addition, reliable rate constants have not yet been measured. In this study, the rate constants have been determined in a temperature range of 250-350 °C by pulse radiolysis in an aqueous I - solution.

Hydrophobic interactions between dissimilar surfaces

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yoon, R.H.; Flinn, D.H.; Rabinovich, Y.I.

1997-01-15

An atomic force microscope (AFM) was used to measure surface forces between a glass sphere and a silica plate. When the measurements were conducted between untreated surfaces, a short-range hydration force with decay lengths of 0.4 and 3.0 nm was observed. When the surfaces were hydrophobized with octadecyltrichlorosilane (OTS), on the other hand, long-range hydrophobic forces with decay lengths in the range of 2--32 nm were observed. The force measurements were conducted between surfaces having similar and dissimilar hydrophobicities so that the results may be used for deriving an empirical combining rule. It was found that the power law forcemore » constants for asymmetric interactions are close to the geometric means of those for symmetric interactions. Thus, hydrophobic force constants can be combined in the same manner as the Hamaker constants. A plot of the power law force constants versus water contact angles suggests that the hydrophobic force is uniquely determined by contact angle. These results will be useful in predicting hydrophobic forces for asymmetric interactions and in estimating hydrophobic forces from contact angles.« less

Raptor: An Empirical Evaluation of an Ecological Interface Designed to Increase Warfighter Cognitive Performance

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-06-01

McGuinness, 2004). Endsley (1995) portrays a warfighter’s situation valuation process through three distinct levels of SA:  Level 1 – perception...must constantly 37 know resource statuses for both the higher and intermediate organizational levels (i.e., battalion [BN] and company [CO...resource icons were held constant at the company level hierarchy, and the magnification reticule was disabled. Holding these tools constant

Broad spectrum infrared thermal desorption of wipe-based explosive and narcotic samples for trace mass spectrometric detection.

PubMed

Forbes, Thomas P; Staymates, Matthew; Sisco, Edward

2017-08-07

Wipe collected analytes were thermally desorbed using broad spectrum near infrared heating for mass spectrometric detection. Employing a twin tube filament-based infrared emitter, rapid and efficiently powered thermal desorption and detection of nanogram levels of explosives and narcotics was demonstrated. The infrared thermal desorption (IRTD) platform developed here used multi-mode heating (direct radiation and secondary conduction from substrate and subsequent convection from air) and a temperature ramp to efficiently desorb analytes with vapor pressures across eight orders of magnitude. The wipe substrate experienced heating rates up to (85 ± 2) °C s -1 with a time constant of (3.9 ± 0.2) s for 100% power emission. The detection of trace analytes was also demonstrated from complex mixtures, including plastic-bonded explosives and exogenous narcotics, explosives, and metabolites from collected artificial latent fingerprints. Manipulation of the emission power and duration directly controlled the heating rate and maximum temperature, enabling differential thermal desorption and a level of upstream separation for enhanced specificity. Transitioning from 100% power and 5 s emission duration to 25% power and 30 s emission enabled an order of magnitude increase in the temporal separation (single seconds to tens of seconds) of the desorption of volatile and semi-volatile species within a collected fingerprint. This mode of operation reduced local gas-phase concentrations, reducing matrix effects experienced with high concentration mixtures. IRTD provides a unique platform for the desorption of trace analytes from wipe collections, an area of importance to the security sector, transportation agencies, and customs and border protection.

Oxygenation, local muscle oxygen consumption and joint specific power in cycling: the effect of cadence at a constant external work rate.

PubMed

Skovereng, Knut; Ettema, Gertjan; van Beekvelt, Mireille C P

2016-06-01

The present study investigates the effect of cadence on joint specific power and oxygenation and local muscle oxygen consumption in the vastus lateralis and vastus medialis in addition to the relationship between joint specific power and local muscle oxygen consumption (mVO2). Seventeen recreationally active cyclists performed 6 stages of constant load cycling using cadences of 60, 70, 80, 90, 100 and 110 rpm. Joint specific power was calculated using inverse dynamics and mVO2 and oxygenation were measured using near-infrared spectroscopy. Increasing cadence led to increased knee joint power and decreased hip joint power while the ankle joint was unaffected. Increasing cadence also led to an increased deoxygenation in both the vastus lateralis and vastus medialis. Vastus lateralis mVO2 increased when cadence was increased. No effect of cadence was found for vastus medialis mVO2. This study demonstrates a different effect of cadence on the mVO2 of the vastus lateralis and vastus medialis. The combined mVO2 of the vastus lateralis and medialis showed a linear increase with increasing knee joint specific power, demonstrating that the muscles combined related to power generated over the joint.

Abatement of PAPR for ACO-OFDM deployed in VLC systems by frequency modulation of the baseband signal forming a constant envelope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar Singh, Vinay; Dalal, U. D.

2017-06-01

To inhibit the effect of non-linearity of the LEDs leading to a significant increase in the peak to average power ratio (PAPR) of the OFDM signals in the Visible light communication (VLC) we propose a frequency modulated constant envelope OFDM (FM CE-OFDM) technique. The abrupt amplitude variations in the OFDM signal are frequency modulated before being applied to the LED for electro-optical conversion resulting in a constant envelope signal. The LED is maintained in the linear region of operation by this constant envelope signal at sufficient DC bias. The proposed technique reduces the PAPR to the least possible value ≈0 dB. We theoretically analyze and perform numerical simulations to assess the enhancement of the proposed system. The optimal modulation index is found to be 0.3. The metrics pertaining to the evaluation of the phase discontinuity is derived and is found to be lesser for the FM CE-OFDM as compared to the phase modulated (PM) CE-OFDM. The receiver sensitivity is improved by 1.6 dB for a transmission distance of 2 m for the FM CE-OFDM as compared to the PM CE-OFDM at the FEC threshold. We compare the BER performance of the ideal OFDM (without the non linearity of LED), power back-off OFDM, PM CE-OFDM and FM CE-OFDM in an optical wireless channel (OWC) scenario. The FM CE-OFDM has an improvement of 2.1 dB SNR at the FEC threshold as compared to the PM CE-OFDM. It also shows an improvement of 11 dB when compared with the power back-off technique used in the VLC systems for 10 dB power back-off.

Polarization-Induced Interfacial Reactions between Nickel and Selenium in Ni/Zirconia SOFC Anodes and Comparison with Sulfur Poisoning

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Marina, Olga A.; Pederson, Larry R.; Coyle, Christopher A.

2011-01-10

Three distinctly different characteristic responses of a nickel/yttria-stabilized zirconia (Ni/YSZ) cermet anode to the presence of hydrogen selenide in synthetic coal gas were observed, depending on temperature (650-800oC), H2Se concentration (0-40 ppm), and especially on the extent of anodic polarization (0 to ~0.5 V). The first level of response was characterized by a rapid but modest decrease in power density to a new steady state, with no further degradation observed in tests up to 700 hours in duration. Mostly observed at high temperatures, low H2Se concentrations, and low anodic polarizations, this response level was similar to effects caused by themore » presence of H2S, but with slower onset and lower reversibility. Higher anodic polarization at a constant current could trigger a second level of response characterized by oscillatory behavior involving cycles of rapid performance loss followed by rapid recovery. Oscillations at the constant current density were accompanied by the appearance and disappearance of a new feature in the electrochemical impedance spectrum with a summit frequency of ~100 Hz. Oscillatory behavior ceased when the current density was lowered. Such behavior was not observed for cells operated at a constant potential of similar magnitude, though. A third level of response, irreversible cell failure, could be induced by further increases in anodic polarization, additionally favored by low temperature and high H2Se concentration. Post-test analyses of failed cells by electron microscopy revealed the extensive microstructural changes including the appearance of nickel oxide and nickel selenide alteration phases, only at the anode/electrolyte interface. From bulk thermochemical considerations the formation of nickel selenides could not be expected. Local chemical conditions created at the anode/electrolyte interface appear to be of overriding importance with respect to the extent of Ni/YSZ anode interactions with H2Se in coal gas.« less

Validity of the two-level model for Viterbi decoder gap-cycle performance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dolinar, S.; Arnold, S.

1990-01-01

A two-level model has previously been proposed for approximating the performance of a Viterbi decoder which encounters data received with periodically varying signal-to-noise ratio. Such cyclically gapped data is obtained from the Very Large Array (VLA), either operating as a stand-alone system or arrayed with Goldstone. This approximate model predicts that the decoder error rate will vary periodically between two discrete levels with the same period as the gap cycle. It further predicts that the length of the gapped portion of the decoder error cycle for a constraint length K decoder will be about K-1 bits shorter than the actual duration of the gap. The two-level model for Viterbi decoder performance with gapped data is subjected to detailed validation tests. Curves showing the cyclical behavior of the decoder error burst statistics are compared with the simple square-wave cycles predicted by the model. The validity of the model depends on a parameter often considered irrelevant in the analysis of Viterbi decoder performance, the overall scaling of the received signal or the decoder's branch-metrics. Three scaling alternatives are examined: optimum branch-metric scaling and constant branch-metric scaling combined with either constant noise-level scaling or constant signal-level scaling. The simulated decoder error cycle curves roughly verify the accuracy of the two-level model for both the case of optimum branch-metric scaling and the case of constant branch-metric scaling combined with constant noise-level scaling. However, the model is not accurate for the case of constant branch-metric scaling combined with constant signal-level scaling.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Haddad, D., E-mail: darine.haddad@nist.gov; Seifert, F.; Williams, C.

A precise instrument, called a watt balance, compares mechanical power measured in terms of the meter, the second, and the kilogram to electrical power measured in terms of the volt and the ohm. A direct link between mechanical action and the Planck constant is established by the practical realization of the electrical units derived from the Josephson and the quantum Hall effects. We describe in this paper the fourth-generation watt balance at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and report our initial determination of the Planck constant obtained from data taken in late 2015 and the beginning ofmore » 2016. A comprehensive analysis of the data and the associated uncertainties led to the SI value of the Planck constant, h = 6.626 069 83(22) × 10{sup −34} J s. The relative standard uncertainty associated with this result is 34 × 10{sup −9}.« less

Low-pressure hydrogen plasmas explored using a global model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Samuell, Cameron M.; Corr, Cormac S.

2016-02-01

Low-pressure hydrogen plasmas have found applications in a variety of technology areas including fusion, neutral beam injection and material processing applications. To better understand these discharges, a global model is developed to predict the behaviour of electrons, ground-state atomic and molecular hydrogen, three positive ion species (H+, \\text{H}2+ , and \\text{H}3+ ), a single negative ion species (H-), and fourteen vibrationally excited states of molecular hydrogen ({{\\text{H}}2}≤ft(\\upsilon =1\\right. -14)). The model is validated by comparison with experimental results from a planar inductively coupled GEC reference cell and subsequently applied to the MAGPIE linear helicon reactor. The MAGPIE reactor is investigated for a range of pressures from 1 to 100 mTorr and powers up to 5 kW. With increasing power between 50 W and 5 kW at 10 mTorr the density of all charged species increases as well as the dissociative fraction while the electron temperature remains almost constant at around 3 eV. For gas pressures from 1-100 mTorr at an input power of 1 kW, the electron density remains almost constant, the electron temperature and dissociative fraction decreases, while \\text{H}3+ density increases in density and also dominates amongst ion species. Across these power and pressure scans, electronegativity remains approximately constant at around 2.5%. The power and pressure determines the dominant ion species in the plasma with \\text{H}3+ observed to dominate at high pressures and low powers whereas H+ tends to be dominant at low pressures and high powers. A sensitivity analysis is used to demonstrate how experimental parameters (power, pressure, reactor wall material, geometry etc) influence individual species’ density as well as the electron temperature. Physical reactor changes including the length, radius and wall recombination coefficient are found to have the largest influence on outputs obtained from the model.

Increasing ankle push-off work with a powered prosthesis does not necessarily reduce metabolic rate for transtibial amputees.

PubMed

Quesada, Roberto E; Caputo, Joshua M; Collins, Steven H

2016-10-03

Amputees using passive ankle-foot prostheses tend to expend more metabolic energy during walking than non-amputees, and reducing this cost has been a central motivation for the development of active ankle-foot prostheses. Increased push-off work at the end of stance has been proposed as a way to reduce metabolic energy use, but the effects of push-off work have not been tested in isolation. In this experiment, participants with unilateral transtibial amputation (N=6) walked on a treadmill at a constant speed while wearing a powered prosthesis emulator. The prosthesis delivered different levels of ankle push-off work across conditions, ranging from the value for passive prostheses to double the value for non-amputee walking, while all other prosthesis mechanics were held constant. Participants completed six acclimation sessions prior to a data collection in which metabolic rate, kinematics, kinetics, muscle activity and user satisfaction were recorded. Metabolic rate was not affected by net prosthesis work rate (p=0.5; R 2 =0.007). Metabolic rate, gait mechanics and muscle activity varied widely across participants, but no participant had lower metabolic rate with higher levels of push-off work. User satisfaction was affected by push-off work (p=0.002), with participants preferring values of ankle push-off slightly higher than in non-amputee walking, possibly indicating other benefits. Restoring or augmenting ankle push-off work is not sufficient to improve energy economy for lower-limb amputees. Additional necessary conditions might include alternate timing or control, individualized tuning, or particular subject characteristics. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

New perspectives on constant-roll inflation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cicciarella, Francesco; Mabillard, Joel; Pieroni, Mauro

2018-01-01

We study constant-roll inflation using the β-function formalism. We show that the constant rate of the inflaton roll is translated into a first order differential equation for the β-function which can be solved easily. The solutions to this equation correspond to the usual constant-roll models. We then construct, by perturbing these exact solutions, more general classes of models that satisfy the constant-roll equation asymptotically. In the case of an asymptotic power law solution, these corrections naturally provide an end to the inflationary phase. Interestingly, while from a theoretical point of view (in particular in terms of the holographic interpretation) these models are intrinsically different from standard slow-roll inflation, they may have phenomenological predictions in good agreement with present cosmological data.

An analog RF gap voltage regulation system for the Advanced Photon Source storage ring.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Horan, D.

1999-04-13

An analog rf gap voltage regulation system has been designed and built at Argonne National Laboratory to maintain constant total storage ring rf gap voltage, independent of beam loading and cavity tuning effects. The design uses feedback control of the klystron mod-anode voltage to vary the amount of rf power fed to the storage ring cavities. The system consists of two independent feedback loops, each regulating the combined rf gap voltages of eight storage ring cavities by varying the output power of either one or two rf stations, depending on the mode of operation. It provides full operator control andmore » permissive logic to permit feedback control of the rf system output power only if proper conditions are met. The feedback system uses envelope-detected cavity field probe outputs as the feedback signal. Two different methods of combining the individual field probe signals were used to generate a relative DC level representing one-half of the total storage ring rf voltage, an envelope-detected vector sum of the field probe rf signals, and the DC sum of individual field probe envelope detector outputs. The merits of both methods are discussed. The klystron high-voltage power supply (HVPS) units are fitted with an analog interface for external control of the mod-anode voltage level, using a four-quadrant analog multiplier to modulate the HVPS mod-anode voltage regulator set-point in response to feedback system commands.« less

Feasibility of water injection into the turbine coolant to permit gas turbine contingency power for helicopter application

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vanfossen, G. J.

1983-01-01

A system which would allow a substantially increased output from a turboshaft engine for brief periods in emergency situations with little or no loss of turbine stress rupture life is proposed and studied analytically. The increased engine output is obtained by overtemperaturing the turbine; however, the temperature of the compressor bleed air used for hot section cooling is lowered by injecting and evaporating water. This decrease in cooling air temperature can offset the effect of increased gas temperature and increased shaft speed and thus keep turbine blade stress rupture life constant. The analysis utilized the NASA-Navy-Engine-Program or NNEP computer code to model the turboshaft engine in both design and off-design modes. This report is concerned with the effect of the proposed method of power augmentation on the engine cycle and turbine components. A simple cycle turboshaft engine with a 16:1 pressure ratio and a 1533 K (2760 R) turbine inlet temperature operating at sea level static conditions was studied to determine the possible power increase and the effect on turbine stress rupture life that could be expected using the proposed emergency cooling scheme. The analysis showed a 54 percent increse in output power can be achieved with no loss in gas generator turbine stress rupture life. A 231 K (415 F) rise in turbine inlet temperature is required for this level of augmentation. The required water flow rate was found to be .0109 kg water per kg of engine air flow.

Reaction wheels for kinetic energy storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Studer, P. A.

1984-11-01

In contrast to all existing reaction wheel implementations, an order of magnitude increase in speed can be obtained efficiently if power to the actuators can be recovered. This allows a combined attitude control-energy storage system to be developed with structure mounted reaction wheels. The feasibility of combining reaction wheels with energy storage wwheels is demonstrated. The power required for control torques is a function of wheel speed but this energy is not dissipated; it is stored in the wheel. The I(2)R loss resulting from a given torque is shown to be constant, independent of the design speed of the motor. What remains, in order to efficiently use high speed wheels (essential for energy storage) for control purposes, is to reduce rotational losses to acceptable levels. Progress was made in permanent magnet motor design for high speed operation. Variable field motors offer more control flexibility and efficiency over a broader speed range.

Framework for power and activity factor allocation in a multiclass CDMA system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Xinzhou; Srikant, Rayadurgam

2001-07-01

We consider a multimedia CDMA uplink where there are multiple classes of users with different Quality-of-Service (QoS) requirements. Each user is modeled as an ON-OFF source, where in the ON state, the user transmits a fixed number of bits in each time slot and in the OFF state, the user is silent. The probability of being in the ON state, known as the activity factor, could be different for different users. Assuming a constant channel gain, we first characterize the set of transmit power levels, activity factors and number of users in each class that can be supported by a system with a given spreading gain under the constraint that each user's QoS requirement must be met. Using this characterization, we then present a utility function-based algorithm for choosing the activity factors of elastic users in the network.

Reaction wheels for kinetic energy storage

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Studer, P. A.

1984-01-01

In contrast to all existing reaction wheel implementations, an order of magnitude increase in speed can be obtained efficiently if power to the actuators can be recovered. This allows a combined attitude control-energy storage system to be developed with structure mounted reaction wheels. The feasibility of combining reaction wheels with energy storage wwheels is demonstrated. The power required for control torques is a function of wheel speed but this energy is not dissipated; it is stored in the wheel. The I(2)R loss resulting from a given torque is shown to be constant, independent of the design speed of the motor. What remains, in order to efficiently use high speed wheels (essential for energy storage) for control purposes, is to reduce rotational losses to acceptable levels. Progress was made in permanent magnet motor design for high speed operation. Variable field motors offer more control flexibility and efficiency over a broader speed range.

A power-law coupled three-form dark energy model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yao, Yan-Hong; Yan, Yang-Jie; Meng, Xin-He

2018-02-01

We consider a field theory model of coupled dark energy which treats dark energy as a three-form field and dark matter as a spinor field. By assuming the effective mass of dark matter as a power-law function of the three-form field and neglecting the potential term of dark energy, we obtain three solutions of the autonomous system of evolution equations, including a de Sitter attractor, a tracking solution and an approximate solution. To understand the strength of the coupling, we confront the model with the latest Type Ia Supernova, Baryon Acoustic Oscillations and Cosmic Microwave Background radiation observations, with the conclusion that the combination of these three databases marginalized over the present dark matter density parameter Ω _{m0} and the present three-form field κ X0 gives stringent constraints on the coupling constant, - 0.017< λ <0.047 (2σ confidence level), by which we present the model's applicable parameter range.

Axial force and efficiency tests of fixed center variable speed belt drive

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bents, D. J.

1981-01-01

An investigation of how the axial force varies with the centerline force at different speed ratios, speeds, and loads, and how the drive's transmission efficiency is affected by these related forces is described. The tests, intended to provide a preliminary performance and controls characterization for a variable speed belt drive continuously variable transmission (CVT), consisted of the design and construction of an experimental test rig geometrically similar to the CVT, and operation of that rig at selected speed ratios and power levels. Data are presented which show: how axial forces exerted on the driver and driven sheaves vary with the centerline force at constant values of speed ratio, speed, and output power; how the transmission efficiency varies with centerline force and how it is also a function of the V belt coefficient; and the axial forces on both sheaves as normalized functions of the traction coefficient.

Nonlinear evolution of f(R) cosmologies. II. Power spectrum

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Oyaizu, Hiroaki; Hu, Wayne; Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of Chicago, Chicago Illinois 60637

2008-12-15

We carry out a suite of cosmological simulations of modified action f(R) models where cosmic acceleration arises from an alteration of gravity instead of dark energy. These models introduce an extra scalar degree of freedom which enhances the force of gravity below the inverse mass or Compton scale of the scalar. The simulations exhibit the so-called chameleon mechanism, necessary for satisfying local constraints on gravity, where this scale depends on environment, in particular, the depth of the local gravitational potential. We find that the chameleon mechanism can substantially suppress the enhancement of power spectrum in the nonlinear regime if themore » background field value is comparable to or smaller than the depth of the gravitational potentials of typical structures. Nonetheless power spectrum enhancements at intermediate scales remain at a measurable level for models even when the expansion history is indistinguishable from a cosmological constant, cold dark matter model. Simple scaling relations that take the linear power spectrum into a nonlinear spectrum fail to capture the modifications of f(R) due to the change in collapsed structures, the chameleon mechanism, and the time evolution of the modifications.« less

Pulse Power Capability Of High Energy Density Capacitors Based on a New Dielectric Material

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Winsor, Paul; Scholz, Tim; Hudis, Martin; Slenes, Kirk M.

1999-01-01

A new dielectric composite consisting of a polymer coated onto a high-density metallized Kraft has been developed for application in high energy density pulse power capacitors. The polymer coating is custom formulated for high dielectric constant and strength with minimum dielectric losses. The composite can be wound and processed using conventional wound film capacitor manufacturing equipment. This new system has the potential to achieve 2 to 3 J/cu cm whole capacitor energy density at voltage levels above 3.0 kV, and can maintain its mechanical properties to temperatures above 150 C. The technical and manufacturing development of the composite material and fabrication into capacitors are summarized in this paper. Energy discharge testing, including capacitance and charge-discharge efficiency at normal and elevated temperatures, as well as DC life testing were performed on capacitors manufactured using this material. TPL (Albuquerque, NM) has developed the material and Aerovox (New Bedford, MA) has used the material to build and test actual capacitors. The results of the testing will focus on pulse power applications specifically those found in electro-magnetic armor and guns, high power microwave sources and defibrillators.

Combat aircraft operations: Training requirements for the German Air Force tactical flying units and the noise problem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jertz, W.

1992-04-01

The deterrence potential of an Air Force, and by that the capability to fulfill their mission in times of war, relies on threat oriented training in peacetime. Low level flying is a major tactical means to help aircrews reduce the anticipated threat imposed to them by enemy air defence systems to an acceptable degree. The demand for this capability applies also to air defence tasks against attacking fighter bombers. Military low level flying requires a high degree of proficiency, which can only be reached and maintained by constant training. A high performance level is then the key to air power. The possibilities for this kind of necessary training are restricted by superior demands concerning, amongst others, flying safety and environmental reasons. Too intensive restrictions might reduce the fighting capability of the wings to such an extent, that mission fulfillment could be seriously endangered.

Loads produced by a suited subject performing tool tasks without the use of foot restraints

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rajulu, Sudhakar L.; Poliner, Jeffrey; Klute, Glenn K.

1993-01-01

With an increase in the frequency of extravehicular activities (EVA's) aboard the Space Shuttle, NASA is interested in determining the capabilities of suited astronauts while performing manual tasks during an EVA, in particular the situations in which portable foot restraints are not used to stabilize the astronauts. Efforts were made to document the forces that are transmitted to spacecraft while pushing and pulling an object as well as while operating a standard wrench and an automatic power tool. The six subjects studied aboard the KC-135 reduced gravity aircraft were asked to exert a maximum torque and to maintain a constant level of torque with a wrench, to push and pull an EVA handrail, and to operate a Hubble Space Telescope (HST) power tool. The results give an estimate of the forces and moments that an operator will transmit to the handrail as well as to the supporting structure. In general, it was more effective to use the tool inwardly toward the body rather than away from the body. There were no differences in terms of strength capabilities between right and left hands. The power tool was difficult to use. It is suggested that ergonomic redesigning of the power tool may increase the efficiency of power tool use.

Performance analysis of electronic power transformer based on neuro-fuzzy controller.

PubMed

Acikgoz, Hakan; Kececioglu, O Fatih; Yildiz, Ceyhun; Gani, Ahmet; Sekkeli, Mustafa

2016-01-01

In recent years, electronic power transformer (EPT), which is also called solid state transformer, has attracted great interest and has been used in place of the conventional power transformers. These transformers have many important functions as high unity power factor, low harmonic distortion, constant DC bus voltage, regulated output voltage and compensation capability. In this study, proposed EPT structure contains a three-phase pulse width modulation rectifier that converts 800 Vrms AC to 2000 V DC bus at input stage, a dual active bridge converter that provides 400 V DC bus with 5:1 high frequency transformer at isolation stage and a three-phase two level inverter that is used to obtain AC output at output stage. In order to enhance dynamic performance of EPT structure, neuro fuzzy controllers which have durable and nonlinear nature are used in input and isolation stages instead of PI controllers. The main aim of EPT structure with the proposed controller is to improve the stability of power system and to provide faster response against disturbances. Moreover, a number of simulation results are carried out to verify EPT structure designed in MATLAB/Simulink environment and to analyze compensation ability for voltage harmonics, voltage flicker and voltage sag/swell conditions.

Bifurcation Analysis of a DC-DC Bidirectional Power Converter Operating with Constant Power Loads

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cristiano, Rony; Pagano, Daniel J.; Benadero, Luis; Ponce, Enrique

Direct current (DC) microgrids (MGs) are an emergent option to satisfy new demands for power quality and integration of renewable resources in electrical distribution systems. This work addresses the large-signal stability analysis of a DC-DC bidirectional converter (DBC) connected to a storage device in an islanding MG. This converter is responsible for controlling the balance of power (load demand and generation) under constant power loads (CPLs). In order to control the DC bus voltage through a DBC, we propose a robust sliding mode control (SMC) based on a washout filter. Dynamical systems techniques are exploited to assess the quality of this switching control strategy. In this sense, a bifurcation analysis is performed to study the nonlinear stability of a reduced model of this system. The appearance of different bifurcations when load parameters and control gains are changed is studied in detail. In the specific case of Teixeira Singularity (TS) bifurcation, some experimental results are provided, confirming the mathematical predictions. Both a deeper insight in the dynamic behavior of the controlled system and valuable design criteria are obtained.

A novel high performance ESD power clamp circuit with a small area

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhaonian, Yang; Hongxia, Liu; Li, Li; Qingqing, Zhuo

2012-09-01

A MOSFET-based electrostatic discharge (ESD) power clamp circuit with only a 10 ns RC time constant for a 0.18-μm process is proposed. A diode-connected NMOSFET is used to maintain a long delay time and save area. The special structure overcomes other shortcomings in this clamp circuit. Under fast power-up events, the gate voltage of the clamp MOSFET does not rise as quickly as under ESD events, the special structure can keep the clamp MOSFET thoroughly off. Under a falsely triggered event, the special structure can turn off the clamp MOSFET in a short time. The clamp circuit can also reject the power supply noise effectively. Simulation results show that the clamp circuit avoids fast false triggering events such as a 30 ns/1.8 V power-up, maintains a 1.2 μs delay time and a 2.14 μs turn-off time, and reduces to about 70% of the RC time constant. It is believed that the proposed clamp circuit can be widely used in high-speed integrated circuits.

A Project Assessment of Stabilizing System of WT Generation using Rechargeable Battery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kojima, Yasuhiro; Takano, Tomihiro; Tanikawa, Ryoichi; Takagi, Tetsuro; Hirooka, Koutaro; Kumagai, Sadatoshi

The expansion of the renewable energy introduction is examined as measures for controlling global warming. Wind power generation is expected as effective power resource, but the negative impact from the difficulty of an unstable output is concerned. In recent years, WT generation with contract of cut-of with shorting adjusting power and with rechargeable battery for stabilizing control are examined, but the introduction has not been accelerated yet because there is an influence in WT generation entrepreneur's business. In this paper, we make a brief summary of relation between the fluctuation of wind power generation and stability of electric power operation, and two types of approach; cut-off contract and stabilization using rechargeable battery. For the stabilization using battery, there are two methods, one is reduction control and the other is constant control. We propose a new control method for constant control based on profit optimization considering WT generation forecast and its risk of deviation. We also propose the estimation method for the .limitation of battery installation. Simulation results show the efficiency of our proposed methods.

Effect of Several Factors on the Cooling of a Radial Engine in Flight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schey, Oscar W; Pinkel, Benjamin

1936-01-01

Flight tests of a Grumman Scout (XSF-2) airplane fitted with a Pratt & Whitney 1535 supercharged engine were conducted to determine the effect of engine power, mass flow of the cooling air, and atmospheric temperature on cylinder temperature. The tests indicated that the difference in temperature between the cylinder wall and the cooling air varied as the 0.38 power of the brake horsepower for a constant mass flow of cooling air, cooling-air temperature, engine speed, and brake fuel consumption. The difference in temperature was also found to vary inversely as the 0.39 power of the mass flow for points on the head and the 0.35 power for points on the barrel, provided that engine power, engine speed, brake fuel consumption, and cooling-air temperature were kept constant. The results of the tests of the effect of atmospheric temperature on cylinder temperature were inconclusive owing to unfavorable weather conditions prevailing at the time of the tests. The method used for controlling the test conditions, however, was found to be feasible.

The independent effects of speed and propulsive force on joint power generation in walking.

PubMed

Browne, Michael G; Franz, Jason R

2017-04-11

Walking speed is modulated using propulsive forces (F P ) during push-off and both preferred speed and F P decrease with aging. However, even prior to walking slower, reduced F P may be accompanied by potentially unfavorable changes in joint power generation. For example, compared to young adults, older adults exhibit a redistribution of mechanical power generation from the propulsive plantarflexor muscles to more proximal muscles acting across the knee and hip. Here, we used visual biofeedback based on real-time F P measurements to decouple and investigate the interaction between joint-level coordination, whole-body F P , and walking speed. 12 healthy young subjects walked on a dual-belt instrumented treadmill at a range of speeds (0.9-1.3m/s). We immediately calculated the average F P from each speed. Subjects then walked at 1.3m/s while completing a series of biofeedback trials with instructions to match their instantaneous F P to their averaged F P from slower speeds. Walking slower decreased F P and total positive joint work with little effect on relative joint-level contributions. Conversely, subjects walked at a constant speed with reduced F P , not by reducing total positive joint work, but by redistributing the mechanical demands of each step from the plantarflexor muscles during push-off to more proximal leg muscles during single support. Interestingly, these naturally emergent joint- and limb-level biomechanical changes, in the absence of neuromuscular constraints, resemble those due to aging. Our findings provide important reference data to understand the presumably complex interactions between joint power generation, whole-body F P , and walking speed in our aging population. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

When the Hegemony Studies the Minority--An Israeli Jewish Researcher Studies Druze Women: Transformations of Power, Alienation, and Affinity in the Field

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weiner-Levy, Naomi

2009-01-01

This study describes the positionality and power relations revealed during research on women in Israel's Druze minority, conducted by a Jewish woman in the country's hegemonic society. Although the researcher's position and power appear obvious, changes took place constantly, reflecting her unstable position as a stranger, "outsider" or…

Implementation of Four-Phase Interleaved Balance Charger for Series-Connected Batteries with Power Factor Correction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Juan, Y. L.; Lee, Y. T.; Lee, Y. L.; Chen, L. L.; Huang, M. L.

2017-11-01

A four-phase interleaved balance charger for series-connected batteries with power factor correction is proposed in this dissertation. In the two phases of two buckboost converters, the rectified ac power is firstly converted to a dc link capacitor. In the other two phases of two flyback converters, the rectified ac power is directly converted to charge the corresponding batteries. Additionally, the energy on the leakage inductance of flyback converter is bypassed to the dc link capacitor. Then, a dual-output balance charging circuit is connected to the dc link to deliver the dc link power to charge two batteries in the series-connected batteries module. The constant-current/constant-voltage charging strategy is adopted. Finally, a prototype of the proposed charger with rated power 500 W is constructed. From the experimental results, the performance and validity of the proposed topology are verified. Compared to the conventional topology with passive RCD snubber, the efficiency of the proposed topology is improved about 3% and the voltage spike on the active switch is also reduced. The efficiency of the proposed charger is at least 83.6 % within the CC/CV charging progress.

Research on Stabilization Properties of Inductive-Capacitive Transducers Based on Hybrid Electromagnetic Elements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Konesev, S. G.; Khazieva, R. T.; Kirllov, R. V.; Konev, A. A.

2017-01-01

Some electrical consumers (the charge system of storage capacitor, powerful pulse generators, electrothermal systems, gas-discharge lamps, electric ovens, plasma torches) require constant power consumption, while their resistance changes in the limited range. Current stabilization systems (CSS) with inductive-capacitive transducers (ICT) provide constant power, when the load resistance changes over a wide range and increaseы the efficiency of high-power loads’ power supplies. ICT elements are selected according to the maximum load, which leads to exceeding a predetermined value of capacity. The paper suggests carrying load power by the ICT based on multifunction integrated electromagnetic components (MIEC) to reduce the predetermined capacity of ICT elements and CSS weights and dimensions. The authors developed and patented ICT based on MIEC that reduces the CSS weights and dimensions by reducing components number with the possibility of device’s electric energy transformation and resonance frequency changing. An ICT mathematical model was produced. The model determines the width of the load stabilization range. Electromagnetic processes study model was built with the MIEC integral parameters (full inductance of the electrical lead, total capacity, current of electrical lead). It shows independence of the load current from the load resistance for different ways of MIEC connection.

Investigation of a generator system for generating electrical power, to supply directly to the public network, using a windmill

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tromp, C.

1979-01-01

A windpowered generator system is described which uses a windmill to convert mechanical energy to electrical energy for a three phase (network) voltage of constant amplitude and frequency. The generator system controls the windmill by the number of revolutions so that the power drawn from the wind for a given wind velocity is maximum. A generator revolution which is proportional to wind velocity is achieved. The stator of the generator is linked directly to the network and a feed converter at the rotor takes care of constant voltage and frequency at the stator.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bissa, Shivangi; Naruka, Preeti; Bishnoi, Nidhi

In the present study the dielectric optical response of various nanostructures of ZnO deposited on silica substrate has been studied using Maxwell-Garnett Effective Medium Theory. Using the volume filling factors for different nanostructures of ZnO the effective dielectric constant has been evaluated. The variation of this effective dielectric constant with the frequency of applied signal has been investigated. Moreover, the reflectance of the film, power absorption and variation of refractive index with frequency has been studied. The results obtained show that the quantum confinement effects in ZnO nano-structural films deposited on silica substrate give rise to distinct optical properties makingmore » it an ideal choice for high power THz generation.« less

Inhibition of calcium carbonate crystal growth by organic additives using the constant composition method in conditions of recirculating cooling circuits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chhim, Norinda; Kharbachi, Chams; Neveux, Thibaut; Bouteleux, Céline; Teychené, Sébastien; Biscans, Béatrice

2017-08-01

The cooling circuits used in power plants are subject to mineral crystallization which can cause scaling on the surfaces of equipment and construction materials reducing their heat exchange efficiency. Precipitated calcium carbonate is the predominant mineral scale commonly observed in cooling systems. Supersaturation is the key parameter controlling the nucleation and growth of calcite in these systems. The present work focuses on the precipitation of calcite using the constant composition method at constant supersaturation, through controlled addition of reactants to a semi-batch crystallizer, in order to maintain constant solution pH. The determination of the thermodynamic driving force (supersaturation) was based on the relevant chemical equilibria, total alkalinity and calculation of the activity coefficients. Calcite crystallization rates were derived from the experiments performed at supersaturation levels similar to those found in industrial station cooling circuits. Several types of seeds particles were added into the aqueous solution to mimic natural river water conditions in terms of suspended particulate matters content, typically: calcite, silica or illite particles. The effect of citric and copolycarboxylic additive inhibitors added to the aqueous solution was studied. The calcium carbonate growth rate was reduced by 38.6% in the presence of the citric additive and a reduction of 92.7% was observed when the copolycarboxylic additive was used under identical experimental conditions. These results are explained by the location of the adsorbed inhibitor at the crystal surface and by the degree of chemical bonding to the surface.

Electrical Power Subsystem Integration and Test for the NPS Solar Cell Array Tester CubeSat

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-12-01

Earth’s Gravitational Constant MCU Microcontroller Unit MPPT Maximum Power Point Tracker NiCr Nickel Chromium NPS Naval Postgraduate School P...new testing platform was designed, built, and used to conduct integrated testing on CubeSat Kit (CSK) compatible devices. The power budgets and...acceptance test results obtained from the testing platform were used with a solar array power generation simulation, and a battery state of charge

Temperature and pressure effects on capacitance probe cryogenic liquid level measurement accuracy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Edwards, Lawrence G.; Haberbusch, Mark

1993-01-01

The inaccuracies of liquid nitrogen and liquid hydrogen level measurements by use of a coaxial capacitance probe were investigated as a function of fluid temperatures and pressures. Significant liquid level measurement errors were found to occur due to the changes in the fluids dielectric constants which develop over the operating temperature and pressure ranges of the cryogenic storage tanks. The level measurement inaccuracies can be reduced by using fluid dielectric correction factors based on measured fluid temperatures and pressures. The errors in the corrected liquid level measurements were estimated based on the reported calibration errors of the temperature and pressure measurement systems. Experimental liquid nitrogen (LN2) and liquid hydrogen (LH2) level measurements were obtained using the calibrated capacitance probe equations and also by the dielectric constant correction factor method. The liquid levels obtained by the capacitance probe for the two methods were compared with the liquid level estimated from the fluid temperature profiles. Results show that the dielectric constant corrected liquid levels agreed within 0.5 percent of the temperature profile estimated liquid level. The uncorrected dielectric constant capacitance liquid level measurements deviated from the temperature profile level by more than 5 percent. This paper identifies the magnitude of liquid level measurement error that can occur for LN2 and LH2 fluids due to temperature and pressure effects on the dielectric constants over the tank storage conditions from 5 to 40 psia. A method of reducing the level measurement errors by using dielectric constant correction factors based on fluid temperature and pressure measurements is derived. The improved accuracy by use of the correction factors is experimentally verified by comparing liquid levels derived from fluid temperature profiles.

Experimental Study on Scale-Up of Solid-Liquid Stirred Tank with an Intermig Impeller

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Hongliang; Zhao, Xing; Zhang, Lifeng; Yin, Pan

2017-02-01

The scale-up of a solid-liquid stirred tank with an Intermig impeller was characterized via experiments. Solid concentration, impeller just-off-bottom speed and power consumption were measured in stirred tanks of different scales. The scale-up criteria for achieving the same effect of solid suspension in small-scale and large-scale vessels were evaluated. The solids distribution improves if the operating conditions are held constant as the tank is scaled-up. The results of impeller just-off-bottom speed gave X = 0.868 in the scale-up relationship ND X = constant. Based on this criterion, the stirring power per unit volume obviously decreased at N = N js, and the power number ( N P) was approximately equal to 0.3 when the solids are uniformly distributed in the vessels.

Mission Advantages of Constant Power, Variable Isp Electrostatic Thrusters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oleson, Steven R.

2000-01-01

Electric propulsion has moved from station-keeping capability for spacecraft to primary propulsion with the advent of both the Deep Space One asteroid flyby and geosynchronous spacecraft orbit insertion. In both cases notably more payload was delivered than would have been possible with chemical propulsion. To provide even greater improvements electrostatic thruster performance could be varied in specific impulse, but kept at constant power to provide better payload or trip time performance for different mission phases. Such variable specific impulse mission applications include geosynchronous and low earth orbit spacecraft stationkeeping and orbit insertion, geosynchronous reusable tug missions, and interplanetary probes. The application of variable specific impulse devices is shown to add from 5 to 15% payload for these missions. The challenges to building such devices include variable voltage power supplies and extending fuel throughput capabilities across the specific impulse range.

A Rationale for Incorporating Extemporaneous Lincoln-Douglas Debate into Individual Events Tournaments.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huebner, Thomas M., Jr.

Intercollegiate competitive speech and debate is at a crossroads requiring massive reforms, or the academic exercise will lose its power to provide lasting benefits. Likewise, the scope of individual events is in a constant state of change. One constant, however, is the value of extemporaneous speaking which encompasses many of the ideals…

Physical analysis of an electric resistor heating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perea Martins, J. E. M.

2018-05-01

This work describes a simple experiment to measure the resistor temperature as a function of the applied power and proves that it is an efficient way to introduce some important physical concepts in classroom, including the Joule’s first law, hot-spot temperature, thermal resistance, thermal dissipation constant, time constant and the Newton’s law of cooling.

Prediction of Metabolite Concentrations, Rate Constants and Post-Translational Regulation Using Maximum Entropy-Based Simulations with Application to Central Metabolism of Neurospora crassa

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cannon, William; Zucker, Jeremy; Baxter, Douglas

We report the application of a recently proposed approach for modeling biological systems using a maximum entropy production rate principle in lieu of having in vivo rate constants. The method is applied in four steps: (1) a new ODE-based optimization approach based on Marcelin’s 1910 mass action equation is used to obtain the maximum entropy distribution, (2) the predicted metabolite concentrations are compared to those generally expected from experiment using a loss function from which post-translational regulation of enzymes is inferred, (3) the system is re-optimized with the inferred regulation from which rate constants are determined from the metabolite concentrationsmore » and reaction fluxes, and finally (4) a full ODE-based, mass action simulation with rate parameters and allosteric regulation is obtained. From the last step, the power characteristics and resistance of each reaction can be determined. The method is applied to the central metabolism of Neurospora crassa and the flow of material through the three competing pathways of upper glycolysis, the non-oxidative pentose phosphate pathway, and the oxidative pentose phosphate pathway are evaluated as a function of the NADP/NADPH ratio. It is predicted that regulation of phosphofructokinase (PFK) and flow through the pentose phosphate pathway are essential for preventing an extreme level of fructose 1, 6-bisphophate accumulation. Such an extreme level of fructose 1,6-bisphophate would otherwise result in a glassy cytoplasm with limited diffusion, dramatically decreasing the entropy and energy production rate and, consequently, biological competitiveness.« less

A feasibility study and mission analysis for the Hybrid Plume Plasma Rocket

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sullivan, Daniel J.; Micci, Michael M.

1990-01-01

The Hybrid Plume Plasma Rocket (HPPR) is a high power electric propulsion concept which is being developed at the MIT Plasma Fusion Center. This paper presents a theoretical overview of the concept as well as the results and conclusions of an independent study which has been conducted to identify and categorize those technologies which require significant development before the HPPR can be considered a viable electric propulsion device. It has been determined that the technologies which require the most development are high power radio-frequency and microwave generation for space applications and the associated power processing units, low mass superconducting magnets, a reliable, long duration, multi-megawatt space nuclear power source, and long term storage of liquid hydrogen propellant. In addition to this, a mission analysis of a one-way transfer from low earth orbit (LEO) to Mars indicates that a constant acceleration thrust profile, which can be obtained using the HPPR, results in faster trip times and greater payload capacities than those afforded by more conventional constant thrust profiles.

A spread-spectrum modem using constant envelope BPSK for a mobile satellite communications terminal

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Iizuka, N.; Yamashita, A.; Takenaka, S.; Morikawa, E.; Ikegami, T.

1990-01-01

This paper describes a 5-kilobit/s spread spectrum modem with a 1.275 mega-Hz chip rate for mobile satellite communications. We used a Viterbi decoder with a coding gain of 7.8 dB at a BER of 10(exp -5) to decrease the required receiver power. This reduces the cost of communication services. The spread spectrum technique makes the modem immune to terrestrial radio signals and keeps it from causing interference in terrestrial radio systems. A class C power amplifier reduces the modem's power consumption. To avoid nonlinear distortion caused by the amplifier, the envelope of the input signal is kept constant by adding quadrature channel signal to the BPSK signal. To simulate the worst case, we measured the modem's output spectrum using a limiting amplifier instead of the class C amplifier, and found that 99 percent of the spectral power was confined to the specified 2.55 mega-Hz bandwidth.

Modeling of the thermal physical process and study on the reliability of linear energy density for selective laser melting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiang, Zhaowei; Yin, Ming; Dong, Guanhua; Mei, Xiaoqin; Yin, Guofu

2018-06-01

A finite element model considering volume shrinkage with powder-to-dense process of powder layer in selective laser melting (SLM) is established. Comparison between models that consider and do not consider volume shrinkage or powder-to-dense process is carried out. Further, parametric analysis of laser power and scan speed is conducted and the reliability of linear energy density as a design parameter is investigated. The results show that the established model is an effective method and has better accuracy allowing for the temperature distribution, and the length and depth of molten pool. The maximum temperature is more sensitive to laser power than scan speed. The maximum heating rate and cooling rate increase with increasing scan speed at constant laser power and increase with increasing laser power at constant scan speed as well. The simulation results and experimental result reveal that linear energy density is not always reliable using as a design parameter in the SLM.

Alternate energy source usage methods for in situ heat treatment processes

DOEpatents

Stone, Jr., Francis Marion; Goodwin, Charles R; Richard, Jr., James E

2014-10-14

Systems, methods, and heaters for treating a subsurface formation are described herein. At least one method for providing power to one or more subsurface heaters is described herein. The method may include monitoring one or more operating parameters of the heaters, the intermittent power source, and a transformer coupled to the intermittent power source that transforms power from the intermittent power source to power with appropriate operating parameters for the heaters; and controlling the power output of the transformer so that a constant voltage is provided to the heaters regardless of the load of the heaters and the power output provided by the intermittent power source.

Investigation of self-excited induction generators for wind turbine applications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Muljadi, E.; Butterfield, C.P.; Sallan, J.

2000-02-28

The use of squirrel-cage induction machines in wind generation is widely accepted as a generator of choice. The squirrel-cage induction machine is simple, reliable, cheap, lightweight, and requires very little maintenance. Generally, the induction generator is connected to the utility at constant frequency. With a constant frequency operation, the induction generator operates at practically constant speed (small range of slip). The wind turbine operates in optimum efficiency only within a small range of wind speed variation. The variable-speed operation allows an increase in energy captured and reduces both the torque peaks in the drive train and the power fluctuations sentmore » to the utility. In variable-speed operation, an induction generator needs an interface to convert the variable frequency output of the generator to the fixed frequency at the utility. This interface can be simplified by using a self-excited generator because a simple diode bridge is required to perform the ac/dc conversion. The subsequent dc/ac conversion can be performed using different techniques. The use of a thyristor bridge is readily available for large power conversion and has a lower cost and higher reliability. The firing angle of the inverter bridge can be controlled to track the optimum power curve of the wind turbine. With only diodes and thyristors used in power conversion, the system can be scaled up to a very high voltage and high power applications. This paper analyzes the operation of such a system applied to a 1/3-hp self-excited induction generator. It includes the simulations and tests performed for the different excitation configurations.« less

Resurrecting the Power-law, Intermediate, and Logamediate Inflations in the DBI Scenario with Constant Sound Speed

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amani, Roonak; Rezazadeh, Kazem; Abdolmaleki, Asrin; Karami, Kayoomars

2018-02-01

We investigate the power-law, intermediate, and logamediate inflationary models in the framework of DBI non-canonical scalar field with constant sound speed. In the DBI setting, we first represent the power spectrum of both scalar density and tensor gravitational perturbations. Then, we derive different inflationary observables including the scalar spectral index n s , the running of the scalar spectral index {{dn}}s/d{ln}k, and the tensor-to-scalar ratio r. We show that the 95% CL constraint of the Planck 2015 T + E data on the non-Gaussianity parameter {f}{NL}{DBI} leads to the sound speed bound {c}s≥slant 0.087 in the DBI inflation. Moreover, our results imply that, although the predictions of the power-law, intermediate, and logamediate inflations in the standard canonical framework (c s = 1) are not consistent with the Planck 2015 data, in the DBI scenario with constant sound speed {c}s< 1, the result of the r-{n}s diagram for these models can lie inside the 68% CL region favored by Planck 2015 TT,TE,EE+lowP data. We also specify the parameter space of the power-law, intermediate, and logamediate inflations for which our models are compatible with the 68% or 95% CL regions of the Planck 2015 TT,TE,EE+lowP data. Using the allowed ranges of the parameter space of the intermediate and logamediate inflationary models, we estimate the running of the scalar spectral index and find that it is compatible with the 95% CL constraint from the Planck 2015 TT,TE,EE+lowP data.

The impact of frequency on the performance of microwave ablation.

PubMed

Sawicki, James F; Shea, Jacob D; Behdad, Nader; Hagness, Susan C

2017-02-01

The use of higher frequencies in percutaneous microwave ablation (MWA) may offer compelling interstitial antenna design advantages over the 915 MHz and 2.45 GHz frequencies typically employed in current systems. To evaluate the impact of higher frequencies on ablation performance, we conducted a comprehensive computational and experimental study of microwave absorption and tissue heating as a function of frequency. We performed electromagnetic and thermal simulations of MWA in ex vivo and in vivo porcine muscle at discrete frequencies in the 1.9-26 GHz range. Ex vivo ablation experiments were performed in the 1.9-18 GHz range. We tracked the size of the ablation zone across frequency for constant input power and ablation duration. Further, we conducted simulations to investigate antenna feed line heating as a function of frequency, input power, and cable diameter. As the frequency was increased from 1.9 to 26 GHz the resulting ablation zone dimensions decreased in the longitudinal direction while remaining relatively constant in the radial direction; thus at higher frequencies the overall ablation zone was more spherical. However, cable heating at higher frequencies became more problematic for smaller diameter cables at constant input power. Comparably sized ablation zones are achievable well above 1.9 GHz, despite increasingly localised power absorption. Specific absorption rate alone does not accurately predict ablation performance, particularly at higher frequencies where thermal diffusion plays an important role. Cable heating due to ohmic losses at higher frequencies may be controlled through judicious choices of input power and cable diameter.

The 'Critical Power' Concept: Applications to Sports Performance with a Focus on Intermittent High-Intensity Exercise.

PubMed

Jones, Andrew M; Vanhatalo, Anni

2017-03-01

The curvilinear relationship between power output and the time for which it can be sustained is a fundamental and well-known feature of high-intensity exercise performance. This relationship 'levels off' at a 'critical power' (CP) that separates power outputs that can be sustained with stable values of, for example, muscle phosphocreatine, blood lactate, and pulmonary oxygen uptake ([Formula: see text]), from power outputs where these variables change continuously with time until their respective minimum and maximum values are reached and exercise intolerance occurs. The amount of work that can be done during exercise above CP (the so-called W') is constant but may be utilized at different rates depending on the proximity of the exercise power output to CP. Traditionally, this two-parameter CP model has been employed to provide insights into physiological responses, fatigue mechanisms, and performance capacity during continuous constant power output exercise in discrete exercise intensity domains. However, many team sports (e.g., basketball, football, hockey, rugby) involve frequent changes in exercise intensity and, even in endurance sports (e.g., cycling, running), intensity may vary considerably with environmental/course conditions and pacing strategy. In recent years, the appeal of the CP concept has been broadened through its application to intermittent high-intensity exercise. With the assumptions that W' is utilized during work intervals above CP and reconstituted during recovery intervals below CP, it can be shown that performance during intermittent exercise is related to four factors: the intensity and duration of the work intervals and the intensity and duration of the recovery intervals. However, while the utilization of W' may be assumed to be linear, studies indicate that the reconstitution of W' may be curvilinear with kinetics that are highly variable between individuals. This has led to the development of a new CP model for intermittent exercise in which the balance of W' remaining ([Formula: see text]) may be calculated with greater accuracy. Field trials of athletes performing stochastic exercise indicate that this [Formula: see text] model can accurately predict the time at which W' tends to zero and exhaustion is imminent. The [Formula: see text] model potentially has important applications in the real-time monitoring of athlete fatigue progression in endurance and team sports, which may inform tactics and influence pacing strategy.

A fully integrated oven controlled microelectromechanical oscillator – Part II. Characterization and measurement

DOE PAGES

Wojciechowski, Kenneth E.; Olsson, Roy H.

2015-06-24

Our paper reports the measurement and characterization of a fully integrated oven controlled microelectromechanical oscillator (OCMO). The OCMO takes advantage of high thermal isolation and monolithic integration of both aluminum nitride (AlN) micromechanical resonators and electronic circuitry to thermally stabilize or ovenize all the components that comprise an oscillator. Operation at microscale sizes allows implementation of high thermal resistance platform supports that enable thermal stabilization at very low-power levels when compared with the state-of-the-art oven controlled crystal oscillators. A prototype OCMO has been demonstrated with a measured temperature stability of -1.2 ppb/°C, over the commercial temperature range while using tensmore » of milliwatts of supply power and with a volume of 2.3 mm 3 (not including the printed circuit board-based thermal control loop). Additionally, due to its small thermal time constant, the thermal compensation loop can maintain stability during fast thermal transients (>10 °C/min). This new technology has resulted in a new paradigm in terms of power, size, and warm up time for high thermal stability oscillators.« less

Wide-temperature integrated operational amplifier

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mojarradi, Mohammad (Inventor); Levanas, Greg (Inventor); Chen, Yuan (Inventor); Cozy, Raymond S. (Inventor); Greenwell, Robert (Inventor); Terry, Stephen (Inventor); Blalock, Benjamin J. (Inventor)

2009-01-01

The present invention relates to a reference current circuit. The reference circuit comprises a low-level current bias circuit, a voltage proportional-to-absolute temperature generator for creating a proportional-to-absolute temperature voltage (VPTAT), and a MOSFET-based constant-IC regulator circuit. The MOSFET-based constant-IC regulator circuit includes a constant-IC input and constant-IC output. The constant-IC input is electrically connected with the VPTAT generator such that the voltage proportional-to-absolute temperature is the input into the constant-IC regulator circuit. Thus the constant-IC output maintains the constant-IC ratio across any temperature range.

Analysis of High Switching Frequency Quasi-Z-Source Photovoltaic Inverter Using Wide Bandgap Devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kayiranga, Thierry

Power inverters continue to play a key role in todays electrical system more than ever. Power inverters employ power semiconductors to converter direct current (DC) into alternating current (AC). The performance of the semiconductors is based on speed and efficiency. Until recently, Silicon (Si) semiconductors had been established as mature. However, the continuous optimization and improvements in the production process of Si to meet today technology requirements have pushed Si materials to their theoretical limits. In an effort to find a suitable replacement, wide bandgap devices mainly Gallium Nitride (GaN) and Silicon Carbide (SiC), have proved to be excellent candidates offering high operation temperature, high blocking voltage and high switching frequency; of which the latter makes GaN a better candidate in high switching low voltage in Distributed Generations (DG). The single stage Quasi-Z-Source Inverter (qZSI) is also able to draw continuous and constant current from the source making ideal for PV applications in addition to allowing shoot-through states. The qZSI find best applications in medium level ranges where multiples qZS inverters can be cascaded (qZS-CMI) by combining the benefit of the qZSI, boost capabilities and continuous and constant input current, and those of the CMI, low output harmonic content and independent MPPT. When used with GaN devices operating at very high frequency, the qZS network impedance can be significantly reduced. However, the impedance network becomes asymmetric. The asymmetric impedance network (AIN-qZSI) has several advantages such as increased power density, increases system lifetime, small size volume and size making it more attractive for module integrated converter (MIC) concepts. However, there are technical challenges. With asymmetric component, resonance is introduced in the system leading to more losses and audible noise. With small inductances, new operation states become available further increasing the system complexity. This report investigates the AIN-qZSI and present solutions to aforementioned issues.

Stochastic dynamics of small ensembles of non-processive molecular motors: The parallel cluster model

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Erdmann, Thorsten; Albert, Philipp J.; Schwarz, Ulrich S.

2013-11-07

Non-processive molecular motors have to work together in ensembles in order to generate appreciable levels of force or movement. In skeletal muscle, for example, hundreds of myosin II molecules cooperate in thick filaments. In non-muscle cells, by contrast, small groups with few tens of non-muscle myosin II motors contribute to essential cellular processes such as transport, shape changes, or mechanosensing. Here we introduce a detailed and analytically tractable model for this important situation. Using a three-state crossbridge model for the myosin II motor cycle and exploiting the assumptions of fast power stroke kinetics and equal load sharing between motors inmore » equivalent states, we reduce the stochastic reaction network to a one-step master equation for the binding and unbinding dynamics (parallel cluster model) and derive the rules for ensemble movement. We find that for constant external load, ensemble dynamics is strongly shaped by the catch bond character of myosin II, which leads to an increase of the fraction of bound motors under load and thus to firm attachment even for small ensembles. This adaptation to load results in a concave force-velocity relation described by a Hill relation. For external load provided by a linear spring, myosin II ensembles dynamically adjust themselves towards an isometric state with constant average position and load. The dynamics of the ensembles is now determined mainly by the distribution of motors over the different kinds of bound states. For increasing stiffness of the external spring, there is a sharp transition beyond which myosin II can no longer perform the power stroke. Slow unbinding from the pre-power-stroke state protects the ensembles against detachment.« less

Alternative Line Coding Scheme with Fixed Dimming for Visible Light Communication

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Niaz, M. T.; Imdad, F.; Kim, H. S.

2017-01-01

An alternative line coding scheme called fixed-dimming on/off keying (FD-OOK) is proposed for visible-light communication (VLC). FD-OOK reduces the flickering caused by a VLC transmitter and can maintain a 50% dimming level. Simple encoder and decoder are proposed which generates codes where the number of bits representing one is same as the number of bits representing zero. By keeping the number of ones and zeros equal the change in the brightness of lighting may be minimized and kept constant at 50%, thereby reducing the flickering in VLC. The performance of FD-OOK is analysed with two parameters: the spectral efficiency and power requirement.

Tests of Transport Theory and Reduced Impurity Influx with Highly Radiative Plasmas in TFTR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hill, K. W.

1997-11-01

The electron and ion temperature profiles in beam-heated plasmas were observed to be remarkably invariant when radiative losses were increased significantly through gas puffing of high-Z impurities (argon, krypton, xenon) in the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor. Without impurity puffing, radiative losses accounted for typically only ~ 25\\char'45 of the input power and the radiation profile was strongly peaked at the plasma edge, where the dominant carbon impurity was not fully stripped. At central electron temperatures, T_eo, of ~ 6 keV, trace concentrations of krypton and xenon (n_z/ne ~ 10-3) generated flat and centrally peaked radiation profiles respectively, and a significant fraction of the input power (45-100\\char'45 ) was lost through radiation. This loss provided a nearly ideal technique for studying local heat transport in tokamaks because it perturbed the net heating profile strongly and in a measureable way, with little effect on the density and the beam deposition profiles. In supershot plasmas, Ti >> T_e, the ion temperature profile remained constant, or even increased modestly, as the radiated power fraction was increased to 75-90\\char'45 with krypton and xenon. This observation is surprising because ion-electron coupling is the dominant power loss term for the ions in the core of supershot plasmas, and the central Ti would have decreased a factor of two if the local ion thermal diffusivity had remained constant at its value without impurity puffing. In L-mode plasmas where ion-electron power coupling is a smaller term in the power balance, the electron temperature during impurity puffing also changed only ~ 10-15\\char'45 even as the net power flow through the electrons was decreased by a factor of ~ 3. The ``stiffness" of the temperature profiles to net input power is supportive of transport mechanisms which have a marginal-stability character. Preliminary comparisons of the temperature changes with predictions of the IFS/PPPL transport model,(M. Kotschenreuther, W. Dorland, M. A. Beer, and G. W. Hammett, Phys. Plasmas 2, 2381 (1995)) which has strong marginal-stability behavior, are reasonable; more detailed comparisons are in progress. Use of high-Z radiators did not impair fusion performance, confirming they can be used to reduce the heat flux to the plasma facing components with minimal ion dilution. At input power level s of 30-33 MW, enhanced radiation through krypton and xenon puffing eliminated serious carbon influx (carbon ``blooms") which occurred in comparable plasmas without impurity puffing.

FEM Simulation of Small Wind Power Generating System Using PMSG

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kesamaru, Katsumi; Ohno, Yoshihiro; Sonoda, Daisuke

The paper describes a new approach to simulate the small wind power generating systems using PMSG, in which the output is connected to constant resistive load, such as heaters, through the rectifier and the dc chopper. The dynamics of the wind power generating system is presented, and it is shown by simulation results that this approach is useful for system dynamics, such as starting phenomena.

Control scheme for power modulation of a free piston Stirling engine

DOEpatents

Dhar, Manmohan

1989-01-01

The present invention relates to a control scheme for power modulation of a free-piston Stirling engine-linear alternator power generator system. The present invention includes connecting an autotransformer in series with a tuning capacitance between a linear alternator and a utility grid to maintain a constant displacement to piston stroke ratio and their relative phase angle over a wide range of operating conditions.

Learning to walk with an adaptive gain proportional myoelectric controller for a robotic ankle exoskeleton.

PubMed

Koller, Jeffrey R; Jacobs, Daniel A; Ferris, Daniel P; Remy, C David

2015-11-04

Robotic ankle exoskeletons can provide assistance to users and reduce metabolic power during walking. Our research group has investigated the use of proportional myoelectric control for controlling robotic ankle exoskeletons. Previously, these controllers have relied on a constant gain to map user's muscle activity to actuation control signals. A constant gain may act as a constraint on the user, so we designed a controller that dynamically adapts the gain to the user's myoelectric amplitude. We hypothesized that an adaptive gain proportional myoelectric controller would reduce metabolic energy expenditure compared to walking with the ankle exoskeleton unpowered because users could choose their preferred control gain. We tested eight healthy subjects walking with the adaptive gain proportional myoelectric controller with bilateral ankle exoskeletons. The adaptive gain was updated each stride such that on average the user's peak muscle activity was mapped to maximal power output of the exoskeleton. All subjects participated in three identical training sessions where they walked on a treadmill for 50 minutes (30 minutes of which the exoskeleton was powered) at 1.2 ms(-1). We calculated and analyzed metabolic energy consumption, muscle recruitment, inverse kinematics, inverse dynamics, and exoskeleton mechanics. Using our controller, subjects achieved a metabolic reduction similar to that seen in previous work in about a third of the training time. The resulting controller gain was lower than that seen in previous work (β=1.50±0.14 versus a constant β=2). The adapted gain allowed users more total ankle joint power than that of unassisted walking, increasing ankle power in exchange for a decrease in hip power. Our findings indicate that humans prefer to walk with greater ankle mechanical power output than their unassisted gait when provided with an ankle exoskeleton using an adaptive controller. This suggests that robotic assistance from an exoskeleton can allow humans to adopt gait patterns different from their normal choices for locomotion. In our specific experiment, subjects increased ankle power and decreased hip power to walk with a reduction in metabolic cost. Future exoskeleton devices that rely on proportional myolectric control are likely to demonstrate improved performance by including an adaptive gain.

A Large-scale Search for Evidence of Quasi-periodic Pulsations in Solar Flares

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Inglis, A. R.; Ireland, J.; Dennis, B. R.; Hayes, L.; Gallagher, P.

2016-12-01

The nature of quasi-periodic pulsations (QPP) in solar flares is poorly constrained, and critically the general prevalence of such signals in solar flares is unknown. Therefore, we perform a large-scale search for evidence of signals consistent with QPP in solar flares, focusing on the 1-300 s timescale. We analyze 675 M- and X-class flares observed by the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) series in 1-8 Å soft X-rays between 2011 February 1 and 2015 December 31. Additionally, over the same era we analyze Fermi/Gamma-ray Burst Monitor (GBM) 15-25 keV X-ray data for each of these flares associated with a Fermi/GBM solar flare trigger, a total of 261 events. Using a model comparison method, we determine whether there is evidence for a substantial enhancement in the Fourier power spectrum that may be consistent with a QPP signature, based on three tested models; a power-law plus a constant, a broken power-law plus constant, and a power-law-plus-constant with an additional QPP signature component. From this, we determine that ˜30% of GOES events and ˜8% of Fermi/GBM events show strong signatures consistent with classical interpretations of QPP. For the remaining events either two or more tested models cannot be strongly distinguished from each other, or the events are well-described by single power-law or broken power-law Fourier power spectra. For both instruments, a preferred characteristic timescale of ˜5-30 s was found in the QPP-like events, with no dependence on flare magnitude in either GOES or GBM data. We also show that individual events in the sample show similar characteristic timescales in both GBM and GOES data sets. We discuss the implications of these results for our understanding of solar flares and possible QPP mechanisms.

A Large-Scale Search for Evidence of Quasi-Periodic Pulsations in Solar Flares

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Inglis, A. R.; Ireland, J.; Dennis, B. R..; Hayes, L.; Gallagher, P.

2016-01-01

The nature of quasi-periodic pulsations (QPP) in solar flares is poorly constrained, and critically the general prevalence of such signals in solar flares is unknown. Therefore, we perform a large-scale search for evidence of signals consistent with QPP in solar flares, focusing on the 1300 s timescale. We analyze 675 M- and X-class flares observed by the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) series in 18 soft X-rays between 2011 February 1 and 2015 December 31. Additionally, over the same era we analyze Fermi/Gamma-ray Burst Monitor (GBM) 1525 keV X-ray data for each of these flares associated with a Fermi/GBM solar flare trigger, a total of 261 events. Using a model comparison method, we determine whether there is evidence for a substantial enhancement in the Fourier power spectrum that may be consistent with a QPP signature, based on three tested models; a power-law plus a constant, a broken power-law plus constant, and a power-law-plus-constant with an additional QPP signature component. From this, we determine that approx. 30% of GOES events and approx. 8% of Fermi/GBM events show strong signatures consistent with classical interpretations of QPP. For the remaining events either two or more tested models cannot be strongly distinguished from each other, or the events are well-described by single power-law or broken power-law Fourier power spectra. For both instruments, a preferred characteristic time-scale of approx. 5-30 s was found in the QPP-like events, with no dependence on flare magnitude in either GOES or GBM data. We also show that individual events in the sample show similar characteristic time-scales in both GBM and GOES data sets. We discuss the implications of these results for our understanding of solar flares and possible QPP mechanisms.

A LARGE-SCALE SEARCH FOR EVIDENCE OF QUASI-PERIODIC PULSATIONS IN SOLAR FLARES

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Inglis, A. R.; Ireland, J.; Dennis, B. R.

The nature of quasi-periodic pulsations (QPP) in solar flares is poorly constrained, and critically the general prevalence of such signals in solar flares is unknown. Therefore, we perform a large-scale search for evidence of signals consistent with QPP in solar flares, focusing on the 1–300 s timescale. We analyze 675 M- and X-class flares observed by the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) series in 1–8 Å soft X-rays between 2011 February 1 and 2015 December 31. Additionally, over the same era we analyze Fermi /Gamma-ray Burst Monitor (GBM) 15–25 keV X-ray data for each of these flares associated with amore » Fermi /GBM solar flare trigger, a total of 261 events. Using a model comparison method, we determine whether there is evidence for a substantial enhancement in the Fourier power spectrum that may be consistent with a QPP signature, based on three tested models; a power-law plus a constant, a broken power-law plus constant, and a power-law-plus-constant with an additional QPP signature component. From this, we determine that ∼30% of GOES events and ∼8% of Fermi /GBM events show strong signatures consistent with classical interpretations of QPP. For the remaining events either two or more tested models cannot be strongly distinguished from each other, or the events are well-described by single power-law or broken power-law Fourier power spectra. For both instruments, a preferred characteristic timescale of ∼5–30 s was found in the QPP-like events, with no dependence on flare magnitude in either GOES or GBM data. We also show that individual events in the sample show similar characteristic timescales in both GBM and GOES data sets. We discuss the implications of these results for our understanding of solar flares and possible QPP mechanisms.« less

Differential modeling of anaerobic and aerobic metabolism in the 800-m and 1,500-m run.

PubMed

Billat, Véronique; Hamard, Laurence; Koralsztein, Jean Pierre; Morton, R Hugh

2009-08-01

This study examined the hypothesis that running speed over 800- and 1,500-m races is regulated by the prevailing anaerobic (oxygen independent) store (ANS) at each instant of the race up until the all-out phase of the race over the last several meters. Therefore, we hypothesized that the anaerobic power that allows running above the speed at maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) is regulated by ANS, and as a consequence the time limit at the anaerobic power (tlim PAN=ANS/PAN) is constant until the final sprint. Eight 800-m and seven 1,500-m male runners performed an incremental test to measure VO2max and the minimal velocity associated with the attainment of VO2max (vVO2max), referred to as maximal aerobic power, and ran the 800-m or 1,500-m race with the intent of achieving the lowest time possible. Anaerobic power (PAN) was measured as the difference between total power and aerobic power, and instantaneous ANS as the difference between end-race and instantaneous accumulated oxygen deficits. In 800 m and 1,500 m, tlim PAN was constant during the first 70% of race time in both races. Furthermore, the 1,500-m performance was significantly correlated with tlim PAN during this period (r=-0.92, P<0.01), but the 800-m performance was not (r=-0.05, P=0.89), although it was correlated with the end-race oxygen deficit (r=-0.70, P=0.05). In conclusion, this study shows that in middle-distance races over both 800 m and 1,500 m, the speed variations during the first 70% of the race time serve to maintain constant the time to exhaustion at the instantaneous anaerobic power. This observation is consistent with the hypothesis that at any instant running speed is controlled by the ANS remaining.

The covariant entropy conjecture and concordance cosmological models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Song; Zhang, Hongbao

2008-10-01

Recently a covariant entropy conjecture has been proposed for dynamical horizons. We apply this conjecture to concordance cosmological models, namely, those cosmological models filled with perfect fluids, in the presence of a positive cosmological constant. As a result, we find that this conjecture has a severe constraint power. Not only does this conjecture rule out those cosmological models disfavored by the anthropic principle, but also it imposes an upper bound 10-60 on the cosmological constant for our own universe, which thus provides an alternative macroscopic perspective for understanding the long-standing cosmological constant problem.

Load positioning system with gravity compensation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hollow, R. H.

1984-01-01

A load positioning system with gravity compensation has a servomotor, position sensing feedback potentiometer and velocity sensing tachometer in a conventional closed loop servo arrangement to cause a lead screw and a ball nut to vertically position a load. Gravity compensating components comprise the DC motor, gears, which couple torque from the motor to the lead screw, and constant current power supply. The constant weight of the load applied to the lead screw via the ball nut tend to cause the lead screw to rotate, the constant torque of which is opposed by the constant torque produced by the motor when fed from the constant current source. The constant current is preset as required by the potentiometer to effect equilibration of the load which thereby enables the positioning servomotor to see the load as weightless under both static and dynamic conditions. Positioning acceleration and velocity performance are therefore symmetrical.

Virtual Inertia: Current Trends and Future Directions

DOE PAGES

Tamrakar, Ujjwol; Shrestha, Dipesh; Maharjan, Manisha; ...

2017-06-26

The modern power system is progressing from a synchronous machine-based system towards an inverter-dominated system, with a large-scale penetration of renewable energy sources (RESs) like wind and photovoltaics. RES units today represent a major share of the generation, and the traditional approach of integrating themas grid following units can lead to frequency instability. Many researchers have pointed towards using inverters with virtual inertia control algorithms so that they appear as synchronous generators to the grid, maintaining and enhancing system stability. Our paper presents a literature review of the current state-of-the-art of virtual inertia implementation techniques, and explores potential research directionsmore » and challenges. The major virtual inertia topologies are compared and classified. Through literature review and simulations of some selected topologies it has been shown that similar inertial response can be achieved by relating the parameters of these topologies through time constants and inertia constants, although the exact frequency dynamics may vary slightly. The suitability of a topology depends on system control architecture and desired level of detail in replication of the dynamics of synchronous generators. We present a discussion on the challenges and research directions which points out several research needs, especially for systems level integration of virtual inertia systems.« less

Virtual Inertia: Current Trends and Future Directions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tamrakar, Ujjwol; Shrestha, Dipesh; Maharjan, Manisha

The modern power system is progressing from a synchronous machine-based system towards an inverter-dominated system, with a large-scale penetration of renewable energy sources (RESs) like wind and photovoltaics. RES units today represent a major share of the generation, and the traditional approach of integrating themas grid following units can lead to frequency instability. Many researchers have pointed towards using inverters with virtual inertia control algorithms so that they appear as synchronous generators to the grid, maintaining and enhancing system stability. Our paper presents a literature review of the current state-of-the-art of virtual inertia implementation techniques, and explores potential research directionsmore » and challenges. The major virtual inertia topologies are compared and classified. Through literature review and simulations of some selected topologies it has been shown that similar inertial response can be achieved by relating the parameters of these topologies through time constants and inertia constants, although the exact frequency dynamics may vary slightly. The suitability of a topology depends on system control architecture and desired level of detail in replication of the dynamics of synchronous generators. We present a discussion on the challenges and research directions which points out several research needs, especially for systems level integration of virtual inertia systems.« less

Monitoring techniques for the X-29A aircraft's high-speed rotating power takeoff shaft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Voracek, David F.

1990-01-01

The experimental X-29A forward swept-wing aircraft has many unique and critical systems that require constant monitoring during ground or flight operation. One such system is the power takeoff shaft, which is the mechanical link between the engine and the aircraft-mounted accessory drive. The X-29A power takeoff shaft opertes in a range between 0 and 16,810 rpm, is longer than most jet engine power takeoff shafts, and is made of graphite epoxy material. Since the X-29A aircraft operates on a single engine, failure of the shaft during flight could lead to loss of the aircraft. The monitoring techniques and test methods used during power takeoff shaft ground and flight operations are discussed. Test data are presented in two case studies where monitoring and testing of the shaft dynamics proved instrumental in discovering and isolating X-29A power takeoff shaft problems. The first study concerns the installation of an unbalanced shaft. The effect of the unbalance on the shaft vibration data and the procedure used to correct the problem are discussed. The second study deals with the shaft exceeding the established vibration limits during flight. This case study found that the vibration of connected rotating machinery unbalances contributed to the excessive vibration level of the shaft. The procedures used to identify the contributions of other rotating machinery unbalances to the power takeoff shaft unbalance are discussed.

Scalar field and time varying cosmological constant in f(R,T) gravity for Bianchi type-I universe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, G. P.; Bishi, Binaya K.; Sahoo, P. K.

2016-04-01

In this article, we have analysed the behaviour of scalar field and cosmological constant in $f(R,T)$ theory of gravity. Here, we have considered the simplest form of $f(R,T)$ i.e. $f(R,T)=R+2f(T)$, where $R$ is the Ricci scalar and $T$ is the trace of the energy momentum tensor and explored the spatially homogeneous and anisotropic Locally Rotationally Symmetric (LRS) Bianchi type-I cosmological model. It is assumed that the Universe is filled with two non-interacting matter sources namely scalar field (normal or phantom) with scalar potential and matter contribution due to $f(R,T)$ action. We have discussed two cosmological models according to power law and exponential law of the volume expansion along with constant and exponential scalar potential as sub models. Power law models are compatible with normal (quintessence) and phantom scalar field whereas exponential volume expansion models are compatible with only normal (quintessence) scalar field. The values of cosmological constant in our models are in agreement with the observational results. Finally, we have discussed some physical and kinematical properties of both the models.

Pressure dependence of the absolute rate constant for the reaction OH + C2H2 from 228 to 413K

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Michael, J. V.; Nava, D. F.; Borokowski, R. P.; Payne, W. A.; Stief, L. J.

1980-01-01

The pressure dependence of absolute rate constants for the reaction of OH + C2H2 yields products has been examined at five temperatures ranging from 228 to 413 K. The experimental techniques which was used is flash photolysis-resonance fluoresence. OH was produced by water photolysis and hydroxyl resonance fluorescent photons were measured by multiscaling techniques. The results indicate that the low pressure bimolecular rate constant is 4 x 10 the the minus 13th power cu cm molecule (-1) s(-1) over the temperature range studied. A substantial increase in the bimolecular rate constant with an increase in pressure was observed at all temperatures except 228 K. This indicates the importance of initial adduct formation and subsequent stablization. The high pressure results are well represented by the Arrhenius expression (k sub bi) sub infinity = (6.83 + or - 1.19) x 10 to the minus 12th power exp(-646 + or - 47/T)cu cm molecule (-1) s(-1). The results are compared to previous investigated and are theoretically discussed. The implications of these results on modeling of terrestrial and planetary atmospheres and also in combustion chemistry are discussed.

Cosmologies with varying speed of light: kinematic tests

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Câmara, C. S.; Carvalho, J. C.; de Garcia Maia, M. R.

2003-08-01

In the last few years, there have appeared in the literature several models with variation of the fundamental constants of Nature, such as the speed of light (c), the elementary electric charge (e) and the Planck constant (h). The two main motivations for such interest are: (i) observations related to quasars that seem to indicate the fine structure constant is changing with time and (ii) the possibility that these models may solve some long standing problems of the standard cosmological model, without the need for inflation. In the present work, we obtain the expressions for lookback time, age of the universe, luminosity distance, angular diameter, and galaxy number counts versus redshift for the cosmological models with a power law dependence of the speed of light on the scale factor and the Hubble parameter. The Lorentz invariance and the principle of the general covariance are violated and the gravitational field equations have the same form as Einstein field equations with cosmological constant in a preferred reference frame postulated by the theory. We analyse the closed, open and flat Friedmann-Robertson-Walker (FRW) geometries. We have also obtained the limits imposed by the kinematic tests for the exponents m and n of the power laws of these models.

Zonal Wave Number 2 Rossby Wave (3.5-day oscillation) Over The Martian Lower Atmosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghosh, P.; Thokuluwa, R. K.

2013-12-01

Over the Mars, height (800-50 Pascal pressure coordinate) profiles of temperature (K), measured by radio occultation technique during the MGS (Mars Global Surveyor) mission, obtained for the period of 1-10 January 2006 at the Martian latitude of ~63N in almost all the longitudes are analyzed to study the characteristics of the 3.5-day oscillation. To avoid significant data gaps in a particular longitude sector, we selected a set of 7 Mars longitude regions with ranges of 0-30E, 35-60E, 65-95E, 190-230E, 250-280E, 290-320E, and 325-360E to study the global characteristics of the 3.5-day oscillation. The 3.5-day oscillation is not selected as a-priori but observed as a most significant oscillation during this period of 1-10 January 2006. It is observed that in the longitude of 0-30E, the 3.5-day oscillation shows statistically significant power (above the 95% confidence level white noise) from the lowest height (800 Pascal, 8 hPa) itself and up to the height of 450 Pascal level with the maximum power of ~130 K^2 at the 600 & 650 Pascal levels. It started to grow from the power of ~ 50 K^2 at the lowest height of 800 Pascal level and reached the maximum power in the height of 600-650 Pascal level and then it started to get lessened monotonously up to the height of 450 Pascal level where its power is ~ 20 K^2. Beyond this height and up to the height of 50 Pascal level, the wave amplitude is below the white noise level. As the phase of the wave is almost constant at all the height levels, it seems that the observed 3.5-day oscillation is a stationary wave with respect to the height. In the 35-60 E longitude sector, the vertical structure of the 3.5-day oscillation is similar to what observed for the 0-30 E longitude region but the power is statistically insignificant at all the heights. However in the 65-95E longitude sector, the wave grows from the lowest level (70 K^2) of 800 Pascal to its maximum power of 280 K^2 in the height of 700 Pascal level and then it started to get decreasing monotonously to the statistically significant lowest power of 20 K^2 in the height of 450 Pascal level. Similar to the 0-30E longitude region, there is no significant wave in all the heights above the 450 Pascal level. The 190-230 E region shows similar wave characteristics (both the power and height structure) as observed for the 0-30 E region. This would indicate that the here reporting 3.5 day wave might be associated with eastward propagating (observed the zonal phase speed of ~0.5 days per 30 degree longitude) wave number 2 Rossby wave as the wave shows similar characteristics in the two longitude regions of 0-30E and 190-230 E with the longitudinal interval of 180 degrees. Peculiarly, in the 250-280 E region, the wave shows maximum power (120 K^2) in the two heights of 550 and 700 Pascal levels. As a further support for the zonal wave number 2 structure, there is no significant 3.5-day oscillation in all the height levels in the 290-320 E longitude region which is similar to what observed in the 35-60E longitude sector. A detailed investigation of this 3.5 day oscillation will be presented also for other periods of different years.

AUTOMOTIVE DIESEL MAINTENANCE 2. UNIT II, MECHANICAL TRANSMISSIONS.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Human Engineering Inst., Cleveland, OH.

THIS MODULE OF A 25-MODULE COURSE IS DESIGNED TO DEVELOP AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF MECHANICAL TRANSMISSIONS USED ON DIESEL POWERED VEHICLES. TOPICS ARE (1) PURPOSE OF TRANSMISSIONS, (2) RATIO DIFFERENCE, (3) CONSTANT MESH TRANSMISSIONS, (4) FOUR-SPEED TRUCK TRANSMISSION POWER FLOW, AND (5) TRANSMISSION TROUBLESHOOTING.…

Annotated Bibliography on Relative Motion

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-03-01

displace the sheave, and motive means operating the power ram. Preferably, the power run is subjected to i constant upward pneumatic force to provide...NCIEI- Report N- 1187 (Oct 1971). The theory is de\\ eloped for the swinging rmotion induced in a wire suspended load due to the hori7zontal motion of a

Defeating Insider Attacks via Autonomic Self-Protective Networks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sibai, Faisal M.

2012-01-01

There has been a constant growing security concern with insider attacks on network accessible computer systems. Users with power credentials can do almost anything they want with the systems they own with very little control or oversight. Most breaches occurring nowadays by power users are considered legitimate access and not necessarily…

Performance of a Cylindrical Hall-Effect Thruster with Magnetic Field Generated by Permanent Magnets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Polzin, Kurt A.; Raitses, Yevgeny; Fisch, Nathaniel J.

2008-01-01

While Hall thrusters can operate at high efficiency at kW power levels, it is difficult to construct one that operates over a broad envelope down to 100W while maintaining an efficiency of 45- 55%. Scaling to low power while holding the main dimensionless parameters constant requires a decrease in the thruster channel size and an increase in the magnetic field strength. Increasing the magnetic field becomes technically challenging since the field can saturate the miniaturized inner components of the magnetic circuit and scaling down the magnetic circuit leaves very little room for magnetic pole pieces and heat shields. An alternative approach is to employ a cylindrical Hall thruster (CHT) geometry. Laboratory model CHTs have operated at power levels ranging from the order of 50 Watts up to 1 kW. These thrusters exhibit performance characteristics which are comparable to conventional, annular Hall thrusters of similar size. Compared to the annular Hall thruster, the CHT has a lower insulator surface area to discharge chamber volume ratio. Consequently, there is the potential for reduced wall losses in the channel of a CHT, and any reduction in wall losses should translate into lower channel heating rates and reduced erosion. This makes the CHT geometry promising for low-power applications. Recently, a CHT that uses permanent magnets to produce the magnetic field topology was tested. This thruster has the promise of reduced power consumption over previous CHT iterations that employed electromagnets. Data are presented for two purposes: to expose the effect different controllable parameters have on the discharge and to summarize performance measurements (thrust, Isp, efficiency) obtained using a thrust stand. These data are used to gain insight into the thruster's operation and to allow for quantitative comparisons between the permanent magnet CHT and the electromagnet CHT.

Flat-topped beam transmittance in anisotropic non-Kolmogorov turbulent marine atmosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ata, Yalçın; Baykal, Yahya

2017-10-01

Turbulence affects optical propagation, and, as a result, the intensity is attenuated along the path of propagation. The attenuation becomes significant when the turbulence becomes stronger. Transmittance is a measure indicating how much power is collected at the receiver after the optical wave propagates in the turbulent medium. The on-axis transmittance is formulated when a flat-topped optical beam propagates in a marine atmosphere experiencing anisotropic non-Kolmogorov turbulence. Variations in the transmittance are evaluated versus the beam source size, beam number, link distance, power law exponent, anisotropy factor, and structure constant. It is found that larger beam source sizes and beam numbers yield higher transmittance values; however, as the link distance, power law exponent, anisotropy factor, or structure constant increase, transmittance values are lowered. Our results will help in the performance evaluations of optical wireless communication and optical imaging systems operating in a marine atmosphere.

Efficiency at maximum power of a chemical engine.

PubMed

Hooyberghs, Hans; Cleuren, Bart; Salazar, Alberto; Indekeu, Joseph O; Van den Broeck, Christian

2013-10-07

A cyclically operating chemical engine is considered that converts chemical energy into mechanical work. The working fluid is a gas of finite-sized spherical particles interacting through elastic hard collisions. For a generic transport law for particle uptake and release, the efficiency at maximum power η(mp) [corrected] takes the form 1/2+cΔμ+O(Δμ(2)), with 1∕2 a universal constant and Δμ the chemical potential difference between the particle reservoirs. The linear coefficient c is zero for engines featuring a so-called left/right symmetry or particle fluxes that are antisymmetric in the applied chemical potential difference. Remarkably, the leading constant in η(mp) [corrected] is non-universal with respect to an exceptional modification of the transport law. For a nonlinear transport model, we obtain η(mp) = 1/(θ + 1) [corrected], with θ > 0 the power of Δμ in the transport equation.

Design and Implement of Low Ripple and Quasi-digital Power Supply

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiangli, Li; Yanjun, Wei; Hanhong, Qi; Yan, Ma

A switch linearity hybrid power supply based on single chip microcomputer is designed which merged the merits of the switching and linear power supply. Main circuit includes pre-regulator which works in switching mode and series regulator which works in linear mode. Two-stage regulation mode was adopted in the main circuit of the power. A single chip computer (SCM) and high resolution of series D/A and A/D converters are applied to control and measurement which achieved continuous adjustable and low ripple constant current or voltage power supply

A Simulation Study on Optimal Design Parameters of 200V Class Induction Range using Finite Element Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ohchi, Masashi; Furukawa, Tatsuya

Induction heating has found a new feasibility in domestic appliances. Its application is known as an “induction range” or an “induction heating oven”. Conventional design schemes of them have depended on the experience and insight of designers. In the paper, the authors treat it as an electromagnetic device to investigate the mechanism of power dissipation using the Finite Element Method, where an impressed voltage supply is taken account of and the constant V/f condition is imposed for the constant impressed magnetic flux. Furthermore the authors will examine how to heat an aluminum pan and discuss the optimal frequency of a power supply.

Constant power speed range extension of surface mounted PM motors

DOEpatents

Lawler, Jack Steward; Bailey, John Milton

2001-01-01

A circuit and method for controlling a rotating machine (11) in the constant horsepower range above base speed uses an inverter (15) having SCR's (T1-T6) connected in series with the primary commutation switches (Q1-Q6) to control turn off of the primary commutation switches and to protect the primary commutation switches from faults. The primary commutation switches (Q1-Q6) are controlled by a controller (14), to fire in advance or after a time when the back emf equals the applied voltage, and then to turn off after a precise dwell time, such that suitable power is developed at speeds up to at least six times base speed.

Slow Crack Growth of Brittle Materials With Exponential Crack-Velocity Formulation. Part 1; Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Choi, Sung R.; Nemeth, Noel N.; Gyekenyesi, John P.

2002-01-01

Extensive slow-crack-growth (SCG) analysis was made using a primary exponential crack-velocity formulation under three widely used load configurations: constant stress rate, constant stress, and cyclic stress. Although the use of the exponential formulation in determining SCG parameters of a material requires somewhat inconvenient numerical procedures, the resulting solutions presented gave almost the same degree of simplicity in both data analysis and experiments as did the power-law formulation. However, the fact that the inert strength of a material should be known in advance to determine the corresponding SCG parameters was a major drawback of the exponential formulation as compared with the power-law formulation.

Engineering the Implementation of Pumped Hydro Energy Storage in the Arizona Power Grid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dixon, William Jesse J.

This thesis addresses the issue of making an economic case for bulk energy storage in the Arizona bulk power system. Pumped hydro energy storage (PHES) is used in this study. Bulk energy storage has often been suggested for large scale electric power systems in order to levelize load (store energy when it is inexpensive [energy demand is low] and discharge energy when it is expensive [energy demand is high]). It also has the potential to provide opportunities to avoid transmission and generation expansion, and provide for generation reserve margins. As the level of renewable energy resources increases, the uncertainty and variability of wind and solar resources may be improved by bulk energy storage technologies. For this study, the MATLab software platform is used, a mathematical based modeling language, optimization solvers (specifically Gurobi), and a power flow solver (PowerWorld) are used to simulate an economic dispatch problem that includes energy storage and transmission losses. A program is created which utilizes quadratic programming to analyze various cases using a 2010 summer peak load from the Arizona portion of the Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC) system. Actual data from industry are used in this test bed. In this thesis, the full capabilities of Gurobi are not utilized (e.g., integer variables, binary variables). However, the formulation shown here does create a platform such that future, more sophisticated modeling may readily be incorporated. The developed software is used to assess the Arizona test bed with a low level of energy storage to study how the storage power limit effects several optimization outputs such as the system wide operating costs. Large levels of energy storage are then added to see how high level energy storage affects peak shaving, load factor, and other system applications. Finally, various constraint relaxations are made to analyze why the applications tested eventually approach a constant value. This research illustrates the use of energy storage which helps minimize the system wide generator operating cost by "shaving" energy off of the peak demand. The thesis builds on the work of another recent researcher with the objectives of strengthening the assumptions used, checking the solutions obtained, utilizing higher level simulation languages to affirm results, and expanding the results and conclusions. One important point not fully discussed in the present thesis is the impact of efficiency in the pumped hydro cycle. The efficiency of the cycle for modern units is estimated at higher than 90%. Inclusion of pumped hydro losses is relegated to future work.

[Strategies for tuberculosis control in Brazil: networking and civil society participation].

PubMed

Santos Filho, Ezio Távora dos; Santos Gomes, Zaïra Machado dos

2007-09-01

Although no significant changes in the tuberculosis indicators have been registered in Brazil in recent years, there is a clear shift in the political scenario regarding the manner this disease has been tackled, with the appearance of civil society standing out. Considerations about the conditions that contributed to its emergence are made, such as the origin, composition, actions, partners and perspectives on social mobilization. Due to initiatives for tuberculosis control on an international level and attempts to encourage social mobilization on state and municipal levels, the Brazilian federal government began to engage in a more consistent and coherent policy, also including civil society in its actions. In spite of being an actor acknowledged by the public power and considered strategic for the success of tuberculosis control actions, community participation requires incentives and constant support from other sectors.

Direct Estimation of Power Distribution in Reactors for Nuclear Thermal Space Propulsion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aldemir, Tunc; Miller, Don W.; Burghelea, Andrei

2004-02-01

A recently proposed constant temperature power sensor (CTPS) has the capability to directly measure the local power deposition rate in nuclear reactor cores proposed for space thermal propulsion. Such a capability reduces the uncertainties in the estimated power peaking factors and hence increases the reliability of the nuclear engine. The CTPS operation is sensitive to the changes in the local thermal conditions. A procedure is described for the automatic on-line calibration of the sensor through estimation of changes in thermal .conditions.

Revised energy levels of singly ionized lanthanum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Güzelçimen, Feyza; Tonka, Mehdi; Uddin, Zaheer; Bhatti, Naveed Anjum; Windholz, Laurentius; Kröger, Sophie; Başar, Gönül

2018-05-01

Based on the experimental wavenumbers of 344 spectral lines from calibrated Fourier transform (FT) spectra as well as wavenumbers of 81 lines from the wavelength tables from literature, the energy of 115 fine structure levels of singly ionized lanthanum has been revised by weighted global fits. The classifications of the lines are provided by numerous previous investigations of lanthanum by different spectroscopic methods and authors. For the high accurate determination of the center of gravity wavenumbers from the experimental spectrum, the hyperfine constants of the involved levels have been taken into account, if possible. For the 94 levels with known hyperfine constants the accuracy of energy values is better than 0.01 cm-1. For 34 levels the magnetic dipole hyperfine constants A have been determined from FT spectra as part of this work. For four of these 34 levels even electric quadrupole hyperfine constants B could be estimated. For levels, which have experimentally unknown hyperfine constants and which are connected only by lines not found in the FT spectra but taken from literature, the uncertainties of energy values are about a factor of 10 higher. A list of all revised level energies together with a compilation of hyperfine structure data is given as well as a list of all lines used.

Inflation with a smooth constant-roll to constant-roll era transition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Odintsov, S. D.; Oikonomou, V. K.

2017-07-01

In this paper, we study canonical scalar field models, with a varying second slow-roll parameter, that allow transitions between constant-roll eras. In the models with two constant-roll eras, it is possible to avoid fine-tunings in the initial conditions of the scalar field. We mainly focus on the stability of the resulting solutions, and we also investigate if these solutions are attractors of the cosmological system. We shall calculate the resulting scalar potential and, by using a numerical approach, we examine the stability and attractor properties of the solutions. As we show, the first constant-roll era is dynamically unstable towards linear perturbations, and the cosmological system is driven by the attractor solution to the final constant-roll era. As we demonstrate, it is possible to have a nearly scale-invariant power spectrum of primordial curvature perturbations in some cases; however, this is strongly model dependent and depends on the rate of the final constant-roll era. Finally, we present, in brief, the essential features of a model that allows oscillations between constant-roll eras.

Hyperfine structure investigations for the odd-parity configuration system in atomic holmium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stefanska, D.; Furmann, B.

2018-02-01

In this work new experimental results of the hyperfine structure (hfs) in the holmium atom are reported, concerning the odd-parity level system. Investigations were performed by the method of laser induced fluorescence in a hollow cathode discharge lamp on 97 spectral lines in the visible part of the spectrum. Hyperfine structure constants: magnetic dipole - A and electric quadrupole - B for 40 levels were determined for the first time; for another 21 levels the hfs constants available in the literature were remeasured. Results for the A constants can be viewed as fully reliable; for B constants further possibilities of improving the accuracy are considered.

The effect of the magnetic nanoparticle's size dependence of the relaxation time constant on the specific loss power of magnetic nanoparticle hyperthermia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harabech, Mariem; Leliaert, Jonathan; Coene, Annelies; Crevecoeur, Guillaume; Van Roost, Dirk; Dupré, Luc

2017-03-01

Magnetic nanoparticle hyperthermia is a cancer treatment in which magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) are subjected to an alternating magnetic field to induce heat in the tumor. The generated heat of MNPs is characterized by the specific loss power (SLP) due to relaxation phenomena of the MNP. Up to now, several models have been proposed to predict the SLP, one of which is the Linear Response Theory. One parameter in this model is the relaxation time constant. In this contribution, we employ a macrospin model based on the Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert equation to investigate the relation between the Gilbert damping parameter and the relaxation time constant. This relaxation time has a pre-factor τ0 which is often taken as a fixed value ranging between 10-8 and 10-12 s. However, in reality it has small size dependence. Here, the influence of this size dependence on the calculation of the SLP is demonstrated, consequently improving the accuracy of this estimate.

The variance of the locally measured Hubble parameter explained with different estimators

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Odderskov, Io; Hannestad, Steen; Brandbyge, Jacob, E-mail: isho07@phys.au.dk, E-mail: sth@phys.au.dk, E-mail: jacobb@phys.au.dk

We study the expected variance of measurements of the Hubble constant, H {sub 0}, as calculated in either linear perturbation theory or using non-linear velocity power spectra derived from N -body simulations. We compare the variance with that obtained by carrying out mock observations in the N-body simulations, and show that the estimator typically used for the local Hubble constant in studies based on perturbation theory is different from the one used in studies based on N-body simulations. The latter gives larger weight to distant sources, which explains why studies based on N-body simulations tend to obtain a smaller variancemore » than that found from studies based on the power spectrum. Although both approaches result in a variance too small to explain the discrepancy between the value of H {sub 0} from CMB measurements and the value measured in the local universe, these considerations are important in light of the percent determination of the Hubble constant in the local universe.« less

Slow Crack Growth of Brittle Materials With Exponential Crack-Velocity Formulation. Part 3; Constant Stress and Cyclic Stress Experiments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Choi, Sung R.; Nemeth, Noel N.; Gyekenyesi, John P.

2002-01-01

The previously determined life prediction analysis based on an exponential crack-velocity formulation was examined using a variety of experimental data on advanced structural ceramics tested under constant stress and cyclic stress loading at ambient and elevated temperatures. The data fit to the relation between the time to failure and applied stress (or maximum applied stress in cyclic loading) was very reasonable for most of the materials studied. It was also found that life prediction for cyclic stress loading from data of constant stress loading in the exponential formulation was in good agreement with the experimental data, resulting in a similar degree of accuracy as compared with the power-law formulation. The major limitation in the exponential crack-velocity formulation, however, was that the inert strength of a material must be known a priori to evaluate the important slow-crack-growth (SCG) parameter n, a significant drawback as compared with the conventional power-law crack-velocity formulation.

Electro-Thermal Transient Simulation of Silicon Carbide Power Mosfet

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-06-01

ionization rate than electron in silicon carbide , the breakdown voltage almost remains constant even at elevated temperatures . This is due to the positive... temperature coefficient of holes in case of silicon carbide as discussed in [7, 8]. The higher ambient temperature influences the leakage current...in the RLC ring down circuit . E. Power Dissipation and Lattice Temperature The power dissipation for any switching device is dependent on the

Methodology, Technical Approach and Measurement Techniques for Testing of TPM Thermal Protection Materials in IPM Plasmatrons

DTIC Science & Technology

2000-04-01

system, 8 - experiments on a study of boundary layer spectrum infrared window). before boiling of glass- silicide coating. This simple 3. SAMPLES AND...dependencies of surface temperature of tested materials and make conclusions concerned joint gllass- silicide coating and anode power of generator...obtained using test stagnation point configuration. glass- silicide coating vs anode power of HF-generator. Temperature peak at constant power

Materials for Adaptive Structural Acoustic Control. Volume 3

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-04-11

criteria have been met for a partcular application, it then becomes advantageous to reduce costs by miniaturizing and/or reducing the power delivered...MAELSG FRintended to develop motion or vibration. such as high power COUPLING sonar, while a high g constant is desirable for sensor Histor of...which is another stable chips, which must be adjusted using solid- power and miniaturization. crystal slate in which the relative positions stale

Comparison of Critical Power and W' Derived From 2 or 3 Maximal Tests.

PubMed

Simpson, Len Parker; Kordi, Mehdi

2017-07-01

Typically, accessing the asymptote (critical power; CP) and curvature constant (W') parameters of the hyperbolic power-duration relationship requires multiple constant-power exhaustive-exercise trials spread over several visits. However, more recently single-visit protocols and personal power meters have been used. This study investigated the practicality of using a 2-trial, single-visit protocol in providing reliable CP and W' estimates. Eight trained cyclists underwent 3- and 12-min maximal-exercise trials in a single session to derive (2-trial) CP and W' estimates. On a separate occasion a 5-min trial was performed, providing a 3rd trial to calculate (3-trial) CP and W'. There were no differences in CP (283 ± 66 vs 282 ± 65 W) or W' (18.72 ± 6.21 vs 18.27 ± 6.29 kJ) obtained from either the 2-trial or 3-trial method, respectively. After 2 familiarization sessions (completing a 3- and a 12-min trial on both occasions), both CP and W' remained reliable over additional separate measurements. The current study demonstrates that after 2 familiarization sessions, reliable CP and W' parameters can be obtained from trained cyclists using only 2 maximal-exercise trials. These results offer practitioners a practical, time-efficient solution for incorporating power-duration testing into applied athlete support.

Artificial neural network application for space station power system fault diagnosis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Momoh, James A.; Oliver, Walter E.; Dias, Lakshman G.

1995-01-01

This study presents a methodology for fault diagnosis using a Two-Stage Artificial Neural Network Clustering Algorithm. Previously, SPICE models of a 5-bus DC power distribution system with assumed constant output power during contingencies from the DDCU were used to evaluate the ANN's fault diagnosis capabilities. This on-going study uses EMTP models of the components (distribution lines, SPDU, TPDU, loads) and power sources (DDCU) of Space Station Alpha's electrical Power Distribution System as a basis for the ANN fault diagnostic tool. The results from the two studies are contrasted. In the event of a major fault, ground controllers need the ability to identify the type of fault, isolate the fault to the orbital replaceable unit level and provide the necessary information for the power management expert system to optimally determine a degraded-mode load schedule. To accomplish these goals, the electrical power distribution system's architecture can be subdivided into three major classes: DC-DC converter to loads, DC Switching Unit (DCSU) to Main bus Switching Unit (MBSU), and Power Sources to DCSU. Each class which has its own electrical characteristics and operations, requires a unique fault analysis philosophy. This study identifies these philosophies as Riddles 1, 2 and 3 respectively. The results of the on-going study addresses Riddle-1. It is concluded in this study that the combination of the EMTP models of the DDCU, distribution cables and electrical loads yields a more accurate model of the behavior and in addition yielded more accurate fault diagnosis using ANN versus the results obtained with the SPICE models.

Smart Power Supply for Battery-Powered Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Krasowski, Michael J.; Greer, Lawrence; Prokop, Norman F.; Flatico, Joseph M.

2010-01-01

A power supply for battery-powered systems has been designed with an embedded controller that is capable of monitoring and maintaining batteries, charging hardware, while maintaining output power. The power supply is primarily designed for rovers and other remote science and engineering vehicles, but it can be used in any battery alone, or battery and charging source applications. The supply can function autonomously, or can be connected to a host processor through a serial communications link. It can be programmed a priori or on the fly to return current and voltage readings to a host. It has two output power busses: a constant 24-V direct current nominal bus, and a programmable bus for output from approximately 24 up to approximately 50 V. The programmable bus voltage level, and its output power limit, can be changed on the fly as well. The power supply also offers options to reduce the programmable bus to 24 V when the set power limit is reached, limiting output power in the case of a system fault detected in the system. The smart power supply is based on an embedded 8051-type single-chip microcontroller. This choice was made in that a credible progression to flight (radiation hard, high reliability) can be assumed as many 8051 processors or gate arrays capable of accepting 8051-type core presently exist and will continue to do so for some time. To solve the problem of centralized control, this innovation moves an embedded microcontroller to the power supply and assigns it the task of overseeing the operation and charging of the power supply assets. This embedded processor is connected to the application central processor via a serial data link such that the central processor can request updates of various parameters within the supply, such as battery current, bus voltage, remaining power in battery estimations, etc. This supply has a direct connection to the battery bus for common (quiescent) power application. Because components from multiple vendors may have differing power needs, this supply also has a secondary power bus, which can be programmed a priori or on-the-fly to boost the primary battery voltage level from 24 to 50 V to accommodate various loads as they are brought on line. Through voltage and current monitoring, the device can also shield the charging source from overloads, keep it within safe operating modes, and can meter available power to the application and maintain safe operations.

Stable Adaptive Inertial Control of a Doubly-Fed Induction Generator

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kang, Moses; Muljadi, Eduard; Hur, Kyeon

2016-11-01

This paper proposes a stable adaptive inertial control scheme of a doubly-fed induction generator. The proposed power reference is defined in two sections: the deceleration period and the acceleration period. The power reference in the deceleration period consists of a constant and the reference for maximum power point tracking (MPPT) operation. The latter contributes to preventing a second frequency dip (SFD) in this period because its reduction rate is large at the early stage of an event but quickly decreases with time. To improve the frequency nadir (FN), the constant value is set to be proportional to the rotor speedmore » prior to an event. The reference ensures that the rotor speed converges to a stable operating region. To accelerate the rotor speed while causing a small SFD, when the rotor speed converges, the power reference is reduced by a small amount and maintained until it meets the MPPT reference. The results show that the scheme causes a small SFD while improving the FN and the rate of change of frequency in any wind conditions, even in a grid that has a high penetration of wind power.« less

Crops Models for Varying Environmental Conditions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, Harry; Cavazzoni, James; Keas, Paul

2001-01-01

New variable environment Modified Energy Cascade (MEC) crop models were developed for all the Advanced Life Support (ALS) candidate crops and implemented in SIMULINK. The MEC models are based on the Volk, Bugbee, and Wheeler Energy Cascade (EC) model and are derived from more recent Top-Level Energy Cascade (TLEC) models. The MEC models simulate crop plant responses to day-to-day changes in photosynthetic photon flux, photoperiod, carbon dioxide level, temperature, and relative humidity. The original EC model allows changes in light energy but uses a less accurate linear approximation. The simulation outputs of the new MEC models for constant nominal environmental conditions are very similar to those of earlier EC models that use parameters produced by the TLEC models. There are a few differences. The new MEC models allow setting the time for seed emergence, have realistic exponential canopy growth, and have corrected harvest dates for potato and tomato. The new MEC models indicate that the maximum edible biomass per meter squared per day is produced at the maximum allowed carbon dioxide level, the nominal temperatures, and the maximum light input. Reducing the carbon dioxide level from the maximum to the minimum allowed in the model reduces crop production significantly. Increasing temperature decreases production more than it decreases the time to harvest, so productivity in edible biomass per meter squared per day is greater at nominal than maximum temperatures, The productivity in edible biomass per meter squared per day is greatest at the maximum light energy input allowed in the model, but the edible biomass produced per light energy input unit is lower than at nominal light levels. Reducing light levels increases light and power use efficiency. The MEC models suggest we can adjust the light energy day-to- day to accommodate power shortages or Lise excess power while monitoring and controlling edible biomass production.

The European project Hippo high-power photonics for satellite laser communications and on-board optical processing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kehayas, E.; Stampoulidis, L.; Henderson, P.; Robertson, Andrew; Van Dijk, F.; Achouche, M.; Le Kernec, A.; Sotom, M.; Schuberts, F.; Brabant, T.

2017-11-01

Photonics is progressively transforming from a highly- focused technology applicable to digital communication networks into a pervasive "enabling" technology with diverse non-telecom applications. However, the centre of mass on the R&D level is still mostly driven by, and invested in, by stakeholders active in the telecoms domain. This is due to the high level of investments necessary that in turn require a large and established market for reaching break-even and generation of revenues. Photonics technology and more specifically, fibre-optic technology is moving into non-telecom business areas with great success in terms of markets captured and penetration rates. One example that cannot be overlooked is the application of fibre-optics to industrial applications, where double-digit growth rates are recorded with fibre lasers and amplifiers constantly gaining momentum. In this example, several years of R&D efforts in creating high-power amplification solutions and fibre-laser sources by the telecom sector, were piggy-backed into industrial applications and laser cutting/welding equipment that is now a strong R&D sector on its own and commercially now displacing some conventional free space laser cutting/welding.

GaN-based superluminescent diodes with long lifetime

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Castiglia, A.; Rossetti, M.; Matuschek, N.; Rezzonico, R.; Duelk, M.; Vélez, C.; Carlin, J.-F.; Grandjean, N.

2016-02-01

We report on the reliability of GaN-based super-luminescent light emitting diodes (SLEDs) emitting at a wavelength of 405 nm. We show that the Mg doping level in the p-type layers has an impact on both the device electro-optical characteristics and their reliability. Optimized doping levels allow decreasing the operating voltage on single-mode devices from more than 6 V to less than 5 V for an injection current of 100 mA. Furthermore, maximum output powers as high as 350 mW (for an injection current of 500 mA) have been achieved in continuous-wave operation (CW) at room temperature. Modules with standard and optimized p-type layers were finally tested in terms of lifetime, at a constant output power of 10 mW, in CW operation and at a case temperature of 25 °C. The modules with non-optimized p-type doping showed a fast and remarkable increase in the drive current during the first hundreds of hours together with an increase of the device series resistance. No degradation of the electrical characteristics was observed over 2000 h on devices with optimized p-type layers. The estimated lifetime for those devices was longer than 5000 h.

A brief test of the Hewlett-Packard MEMS seismic accelerometer

USGS Publications Warehouse

Homeijer, Brian D.; Milligan, Donald J.; Hutt, Charles R.

2014-01-01

Testing was performed on a prototype of Hewlett-Packard (HP) Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) seismic accelerometer at the U.S. Geological Survey’s Albuquerque Seismological Laboratory. This prototype was built using discrete electronic components. The self-noise level was measured during low seismic background conditions and found to be 9.8 ng/√Hz at periods below 0.2 s (frequencies above 5 Hz). The six-second microseism noise was also discernible. The HP MEMS accelerometer was compared to a Geotech Model GS-13 reference seismometer during seismic noise and signal levels well above the self-noise of the accelerometer. Matching power spectral densities (corrected for accelerometer and seismometer responses to represent true ground motion) indicated that the HP MEMS accelerometer has a flat (constant) response to acceleration from 0.0125 Hz to at least 62.5 Hz. Tilt calibrations of the HP MEMS accelerometer verified that the flat response to acceleration extends to 0 Hz. Future development of the HP MEMS accelerometer includes replacing the discreet electronic boards with a low power application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) and increasing the dynamic range of the sensor to detect strong motion signals above one gravitational acceleration, while maintaining the self-noise observed during these tests.

Bluetooth Communication Interface for EEG Signal Recording in Hyperbaric Chambers.

PubMed

Pastena, Lucio; Formaggio, Emanuela; Faralli, Fabio; Melucci, Massimo; Rossi, Marco; Gagliardi, Riccardo; Ricciardi, Lucio; Storti, Silvia F

2015-07-01

Recording biological signals inside a hyperbaric chamber poses technical challenges (the steel walls enclosing it greatly attenuate or completely block the signals as in a Faraday cage), practical (lengthy cables creating eddy currents), and safety (sparks hazard from power supply to the electronic apparatus inside the chamber) which can be overcome with new wireless technologies. In this technical report we present the design and implementation of a Bluetooth system for electroencephalographic (EEG) recording inside a hyperbaric chamber and describe the feasibility of EEG signal transmission outside the chamber. Differently from older systems, this technology allows the online recording of amplified signals, without interference from eddy currents. In an application of this technology, we measured EEG activity in professional divers under three experimental conditions in a hyperbaric chamber to determine how oxygen, assumed at a constant hyperbaric pressure of 2.8 ATA , affects the bioelectrical activity. The EEG spectral power estimated by fast Fourier transform and the cortical sources of the EEG rhythms estimated by low-resolution brain electromagnetic analysis were analyzed in three different EEG acquisitions: breathing air at sea level; breathing oxygen at a simulated depth of 18 msw, and breathing air at sea level after decompression.

Muscle metabolic responses during high-intensity intermittent exercise measured by 31P-MRS: relationship to the critical power concept

PubMed Central

Chidnok, Weerapong; DiMenna, Fred J.; Fulford, Jonathan; Bailey, Stephen J.; Skiba, Philip F.; Vanhatalo, Anni

2013-01-01

We investigated the responses of intramuscular phosphate-linked metabolites and pH (as assessed by 31P-MRS) during intermittent high-intensity exercise protocols performed with different recovery-interval durations. Following estimation of the parameters of the power-duration relationship, i.e., the critical power (CP) and curvature constant (W′), for severe-intensity constant-power exercise, nine male subjects completed three intermittent exercise protocols to exhaustion where periods of high-intensity constant-power exercise (60 s) were separated by different durations of passive recovery (18 s, 30 s and 48 s). The tolerable duration of exercise was 304 ± 68 s, 516 ± 142 s, and 847 ± 240 s for the 18-s, 30-s, and 48-s recovery protocols, respectively (P < 0.05). The work done >CP (W>CP) was significantly greater for all intermittent protocols compared with the subjects' W′, and this difference became progressively greater as recovery-interval duration was increased. The restoration of intramuscular phosphocreatine concentration during recovery was greatest, intermediate, and least for 48 s, 30 s, and 18 s of recovery, respectively (P < 0.05). The W>CP in excess of W′ increased with greater durations of recovery, and this was correlated with the mean magnitude of muscle phosphocreatine reconstitution between work intervals (r = 0.61; P < 0.01). The results of this study show that during intermittent high-intensity exercise, recovery intervals allow intramuscular homeostasis to be restored, with the degree of restoration being related to the duration of the recovery interval. Consequently, and consistent with the intermittent CP model, the ability to perform W>CP during intermittent high-intensity exercise and, therefore, exercise tolerance, increases when recovery-interval duration is extended. PMID:24068048

Thermodynamic and energy efficiency analysis of power generation from natural salinity gradients by pressure retarded osmosis.

PubMed

Yip, Ngai Yin; Elimelech, Menachem

2012-05-01

The Gibbs free energy of mixing dissipated when fresh river water flows into the sea can be harnessed for sustainable power generation. Pressure retarded osmosis (PRO) is one of the methods proposed to generate power from natural salinity gradients. In this study, we carry out a thermodynamic and energy efficiency analysis of PRO work extraction. First, we present a reversible thermodynamic model for PRO and verify that the theoretical maximum extractable work in a reversible PRO process is identical to the Gibbs free energy of mixing. Work extraction in an irreversible constant-pressure PRO process is then examined. We derive an expression for the maximum extractable work in a constant-pressure PRO process and show that it is less than the ideal work (i.e., Gibbs free energy of mixing) due to inefficiencies intrinsic to the process. These inherent inefficiencies are attributed to (i) frictional losses required to overcome hydraulic resistance and drive water permeation and (ii) unutilized energy due to the discontinuation of water permeation when the osmotic pressure difference becomes equal to the applied hydraulic pressure. The highest extractable work in constant-pressure PRO with a seawater draw solution and river water feed solution is 0.75 kWh/m(3) while the free energy of mixing is 0.81 kWh/m(3)-a thermodynamic extraction efficiency of 91.1%. Our analysis further reveals that the operational objective to achieve high power density in a practical PRO process is inconsistent with the goal of maximum energy extraction. This study demonstrates thermodynamic and energetic approaches for PRO and offers insights on actual energy accessible for utilization in PRO power generation through salinity gradients. © 2012 American Chemical Society

Polymer electrolyte membrane water electrolysis: Restraining degradation in the presence of fluctuating power

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rakousky, Christoph; Reimer, Uwe; Wippermann, Klaus; Kuhri, Susanne; Carmo, Marcelo; Lueke, Wiebke; Stolten, Detlef

2017-02-01

Polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) water electrolysis generates 'green' hydrogen when conducted with electricity from renewable - but fluctuating - sources like wind or solar photovoltaic. Unfortunately, the long-term stability of the electrolyzer performance is still not fully understood under these input power profiles. In this study, we contrast the degradation behavior of our PEM water electrolysis single cells that occurs under operation with constant and intermittent power and derive preferable operating states. For this purpose, five different current density profiles are used, of which two were constant and three dynamic. Cells operated at 1 A cm-2 show no degradation. However, degradation was observed for the remaining four profiles, all of which underwent periods of high current density (2 A cm-2). Hereby, constant operation at 2 A cm-2 led to the highest degradation rate (194 μV h-1). Degradation can be greatly reduced when the cells are operated with an intermittent profile. Current density switching has a positive effect on durability, as it causes reversible parts of degradation to recover and results in a substantially reduced degradation per mole of hydrogen produced. Two general degradation phenomena were identified, a decreased anode exchange current density and an increased contact resistance at the titanium porous transport layer (Ti-PTL).

Mass-sheet degeneracy, power-law models and external convergence: Impact on the determination of the Hubble constant from gravitational lensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schneider, Peter; Sluse, Dominique

2013-11-01

The light travel time differences in strong gravitational lensing systems allows an independent determination of the Hubble constant. This method has been successfully applied to several lens systems. The formally most precise measurements are, however, in tension with the recent determination of H0 from the Planck satellite for a spatially flat six-parameters ΛCDM cosmology. We reconsider the uncertainties of the method, concerning the mass profile of the lens galaxies, and show that the formal precision relies on the assumption that the mass profile is a perfect power law. Simple analytical arguments and numerical experiments reveal that mass-sheet like transformations yield significant freedom in choosing the mass profile, even when exquisite Einstein rings are observed. Furthermore, the characterization of the environment of the lens does not break that degeneracy which is not physically linked to extrinsic convergence. We present an illustrative example where the multiple imaging properties of a composite (baryons + dark matter) lens can be extremely well reproduced by a power-law model having the same velocity dispersion, but with predictions for the Hubble constant that deviate by ~20%. Hence we conclude that the impact of degeneracies between parametrized models have been underestimated in current H0 measurements from lensing, and need to be carefully reconsidered.

Sarcomere length dependence of rat skinned cardiac myocyte mechanical properties: dependence on myosin heavy chain

PubMed Central

Korte, F Steven; McDonald, Kerry S

2007-01-01

The effects of sarcomere length (SL) on sarcomeric loaded shortening velocity, power output and rates of force development were examined in rat skinned cardiac myocytes that contained either α-myosin heavy chain (α-MyHC) or β-MyHC at 12 ± 1°C. When SL was decreased from 2.3 μm to 2.0 μm submaximal isometric force decreased ∼40% in both α-MyHC and β-MyHC myocytes while peak absolute power output decreased 55% in α-MyHC myocytes and 70% in β-MyHC myocytes. After normalization for the fall in force, peak power output decreased about twice as much in β-MyHC as in α-MyHC myocytes (41%versus 20%). To determine whether the fall in normalized power was due to the lower force levels, [Ca2+] was increased at short SL to match force at long SL. Surprisingly, this led to a 32% greater peak normalized power output at short SL compared to long SL in α-MyHC myocytes, whereas in β-MyHC myocytes peak normalized power output remained depressed at short SL. The role that interfilament spacing plays in determining SL dependence of power was tested by myocyte compression at short SL. Addition of 2% dextran at short SL decreased myocyte width and increased force to levels obtained at long SL, and increased peak normalized power output to values greater than at long SL in both α-MyHC and β-MyHC myocytes. The rate constant of force development (ktr) was also measured and was not different between long and short SL at the same [Ca2+] in α-MyHC myocytes but was greater at short SL in β-MyHC myocytes. At short SL with matched force by either dextran or [Ca2+], ktr was greater than at long SL in both α-MyHC and β-MyHC myocytes. Overall, these results are consistent with the idea that an intrinsic length component increases loaded crossbridge cycling rates at short SL and β-MyHC myocytes exhibit a greater sarcomere length dependence of power output. PMID:17347271

Mathematical Analysis of High-Temperature Co-electrolysis of CO2 and O2 Production in a Closed-Loop Atmosphere Revitalization System

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Michael G. McKellar; Manohar S. Sohal; Lila Mulloth

2010-03-01

NASA has been evaluating two closed-loop atmosphere revitalization architectures based on Sabatier and Bosch carbon dioxide, CO2, reduction technologies. The CO2 and steam, H2O, co-electrolysis process is another option that NASA has investigated. Utilizing recent advances in the fuel cell technology sector, the Idaho National Laboratory, INL, has developed a CO2 and H2O co-electrolysis process to produce oxygen and syngas (carbon monoxide, CO and hydrogen, H2 mixture) for terrestrial (energy production) application. The technology is a combined process that involves steam electrolysis, CO2 electrolysis, and the reverse water gas shift (RWGS) reaction. A number of process models have been developedmore » and analyzed to determine the theoretical power required to recover oxygen, O2, in each case. These models include the current Sabatier and Bosch technologies and combinations of those processes with high-temperature co-electrolysis. The cases of constant CO2 supply and constant O2 production were evaluated. In addition, a process model of the hydrogenation process with co-electrolysis was developed and compared. Sabatier processes require the least amount of energy input per kg of oxygen produced. If co-electrolysis replaces solid polymer electrolyte (SPE) electrolysis within the Sabatier architecture, the power requirement is reduced by over 10%, but only if heat recuperation is used. Sabatier processes, however, require external water to achieve the lower power results. Under conditions of constant incoming carbon dioxide flow, the Sabatier architectures require more power than the other architectures. The Bosch, Boudouard with co-electrolysis, and the hydrogenation with co-electrolysis processes require little or no external water. The Bosch and hydrogenation processes produce water within their reactors, which aids in reducing the power requirement for electrolysis. The Boudouard with co-electrolysis process has a higher electrolysis power requirement because carbon dioxide is split instead of water, which has a lower heat of formation. Hydrogenation with co-electrolysis offers the best overall power performance for two reasons: it requires no external water, and it produces its own water, which reduces the power requirement for co-electrolysis.« less

Design and analysis of optical waveguide elements in planar geometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mirkov, Mirko Georgiev

1998-10-01

This dissertation presents the theoretical analysis and practical design considerations for planar optical waveguide devices. The analysis takes into account both transverse dimensions of the waveguides and is based on the supermode theory combined with the resonance method for determination of the propagation constants and field profiles of the supermodes. An improved accuracy has been achieved by including the corrections due to the fields in the corner regions of the waveguides using perturbation theory. The following two classes of devices have been analyzed in detail. Curved rectangular waveguides are a common element in an integrated optics circuit. The theoretical analysis in this work shows that some commonly used approximations for determination of the propagation constants of the quasi-modes of the bent waveguides are not necessary. Specifically the imaginary part of the mode propagation constant, which determines the power loss, is calculated exactly using the resonance method, combined with a two- dimensional optimization routine for determination of the real and the imaginary parts of the propagation constants. Subsequently, the results are corrected for the effects of the fields in the corner regions. The latter corrections have not been previously computed and are shown to be significant. Power splitters are another common element of an integrated optical circuit. A new 'bend-free' splitter is suggested and analyzed. The new splitter design consists of only straight parallel channels, which considerably simplify both the analysis and the fabrication of the device. It is shown that a single design parameter determines the power splitting ratio, which can take any given value. The intrinsic power loss in the proposed splitter is minimal, which makes it an attractive alternative to the conventional Y-splitters. The accurate methods of analysis of planar optical waveguides developed in the present work can easily be applied to other integrated optic devices consisting of rectangular waveguides.

High modulation bandwidth of a light-emitting diode with surface plasmon coupling (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Chun-Han; Tu, Charng-Gan; Yao, Yu-Feng; Chen, Sheng-Hung; Su, Chia-Ying; Chen, Hao-Tsung; Kiang, Yean-Woei; Yang, Chih-Chung

2017-02-01

Besides lighting, LEDs can be used for indoor data transmission. Therefore, a large modulation bandwidth becomes an important target in the development of visible LED. In this regard, enhancing the radiative recombination rate of carriers in the quantum wells of an LED is a useful method since the modulation bandwidth of an LED is related to the carrier decay rate besides the device RC time constant To increase the carrier decay rate in an LED without sacrificing its output power, the technique of surface plasmon (SP) coupling in an LED is useful. In this paper, the increases of modulation bandwidth by reducing mesa size, decreasing active layer thickness, and inducing SP coupling in blue- and green-emitting LEDs are illustrated. The results are demonstrated by comparing three different LED surface structures, including bare p-type surface, GaZnO current spreading layer, and Ag nanoparticles (NPs) for inducing SP coupling. In a single-quantum-well, blue-emitting LED with a circular mesa of 10 microns in radius, SP coupling results in a modulation bandwidth of 528.8 MHz, which is believed to be the record-high level. A smaller RC time constant can lead to a higher modulation bandwidth. However, when the RC time constant is smaller than 0.2 ns, its effect on modulation bandwidth saturates. The dependencies of modulation bandwidth on injected current density and carrier decay time confirm that the modulation bandwidth is essentially inversely proportional to a time constant, which is inversely proportional to the square-root of carrier decay rate and injected current density.

Microgrid optimal scheduling considering impact of high penetration wind generation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alanazi, Abdulaziz

The objective of this thesis is to study the impact of high penetration wind energy in economic and reliable operation of microgrids. Wind power is variable, i.e., constantly changing, and nondispatchable, i.e., cannot be controlled by the microgrid controller. Thus an accurate forecasting of wind power is an essential task in order to study its impacts in microgrid operation. Two commonly used forecasting methods including Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) and Artificial Neural Network (ANN) have been used in this thesis to improve the wind power forecasting. The forecasting error is calculated using a Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE) and is improved using the ANN. The wind forecast is further used in the microgrid optimal scheduling problem. The microgrid optimal scheduling is performed by developing a viable model for security-constrained unit commitment (SCUC) based on mixed-integer linear programing (MILP) method. The proposed SCUC is solved for various wind penetration levels and the relationship between the total cost and the wind power penetration is found. In order to reduce microgrid power transfer fluctuations, an additional constraint is proposed and added to the SCUC formulation. The new constraint would control the time-based fluctuations. The impact of the constraint on microgrid SCUC results is tested and validated with numerical analysis. Finally, the applicability of proposed models is demonstrated through numerical simulations.

Refining boat electrofishing equipment to improve consistency and reduce harm to fish

USGS Publications Warehouse

Miranda, L.E.

2005-01-01

A major concern with electrofishing is the standardization of sampling equipment and methods, particularly when collections are used to monitor spatial and temporal changes in fish communities. Standardization can not only ensure that stock assessment is consistent - that is, the data collected over time and space have equal meaning and are not influenced by differences in gear or gear application - but also reduce injury by constraining power to ranges that are likely to immobilize fish but unlikely to harm them. Standardization of electrofishing equipment requires adjusting power output to keep constant the amount of power transferred to fish in diverse water conditions. In this study, the power level thresholds required to immobilize and injure fish under controlled laboratory conditions were identified for various size-species combinations and applied to establish power minima and maxima suitable for successful and safe boat electrofishing. The target settings identified allowed survival of 99.4% of the fish collected and held for 2-3 h during field trials; all the mortalities were small fish (???53 mm long). The standardization procedure described herein may be adapted to single boats or fleets and can promote consistency in electrofishing, although it does not completely avoid harm to fish. Because electrofishing is an active capture method applied to changing microenvironments, complete standardization and total avoidance of harm to individual fish are not feasible with present technology, but standardization of controllable variables is advisable.

High power density dc-to-dc converters for aerospace applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Divan, Deepakraj M.

1990-01-01

Three dc-to-dc converter topologies aimed at high-power high-frequency applications are introduced. Major system parasitics, namely, the leakage inductance of the transformer and the device output capacitance are efficiently utilized. Of the three circuits, the single-phase and three-phase versions of the dual active bridge topology demonstrate minimal stresses, better utilization of the transformer, bidirectional, and buck-boost modes of operation. All circuits operate at a constant switching frequency, thus simplifying design of the reactive elements. The power transfer characteristics and soft-switching regions on the Vout-Iout plane are identified. Two coaxial transformers with different cross-sections were built for a rating of 50 kVA. Based on the single-phase dual active bridge topology, a 50 kW, 50 kHz converter operating at an input voltage of 200 Vdc and an output voltage of 1600 Vdc was fabricated. Characteristics of current-fed output make the dual active bridge topologies amenable to paralleling and hence extension to megawatt power levels. Projections to a 1 MW system operating from a 500 Vdc input, at an output voltage of 10 kVdc and a switching frequency of 50 kHz, using MOS-controlled thyristors, coaxially wound transformers operating at three times the present current density with cooling, and multilayer ceramic capacitors, suggests an overall power density of 0.075 to 0.08 kg/kW and an overall efficiency of 96 percent.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Li, Gen; Lee, Martin A., E-mail: gjk44@wildcats.unh.edu

The effects of scatter-dominated interplanetary transport on the spectral properties of the differential fluence of large gradual solar energetic particle (SEP) events are investigated analytically. The model assumes for simplicity radial constant solar wind and radial magnetic field. The radial diffusion coefficient is calculated with quasilinear theory by assuming a spectrum of Alfvén waves propagating parallel to the magnetic field. Cross-field transport is neglected. The model takes into consideration several essential features of gradual event transport: nearly isotropic ion distributions, adiabatic deceleration in a divergent solar wind, and particle radial scattering mean free paths increasing with energy. Assuming an impulsivemore » and spherically symmetric injection of SEPs with a power-law spectrum near the Sun, the predicted differential fluence spectrum exhibits at 1 AU three distinctive power laws for different energy domains. The model naturally reproduces the spectral features of the double power-law proton differential fluence spectra that tend to be observed in extremely large SEP events. We select nine western ground-level events (GLEs) out of the 16 GLEs during Solar Cycle 23 and fit the observed double power-law spectra to the analytical predictions. The compression ratio of the accelerating shock wave, the power-law index of the ambient wave intensity, and the proton radial scattering mean free path are determined for the nine GLEs. The derived parameters are generally in agreement with the characteristic values expected for large gradual SEP events.« less

Alternate energy source usage for in situ heat treatment processes

DOEpatents

Stone, Jr., Francis Marion; Goodwin, Charles R [League City, TX; Richard, Jr., James

2011-03-22

Systems, methods, and heaters for treating a subsurface formation are described herein. At least one system for providing power to one or more subsurface heaters is described herein. The system may include an intermittent power source; a transformer coupled to the intermittent power source, and a tap controller coupled to the transformer. The transformer may be configured to transform power from the intermittent power source to power with appropriate operating parameters for the heaters. The tap controller may be configured to monitor and control the transformer so that a constant voltage is provided to the heaters from the transformer regardless of the load of the heaters and the power output provided by the intermittent power source.

Using Scatterplots to Teach the Critical Power Concept

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pettitt, Robert W.

2012-01-01

The critical power (CP) concept has received renewed attention and excitement in the academic community. The CP concept was originally conceived as a model derived from a series of exhaustive, constant-load, exercise bouts. All-out exercise testing has made quantification of the parameters for the two-component model easier to arrive at, which may…

Improved transistorized AC motor controller for battery powered urban electric passenger vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Peak, S. C.

1982-01-01

An ac motor controller for an induction motor electric vehicle drive system was designed, fabricated, tested, evaluated, and cost analyzed. A vehicle performance analysis was done to establish the vehicle tractive effort-speed requirements. These requirements were then converted into a set of ac motor and ac controller requirements. The power inverter is a three-phase bridge using power Darlington transistors. The induction motor was optimized for use with an inverter power source. The drive system has a constant torque output to base motor speed and a constant horsepower output to maximum speed. A gear shifting transmission is not required. The ac controller was scaled from the base 20 hp (41 hp peak) at 108 volts dec to an expanded horsepower and battery voltage range. Motor reversal was accomplished by electronic reversal of the inverter phase sequence. The ac controller can also be used as a boost chopper battery charger. The drive system was tested on a dynamometer and results are presented. The current-controlled pulse width modulation control scheme yielded improved motor current waveforms. The ac controller favors a higher system voltage.

Building A Simulation Model For The Prediction Of Temperature Distribution In Pulsed Laser Spot Welding Of Dissimilar Low Carbon Steel 1020 To Aluminum Alloy 6061

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yousef, Adel K. M.; Taha, Ziad. A.; Shehab, Abeer A.

2011-01-01

This paper describes the development of a computer model used to analyze the heat flow during pulsed Nd: YAG laser spot welding of dissimilar metal; low carbon steel (1020) to aluminum alloy (6061). The model is built using ANSYS FLUENT 3.6 software where almost all the environments simulated to be similar to the experimental environments. A simulation analysis was implemented based on conduction heat transfer out of the key hole where no melting occurs. The effect of laser power and pulse duration was studied. Three peak powers 1, 1.66 and 2.5 kW were varied during pulsed laser spot welding (keeping the energy constant), also the effect of two pulse durations 4 and 8 ms (with constant peak power), on the transient temperature distribution and weld pool dimension were predicated using the present simulation. It was found that the present simulation model can give an indication for choosing the suitable laser parameters (i.e. pulse durations, peak power and interaction time required) during pulsed laser spot welding of dissimilar metals.

The comparison of proportional hazards and accelerated failure time models in analyzing the first birth interval survival data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Faruk, Alfensi

2018-03-01

Survival analysis is a branch of statistics, which is focussed on the analysis of time- to-event data. In multivariate survival analysis, the proportional hazards (PH) is the most popular model in order to analyze the effects of several covariates on the survival time. However, the assumption of constant hazards in PH model is not always satisfied by the data. The violation of the PH assumption leads to the misinterpretation of the estimation results and decreasing the power of the related statistical tests. On the other hand, the accelerated failure time (AFT) models do not assume the constant hazards in the survival data as in PH model. The AFT models, moreover, can be used as the alternative to PH model if the constant hazards assumption is violated. The objective of this research was to compare the performance of PH model and the AFT models in analyzing the significant factors affecting the first birth interval (FBI) data in Indonesia. In this work, the discussion was limited to three AFT models which were based on Weibull, exponential, and log-normal distribution. The analysis by using graphical approach and a statistical test showed that the non-proportional hazards exist in the FBI data set. Based on the Akaike information criterion (AIC), the log-normal AFT model was the most appropriate model among the other considered models. Results of the best fitted model (log-normal AFT model) showed that the covariates such as women’s educational level, husband’s educational level, contraceptive knowledge, access to mass media, wealth index, and employment status were among factors affecting the FBI in Indonesia.

Development of Advanced Materials for Electro-Ceramic Application Final Report CRADA No. TC-1331-96

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Caplan, M.; Olstad, R.; McMillan, L.

The goal of this project was to further develop and characterize the electrochemical methods originating in Russia for producing ultra high purity organometallic compounds utilized as precursors in the production of high quality electro-ceramic materials. Symetrix planned to use electro-ceramic materials with high dielectric constant for microelectronic memory circuit applications. General Atomics planned to use the barium titanate type ceramics with low loss tangent for producing a high power ferroelectric tuner used to match radio frequency power into their Dill-D fusion machine. Phase I of the project was scheduled to have a large number of organometallic (alkoxides) chemical samples producedmore » using various methods. These would be analyzed by LLNL, Soliton and Symetrix independently to determine the level of chemical impurities thus verifying each other's analysis. The goal was to demonstrate a cost-effective production method, which could be implemented in a large commercial facility to produce high purity organometallic compounds. In addition, various compositions of barium-strontium-titanate ceramics were to be produced and analyzed in order to develop an electroceramic capacitor material having the desired characteristics with respect to dielectric constant, loss tangent, temperature characteristics and non-linear behavior under applied voltage. Upon optimizing the barium titanate material, 50 capacitor preforms would be produced from this material demonstrating the ability to produce, in quantity, the pills ultimately required for the ferroelectric tuner (approx 2000-3000 ceramic pills).« less

Assessment of new-generation high-power electronic nicotine delivery system as thermal aerosol generation device for inhaled bronchodilators.

PubMed

Pourchez, Jérémie; de Oliveira, Fabien; Perinel-Ragey, Sophie; Basset, Thierry; Vergnon, Jean-Michel; Prévôt, Nathalie

2017-02-25

A need remains for alternative devices for aerosol drug delivery that are low cost, convenient and easy to use for the patient, but also capable of producing small-sized aerosol particles. This study investigated the potential of recent high power electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) as aerosol generation devices for inhaled bronchodilators. The particle size distribution was measured using a cascade impactor. The delivery of terbutaline sulfate, a current bronchodilator used for asthma or COPD therapy by inhalation, was studied. This drug was quantified by liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. The particle size distribution in terms of mass frequency (in two ways, gravimetrically and quantitatively through drug assay on each stage) and the terbutaline sulfate concentration in the aerosol were elucidated. The mass median aerodynamic diameter (MMAD) and the drug delivery rose when the power level increased, to reach 5.6±0.4μg/puff with a MMAD of 0.78±0.03μm at 25W. New generation high-power ENDS are very efficient to generate carrier-droplets in the submicron range containing drug molecules with a constant drug concentration whatever the size-fractions. ENDS appear to be highly patient-adaptive. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A 200-Channel Area-Power-Efficient Chemical and Electrical Dual-Mode Acquisition IC for the Study of Neurodegenerative Diseases.

PubMed

Guo, Jing; Ng, Waichiu; Yuan, Jie; Li, Suwen; Chan, Mansun

2016-06-01

Microelectrode array (MEA) can be used in the study of neurodegenerative diseases by monitoring the chemical neurotransmitter release and the electrical potential simultaneously at the cellular level. Currently, the MEA technology is migrating to more electrodes and higher electrode density, which raises power and area constraints on the design of acquisition IC. In this paper, we report the design of a 200-channel dual-mode acquisition IC with highly efficient usage of power and area. Under the constraints of target noise and fast settling, the current channel design saves power by including a novel current buffer biased in discrete time (DT) before the TIA (transimpedance amplifier). The 200 channels are sampled at 20 kS/s and quantized by column-wise SAR ADCs. The prototype IC was fabricated in a 0.18 μm CMOS process. Silicon measurements show the current channel has 21.6 pArms noise with cyclic voltammetry (CV) and 0.48 pArms noise with constant amperometry (CA) while consuming 12.1 μW . The voltage channel has 4.07 μVrms noise in the bandwidth of 100 kHz and 0.2% nonlinearity while consuming 9.1 μW. Each channel occupies 0.03 mm(2) area, which is among the smallest.

Model for the techno-economic analysis of common work of wind power and CCGT power plant to offer constant level of power in the electricity market

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tomsic, Z.; Rajsl, I.; Filipovic, M.

2017-11-01

Wind power varies over time, mainly under the influence of meteorological fluctuations. The variations occur on all time scales. Understanding these variations and their predictability is of key importance for the integration and optimal utilization of wind in the power system. There are two major attributes of variable generation that notably impact the participation on power exchanges: Variability (the output of variable generation changes and resulting in fluctuations in the plant output on all time scales) and Uncertainty (the magnitude and timing of variable generation output is less predictable, wind power output has low levels of predictability). Because of these variability and uncertainty wind plants cannot participate to electricity market, especially to power exchanges. For this purpose, the paper presents techno-economic analysis of work of wind plants together with combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) plant as support for offering continues power to electricity market. A model of wind farms and CCGT plant was developed in program PLEXOS based on real hourly input data and all characteristics of CCGT with especial analysis of techno-economic characteristics of different types of starts and stops of the plant. The Model analyzes the followings: costs of different start-stop characteristics (hot, warm, cold start-ups and shutdowns) and part load performance of CCGT. Besides the costs, the technical restrictions were considered such as start-up time depending on outage duration, minimum operation time, and minimum load or peaking capability. For calculation purposes, the following parameters are necessary to know in order to be able to economically evaluate changes in the start-up process: ramp up and down rate, time of start time reduction, fuel mass flow during start, electricity production during start, variable cost of start-up process, cost and charges for life time consumption for each start and start type, remuneration during start up time regarding expected or unexpected starts, the cost and revenues for balancing energy (important when participating in electricity market), and the cost or revenues for CO2-certificates. Main motivation for this analysis is to investigate possibilities to participate on power exchanges by offering continues guarantied power from wind plants by backing-up them with CCGT power plant.

Anisotropies in the Diffuse Gamma-Ray Background Measured by the Fermi LAT

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ferrara, E. C.; McEnery, J. E.; Troja, E.

2012-01-01

The contribution of unresolved sources to the diffuse gamma-ray background could induce anisotropies in this emission on small angular scales. We analyze the angular power spectrum of the diffuse emission measured by the Fermi LAT at Galactic latitudes absolute value of b > 30 deg in four energy bins spanning 1 to 50 GeV. At multipoles l >= 155, corresponding to angular scales approx < 2 deg, angular power above the photon noise level is detected at > 99.99% CL in the 1-2 GeV, 2- 5 GeV, and 5- 10 GeV energy bins, and at > 99% CL at 10-50 GeV. Within each energy bin the measured angular power takes approximately the same value at all multipoles l >= 155, suggesting that it originates from the contribution of one or more unclustered source populations. The amplitude of the angular power normalized to the mean intensity in each energy bin is consistent with a constant value at all energies, C(sub p) / (I)(exp 2) = 9.05 +/- 0.84 x 10(exp -6) sr, while the energy dependence of C(sub p) is consistent with the anisotropy arising from one or more source populations with power-law photon spectra with spectral index Gamma (sub s) = 2.40 +/- 0.07. We discuss the implications of the measured angular power for gamma-ray source populations that may provide a contribution to the diffuse gamma-ray background.

Analysis of spontaneous oscillations for a three-state power-stroke model.

PubMed

Washio, Takumi; Hisada, Toshiaki; Shintani, Seine A; Higuchi, Hideo

2017-02-01

Our study considers the mechanism of the spontaneous oscillations of molecular motors that are driven by the power stroke principle by applying linear stability analysis around the stationary solution. By representing the coupling equation of microscopic molecular motor dynamics and mesoscopic sarcomeric dynamics by a rank-1 updated matrix system, we derived the analytical representations of the eigenmodes of the Jacobian matrix that cause the oscillation. Based on these analytical representations, we successfully derived the essential conditions for the oscillation in terms of the rate constants of the power stroke and the reversal stroke transitions of the molecular motor. Unlike the two-state model, in which the dependence of the detachment rates on the motor coordinates or the applied forces on the motors plays a key role for the oscillation, our three-state power stroke model demonstrates that the dependence of the rate constants of the power and reversal strokes on the strains in the elastic elements in the motor molecules plays a key role, where these rate constants are rationally determined from the free energy available for the power stroke, the stiffness of the elastic element in the molecular motor, and the working stroke size. By applying the experimentally confirmed values to the free energy, the stiffness, and the working stroke size, our numerical model reproduces well the experimentally observed oscillatory behavior. Furthermore, our analysis shows that two eigenmodes with real positive eigenvalues characterize the oscillatory behavior, where the eigenmode with the larger eigenvalue indicates the transient of the system of the quick sarcomeric lengthening induced by the collective reversal strokes, and the smaller eigenvalue correlates with the speed of sarcomeric shortening, which is much slower than lengthening. Applying the perturbation analyses with primal physical parameters, we find that these two real eigenvalues occur on two branches derived from a merge point of a pair of complex-conjugate eigenvalues generated by Hopf bifurcation.

Sodium-sulfur technology evaluation at Argonne National Laboratory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mulcahey, T. P.; Tummillo, A. F.; Hogrefe, R. L.; Christianson, C. C.; Biwer, R.; Webster, C. E.; Lee, J.; Miller, J. F.; Marr, J. J.; Smaga, J. A.

The Analysis and Diagnostics Laboratory (ADL) at Argonne National Laboratory has completed evaluation of the Ford Aerospace and Communication Corp. (FACC) technology in the form of four load-levelling (LL) cells, five electric vehicle (EV) cells, and a sub-battery of 89 series connected EV cells. The ADL also has initiated evaluation of the Chloride Silent Power Limited (CSPL) sodium-sulfur (PB) battery technology in the form of 8 individual cells. The evaluation of the FACC-LL cells consisted of an abbreviated performance characterization followed by life-cycle tests on two individual cells and life-cycle tests only on the two other individual cells. The evaluation indicated that the technology was improving, but long-term (life) reliability was not yet adequate for utility applications. The cells exhibited individual cycle lives ranging from 659 to over 1366 cycles, which is equivalent to 2 1/2 to 5 1/2 years in utility use. It was also found that full-cell capacity could only be maintained by applying a special charge regime, regularly or periodically, that consisted of a constant-current followed by a constant-voltage.

Design and numerical investigations of a counter-rotating axial compressor for a geothermal power plant application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qualman, Thomas, II

Geothermal provides a steady source of energy unlike other renewable sources, however, there are non-condensable gases (NCG's) that need to be removed before the steam enters the turbine/generator or the efficiency suffers. By utilizing a multistage counter-rotating axial compressor with integrated composite wound impellers the process of removing NCG's could be significantly improved. The novel composite impeller design provides a high level of corrosion resistance, a good strength to weight ratio, reduced size, and reduced manufacturing and maintenance costs. This thesis focuses on the design of the first 3 stages of a multistage counter-rotating axial compressor with integrated composite wound impellers for NCG removal. Because of the novel technique, an unusual set of constraints required a simplified 1 and 2D design methodology to be developed and investigated through CFD. The results indicate that by utilizing constant thickness blades with constant shroud radius (to ease manufacturing difficulties) a total pressure ratio of 1.37 with a total polytropic efficiency of 89.81% could be achieved.

Modelling of intermittent microwave convective drying: parameter sensitivity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Zhijun; Qin, Wenchao; Shi, Bin; Gao, Jingxin; Zhang, Shiwei

2017-06-01

The reliability of the predictions of a mathematical model is a prerequisite to its utilization. A multiphase porous media model of intermittent microwave convective drying is developed based on the literature. The model considers the liquid water, gas and solid matrix inside of food. The model is simulated by COMSOL software. Its sensitivity parameter is analysed by changing the parameter values by ±20%, with the exception of several parameters. The sensitivity analysis of the process of the microwave power level shows that each parameter: ambient temperature, effective gas diffusivity, and evaporation rate constant, has significant effects on the process. However, the surface mass, heat transfer coefficient, relative and intrinsic permeability of the gas, and capillary diffusivity of water do not have a considerable effect. The evaporation rate constant has minimal parameter sensitivity with a ±20% value change, until it is changed 10-fold. In all results, the temperature and vapour pressure curves show the same trends as the moisture content curve. However, the water saturation at the medium surface and in the centre show different results. Vapour transfer is the major mass transfer phenomenon that affects the drying process.

A Markovian model of evolving world input-output network

PubMed Central

Isacchini, Giulio

2017-01-01

The initial theoretical connections between Leontief input-output models and Markov chains were established back in 1950s. However, considering the wide variety of mathematical properties of Markov chains, so far there has not been a full investigation of evolving world economic networks with Markov chain formalism. In this work, using the recently available world input-output database, we investigated the evolution of the world economic network from 1995 to 2011 through analysis of a time series of finite Markov chains. We assessed different aspects of this evolving system via different known properties of the Markov chains such as mixing time, Kemeny constant, steady state probabilities and perturbation analysis of the transition matrices. First, we showed how the time series of mixing times and Kemeny constants could be used as an aggregate index of globalization. Next, we focused on the steady state probabilities as a measure of structural power of the economies that are comparable to GDP shares of economies as the traditional index of economies welfare. Further, we introduced two measures of systemic risk, called systemic influence and systemic fragility, where the former is the ratio of number of influenced nodes to the total number of nodes, caused by a shock in the activity of a node, and the latter is based on the number of times a specific economic node is affected by a shock in the activity of any of the other nodes. Finally, focusing on Kemeny constant as a global indicator of monetary flow across the network, we showed that there is a paradoxical effect of a change in activity levels of economic nodes on the overall flow of the world economic network. While the economic slowdown of the majority of nodes with high structural power results to a slower average monetary flow over the network, there are some nodes, where their slowdowns improve the overall quality of the network in terms of connectivity and the average flow of the money. PMID:29065145

Development of compact rapid charging power supply for capacitive energy storage in pulsed power drivers.

PubMed

Sharma, Surender Kumar; Shyam, Anurag

2015-02-01

High energy capacitor bank is used for primary electrical energy storage in pulsed power drivers. The capacitors used in these pulsed power drivers have low inductance, low internal resistance, and less dc life, so it has to be charged rapidly and immediately discharged into the load. A series resonant converter based 45 kV compact power supply is designed and developed for rapid charging of the capacitor bank with constant charging current up to 150 mA. It is short circuit proof, and zero current switching technique is used to commute the semiconductor switch. A high frequency resonant inverter switching at 10 kHz makes the overall size small and reduces the switching losses. The output current of the power supply is limited by constant on-time and variable frequency switching control technique. The power supply is tested by charging the 45 kV/1.67 μF and 15 kV/356 μF capacitor banks. It has charged the capacitor bank up to rated voltage with maximum charging current of 150 mA and the average charging rate of 3.4 kJ/s. The output current of the power supply is limited by reducing the switching frequency at 5 kHz, 3.3 kHz, and 1.7 kHz and tested with 45 kV/1.67 μF capacitor bank. The protection circuit is included in the power supply for over current, under voltage, and over temperature. The design details and the experimental testing results of the power supply for resonant current, output current, and voltage traces of the power supply with capacitive, resistive, and short circuited load are presented and discussed.

Power Allocation and Outage Probability Analysis for SDN-based Radio Access Networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Yongxu; Chen, Yueyun; Mai, Zhiyuan

2018-01-01

In this paper, performance of Access network Architecture based SDN (Software Defined Network) is analyzed with respect to the power allocation issue. A power allocation scheme PSO-PA (Particle Swarm Optimization-power allocation) algorithm is proposed, the proposed scheme is subjected to constant total power with the objective of minimizing system outage probability. The entire access network resource configuration is controlled by the SDN controller, then it sends the optimized power distribution factor to the base station source node (SN) and the relay node (RN). Simulation results show that the proposed scheme reduces the system outage probability at a low complexity.

Design criteria and candidate electrical power systems for a reusable Space Shuttle booster.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Merrifield, D. V.

1972-01-01

This paper presents the results of a preliminary study to establish electrical power requirements, investigate candidate power sources, and select a representative power generation concept for the NASA Space Shuttle booster stage. Design guidelines and system performance requirements are established. Candidate power sources and combinations thereof are defined and weight estimates made. The selected power source concept utilizes secondary silver-zinc batteries, engine-driven alternators with constant speed drive, and an airbreathing gas turbine. The need for cost optimization, within safety, reliability, and performance constraints, is emphasized as being the most important criteria in design of the final system.

GHRS Cycle 5 Echelle Wavelength Monitor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soderblom, David

1995-07-01

This proposal defines the spectral lamp test for Echelle A. It is an internal test which makes measurements of the wavelength lamp SC2. It calibrates the carrousel function, Y deflections, resolving power, sensitivity, and scattered light. The wavelength calibration dispersion constants will be updated in the PODPS calibration data base. This proposal defines the spectral lamp test for Echelle B. It is an internal test which makes measurements of the wavelength lamp SC2. It calibrates the carrousel function, Y deflections, resolving power, sensitivity, and scattered light. The wavelength calibration dispersion constants will be updated in the PODPS calibration data base. It will be run every 4 months. The wavelengths may be out of range according to PEPSI or TRANS. Please ignore the errors.

A comprehensive generator-line-infinite-bus micromachine model

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Swift, G.W.

For almost twenty years, a miniature three-phase electric power system has been used by students at the University of Manitoba, in several courses and for many student hands on'' projects. It features a realistic natural frequency of about one hertz, a realistic exciter/field time constant of about five seconds, a solid state exciter, many short time constant transducers, a unique synchroscope'', and a storage oscilloscope. On the storage oscilloscope power-versus-phase curves can be observed-something seldom seen by practicing engineers or students in the usual laboratory situation. Advanced students can construct operational amplifier based stabilizers on a bread-board close to themore » regulator which is also on a small bread-broad.« less

Nano-technology and privacy: on continuous surveillance outside the panopticon.

PubMed

Hoven, Jeroen Van Den; Vermaas, Pieter E

2007-01-01

We argue that nano-technology in the form of invisible tags, sensors, and Radio Frequency Identity Chips (RFIDs) will give rise to privacy issues that are in two ways different from the traditional privacy issues of the last decades. One, they will not exclusively revolve around the idea of centralization of surveillance and concentration of power, as the metaphor of the Panopticon suggests, but will be about constant observation at decentralized levels. Two, privacy concerns may not exclusively be about constraining information flows but also about designing of materials and nano-artifacts such as chips and tags. We begin by presenting a framework for structuring the current debates on privacy, and then present our arguments.

Shape of the primary proton spectrum in the multi-TeV region from data on the vertical muon flux

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tyumentsev, A. G.; Lagutin, A. A.; Yushkov, A. V.

2009-12-01

It is shown, that the primary proton spectrum, reconstructed from sea-level and underground data on the muon spectrum using the QGSJET 01, QGSJET II, NEXUS 3.97 and SIBYLL 2.1 interaction models, demonstrates not only a model-dependent intensity, but also a model-dependent form. For a correct reproduction of the muon spectrum shape the primary proton flux should have a non-constant power index for all considered models, except SIBYLL 2.1, with a break at energies around 10-15 TeV and a value of the exponent before the break close to that obtained in the ATIC-2 experiment.

Apparatus for downward transport of heat

DOEpatents

Neeper, D.A.; Hedstrom, J.C.

1985-08-05

An apparatus for the downward transport of heat by vaporization of a working fluid, usually from a collector which can be powered by the sun to a condenser which drains the condensed working fluid to a lower reservoir, is controled by a control valve which is operationally dependent upon the level of working fluid in either the lower reservoir or an upper reservoir which feeds the collector. Condensed working fluid is driven from the lower to the upper reservoir by vaporized working fluid whose flow is controled by the controll valve. The upper reservoir is in constant communication with the condenser which prevents a buildup in temperature/pressure as the apparatus goes through successive pumping cycles.

Evaluation of System Architectures for the Army Aviation Ground Power Unit

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-12-01

this state of operation induces wear that reduces pump life. Variable capacity control methods using a constant displacement pump are drive speed...options for use with constant displacement pumps, the fluid or magnetic coupling devices are the most attractive. Variable frequency control cannot...compressor prior to the combustor. The cmTent system turbine exhaust temperature controls to 1250°F, much higher than the compressor exit

The most energy efficient way to charge the capacitor in a RC circuit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Dake

2017-11-01

The voltage waveform that minimize the energy loss in the resistance when charging the capacitor in a resistor-capacitor circuit is investigated using the calculus of variation. A linear voltage ramp gives the best efficiency, which means a constant current source should be used for charging. Comparison between constant current source and battery-powered system is made to illustrate the energy advantage of the former.

Power spectrum, correlation function, and tests for luminosity bias in the CfA redshift survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Changbom; Vogeley, Michael S.; Geller, Margaret J.; Huchra, John P.

1994-08-01

We describe and apply a method for directly computing the power spectrum for the galaxy distribution in the extension of the Center for Astrophysics Redshift Survey. Tests show that our technique accurately reproduces the true power spectrum for k greater than 0.03 h Mpc-1. The dense sampling and large spatial coverage of this survey allow accurate measurement of the redshift-space power spectrum on scales from 5 to approximately 200 h-1 Mpc. The power spectrum has slope n approximately equal -2.1 on small scales (lambda less than or equal 25 h-1 Mpc) and n approximately -1.1 on scales 30 less than lambda less than 120 h-1 Mpc. On larger scales the power spectrum flattens somewhat, but we do not detect a turnover. Comparison with N-body simulations of cosmological models shows that an unbiased, open universe CDM model (OMEGA h = 0.2) and a nonzero cosmological constant (CDM) model (OMEGA h = 0.24, lambdazero = 0.6, b = 1.3) match the CfA power spectrum over the wavelength range we explore. The standard biased CDM model (OMEGA h = 0.5, b = 1.5) fails (99% significance level) because it has insufficient power on scales lambda greater than 30 h-1 Mpc. Biased CDM with a normalization that matches the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) anisotropy (OMEGA h = 0.5, b = 1.4, sigma8 (mass) = 1) has too much power on small scales to match the observed galaxy power spectrum. This model with b = 1 matches both Cosmic Background Explorer Satellite (COBE) and the small-scale power spect rum but has insufficient power on scales lambda approximately 100 h-1 Mpc. We derive a formula for the effect of small-scale peculiar velocities on the power spectrum and combine this formula with the linear-regime amplification described by Kaiser to compute an estimate of the real-space power spectrum. Two tests reveal luminosity bias in the galaxy distribution: First, the amplitude of the power spectrum is approximately 40% larger for the brightest 50% of galaxies in volume-limited samples that have Mlim greater than M*. This bias in the power spectrum is independent of scale, consistent with the peaks-bias paradigm for galaxy formation. Second, the distribution of local density around galaxies shows that regions of moderate and high density contain both very bright (M less than M* = -19.2 + 5 log h) and fainter galaxies, but that voids preferentially harbor fainter galaxies (approximately 2 sigma significance level).

High efficiency RF amplifier development over wide dynamic range for accelerator application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mishra, Jitendra Kumar; Ramarao, B. V.; Pande, Manjiri M.; Joshi, Gopal; Sharma, Archana; Singh, Pitamber

2017-10-01

Superconducting (SC) cavities in an accelerating section are designed to have the same geometrical velocity factor (βg). For these cavities, Radio Frequency (RF) power needed to accelerate charged particles varies with the particle velocity factor (β). RF power requirement from one cavity to other can vary by 2-5 dB within the accelerating section depending on the energy gain in the cavity and beam current. In this paper, we have presented an idea to improve operating efficiency of the SC RF accelerators using envelope tracking technique. A study on envelope tracking technique without feedback is carried out on a 1 kW, 325 MHz, class B (conduction angle of 180 degrees) tuned load power amplifier (PA). We have derived expressions for the efficiency and power output for tuned load amplifier operating on the envelope tracking technique. From the derived expressions, it is observed that under constant load resistance to the device (MOSFET), optimum amplifier efficiency is invariant whereas output power varies with the square of drain bias voltage. Experimental results on 1 kW PA module show that its optimum efficiency is always greater than 62% with variation less than 5% from mean value over 7 dB dynamic range. Low power amplifier modules are the basic building block for the high power amplifiers. Therefore, results for 1 kW PA modules remain valid for the high power solid state amplifiers built using these PA modules. The SC RF accelerators using these constant efficiency power amplifiers can improve overall accelerator efficiency.

NREL`s variable speed test bed: Preliminary results

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Carlin, P.W.; Fingersh, L.J.; Fuchs, E.F.

1996-10-01

Under an NREL subcontract, the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department of the University of Colorado (CU) designed a 20-kilowatt, 12-pole, permanent-magnet, electric generator and associated custom power electronics modules. This system can supply power over a generator speed range from 60 to 120 RPM. The generator was fabricated and assembled by the Denver electric-motor manufacturer, Unique Mobility, and the power electronics modules were designed and fabricated at the University. The generator was installed on a 56-foot tower in the modified nacelle of a Grumman Windstream 33 wind turbine in early October 1995. For checkout it was immediately loaded directly intomore » a three-phase resistive load in which it produced 3.5 kilowatts of power. Abstract only included. The ten-meter Grumman host wind machine is equipped with untwisted, untapered, NREL series S809 blades. The machine was instrumented to record both mechanical hub power and electrical power delivered to the utility. Initial tests are focusing on validating the calculated power surface. This mathematical surface shows the wind machine power as a function of both wind speed and turbine rotor speed. Upon the completion of this task, maximum effort will be directed toward filling a test matrix in which variable-speed operation will be contrasted with constant-speed mode by switching the variable speed control algorithm with the baseline constant speed control algorithm at 10 minutes time intervals. Other quantities in the test matrix will be analyzed to detect variable speed-effects on structural loads and power quality.« less

Mid-IR lasers based on transition metal and rare-earth ion doped crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mirov, S.; Fedorov, V.; Martyshkin, D.; Moskalev, I.; Mirov, M.; Vasilyev, S.

2015-05-01

We report a novel design of CW Cr2+:ZnS/ZnSe laser systems and demonstrate record output powers of 27.5 W at 2.45 μm and 13.9 W at 2.94 μm with slope efficiencies of 63.7% and 37.4%, respectively. Power scaling of ultra-fast Cr2+:ZnS/ZnSe Kerr mode-locked lasers beyond 2 W level, as well as the shortest pulse duration of 29 fs, are also reported. New development of Fe:ZnSe laser with average output power > 35 W at 4.1 μm output wavelength and 100 Hz pulse repetition rate (PRR) was achieved in a nonselective cavity. With intracavity prim selector, wavelength tunability of 3.88-4.17 μm was obtained with maximum average output power of 23 W. We also report new results on Tm-fiber pumped passively and actively Q-switched Ho:YAG laser systems. High peak power actively Q-switched Ho:YAG laser demonstrates stable operation with pulse energy > 50 mJ, 12 ns pulse duration, and 100-1000 Hz PRR which correspondents to more than 4 MW peak power. The actively Q-switched Ho:YAG laser system optimized for high repetition rate delivers 40 W average output power at 10-100 kHz PRR. The Ho:YAG laser with passive Q-switcher demonstrates constant 5 mJ output energy from 200 Hz to 2.23 kHz PRR with optical slope efficiency with respect to Tm-fiber laser of ~43%.

Methods for determining optical power, for power-normalizing laser measurements, and for stabilizing power of lasers via compliance voltage sensing

DOEpatents

Taubman, Matthew S; Phillips, Mark C

2015-04-07

A method is disclosed for power normalization of spectroscopic signatures obtained from laser based chemical sensors that employs the compliance voltage across a quantum cascade laser device within an external cavity laser. The method obviates the need for a dedicated optical detector used specifically for power normalization purposes. A method is also disclosed that employs the compliance voltage developed across the laser device within an external cavity semiconductor laser to power-stabilize the laser mode of the semiconductor laser by adjusting drive current to the laser such that the output optical power from the external cavity semiconductor laser remains constant.

Reduced power processor requirements for the 30-cm diameter HG ion thruster

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rawlin, V. K.

1979-01-01

The characteristics of power processors strongly impact the overall performance and cost of electric propulsion systems. A program was initiated to evaluate simplifications of the thruster-power processor interface requirements. The power processor requirements are mission dependent with major differences arising for those missions which require a nearly constant thruster operating point (typical of geocentric and some inbound planetary missions) and those requiring operation over a large range of input power (such as outbound planetary missions). This paper describes the results of tests which have indicated that as many as seven of the twelve power supplies may be eliminated from the present Functional Model Power Processor used with 30-cm diameter Hg ion thrusters.

A Comparison of Measured Tone Modes for Two Low Noise Propulsion Fans

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heidelberg, Laurence J.; Elliott, David M.

2000-01-01

The acoustic modes for two low tip speed propulsion fans were measured to examine the effects of fan tip speed, at constant pressure ratio. A continuously rotating microphone method was used that provided the complete modal structure (circumferential and radial order) at the fundamental and second harmonic of the blade passing tone as well as most of the third harmonic modes. The fans are compared in terms of their rotor/stator interaction modal power, and total tone power. It was hoped that the lower tip speed might produce less noise. This was not the case. The higher tip speed fan, at both takeoff and cutback speeds, had lower tone and interaction levels. This could be an indication that the higher aerodynamic loading required to produce the same pressure ratio for the lower tip speed fan resulted in a greater velocity deficit in the blade wakes and thus more noise. Results consistent with expected rotor transmission effects were noted in the inlet modal structures of both fans.

Dosimetry of a set-up for the exposure of newborn mice to 2.45-GHZ WiFi frequencies.

PubMed

Pinto, R; Lopresto, V; Galloni, P; Marino, C; Mancini, S; Lodato, R; Pioli, C; Lovisolo, G A

2010-08-01

This work describes the dosimetry of a two waveguide cell system designed to expose newborn mice to electromagnetic fields associated with wireless fidelity signals in the frequency band of 2.45 GHz. The dosimetric characterisation of the exposure system was performed both numerically and experimentally. Specific measures were adopted with regard to the increase in both weight and size of the biological target during the exposure period. The specific absorption rate (SAR, W kg(-1)) for 1 W of input power vs. weight curve was assessed. The curve evidenced an SAR pattern varying from <1 W kg(-1) to >6 W kg(-1) during the first 5 weeks of the life of mice, with a peak resonance phenomenon at a weight around 5 g. This curve was used to set the appropriate level of input power during experimental sessions to expose the growing mice to a defined and constant dose.

Electronic and Thermoelectric Properties of SnSe1-x S x (x = 0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, and 1) Alloys: First-Principles Calculations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamad, Bothina

2018-04-01

Ab initio investigations of the electronic and thermoelectric (TE) properties of SnSe1-x S x (x = 0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, and 1) alloys are performed using density functional theory. The TE properties are calculated using the semi-classical Boltzmann transport theory within the constant relaxation time approximation. Band gap values are found to range between 0.94 eV and 1.02 eV in agreement with the experimental findings and previous calculations. All alloys tend to exhibit p-type TE properties, indicated by a sharp peak near the Fermi level that indicates a heavy carrier concentration. Electrical conductivity is found to decrease, whereas the Seebeck coefficient and the power factor increase for higher concentrations. The three alloys, SnS, SnSe and SnSe0.75S0.25 alloys exhibit the same power factor of 3.5 × 10-3 W/m K2, which is promising for thermoelectric applications.

Effect of Laser Powder Bed Fusion Parameters on the Microstructure and Texture Development in Superelastic Ti-18Zr-14Nb Alloy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kreitcberg, A.; Brailovski, V.; Sheremetyev, V.; Prokoshkin, S.

2017-12-01

The effect of different laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) parameters on the phase composition, microstructure, and crystallographic texture of Ti-18Zr-14Nb alloy was studied. Two levels of laser power, scanning speed, and hatching space were used, while the layer thickness was kept constant. The resulting volume energy density was ranged from 20 to 60 J/mm3, and the build rate, from 12 to 36 cm3/h. The manufactured coupons were analyzed by X-ray diffractometry, transmission, and scanning electron microscopy. It was found that the greater influence observed on the microstructure and texture development was caused by the value of laser power, while the lowest, by that of hatching space. Based on the results obtained, the processing optimization strategy aimed at improving the density, superelastic, and fatigue properties of the L-PBF manufactured Ti-18Zr-14Nb alloy was proposed.

[Investigation of the Campaign of"Eliminating the Four Pests and Paying Attention to Hygiene"in Shanxi province in the 1950s, with special reference to technological innovation].

PubMed

Wu, X Y

2016-07-28

In order to improve the level of people's living and health standard, increase the output of cereal crops, achieve the country's economic recovery and development, and consolidate the new state power, a Campaign of"Eliminating the Four Pests and Paying Attention to Hygiene"in the field of health was launched by the Central Government in the 1950s. In response to the call of government, Shanxi province actively organized the people to participate in this Campaign. For improving the efficiency of Eliminating the Four Pests, people widely carried out technological innovation, with constant creation and invented advanced tools, and gained fruitful technological achievements. Through technological innovation, the working efficiency and quality were enhanced. More importantly, the interaction between the national and local authorities was promoted. In other words, there was a formation of national political domination and power over the local authority, as well as the"owner"awareness and the formation of the state conception.

Pulsed Electrochemical Mass Spectrometry for Operando Tracking of Interfacial Processes in Small-Time-Constant Electrochemical Devices such as Supercapacitors.

PubMed

Batisse, Nicolas; Raymundo-Piñero, Encarnación

2017-11-29

A more detailed understanding of the electrode/electrolyte interface degradation during the charging cycle in supercapacitors is of great interest for exploring the voltage stability range and therefore the extractable energy. The evaluation of the gas evolution during the charging, discharging, and aging processes is a powerful tool toward determining the stability and energy capacity of supercapacitors. Here, we attempt to fit the gas analysis resolution to the time response of a low-gas-generation power device by adopting a modified pulsed electrochemical mass spectrometry (PEMS) method. The pertinence of the method is shown using a symmetric carbon/carbon supercapacitor operating in different aqueous electrolytes. The differences observed in the gas levels and compositions as a function of the cell voltage correlate to the evolution of the physicochemical characteristics of the carbon electrodes and to the electrochemical performance, giving a complete picture of the processes taking place at the electrode/electrolyte interface.

Proportional-integral and proportional-integral-derivative-based cyclic sleep controllers with anti-windup technique for energy-efficient and delay-aware passive optical networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kikuchi, Takahiro; Kubo, Ryogo

2016-08-01

In energy-efficient passive optical network (PON) systems, the increase in the queuing delays caused by the power-saving mechanism of optical network units (ONUs) is an important issue. Some researchers have proposed quality-of-service (QoS)-aware ONU cyclic sleep controllers in PON systems. We have proposed proportional (P) and proportional-derivative (PD)-based controllers to maintain the average queuing delay at a constant level regardless of the amount of downstream traffic. However, sufficient performance has not been obtained because of the sleep period limitation. In this paper, proportional-integral (PI) and proportional-integral-derivative (PID)-based controllers considering the sleep period limitation, i.e., using an anti-windup (AW) technique, are proposed to improve both the QoS and power-saving performance. Simulations confirm that the proposed controllers provide better performance than conventional controllers in terms of the average downstream queuing delay and the time occupancy of ONU active periods.

Analysis of the damage threshold of the GaAs pseudomorphic high electron mobility transistor induced by the electromagnetic pulse

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xi, Xiao-Wen; Chai, Chang-Chun; Liu, Yang; Yang, Yin-Tang; Fan, Qing-Yang; Shi, Chun-Lei

2016-08-01

An electromagnetic pulse (EMP)-induced damage model based on the internal damage mechanism of the GaAs pseudomorphic high electron mobility transistor (PHEMT) is established in this paper. With this model, the relationships among the damage power, damage energy, pulse width and signal amplitude are investigated. Simulation results show that the pulse width index from the damage power formula obtained here is higher than that from the empirical formula due to the hotspot transferring in the damage process of the device. It is observed that the damage energy is not a constant, which decreases with the signal amplitude increasing, and then changes little when the signal amplitude reaches up to a certain level. Project supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (Grant No. 2014CB339900) and the Open Fund of Key Laboratory of Complex Electromagnetic Environment Science and Technology, China Academy of Engineering Physics (CAEP) (Grant No. 2015-0214.XY.K).

From non-trivial geometries to power spectra and vice versa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brooker, D. J.; Tsamis, N. C.; Woodard, R. P.

2018-04-01

We review a recent formalism which derives the functional forms of the primordial—tensor and scalar—power spectra of scalar potential inflationary models. The formalism incorporates the case of geometries with non-constant first slow-roll parameter. Analytic expressions for the power spectra are given that explicitly display the dependence on the geometric properties of the background. Moreover, we present the full algorithm for using our formalism, to reconstruct the model from the observed power spectra. Our techniques are applied to models possessing "features" in their potential with excellent agreement.

Influence of blood flow occlusion on muscle oxygenation characteristics and the parameters of the power-duration relationship.

PubMed

Broxterman, R M; Ade, C J; Craig, J C; Wilcox, S L; Schlup, S J; Barstow, T J

2015-04-01

It was previously (Monod H, Scherrer J. Ergonomics 8: 329-338, 1965) postulated that blood flow occlusion during exercise would reduce critical power (CP) to 0 Watts (W), while not altering the curvature constant (W'). We empirically assessed the influence of blood flow occlusion on CP, W', and muscle oxygenation characteristics. Ten healthy men (age: 24.8 ± 2.6 yr; height: 180 ± 5 cm; weight: 84.6 ± 10.1 kg) completed four constant-power handgrip exercise tests during both control blood flow (control) and blood flow occlusion (occlusion) for the determination of the power-duration relationship. Occlusion CP (-0.7 ± 0.4 W) was significantly (P < 0.001) lower than control CP (4.1 ± 0.7 W) and significantly (P < 0.001) lower than 0 W. Occlusion W' (808 ± 155 J) was significantly (P < 0.001) different from control W' (558 ± 129 J), and all 10 subjects demonstrated an increased occlusion W' with a mean increase of ∼49%. The present findings support the aerobic nature of CP. The findings also demonstrate that the amount of work that can be performed above CP is constant for a given condition, but can vary across conditions. Moreover, this amount of work that can be performed above CP does not appear to be the determinant of W', but rather a consequence of the depletion of intramuscular energy stores and/or the accumulation of fatigue-inducing metabolites, which limit exercise tolerance and determine W'. Copyright © 2015 the American Physiological Society.

Pirates and Power: What Captain Jack Sparrow, His Friends, and His Foes Can Teach Us about Power Bases

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Jennifer R.

2006-01-01

Leadership educators are constantly looking for new and inventive ways to teach leadership theory. Because leadership educators realize principles of androgyny and experiential education work well with leadership theories, instructors find movies are a great way to infuse leadership theory with novel teaching methodology. "Movies, like…

Advanced Direct-Drive Generator for Improved Availability of Oscillating Wave Surge Converter Power Generation Systems Phase II 10hp 30rpm Radial-Flux Magnetically Geared Generator Test Data

DOE Data Explorer

Ouyang, Wen; Tchida, Colin

2017-05-02

Static torque, no load, constant speed, and sinusoidal oscillation test data for a 10hp, 300rpm magnetically-geared generator prototype using either an adjustable load bank for a fixed resistance or an output power converter.

49 CFR Appendix A to Part 222 - Approved Supplementary Safety Measures

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... crossings located within New Partial Quiet Zones shall be closed from 10 p.m. until 7 a.m. every day. Public... apply only to New Quiet Zones or New Partial Quiet Zones. Constant warning time devices and power-out...-Rule Partial Quiet Zones are renewed, or new automatic warning device systems are installed, power-out...

Low temperature rf sputtering deposition of (Ba, Sr) TiO3 thin film with crystallization enhancement by rf power supplied to the substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoshimaru, Masaki; Takehiro, Shinobu; Abe, Kazuhide; Onoda, Hiroshi

2005-05-01

The (Ba, Sr) TiO3 thin film deposited by radio frequency (rf) sputtering requires a high deposition temperature near 500 °C to realize a high relative dielectric constant over of 300. For example, the film deposited at 330 °C contains an amorphous phase and shows a low relative dielectric constant of less than 100. We found that rf power supplied not only to the (Ba, Sr) TiO3 sputtering target, but also to the substrate during the initial step of film deposition, enhanced the crystallization of the (Ba, Sr) TiO3 film drastically and realized a high dielectric constant of the film even at low deposition temperatures near 300 °C. The 50-nm-thick film with only a 10 nm initial layer deposited with the substrate rf biasing is crystallized completely and shows a high relative dielectric constant of 380 at the deposition temperature of 330 °C. The (Ba, Sr) TiO3 film deposited at higher temperatures (upwards of 400 °C) shows <110> preferred orientation, while the film deposited at 330 °C with the 10 nm initial layer shows a <111> preferred orientation on a <001>-oriented ruthenium electrode. The unit cell of (Ba, Sr) TiO3 (111) plane is similar to that of ruthenium (001) plane. We conclude that the rf power supplied to the substrate causes ion bombardments on the (Ba, Sr) TiO3 film surface, which assists the quasiepitaxial growth of (Ba, Sr) TiO3 film on the ruthenium electrode at low temperatures of less than 400 °C.

Voltage droop Coordinating Control applied in UPFC and STATCOM system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Junhui, Huang; Zhuyi, Peng; Chengjie, Ni; Yiqing, Xu; Jiliang, Xue

2018-04-01

When UPFC, unified power flow controller is applied with other FACTS into power grid, it is possible that the voltage controlled vibrates constantly to response to a sudden reactive power turbulent in grid if the parameters of these FACTS are not coordinating reasonably. Moreover, the reactive power generated by these equipment will intertwine unexpectedly. The article proposes a method named voltage-reactive power droop control to allow the reference voltage fluctuating around the rating voltage so that the vibration is reduced and the power distribution is improved. Finally, the article cite a electric-magnetic simulation by EMTDC models of east-China power grid to prove it effective when applied to improve the response characteristics to sudden turbulence in power grid.

Extending the Coyote emulator to dark energy models with standard w {sub 0}- w {sub a} parametrization of the equation of state

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Casarini, L.; Bonometto, S.A.; Tessarotto, E.

2016-08-01

We discuss an extension of the Coyote emulator to predict non-linear matter power spectra of dark energy (DE) models with a scale factor dependent equation of state of the form w = w {sub 0}+(1- a ) w {sub a} . The extension is based on the mapping rule between non-linear spectra of DE models with constant equation of state and those with time varying one originally introduced in ref. [40]. Using a series of N-body simulations we show that the spectral equivalence is accurate to sub-percent level across the same range of modes and redshift covered by the Coyotemore » suite. Thus, the extended emulator provides a very efficient and accurate tool to predict non-linear power spectra for DE models with w {sub 0}- w {sub a} parametrization. According to the same criteria we have developed a numerical code that we have implemented in a dedicated module for the CAMB code, that can be used in combination with the Coyote Emulator in likelihood analyses of non-linear matter power spectrum measurements. All codes can be found at https://github.com/luciano-casarini/pkequal.« less

Influence of the power law index on the fiber breakage during injection molding by numerical simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Desplentere, Frederik; Six, Wim; Bonte, Hilde; Debrabandere, Eric

2013-04-01

In predictive engineering for polymer processes, the proper prediction of material microstructure from known processing conditions and constituent material properties is a critical step forward properly predicting bulk properties in the finished composite. Operating within the context of long-fiber thermoplastics (LFT, length > 15mm) this investigation concentrates on the influence of the power law index on the final fiber length distribution within the injection molded part. To realize this, the Autodesk Simulation Moldflow Insight Scandium 2013 software has been used. In this software, a fiber breakage algorithm is available from this release on. Using virtual material data with realistic viscosity levels allows to separate the influence of the power law index on the fiber breakage from the other material and process parameters. Applying standard settings for the fiber breakage parameters results in an obvious influence on the fiber length distribution through the thickness of the part and also as function of position in the part. Finally, the influence of the shear rate constant within the fiber breakage model has been investigated illustrating the possibility to fit the virtual fiber length distribution to the possible experimentally available data.

Design and jump phenomenon analysis of an eccentric ring energy harvester

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Yu-Jen; Chen, Chung-De

2013-10-01

This paper presents the development of a wheel-mounted eccentric ring energy harvester that is driven by centripetal and gravitational forces during wheel rotation. The natural frequency of the eccentric ring matches the wheel rotation frequency at any car speed because its character length is designed equal to the wheel radius. Consequently, the eccentric ring oscillates with a relatively large swing angle at the wheel speed to generate high levels of power. The nonlinear dynamic behavior of the eccentric ring is investigated to ensure that the proposed design produces steady swing angles, especially at high wheel speeds. Herein, the jump phenomenon of the dynamic motion of the eccentric ring is analyzed by using the Duffing equation and the linearization process. The discriminant value obtained from the analysis confirms that no jump phenomenon occurs at all wheel speeds if the eccentric ring is properly designed. In the experiment, the eccentric ring is integrated with magnets and a coil set to generate 318-442 μW at constant wheel speeds between 300 and 500 rpm. This shows that the proposed device is a potential power source for low-power wheel-mounted electronics, such as pressure sensors, accelerometers, and thermometers.

Assessment of effects of neutrals on the power threshold for L to H transitions in DIII-D

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Owen, L.W.; Carreras, B.A.; Maingi, R.

1998-11-01

To assess the effect of edge neutrals on the low-to-high confinement transition threshold, a broad range of plasma discharges has been analyzed. From this analysis, the transition power divided by the density, at constant magnetic field, appears to be a function of a single parameter measuring the neutrals` effect. This results suggest that there is a missing parameter linked to the neutrals in the power threshold scaling laws.

Design and test of a 2.25-MW transformer rectifier assembly

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cormier, R.; Daeges, J.

1989-01-01

A new 2.25-MW transformer rectifier assembly was fabricated for DSS-13 at Goldstone, California. The transformer rectifier will provide constant output power of 2.25 MW at any voltage from 31 kV to 125 kV. This will give a new capability of 1 MW of RF power at X-band, provided appropriate microwave tubes are in the power amplifier. A description of the design and test results is presented.

Inflation in a closed universe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ratra, Bharat

2017-11-01

To derive a power spectrum for energy density inhomogeneities in a closed universe, we study a spatially-closed inflation-modified hot big bang model whose evolutionary history is divided into three epochs: an early slowly-rolling scalar field inflation epoch and the usual radiation and nonrelativistic matter epochs. (For our purposes it is not necessary to consider a final dark energy dominated epoch.) We derive general solutions of the relativistic linear perturbation equations in each epoch. The constants of integration in the inflation epoch solutions are determined from de Sitter invariant quantum-mechanical initial conditions in the Lorentzian section of the inflating closed de Sitter space derived from Hawking's prescription that the quantum state of the universe only include field configurations that are regular on the Euclidean (de Sitter) sphere section. The constants of integration in the radiation and matter epoch solutions are determined from joining conditions derived by requiring that the linear perturbation equations remain nonsingular at the transitions between epochs. The matter epoch power spectrum of gauge-invariant energy density inhomogeneities is not a power law, and depends on spatial wave number in the way expected for a generalization to the closed model of the standard flat-space scale-invariant power spectrum. The power spectrum we derive appears to differ from a number of other closed inflation model power spectra derived assuming different (presumably non de Sitter invariant) initial conditions.

High-Power Piezoelectric Vibration Characteristics of Textured SrBi2Nb2O9 Ceramics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kawada, Shinichiro; Ogawa, Hirozumi; Kimura, Masahiko; Shiratsuyu, Kosuke; Niimi, Hideaki

2006-09-01

The high-power piezoelectric vibration characteristics of textured SrBi2Nb2O9 (SBN) ceramics, that is bismuth-layer-structured ferroelectrics, were studied in the longitudinal mode (33-mode) by constant current driving method and compared with those of ordinary randomly oriented SBN and widely used Pb(Ti,Zr)O3 (PZT) ceramics. In the case of textured SBN ceramics, resonant properties are stable up to a vibration velocity of 2.6 m/s. Vibration velocity at resonant frequency increases proportionally with the applied electric field, and resonant frequency is almost constant in high-vibration-velocity driving. On the other hand, in the case of randomly oriented SBN and PZT ceramics, the increase in vibration velocity is not proportional to the applied high electric field, and resonant frequency decreases with increasing vibration velocity. The resonant sharpness Q of textured SBN ceramics is about 2000, even at a vibration velocity of 2.6 m/s. Therefore, textured SBN ceramics are good candidates for high-power piezoelectric applications.

Group invariant solution for a pre-existing fracture driven by a power-law fluid in impermeable rock

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fareo, A. G.; Mason, D. P.

2013-12-01

The effect of power-law rheology on hydraulic fracturing is investigated. The evolution of a two-dimensional fracture with non-zero initial length and driven by a power-law fluid is analyzed. Only fluid injection into the fracture is considered. The surrounding rock mass is impermeable. With the aid of lubrication theory and the PKN approximation a partial differential equation for the fracture half-width is derived. Using a linear combination of the Lie-point symmetry generators of the partial differential equation, the group invariant solution is obtained and the problem is reduced to a boundary value problem for an ordinary differential equation. Exact analytical solutions are derived for hydraulic fractures with constant volume and with constant propagation speed. The asymptotic solution near the fracture tip is found. The numerical solution for general working conditions is obtained by transforming the boundary value problem to a pair of initial value problems. Throughout the paper, hydraulic fracturing with shear thinning, Newtonian and shear thickening fluids are compared.

Relationship of strength of turbulence to received power

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rottger, J.

1983-01-01

Because of contributions due to reflection, the determination of the turbulence refractive index structure constant may be affected. For pure scattering from turbulence in the inertial subrange, the radar echo power can be used to calculate the refractive index structure constant. The radar power is determined by a convolution integral. If the antenna beam is swung to sufficiently large off-zenith angles ( 12.5 deg) so that a quasi-isotropic response from the tail ends of the Gaussian angular distribution can be anticipated, the evaluation of the convolution integral depends only on the known antenna pattern of the radar. This procedure, swinging the radar beam to attenuate the reflected component, may be called angular or direction filtering. The tilted antenna also may be pick up reflected components from near the zenith through the sidelobes. This can be tested by the evaluation of the correlation function. This method applies a time domain filtering of the intensity time series but needs a very careful selection of the high pass filters.

A two-fluid approximation for calculating the cosmic microwave background anisotropies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Seljak, Uros

1994-01-01

We present a simplified treatment for calculating the cosmic microwave background anisotropy power spectrum in adiabatic models. It consists of solving for the evolution of a two-fluid model until the epoch of recombination and then integrating over the sources to obtain the cosmic microwave background (CMB) anisotropy power spectrum. The approximation is useful both for a physical understanding of CMB anisotropies as well as for a quantitative analysis of cosmological models. Comparison with exact calculations shows that the accuracy is typically 10%-20% over a large range of angles and cosmological models, including those with curvature and cosmological constant. Using this approximation we investigate the dependence of the CMB anisotropy on the cosmological parameters. We identify six dimensionless parameters that uniquely determine the anisotropy power spectrum within our approximation. CMB experiments on different angular scales could in principle provide information on all these parameters. In particular, mapping of the Doppler peaks would allow an independent determination of baryon mass density, matter mass density, and the Hubble constant.

Repeated-cascade theory of strong turbulence in a magnetized plasma

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tchen, C. M.

1976-01-01

A two-dimensional Navier-Stokes equation of vorticity in fluid turbulence is used to model drift turbulence in a plasma with a strong constant magnetic field and a constant mean density gradient. The nonlinear eddy diffusivity is described by a time-integrated Lagrangian correlation of velocities, and the repeated-cascade method is employed to choose the rank accounting for nearest-neighbor interactions, to calculate the Lagrangian correlation, and to close the correlation hierarchy. As a result, the diffusivity becomes dependent on the plasma's induced diffusion and is represented by a memory chain that is cut off by similarity and inertial randomization. Spectral laws relating the kinetic-energy spectrum to the -5, -5/2, -3, and -11 powers of wavenumber are derived for the velocity subranges of production, approach to inertia, inertia, and dissipation, respectively. It is found that the diffusivity is proportional to some inverse power of the magnetic field, that power being 1, 2/3, 5/6, and 2, respectively, for the four velocity subranges.

Impurity segregation behavior in polycrystalline silicon ingot grown with variation of electron-beam power

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Jun-Kyu; Lee, Jin-Seok; Jang, Bo-Yun; Kim, Joon-Soo; Ahn, Young-Soo; Cho, Churl-Hee

2014-08-01

Electron beam melting (EBM) systems have been used to improve the purity of metallurgical grade silicon feedstock for photovoltaic application. Our advanced EBM system is able to effectively remove volatile impurities using a heat source with high energy from an electron gun and to continuously allow impurities to segregate at the top of an ingot solidified in a directional solidification (DS) zone in a vacuum chamber. Heat in the silicon melt should move toward the ingot bottom for the desired DS. However, heat flux though the ingot is changed as the ingot becomes longer due to low thermal conductivity of silicon. This causes a non-uniform microstructure of the ingot, finally leading to impurity segregation at its middle. In this research, EB power irradiated on the silicon melt was controlled during the ingot growth in order to suppress the change of heat flux. EB power was reduced from 12 to 6.6 kW during the growth period of 45 min with a drop rate of 0.125 kW/min. Also, the silicon ingot was grown under a constant EB power of 12 kW to estimate the effect of the drop rate of EB power. When the EB power was reduced, the grains with columnar shape were much larger at the middle of the ingot compared to the case of constant EB power. Also, the present research reports a possible reason for the improvement of ingot purity by considering heat flux behaviors.

Digital high speed programmable convolver

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rearick, T. C.

1984-12-01

A circuit module for rapidly calculating a discrete numerical convolution is described. A convolution such as finding the sum of the products of a 16 bit constant and a 16 bit variable is performed by a module which is programmable so that the constant may be changed for a new problem. In addition, the module may be programmed to find the sum of the products of 4 and 8 bit constants and variables. RAM (Random Access Memories) are loaded with partial products of the selected constant and all possible variables. Then, when the actual variable is loaded, it acts as an address to find the correct partial product in the particular RAM. The partial products from all of the RAMs are shifted to the appropriate numerical power position (if necessary) and then added in adder elements.

Systematics of constant roll inflation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anguelova, Lilia; Suranyi, Peter; Wijewardhana, L. C. R.

2018-02-01

We study constant roll inflation systematically. This is a regime, in which the slow roll approximation can be violated. It has long been thought that this approximation is necessary for agreement with observations. However, recently it was understood that there can be inflationary models with a constant, and not necessarily small, rate of roll that are both stable and compatible with the observational constraint ns ≈ 1. We investigate systematically the condition for such a constant-roll regime. In the process, we find a whole new class of inflationary models, in addition to the known solutions. We show that the new models are stable under scalar perturbations. Finally, we find a part of their parameter space, in which they produce a nearly scale-invariant scalar power spectrum, as needed for observational viability.

Design of Intelligent Hydraulic Excavator Control System Based on PID Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Jun; Jiao, Shengjie; Liao, Xiaoming; Yin, Penglong; Wang, Yulin; Si, Kuimao; Zhang, Yi; Gu, Hairong

Most of the domestic designed hydraulic excavators adopt the constant power design method and set 85%~90% of engine power as the hydraulic system adoption power, it causes high energy loss due to mismatching of power between the engine and the pump. While the variation of the rotational speed of engine could sense the power shift of the load, it provides a new method to adjust the power matching between engine and pump through engine speed. Based on negative flux hydraulic system, an intelligent hydraulic excavator control system was designed based on rotational speed sensing method to improve energy efficiency. The control system was consisted of engine control module, pump power adjusted module, engine idle module and system fault diagnosis module. Special PLC with CAN bus was used to acquired the sensors and adjusts the pump absorption power according to load variation. Four energy saving control strategies with constant power method were employed to improve the fuel utilization. Three power modes (H, S and L mode) were designed to meet different working status; Auto idle function was employed to save energy through two work status detected pressure switches, 1300rpm was setting as the idle speed according to the engine consumption fuel curve. Transient overload function was designed for deep digging within short time without spending extra fuel. An increasing PID method was employed to realize power matching between engine and pump, the rotational speed's variation was taken as the PID algorithm's input; the current of proportional valve of variable displacement pump was the PID's output. The result indicated that the auto idle could decrease fuel consumption by 33.33% compared to work in maximum speed of H mode, the PID control method could take full use of maximum engine power at each power mode and keep the engine speed at stable range. Application of rotational speed sensing method provides a reliable method to improve the excavator's energy efficiency and realize power match between pump and engine.

Perturbations to the Spatial and Temporal Characteristics of the Diurnally-Varying Atmospheric Boundary Layer Due to an Extensive Wind Farm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharma, V.; Parlange, M. B.; Calaf, M.

2017-02-01

The effect of extensive terrestrial wind farms on the spatio-temporal structure of the diurnally-evolving atmospheric boundary layer is explored. High-resolution large-eddy simulations of a realistic diurnal cycle with an embedded wind farm are performed. Simulations are forced by a constant geostrophic velocity with time-varying surface boundary conditions derived from a selected period of the CASES-99 field campaign. Through analysis of the bulk statistics of the flow as a function of height and time, it is shown that extensive wind farms shift the inertial oscillations and the associated nocturnal low-level jet vertically upwards by approximately 200 m; cause a three times stronger stratification between the surface and the rotor-disk region, and as a consequence, delay the formation and growth of the convective boundary layer (CBL) by approximately 2 h. These perturbations are shown to have a direct impact on the potential power output of an extensive wind farm with the displacement of the low-level jet causing lower power output during the night as compared to the day. The low-power regime at night is shown to persist for almost 2 h beyond the morning transition due to the reduced growth of the CBL. It is shown that the wind farm induces a deeper entrainment region with greater entrainment fluxes. Finally, it is found that the diurnally-averaged effective roughness length for wind farms is much lower than the reference value computed theoretically for neutral conditions.

The relationship between perceived discomfort of static posture holding and posture holding time.

PubMed

Ogutu, Jack; Park, Woojin

2015-01-01

Few studies have investigated mathematical characteristics of the discomfort-time relationship during prolonged static posture holding (SPH) on an individual basis. Consequently, the discomfort-time relationship is not clearly understood at individual trial level. The objective of this study was to examine discomfort-time sequence data obtained from a large number of maximum-duration SPH trials to understand the perceived discomfort-posture holding time relationship at the individual SPH trial level. Thirty subjects (15 male, 15 female) participated in this study as paid volunteers. The subjects performed maximum-duration SPH trials employing 12 different wholebody static postures. The hand-held load for all the task trials was a ``generic'' box weighing 2 kg. Three mathematical functions, that is, linear, logarithmic and power functions were examined as possible mathematical models for representing individual discomfort-time profiles of SPH trials. Three different time increase patterns (negatively accelerated, linear and positively accelerated) were observed in the discomfort-time sequences data. The power function model with an additive constant term was found to adequately fit most (96.4%) of the observed discomfort-time sequences, and thus, was recommended as a general mathematical representation of the perceived discomfort-posture holding time relationship in SPH. The new knowledge on the nature of the discomfort-time relationship in SPH and the power function representation found in this study will facilitate analyzing discomfort-time data of SPH and developing future posture analysis tools for work-related discomfort control.

325 Watts from 1-cm wide 9xx laser bars for DPSSL and FL applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lichtenstein, Norbert; Manz, Yvonne; Mauron, Pascal; Fily, Arnaud; Schmidt, Berthold E.; Mueller, Juergen; Arlt, Sebastian; Weiss, Stefan; Thies, Achim; Troger, Joerg; Harder, Christoph S.

2005-03-01

Reliable power scaling by stretching the cavity length of the laser bars ranging from 1.2 mm to 3.6 mm at constant filling factor of 50% is demonstrated. While a relatively short cavity length of 1.2 mm allows for thermally limited CW output powers in excess of 180 W, extremely high 325 W at 420 A (CW, 16°C) have been achieved by leveraging the enhanced thermal properties of a 3.6 mm cavity length on standard micro-channel coolers. A high electro-optical conversion efficiency of 62% and 51% respectively is attributed to the low internal losses from an optimized waveguide design and the excellent properties of the AlGaAs-material system accounting for low thermal and electrical resistance. Multi-cell lifetest data at various operation conditions show extremely low wear-out rates even at harsh intermittent operation conditions (1-Hz type, 50% duty-cycle, 100% modulation). At 100 W output power 300 Mshots corresponding to 64000 h mean-time-to-failure (MTTF) have been extrapolated for 20% power drop from initial 2000 h and 4000 h lifetest readouts of a 1.2 mm cavity design. Similar results have been obtained for our next generation of ultra high power laser bars enabling reliable operation at 120 W output power and beyond. From 2.4 mm cavity length bars we have obtained 250 W of CW output power at 25°C while extrapolated reliability data at 120 W and 140 W power levels of up to 2000 h duration indicates that such devices are able to fulfill the requirements for lifetimes in the 20 - 30 kh range.

Figure of merit comparison of PP-based electret and PVDF-based piezoelectric polymer energy harvesters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mrlík, M.; Leadenham, S.; AlMaadeed, M. A.; Erturk, A.

2016-04-01

The harvesting of mechanical strain and kinetic energy has received great attention over the past two decades in order to power wireless electronic components such as those used in passive and active monitoring applications. Piezoelectric ceramics, such as PZT (lead zirconate titanate), constitute the most commonly used electromechanical interface in vibration energy harvesters. However, there are applications in which piezoelectric ceramics cannot be used due to their low allowable curvature and brittle nature. Soft polymer PVDF (polyvinylidene fluoride) is arguably the most popular non-ceramic soft piezoelectric energy harvester material for such scenarios. Another type of polymer that has received less attention is PP (polypropylene) for electret-based energy harvesting using the thickness mode (33- mode). This work presents figure of merit comparison of PP versus PVDF for off-resonant energy harvesting in thickness mode operation, revealing substantial advantage of PP over PVDF. For thickness mode energy harvesting scenarios (e.g. dynamic compression) at reasonable ambient vibration frequencies, the figure of merit for the maximum power output is proportional to the square of the effective piezoelectric strain constant divided by the effective permittivity constant. Under optimal conditions and for the same volume, it is shown that PP can generate more than two orders of magnitude larger electrical power as compared to PVDF due to the larger effective piezoelectric strain constant and lower permittivity of the former.

Network-State Modulation of Power-Law Frequency-Scaling in Visual Cortical Neurons

PubMed Central

Béhuret, Sébastien; Baudot, Pierre; Yger, Pierre; Bal, Thierry; Destexhe, Alain; Frégnac, Yves

2009-01-01

Various types of neural-based signals, such as EEG, local field potentials and intracellular synaptic potentials, integrate multiple sources of activity distributed across large assemblies. They have in common a power-law frequency-scaling structure at high frequencies, but it is still unclear whether this scaling property is dominated by intrinsic neuronal properties or by network activity. The latter case is particularly interesting because if frequency-scaling reflects the network state it could be used to characterize the functional impact of the connectivity. In intracellularly recorded neurons of cat primary visual cortex in vivo, the power spectral density of Vm activity displays a power-law structure at high frequencies with a fractional scaling exponent. We show that this exponent is not constant, but depends on the visual statistics used to drive the network. To investigate the determinants of this frequency-scaling, we considered a generic recurrent model of cortex receiving a retinotopically organized external input. Similarly to the in vivo case, our in computo simulations show that the scaling exponent reflects the correlation level imposed in the input. This systematic dependence was also replicated at the single cell level, by controlling independently, in a parametric way, the strength and the temporal decay of the pairwise correlation between presynaptic inputs. This last model was implemented in vitro by imposing the correlation control in artificial presynaptic spike trains through dynamic-clamp techniques. These in vitro manipulations induced a modulation of the scaling exponent, similar to that observed in vivo and predicted in computo. We conclude that the frequency-scaling exponent of the Vm reflects stimulus-driven correlations in the cortical network activity. Therefore, we propose that the scaling exponent could be used to read-out the “effective” connectivity responsible for the dynamical signature of the population signals measured at different integration levels, from Vm to LFP, EEG and fMRI. PMID:19779556

Network-state modulation of power-law frequency-scaling in visual cortical neurons.

PubMed

El Boustani, Sami; Marre, Olivier; Béhuret, Sébastien; Baudot, Pierre; Yger, Pierre; Bal, Thierry; Destexhe, Alain; Frégnac, Yves

2009-09-01

Various types of neural-based signals, such as EEG, local field potentials and intracellular synaptic potentials, integrate multiple sources of activity distributed across large assemblies. They have in common a power-law frequency-scaling structure at high frequencies, but it is still unclear whether this scaling property is dominated by intrinsic neuronal properties or by network activity. The latter case is particularly interesting because if frequency-scaling reflects the network state it could be used to characterize the functional impact of the connectivity. In intracellularly recorded neurons of cat primary visual cortex in vivo, the power spectral density of V(m) activity displays a power-law structure at high frequencies with a fractional scaling exponent. We show that this exponent is not constant, but depends on the visual statistics used to drive the network. To investigate the determinants of this frequency-scaling, we considered a generic recurrent model of cortex receiving a retinotopically organized external input. Similarly to the in vivo case, our in computo simulations show that the scaling exponent reflects the correlation level imposed in the input. This systematic dependence was also replicated at the single cell level, by controlling independently, in a parametric way, the strength and the temporal decay of the pairwise correlation between presynaptic inputs. This last model was implemented in vitro by imposing the correlation control in artificial presynaptic spike trains through dynamic-clamp techniques. These in vitro manipulations induced a modulation of the scaling exponent, similar to that observed in vivo and predicted in computo. We conclude that the frequency-scaling exponent of the V(m) reflects stimulus-driven correlations in the cortical network activity. Therefore, we propose that the scaling exponent could be used to read-out the "effective" connectivity responsible for the dynamical signature of the population signals measured at different integration levels, from Vm to LFP, EEG and fMRI.

Meteor burst communications for LPI applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schilling, D. L.; Apelewicz, T.; Lomp, G. R.; Lundberg, L. A.

A technique that enhances the performance of meteor-burst communications is described. The technique, the feedback adaptive variable rate (FAVR) system, maintains a feedback channel that allows the transmitted bit rate to mimic the time behavior of the received power so that a constant bit energy is maintained. This results in a constant probability of bit error in each transmitted bit. Experimentally determined meteor-burst channel characteristics and FAVR system simulation results are presented.

Constant envelope OFDM scheme for 6PolSK-QPSK

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yupeng; Ding, Ding

2018-03-01

A constant envelope OFDM scheme with phase modulator (PM-CE-OFDM) for 6PolSK-QPSK modulation was demonstrated. Performance under large fiber launch power is measured to check its advantages in counteracting fiber nonlinear impairments. In our simulation, PM-CE-OFDM, RF-assisted constant envelope OFDM (RF-CE-OFDM) and conventional OFDM (Con-OFDM) are transmitted through 80 km standard single mode fiber (SSMF) single channel and WDM system. Simulation results confirm that PM-CE-OFDM has best performance in resisting fiber nonlinearity. In addition, benefiting from the simple system structure, the complexity and cost of PM-CE-OFDM system could be reduced effectively.

Power Quality Improvement by Unified Power Quality Conditioner Based on CSC Topology Using Synchronous Reference Frame Theory

PubMed Central

Dharmalingam, Rajasekaran; Dash, Subhransu Sekhar; Senthilnathan, Karthikrajan; Mayilvaganan, Arun Bhaskar; Chinnamuthu, Subramani

2014-01-01

This paper deals with the performance of unified power quality conditioner (UPQC) based on current source converter (CSC) topology. UPQC is used to mitigate the power quality problems like harmonics and sag. The shunt and series active filter performs the simultaneous elimination of current and voltage problems. The power fed is linked through common DC link and maintains constant real power exchange. The DC link is connected through the reactor. The real power supply is given by the photovoltaic system for the compensation of power quality problems. The reference current and voltage generation for shunt and series converter is based on phase locked loop and synchronous reference frame theory. The proposed UPQC-CSC design has superior performance for mitigating the power quality problems. PMID:25013854

Power quality improvement by unified power quality conditioner based on CSC topology using synchronous reference frame theory.

PubMed

Dharmalingam, Rajasekaran; Dash, Subhransu Sekhar; Senthilnathan, Karthikrajan; Mayilvaganan, Arun Bhaskar; Chinnamuthu, Subramani

2014-01-01

This paper deals with the performance of unified power quality conditioner (UPQC) based on current source converter (CSC) topology. UPQC is used to mitigate the power quality problems like harmonics and sag. The shunt and series active filter performs the simultaneous elimination of current and voltage problems. The power fed is linked through common DC link and maintains constant real power exchange. The DC link is connected through the reactor. The real power supply is given by the photovoltaic system for the compensation of power quality problems. The reference current and voltage generation for shunt and series converter is based on phase locked loop and synchronous reference frame theory. The proposed UPQC-CSC design has superior performance for mitigating the power quality problems.

Thermally-induced voltage alteration for analysis of microelectromechanical devices

DOEpatents

Walraven, Jeremy A.; Cole, Jr., Edward I.

2002-01-01

A thermally-induced voltage alteration (TIVA) apparatus and method are disclosed for analyzing a microelectromechanical (MEM) device with or without on-board integrated circuitry. One embodiment of the TIVA apparatus uses constant-current biasing of the MEM device while scanning a focused laser beam over electrically-active members therein to produce localized heating which alters the power demand of the MEM device and thereby changes the voltage of the constant-current source. This changing voltage of the constant-current source can be measured and used in combination with the position of the focused and scanned laser beam to generate an image of any short-circuit defects in the MEM device (e.g. due to stiction or fabrication defects). In another embodiment of the TIVA apparatus, an image can be generated directly from a thermoelectric potential produced by localized laser heating at the location of any short-circuit defects in the MEM device, without any need for supplying power to the MEM device. The TIVA apparatus can be formed, in part, from a scanning optical microscope, and has applications for qualification testing or failure analysis of MEM devices.

Calculated rate constants for the reaction ClO + O yields Cl + O2 between 220 and 1000 deg K. [molecular trajectories and stratospheric ozone

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jaffee, R. L.

1978-01-01

Classical trajectory calculations are presented for the reaction ClO + O yields Cl + O2, a reaction which is an important step in the chlorine-catalyzed destruction of ozone which is thought to occur in the 220 and 1000 K. The calculated rate constant is 4.36 x 10 to the minus 11th power exp (-191/T)cu cm molecule (-1)s(-1) and its value at 300 K is 2.3 plus or minus 10 to the 11th power cu cm molecule (-1)s(-1), about a factor of 2 lower than recent experimental data. The empirical potential energy surface used in the calculations was constructed to fit experimental data for ClO, O2 and ClOO molecules. Other important features of this potential surface, such as the barrier to reaction, were varied systematically and calculations were performed for a range of conditions to determine the best theoretical rate constants. Results demonstrate the utility of classical trajectory methods for determining activation energies and other kinetic data for important atmospheric reactions.

Cosmological parameter estimation from CMB and X-ray cluster after Planck

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Jian-Wei; Cai, Rong-Gen; Guo, Zong-Kuan; Hu, Bin

2014-05-01

We investigate constraints on cosmological parameters in three 8-parameter models with the summed neutrino mass as a free parameter, by a joint analysis of CCCP X-ray cluster data, the newly released Planck CMB data as well as some external data sets including baryon acoustic oscillation measurements from the 6dFGS, SDSS DR7 and BOSS DR9 surveys, and Hubble Space Telescope H0 measurement. We find that the combined data strongly favor a non-zero neutrino masses at more than 3σ confidence level in these non-vanilla models. Allowing the CMB lensing amplitude AL to vary, we find AL > 1 at 3σ confidence level. For dark energy with a constant equation of state w, we obtain w < -1 at 3σ confidence level. The estimate of the matter power spectrum amplitude σ8 is discrepant with the Planck value at 2σ confidence level, which reflects some tension between X-ray cluster data and Planck data in these non-vanilla models. The tension can be alleviated by adding a 9% systematic shift in the cluster mass function.

Optimization of the time series NDVI-rainfall relationship using linear mixed-effects modeling for the anti-desertification area in the Beijing and Tianjin sandstorm source region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Jin; Sun, Tao; Fu, Anmin; Xu, Hao; Wang, Xinjie

2018-05-01

Degradation in drylands is a critically important global issue that threatens ecosystem and environmental in many ways. Researchers have tried to use remote sensing data and meteorological data to perform residual trend analysis and identify human-induced vegetation changes. However, complex interactions between vegetation and climate, soil units and topography have not yet been considered. Data used in the study included annual accumulated Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) 250 m normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) from 2002 to 2013, accumulated rainfall from September to August, digital elevation model (DEM) and soil units. This paper presents linear mixed-effect (LME) modeling methods for the NDVI-rainfall relationship. We developed linear mixed-effects models that considered the random effects of sample points nested in soil units for nested two-level modeling and single-level modeling of soil units and sample points, respectively. Additionally, three functions, including the exponential function (exp), the power function (power), and the constant plus power function (CPP), were tested to remove heterogeneity, and an additional three correlation structures, including the first-order autoregressive structure [AR(1)], a combination of first-order autoregressive and moving average structures [ARMA(1,1)] and the compound symmetry structure (CS), were used to address the spatiotemporal correlations. It was concluded that the nested two-level model considering both heteroscedasticity with (CPP) and spatiotemporal correlation with [ARMA(1,1)] showed the best performance (AMR = 0.1881, RMSE = 0.2576, adj- R 2 = 0.9593). Variations between soil units and sample points that may have an effect on the NDVI-rainfall relationship should be included in model structures, and linear mixed-effects modeling achieves this in an effective and accurate way.

Power supply conditioning circuit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Primas, L. E.; Loveland, R.

1987-01-01

A power supply conditioning circuit that can reduce Periodic and Random Deviations (PARD) on the output voltages of dc power supplies to -150 dBV from dc to several KHz with no measurable periodic deviations is described. The PARD for a typical commercial low noise power supply is -74 dBV for frequencies above 20 Hz and is often much worse at frequencies below 20 Hz. The power supply conditioning circuit described here relies on the large differences in the dynamic impedances of a constant current diode and a zener diode to establish a dc voltage with low PARD. Power supplies with low PARD are especially important in circuitry involving ultrastable frequencies for the Deep Space Network.

Speed And Power Control Of An Engine By Modulation Of The Load Torque

DOEpatents

Ziph, Benjamin; Strodtman, Scott; Rose, Thomas K

1999-01-26

A system and method of speed and power control for an engine in which speed and power of the engine is controlled by modulation of the load torque. The load torque is manipulated in order to cause engine speed, and hence power to be changed. To accomplish such control, the load torque undergoes a temporary excursion in the opposite direction of the desired speed and power change. The engine and the driven equipment will accelerate or decelerate accordingly as the load torque is decreased or increased, relative to the essentially fixed or constant engine torque. As the engine accelerates or decelerates, its power increases or decreases in proportion.

Effects of Electric Vehicle Fast Charging on Battery Life and Vehicle Performance

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Matthew Shirk; Jeffrey Wishart

2015-04-01

As part of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Vehicle Testing Activity, four new 2012 Nissan Leaf battery electric vehicles were instrumented with data loggers and operated over a fixed on-road test cycle. Each vehicle was operated over the test route, and charged twice daily. Two vehicles were charged exclusively by AC level 2 EVSE, while two were exclusively DC fast charged with a 50 kW charger. The vehicles were performance tested on a closed test track when new, and after accumulation of 50,000 miles. The traction battery packs were removed and laboratory tested when the vehicles were new, andmore » at 10,000-mile intervals. Battery tests include constant-current discharge capacity, electric vehicle pulse power characterization test, and low peak power tests. The on-road testing was carried out through 70,000 miles, at which point the final battery tests were performed. The data collected over 70,000 miles of driving, charging, and rest are analyzed, including the resulting thermal conditions and power and cycle demands placed upon the battery. Battery performance metrics including capacity, internal resistance, and power capability obtained from laboratory testing throughout the test program are analyzed. Results are compared within and between the two groups of vehicles. Specifically, the impacts on battery performance, as measured by laboratory testing, are explored as they relate to battery usage and variations in conditions encountered, with a primary focus on effects due to the differences between AC level 2 and DC fast charging. The contrast between battery performance degradation and the effect on vehicle performance is also explored.« less

[Oxidative power and intracellular distribution of mitochondria control cell oxygen regime when arterial hypoxemia occurs].

PubMed

Liabakh, E G; Lissov, P N

2012-01-01

The regulatory impact of the mitochondria spatial distribution and enlargement in their oxidative power qO2 on the tissue oxygenation of skeletal muscle during hypoxia were studied. Investigations were performed by the mathematical modeling of 3D O2 diffusion-reaction in muscle fiber. The oxygen consumption rate VO2 and tissue pO2 were analyzed in response to a decrease in arterial blood oxygen concentration from 19.5 to 10 vol. % at a moderate load (3.5 ml/min per 100 g). The cells with evenly (case 1) and unevenly (case 2) distributed mitochondria were considered. According to calculations due to a rise in mitochondria oxidative power from 3.5 to 6.5 ml/min. per 100 g of tissue it is possible to maintain muscle oxygen V(O2) at constant level of 3.5 ml/min per 100 g despite a decrease in O2 delivery. Minimum value of tissue pO2 was about 0 and an area of hypoxia appeared inside the cell in case 1. But hypoxia disappeared and minimum value of pO2 increased from 0 to 4 mm Hg if mitochondria were distributed unevenly (case 2). It is shown that the possibilities of such regulation were limited and depended on the ratio of "the degree of hypoxemia--the level of oxygen delivery." It was assumed that an increase in mitochondria enzyme activity and mitochondria migration to the places of the greatest oxygen consumption rate can improve oxygen regime in the cells in terms of their adaptation to hypoxia. It is possible that changes in mitochondrial oxidative power and their intracellular redistribution may be considered as a new dimension in regulation of cell oxygen regime.

Automotive Stirling engine system component review

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hindes, Chip; Stotts, Robert

1987-01-01

The design and testing of the power and combustion control system for the basic Stirling engine, Mod II, are examined. The power control system is concerned with transparent operation, and the Mod II uses engine working gas pressure variation to control the power output of the engine. The main components of the power control system, the power control valve, the pump-down system, and the hydrogen stable system, are described. The combustion control system consists of a combustion air supply system and an air/fuel ratio control system, and the system is to maintain constant heater head temperature, and to maximize combustion efficiency and to minimize exhaust emissions.

Power analysis for multivariate and repeated measures designs: a flexible approach using the SPSS MANOVA procedure.

PubMed

D'Amico, E J; Neilands, T B; Zambarano, R

2001-11-01

Although power analysis is an important component in the planning and implementation of research designs, it is often ignored. Computer programs for performing power analysis are available, but most have limitations, particularly for complex multivariate designs. An SPSS procedure is presented that can be used for calculating power for univariate, multivariate, and repeated measures models with and without time-varying and time-constant covariates. Three examples provide a framework for calculating power via this method: an ANCOVA, a MANOVA, and a repeated measures ANOVA with two or more groups. The benefits and limitations of this procedure are discussed.

Cooled variable-area radial turbine technology program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Large, G. D.; Meyer, L. J.

1982-01-01

The objective of this study was a conceptual evaluation and design analyses of a cooled variable-area radial turbine capable of maintaining nearly constant high efficiency when operated at a constant speed and pressure ratio over a range of flows corresponding to 50- to 100-percent maximum engine power. The results showed that a 1589K (2400 F) turbine was feasible that would satisfy a 4000-hour duty cycle life goal. The final design feasibility is based on 1988 material technology goals. A peak aerodynamic stage total efficiency of 0.88 was predicted at 100 percent power. Two candidate stators were identified: an articulated trailing-edge and a locally movable sidewall. Both concepts must be experimentally evaluated to determine the optimum configuration. A follow-on test program is proposed for this evaluation.

Study of advanced radial outflow turbine for solar steam Rankine engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Martin, C.; Kolenc, T.

1979-01-01

The performance characteristics of various steam Rankine engine configurations for solar electric power generation were investigated. A radial outflow steam turbine was investigated to determine: (1) a method for predicting performance from experimental data; (2) the flexibility of a single design with regard to power output and pressure ratio; and (3) the effect of varying the number of turbine stages. All turbine designs were restricted to be compatible with commercially available gearboxes and generators. A study of several operating methods and control schemes for the steam Rankine engine shows that from an efficiency and control simplicity standpoint, the best approach is to hold turbine inlet temperature constant, vary turbine inlet pressure to match load, and allow condenser temperature to float maintaining constant heat rejection load.

Predator bioenergetics and the prey size spectrum: do foraging costs determine fish production?

PubMed

Giacomini, Henrique C; Shuter, Brian J; Lester, Nigel P

2013-09-07

Most models of fish growth and predation dynamics assume that food ingestion rate is the major component of the energy budget affected by prey availability, while active metabolism is invariant (here called constant activity hypothesis). However, increasing empirical evidence supports an opposing view: fish tend to adjust their foraging activity to maintain reasonably constant ingestion levels in the face of varying prey density and/or quality (the constant satiation hypothesis). In this paper, we use a simple but flexible model of fish bioenergetics to show that constant satiation is likely to occur in fish that optimize both net production rate and life history. The model includes swimming speed as an explicit measure of foraging activity leading to both energy gains (through prey ingestion) and losses (through active metabolism). The fish is assumed to be a particulate feeder that has to swim between consecutive individual prey captures, and that shifts its diet ontogenetically from smaller to larger prey. The prey community is represented by a negative power-law size spectrum. From these rules, we derive the net production of fish as a function of the size spectrum, and this in turn establishes a formal link between the optimal life history (i.e. maximum body size) and prey community structure. In most cases with realistic parameter values, optimization of life history ensures that: (i) a constantly satiated fish preying on a steep size spectrum will stop growing and invest all its surplus energy in reproduction before satiation becomes too costly; (ii) conversely, a fish preying on a shallow size spectrum will grow large enough for satiation to be present throughout most of its ontogeny. These results provide a mechanistic basis for previous empirical findings, and call for the inclusion of active metabolism as a major factor limiting growth potential and the numerical response of predators in theoretical studies of food webs. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Sadder the Story, the Bigger the Check: Reciprocity as an Answer to Organizational Deficit Models

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gindlesparger, Kathryn Johnson

2010-01-01

This ethnographic study argues that reciprocity--the attempt to equalize the power dynamics that occur in working relationships--is a way to counteract the widely-used but rarely-critiqued deficit models that dominate the nonprofit landscape. If community work is not done with a near constant attention to power dynamics, programming that is…

Computer-Based Experiment for Determining Planck's Constant Using LEDs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhou, Feng; Cloninger, Todd

2008-01-01

Visible light emitting diodes (LEDs) have been widely used as power indicators. However, after the power is switched off, it takes a while for the LED to go off. Many students were fascinated by this simple demonstration. In this paper, by making use of computer-based data acquisition and modeling, we show the voltage across the LED undergoing an…

Reliability Assessment of Critical Electronic Components

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-07-01

Failures FLHP - Full Horse Power FSN - Federal Stock Number I Current IC - Integrated Circuit IPB - Illustrated Parts Breakdown K - Boltzmans Constant L...Classified P - Power PC - Printed Circuit PCB - Printed Circuit Board PGA - Pin Grid Array PPM - Parts Per Million PWB - Printed Wiring Board 0...4-59 4.4.3.2.3 Circuit Brcakers ......................................................... 4-59 4.4.3.2.4 Thermal

--No Title--

Science.gov Websites

$offtext $stitle set definition sets G Power Generators /gen1*gen2/ F Fuels /oil,gas/ K Constants in the fuel consumption equations 0 1 2 gen1.oil 1.4609 .15186 .00145 gen1.gas 1.5742 .16310 .001358 gen2.oil 0.8008 .20310 .000916 gen2.gas 0.7266 .22560 .000778; PARAMETER PMAX(G) Maximum power outputs

Analysis and development of fourth order LCLC resonant based capacitor charging power supply for pulse power applications.

PubMed

Naresh, P; Hitesh, C; Patel, A; Kolge, T; Sharma, Archana; Mittal, K C

2013-08-01

A fourth order (LCLC) resonant converter based capacitor charging power supply (CCPS) is designed and developed for pulse power applications. Resonant converters are preferred t utilize soft switching techniques such as zero current switching (ZCS) and zero voltage switching (ZVS). An attempt has been made to overcome the disadvantages in 2nd and 3rd resonant converter topologies; hence a fourth order resonant topology is used in this paper for CCPS application. In this paper a novel fourth order LCLC based resonant converter has been explored and mathematical analysis carried out to calculate load independent constant current. This topology provides load independent constant current at switching frequency (fs) equal to resonant frequency (fr). By changing switching condition (on time and dead time) this topology has both soft switching techniques such as ZCS and ZVS for better switching action to improve the converter efficiency. This novel technique has special features such as low peak current through switches, DC blocking for transformer, utilizing transformer leakage inductance as resonant component. A prototype has been developed and tested successfully to charge a 100 μF capacitor to 200 V.

High-Power Characteristics of Thickness Shear Mode for Textured SrBi2Nb2O9 Ceramics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ogawa, Hirozumi; Kawada, Shinichiro; Kimura, Masahiko; Higuchi, Yukio; Takagi, Hiroshi

2009-09-01

The high-power piezoelectric characteristics of the thickness shear mode for <00l> oriented ceramics of bismuth layer structured ferroelectrics (BLSF), SrBi2Nb2O9 (SBN), were studied by the constant current driving method. These textured ceramics were fabricated by the templated grain growth (TGG) method, and the Lotgering factor was 95%. The vibration of the thickness shear mode in the textured SBN ceramics was stable at the vibration velocity of 2.0 m/s. The resonant frequency was almost constant with increasing vibration velocity in the textured SBN ceramics, however, it decreased with increasing vibration velocity in the randomly oriented SBN ceramics. In the case of Pb(Mn,Nb)O3-Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 ceramics, the vibration velocity of the thickness shear mode was saturated at more than 0.3 m/s, and the resonant frequency decreased at lower vibration velocity than in the case of SBN ceramics. The dissipation power density of the textured SBN ceramics was the lowest among those of the randomly oriented SBN and Pb(Mn,Nb)O3-PZT ceramics. The thickness shear mode of textured SBN ceramics is a good candidate for high-power piezoelectric applications.

Power Flow in Phonation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Lucy; Yu, Feimi; Krane, Michael

2017-11-01

The control volume analysis of power flow during sustained phonation is performed using results of a fully-coupled aeroelastic-aeroacoustic simulation. The control volumes consist of the laryngeal region, and the larynx and the vocal tract. Two cases are considered: an effectively infinite length vocal tract, where sound produced in the larynx radiates away and is not reflected back, and a constant-area vocal tract of normal adult human dimensions, in which phonatory sound resonates before radiating from the mouth opening. In both cases the lungs are modeled to absorb all incident sound, while providing a constant volume flow toward the larynx. Control of the acoustic boundary conditions is accomplished using perfectly matched- layers, and flow from the lungs is provided by a source distribution near the entrance to the trachea region. For both cases the power flow for the larynx and larynx plus vocal tract control volumes are computed using the integral form of the mechanical energy equation, expanded to consider power exchanges between slightly compressible flow in the larynx and the acoustic fields in the vocal tract and trachea. The funding from NIH 2R01DC005642-10A1 is greatly acknowledged.

The Modification of HOMER Software Application to Provide the United States Marine Corps with an Energy Planning Tool

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-12-01

circuit used to discharge LiFePO4 batteries. .................84  Figure 33.  The PSPICE model of our constant current circuit...Ion Battery LiFePO4 Lithium Iron Phosphate xviii MEP Mobile Electric Power MP Maximum Power MPPT Maximum Power Point Tracker NASA National...GREENS). GREENS has eight large 200-W solar panels, four Lithium Iron Phosphate ( LiFePO4 ) batteries, and an integrated controller. GREENS is not

Performance and Thrust-to-Weight Optimization of the Dual-Expander Aerospike Nozzle Upper Stage Rocket Engine

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-06-01

calculates a constant convection heat transfer coefficient on the hot and cold side of the cooling jacket wall. The calculated maximum wall temperature for...regeneratively cools the combustion chamber and nozzle. The heat transferred to the fuel from cooling provides enough power to the turbine to power both... heat transfer at the throat compared to a bell nozzle. This increase in heat transfer surface area means more power to the turbine, increased chamber

Turbine Engine Control Synthesis. Volume 1. Optimal Controller Synthesis and Demonstration

DTIC Science & Technology

1975-03-01

Nomenclature (Continued) Symbol Deseription M Matrix (of Table 12) M Mach number N Rotational speed, rpm N ’ Nonlinear rotational speed, rpm P Power lever... P Pressure, N /m 2; bfh/ft 2 PLA Power lever angle PR = PT3/PT2 Pressure ratio ( P Power, ft-lbf/sec Q Matrix (of Table 30) R Universal gas constant, 53...function, i = 1, 2, 3, ... in Inlet n Stage number designation out Outlet p Variable associated with particle s Static condition _se Static condition

Mechanical drive for blood pump

DOEpatents

Bifano, N.J.; Pouchot, W.D.

1975-07-29

This patent relates to a highly efficient blood pump to be used as a replacement for a ventricle of the human heart to restore people disabled by heart disease. The mechanical drive of the present invention is designed to operate in conjunction with a thermoelectric converter power source. The mechanical drive system essentially converts the output of a rotary power into pulsatile motion so that the power demand from the thermoelectric converter remains essentially constant while the blood pump output is pulsed. (auth)

Low and High-Power Inductive Pulsed Plasma Thruster Development Testing at NASA-MSFC

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Polzin, Kurt A.; Martin, Adam K.; Greve, Christine M.; Riley, Daniel P.

2017-01-01

The inductive pulsed plasma thruster (IPPT) is an electromagnetic plasma accelerator that has been identified in NASA roadmaps as an enabling propulsion technology for some niche low-power missions and for high-power in-space propulsion needs. The IPPT is an electrodeless space propulsion device where a capacitor is charged to an initial voltage and then discharged producing a high current pulse through a coil. The field produced by this pulse ionizes propellant, inductively driving current in a plasma located near the face of the coil. Once the plasma is formed it can be accelerated and expelled at a high exhaust velocity by the electromagnetic Lorentz body force arising from the interaction of the induced plasma current and the magnetic field produced by the current in the coil. Thrusters of this type possess many demonstrated and potential benefits that make them worthy of continued investigation. The electrodeless nature of these thrusters eliminates the lifetime and contamination issues associated with electrode erosion in conventional electric thrusters. Also, a wider variety of propellants are accessible when compatibility with metallic electrodes in no longer an issue. IPPTs have been successfully operated using propellants like ammonia, hydrazine, and CO2, and there is no fundamental reason why they would not operate on other in situ propellants like H2O. It is well-known that pulsed accelerators can maintain constant specific impulse (I(sub sp)) and thrust efficiency (eta(sub t)) over a wide range of input power levels by adjusting the pulse rate to hold the discharge energy per pulse constant. It has also been demonstrated that an inductive pulsed plasma thruster can operate in a regime where eta(sub t) is relatively constant over a wide range of I(sub sp) values (3000-8000 s). Finally, thrusters in this class have operated in single-pulse mode at high energy per pulse, and by increasing the pulse rate they offer the potential to process very high levels of power using a single thruster. There has been significant previous research on IPPTs designed around a planar-coil (flat-plate) geometry. The most notable of these was the Pulsed Inductive Thruster (PIT), with the PIT MkV presently representing the state-of- the-art in pulsed high-power IPPT technological development. In this paper, we focus on two planar-geometry devices that operate at significantly different power levels. Most work performed at NASA-Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) has, to date, focused on lower power thruster operation (approx. = 10s to 100s of J/pulse, up to 2-2.5 kW average power throughput) and previously described. The most recent work aimed to assemble a device that could be tested in cyclic mode on a thrust-stand, and which could augment the existing data set for IPPTs. In addition, the thruster was designed to serve as a test-bed for solid state switching circuitry and pulsed gas valves, with the modular design of the device allowing for variation in or upgrades to test configuration. Recently, MSFC obtained on loan from the Georgia Institute of Technology (Atlanta, GA) the PIT MkVI, successor to the PIT MkV. The MkV and MkVI are similar in design with much of the hardware from the former, specifically the capacitors and spark-gap switches, being reused in the latter. The coil is similar in geometry but has bent copper rods used in the latest iteration in place of the Litz wire windings found in the MkV. The MkVI master switch for the spark gaps is located in the vacuum chamber contained within a sealed, pressurized vessel fastened to the back of the thruster. This is different from the MkV where many capacitor charging lines and spark gap-triggering delay lines ran to the thruster from a master trigger located outside the vacuum chamber. The MkVI was damaged during testing soon after its fabrication was completed. The thruster arrived at MSFC still-damaged and mostly disassembled into many individual pieces. The device has been repaired, with a few additional design changes implemented after discussions with the late Prof. Lovberg regarding the initial testing results and issues encountered. In the present work, we present results from testing of both the small IPPT and the larger MkVI thruster. The smaller device (Fig. 1) is tested on a thrust stand on multiple gases to demonstrate its capability to operate in a repetition-rate mode and serve as a IPPT technology-development testbed. The larger MkVI (Fig. 2) is operated for the first time in its newly reconstituted state, demonstrating full-power pulsed operation and, for the first time, repetition-rate operation of a high-power IPPT. The additional upgrades required for synchronous operation of all the pulsed systems in single-pulse and repetition-rate mode are described in detail.

High-intensity focused ultrasound for ex vivo kidney tissue ablation: influence of generator power and pulse duration.

PubMed

Häcker, Axel; Köhrmann, Kai Uwe; Knoll, Thomas; Langbein, Sigrun; Steidler, Annette; Kraut, Oliver; Marlinghaus, Ernst; Alken, Peter; Michel, Maurice Stephan

2004-11-01

The therapeutic application of noninvasive tissue ablation by high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) requires precise physical definition of the focal size and determination of control parameters. The objective of this study was to measure the extent of ex-vivo porcine kidney tissue ablation at variable generator parameters and to identify parameters to control lesion size. The ultrasound waves generated by a cylindrical piezoceramic element (1.04 MHz) were focused at a depth of 100 mm using a parabolic reflector (diameter 100 mm). A needle hydrophone was used to measure the field distribution of the sound pressure. The morphology and extent of tissue necrosis were examined at generator powers of up to 400 W (P(el)) and single pulse durations of as long as 8 seconds. The two-dimensional field distribution resulted in an approximately ellipsoidal focus of 32 x 4 mm (-6 dB). A sharp demarcation between coagulation necrosis and intact tissue was observed. Lesion size was controlled by both the variation of generator power and the pulse duration. At a constant pulse duration of 2 seconds, a generator power of 100 W remained below the threshold doses for inducing a reproducible lesion. An increase in power to as high as 400 W induced lesions with average dimensions of as much as 11.2 x 3 mm. At constant total energy (generator power x pulse duration), lesion size increased at higher generator power. This ultrasound generator can induce defined and reproducible necrosis in ex-vivo kidney tissue. Lesion size can be controlled by adjusting the generator power and pulse duration. Generator power, in particular, turned out to be a suitable control parameter for obtaining a lesion of a defined size.

Optimizing the Utility Power of a Geothermal Power Plant using Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) (Case Study: Sibayak Geothermal Power Plant)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sinaga, R. H. M.; Manik, Y.

2018-03-01

Sibayak Geothermal Power Plant (SGPP) is one of the plants being developed by Pertamina Geothermal Energy (PGE) at the upstream phase. At the downstream phase, State - owned Electricity Company (PLN) through PT. Dizamatra Powerindo is the developer. The gross capacity of the power plant is 13.3 MW, consisting 1 unit of Monoblock (2 MW) developed by PGE and 2 units (2×5.65 MW) operated through Energy Sales Contract by PLN. During the development phase of a geothermal power plant, there is a chance to reduce the utility power in order to increase the overall plant efficiency. Reducing the utility power can be attempted by utilizing the wet bulb temperature fluctuation. In this study, a modeling process is developed by using Engineering Equation Solver (EES) software version 9.430. The possibility of energy saving is indicated by condenser pressure changes as a result of wet bulb temperature fluctuation. The result of this study indicates that the change of condenser pressure is about 50.8% on the constant liquid/gas (L/G) condition of the wet bulb temperature of 15°C to 25°C. Further result indicates that in this power plant, Cooling Tower Fan (CTF) is the facility that has the greatest utility load, followed by Hot Well Pump (HWP). The saving of the greatest utility load is applied trough Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) instrumentation. The result of this modeling has been validated by actual operations data (log sheet). The developed model has also been reviewed trough Specific Steam Consumption (SSC), resulting that constant L/G condition allows the optimum condition on of the wet bulb temperature of 15°C to 25°C.

Fundamental constants and tests of theory in Rydberg states of hydrogenlike ions.

PubMed

Jentschura, Ulrich D; Mohr, Peter J; Tan, Joseph N; Wundt, Benedikt J

2008-04-25

A comparison of precision frequency measurements to quantum electrodynamics (QED) predictions for Rydberg states of hydrogenlike ions can yield information on values of fundamental constants and test theory. With the results of a calculation of a key QED contribution reported here, the uncertainty in the theory of the energy levels is reduced to a level where such a comparison can yield an improved value of the Rydberg constant.