Bringing Superconductor Digital Technology to the Market Place

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nisenoff, Martin

The unique properties of superconductivity can be exploited to provide the ultimate in electronic technology for systems such as ultra-precise analogue-to-digital and digital-to-analogue converters, precise DC and AC voltage standards, ultra high speed logic circuits and systems (both digital and hybrid analogue-digital systems), and very high throughput network routers and supercomputers which would have superior electrical performance at lower overall electrical power consumption compared to systems with comparable performance which are fabricated using conventional room temperature technologies. This potential for high performance electronics with reduced power consumption would have a positive impact on slowing the increase in the demand for electrical utility power by the information technology community on the overall electrical power grid. However, before this technology can be successfully brought to the commercial market place, there must be an aggressive investment of resources and funding to develop the required infrastructure needed to yield these high performance superconductor systems, which will be reliable and available at low cost. The author proposes that it will require a concerted effort by the superconductor and cryogenic communities to bring this technology to the commercial market place or make it available for widespread use in scientific instrumentation.

Extraction of the proton radius from electron-proton scattering data

DOE PAGES

Lee, Gabriel; Arrington, John R.; Hill, Richard J.

2015-07-27

We perform a new analysis of electron-proton scattering data to determine the proton electric and magnetic radii, enforcing model-independent constraints from form factor analyticity. A wide-ranging study of possible systematic effects is performed. An improved analysis is developed that rebins data taken at identical kinematic settings and avoids a scaling assumption of systematic errors with statistical errors. Employing standard models for radiative corrections, our improved analysis of the 2010 Mainz A1 Collaboration data yields a proton electric radius r E = 0.895(20) fm and magnetic radius r M = 0.776(38) fm. A similar analysis applied to world data (excluding Mainzmore » data) implies r E = 0.916(24) fm and r M = 0.914(35) fm. The Mainz and world values of the charge radius are consistent, and a simple combination yields a value r E = 0.904(15) fm that is 4σ larger than the CREMA Collaboration muonic hydrogen determination. The Mainz and world values of the magnetic radius differ by 2.7σ, and a simple average yields r M = 0.851(26) fm. As a result, the circumstances under which published muonic hydrogen and electron scattering data could be reconciled are discussed, including a possible deficiency in the standard radiative correction model which requires further analysis.« less

PVWatts Version 1 Technical Reference

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

Dobos, A. P.

2013-10-01

The NREL PVWatts(TM) calculator is a web application developed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) that estimates the electricity production of a grid-connected photovoltaic system based on a few simple inputs. PVWatts combines a number of sub-models to predict overall system performance, and makes several hidden assumptions about performance parameters. This technical reference details the individual sub-models, documents assumptions and hidden parameters, and explains the sequence of calculations that yield the final system performance estimation.

Electric field feedback for Magneto(elasto)Electric magnetometer development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, M.-T.; Zhuang, X.; Sing, M. Lam Chok; Dolabdjian, C.; Finkel, P.; Li, J.; Viehland, D.

2017-12-01

Magneto(elasto)Electric (ME) sensors based on magnetostrictive-piezoelectric composites have been investigated to evaluate their performances to sense a magnetic signal. Previous results have shown that the dielectric loss noise in the piezoelectric layer exhibits as the dominant intrinsic noise at low frequencies, which limits the sensor performances. Also, it has intrinsically no DC capability. To avoid a part of this limitation, modulation detection methods are evaluated through a frequency up-conversion technique [1-4]. Moreover, classical magnetic field feedback techniques can be used to increase the dynamic range, the sensing stability and the system linearity, too. In this paper, we propose a new method to feedback the system by using both the magneto-capacitance modulation and an electric field feedback technique. Our development shows the feasibility of the method and the results match with the theoretical description and material properties. Even if the present results are not totally satisfactory, they give the proof of concept and yield a way for the development of very low power magnetometers.

Designing high-performance cost-efficient embedded SRAM in deep-submicron era

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kobozeva, Olga; Venkatraman, Ramnath; Castagnetti, Ruggero; Duan, Franklin; Kamath, Arvind; Ramesh, Shiva

2004-05-01

We have previously presented the smallest and fastest 6 Transistor (6T)-Static Random Access Memories (SRAM) bitcells for System-on-Chip (SoC) high-density (HD) memories in 0.18 μm and 0.13 μm technologies. Our 1.87 μm2 6TSRAM bitcell with cell current of 47 μA and industry lowest soft error rate (0.35 FIT/Kbit) is used to assemble memory blocks embedded into SoC designs in 0.13 μm process technology. Excellent performance is achieved at a low overall cost, as our bitcells are based on standard CMOS process and demonstrate high yields in manufacturing. This paper discusses our methodology of embedded SRAM bitcell design. The key aspects of our approach are: 1) judicious selection of tightest achievable yet manufacturable design rules to build the cell; 2) compatibility with standard Optical Proximity Correction (OPC) flow; 3) use of parametric testing and yield analysis to achieve excellent design robustness and manufacturability. A thorough understanding of process limitations, particularly those related to photolithography was critical to the successful design and manufacturing of our aggressive, yet robust SRAM bitcells. The patterning of critical layers, such as diffusion, poly gate, contact and metal 1 has profound implications on functionality, electrical performance and manufacturability of memories. We have conducted the development of SRAM bitcells using two approaches for OPC: a) "manual" OPC, wherein the bitcell layout of each of the critical layers is achieved using iterative improvement of layout & aerial image simulation and b) automated OPC-compatible design, wherein the drawn bitcell layout becomes a subject of a full chip OPC. While manual-OPC remains a popular option, automated OPC-compatible bitcell design is very attractive, as it does not require additional development costs to achieve fab-to-fab portability. In both cases we have obtained good results with respect to patterning of the critical layers, electrical performance of the bitcell and memory yields. A critical part of our memory technology development effort is the design of memory-specific test structures that are used for: a) verifying electrical characteristics of SRAM transistors and b) confirming the robustness of the design rules used within the SRAM cell. In addition to electrical test structures, we have a fully functional SRAM test chip called RAMPCM that is composed of sub-blocks each designated to evaluate the robustness of a specific critical design rule used within the bitcells. The results from the electrical testing and RAMPCM yield analysis are used to identify opportunities for improvements in the layout design. The paper will also suggest some techniques that can result in more design friendly OPC solutions. Our work indicates that future IC designs can benefit from an automated OPC tool that can intelligently handle layout modifications according to design priorities.

Practical aspects of photovoltaic technology, applications and cost (revised)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rosenblum, L.

1985-01-01

The purpose of this text is to provide the reader with the background, understanding, and computational tools needed to master the practical aspects of photovoltaic (PV) technology, application, and cost. The focus is on stand-alone, silicon solar cell, flat-plate systems in the range of 1 to 25 kWh/day output. Technology topics covered include operation and performance of each of the major system components (e.g., modules, array, battery, regulators, controls, and instrumentation), safety, installation, operation and maintenance, and electrical loads. Application experience and trends are presented. Indices of electrical service performance - reliability, availability, and voltage control - are discussed, and the known service performance of central station electric grid, diesel-generator, and PV stand-alone systems are compared. PV system sizing methods are reviewed and compared, and a procedure for rapid sizing is described and illustrated by the use of several sample cases. The rapid sizing procedure yields an array and battery size that corresponds to a minimum cost system for a given load requirement, insulation condition, and desired level of service performance. PV system capital cost and levelized energy cost are derived as functions of service performance and insulation. Estimates of future trends in PV system costs are made.

Standard Practices for Usage of Inductive Magnetic Field Probes with Application to Electric Propulsion Testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Polzin, Kurt A.; Hill, Carrie S.; Turchi, Peter J.; Burton, Rodney L.; Messer, Sarah; Lovberg, Ralph H.; Hallock, Ashley K.

2013-01-01

Inductive magnetic field probes (also known as B-dot probes and sometimes as B-probes or magnetic probes) are often employed to perform field measurements in electric propulsion applications where there are time-varying fields. Magnetic field probes provide the means to measure these magnetic fields and can even be used to measure the plasma current density indirectly through the application of Ampere's law. Measurements of this type can yield either global information related to a thruster and its performance or detailed, local data related to the specific physical processes occurring in the plasma. Results of the development of a standard for B-dot probe measurements are presented, condensing the available literature on the subject into an accessible set of rules, guidelines, and techniques to standardize the performance and presentation of future measurements.

A Survey of Xenon Ion Sputter Yield Data and Fits Relevant to Electric Propulsion Spacecraft Integration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yim, John T.

2017-01-01

A survey of low energy xenon ion impact sputter yields was conducted to provide a more coherent baseline set of sputter yield data and accompanying fits for electric propulsion integration. Data uncertainties are discussed and different available curve fit formulas are assessed for their general suitability. A Bayesian parameter fitting approach is used with a Markov chain Monte Carlo method to provide estimates for the fitting parameters while characterizing the uncertainties for the resulting yield curves.

The Tucson Electric Power Solar Test Yard

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lonij, Vincent; Orsburn, Sean; Salhab, Anas; Kopp, Emily; Brooks, Adria; Jayadevan, Vijai; Greenberg, James; St. Germaine, Michael; Allen, Nate; Jones, Sarah; Hardesty, Garrett; Cronin, Alex

2011-10-01

In collaboration with Tucson Electric Power we studied the performance of twenty different grid-tied photovoltaic systems, consisting of over 600 PV modules in all. We added data acquisition hardware to monitor DC power from the modules, AC power from the inverters, PV module temperatures, and meteorological data such as the irradiance incident on the PV systems. We report measurements of PV system yields and efficiencies over periods of minutes, days, and years. We also report temperature and irradiance coefficients of efficiency and measurements of long-term degradation. We also use our data to validate models that predict the output from PV systems.

Charge Yield at Low Electric Fields: Considerations for Bipolar Integrated Circuits

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnston, A. H.; Swimm, R. T.; Thorbourn, D. O.

2013-01-01

A significant reduction in total dose damage is observed when bipolar integrated circuits are irradiated at low temperature. This can be partially explained by the Onsager theory of recombination, which predicts a strong temperature dependence for charge yield under low-field conditions. Reduced damage occurs for biased as well as unbiased devices because the weak fringing field in thick bipolar oxides only affects charge yield near the Si/SiO2 interface, a relatively small fraction of the total oxide thickness. Lowering the temperature of bipolar ICs - either continuously, or for time periods when they are exposed to high radiation levels - provides an additional degree of freedom to improve total dose performance of bipolar circuits, particularly in space applications.

Mission Assessment of the Faraday Accelerator with Radio-frequency Assisted Discharge (FARAD)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dankanich, John W.; Polzin, Kurt A.

2008-01-01

Pulsed inductive thrusters have typically been considered for future, high-power, missions requiring nuclear electric propulsion. These high-power systems, while promising equivalent or improved performance over state-of-the-art propulsion systems, presently have no planned missions for which they are well suited. The ability to efficiently operate an inductive thruster at lower energy and power levels may provide inductive thrusters near term applicability and mission pull. The Faraday Accelerator with Radio-frequency Assisted Discharge concept demonstrated potential for a high-efficiency, low-energy pulsed inductive thruster. The added benefits of energy recapture and/or pulse compression are shown to enhance the performance of the pulsed inductive propulsion system, yielding a system that con compete with and potentially outperform current state-of-the-art electric propulsion technologies. These enhancements lead to mission-level benefits associated with the use of a pulsed inductive thruster. Analyses of low-power near to mid-term missions and higher power far-term missions are undertaken to compare the performance of pulsed inductive thrusters with that delivered by state-of-the-art and development-level electric propulsion systems.

Radiative rates and electron impact excitation rate coefficients for Ne-like selenium, Se XXV

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

Wang, K.; Chen, C.Y., E-mail: chychen@fudan.edu.cn; Huang, M.

2011-07-15

In this article we report calculations of energy levels, radiative rates, electron impact collision strengths, and effective collision strengths for transitions among the 241 fine-structure levels arising from 2l{sup 8} and 2l{sup 7}n{sup '}l{sup '} (n{sup '{<=}}6 and l{sup '{<=}}n{sup '}-1) configurations of Ne-like Se XXV using the Flexible Atomic Code. Energy levels and radiative rates are calculated within the relativistic configuration-interaction method. Direct excitation collision strengths are calculated using the relativistic distorted-wave approximation and high-energy collision strengths are obtained in the relativistic plane-wave approximation. Resonance contributions through the relevant Na-like doubly-excited configurations 2l{sup 7}n'l'n''l'' (3{<=}n'{<=}7, l'{<=}n'-1, n'{<=}n''{<=}50, and l''{<=}8)more » are explicitly taken into account via the independent-process and isolated-resonance approximation using distorted waves. Resonant stabilizing transitions and possibly important radiative decays from the resonances toward low-lying autoionizing levels are considered. In addition, the resonance contributions from Na-like 2l{sup 6}3l'3l'''n''' (n'''=3-6) configurations are included and found to be predominant for many transitions among the singly-excited states in Ne-like Se XXV. We present the radiative rates, oscillator strengths, and line strengths for all electric dipole, magnetic dipole, electric quadrupole, magnetic quadrupole, electric octopole, and magnetic octopole transitions among the 241 levels. The effective collision strengths are reported for all 28920 transitions among the 241 levels over a wide temperature range up to 10 keV. To assess the reliability and accuracy of the present collisional data, we have performed a 27-state close-coupling calculation, employing the Dirac R-matrix theory. The results from the close-coupling calculation and the independent-process calculation for the identical target states are found to be in good agreement. - Highlights: {yields} Radiative and collisional atomic data are presented for the lowest 241 fine-structure levels in Ne-like Se. {yields} Calculations are performed using the FAC package. {yields} Resonances enhance significantly a large amount of transitions. {yields} Radiative damping effects are significant for many transitions. {yields} Close-coupling effects are small in Ne-like Se.« less

A comparative analysis of well-to-wheel primary energy demand and greenhouse gas emissions for the operation of alternative and conventional vehicles in Switzerland, considering various energy carrier production pathways

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yazdanie, Mashael; Noembrini, Fabrizio; Dossetto, Lionel; Boulouchos, Konstantinos

2014-03-01

This study provides a comprehensive analysis of well-to-wheel (WTW) primary energy demand and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for the operation of conventional and alternative passenger vehicle drivetrains. Results are determined based on a reference vehicle, drivetrain/production process efficiencies, and lifecycle inventory data specific to Switzerland. WTW performance is compared to a gasoline internal combustion engine vehicle (ICEV). Both industrialized and novel hydrogen and electricity production pathways are evaluated. A strong case is presented for pluggable electric vehicles (PEVs) due to their high drivetrain efficiency. However, WTW performance strongly depends on the electricity source. A critical electricity mix can be identified which divides optimal drivetrain performance between the EV, ICEV, and plug-in hybrid vehicle. Alternative drivetrain and energy carrier production pathways are also compared by natural resource. Fuel cell vehicle (FCV) performance proves to be on par with PEVs for energy carrier (EC) production via biomass and natural gas resources. However, PEVs outperform FCVs via solar energy EC production pathways. ICE drivetrains using alternative fuels, particularly biogas and CNG, yield remarkable WTW energy and emission reductions as well, indicating that alternative fuels, and not only alternative drivetrains, play an important role in the transition towards low-emission vehicles in Switzerland.

Electrical resistivity tomography to delineate greenhouse soil variability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rossi, R.; Amato, M.; Bitella, G.; Bochicchio, R.

2013-03-01

Appropriate management of soil spatial variability is an important tool for optimizing farming inputs, with the result of yield increase and reduction of the environmental impact in field crops. Under greenhouses, several factors such as non-uniform irrigation and localized soil compaction can severely affect yield and quality. Additionally, if soil spatial variability is not taken into account, yield deficiencies are often compensated by extra-volumes of crop inputs; as a result, over-irrigation and overfertilization in some parts of the field may occur. Technology for spatially sound management of greenhouse crops is therefore needed to increase yield and quality and to address sustainability. In this experiment, 2D-electrical resistivity tomography was used as an exploratory tool to characterize greenhouse soil variability and its relations to wild rocket yield. Soil resistivity well matched biomass variation (R2=0.70), and was linked to differences in soil bulk density (R2=0.90), and clay content (R2=0.77). Electrical resistivity tomography shows a great potential in horticulture where there is a growing demand of sustainability coupled with the necessity of stabilizing yield and product quality.

Operational and environmental performance in China's thermal power industry: Taking an effectiveness measure as complement to an efficiency measure.

PubMed

Wang, Ke; Zhang, Jieming; Wei, Yi-Ming

2017-05-01

The trend toward a more fiercely competitive and strictly environmentally regulated electricity market in several countries, including China has led to efforts by both industry and government to develop advanced performance evaluation models that adapt to new evaluation requirements. Traditional operational and environmental efficiency measures do not fully consider the influence of market competition and environmental regulations and, thus, are not sufficient for the thermal power industry to evaluate its operational performance with respect to specific marketing goals (operational effectiveness) and its environmental performance with respect to specific emissions reduction targets (environmental effectiveness). As a complement to an operational efficiency measure, an operational effectiveness measure not only reflects the capacity of an electricity production system to increase its electricity generation through the improvement of operational efficiency, but it also reflects the system's capability to adjust its electricity generation activities to match electricity demand. In addition, as a complement to an environmental efficiency measure, an environmental effectiveness measure not only reflects the capacity of an electricity production system to decrease its pollutant emissions through the improvement of environmental efficiency, but it also reflects the system's capability to adjust its emissions abatement activities to fulfill environmental regulations. Furthermore, an environmental effectiveness measure helps the government regulator to verify the rationality of its emissions reduction targets assigned to the thermal power industry. Several newly developed effectiveness measurements based on data envelopment analysis (DEA) were utilized in this study to evaluate the operational and environmental performance of the thermal power industry in China during 2006-2013. Both efficiency and effectiveness were evaluated from the three perspectives of operational, environmental, and joint adjustments to each electricity production system. The operational and environmental performance changes over time were also captured through an effectiveness measure based on the global Malmquist productivity index. Our empirical results indicated that the performance of China's thermal power industry experienced significant progress during the study period and that policies regarding the development and regulation of the thermal power industry yielded the expected effects. However, the emissions reduction targets assigned to China's thermal power industry are loose and conservative. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Better Modeling of Electrostatic Discharge in an Insulator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pekov, Mihail

2010-01-01

An improved mathematical model has been developed of the time dependence of buildup or decay of electric charge in a high-resistivity (nominally insulating) material. The model is intended primarily for use in extracting the DC electrical resistivity of such a material from voltage -vs.- current measurements performed repeatedly on a sample of the material over a time comparable to the longest characteristic times (typically of the order of months) that govern the evolution of relevant properties of the material. This model is an alternative to a prior simplistic macroscopic model that yields results differing from the results of the time-dependent measurements by two to three orders of magnitude.

Enhanced Optical and Electrical Properties of Polymer-Assisted All-Inorganic Perovskites for Light-Emitting Diodes.

PubMed

Ling, Yichuan; Tian, Yu; Wang, Xi; Wang, Jamie C; Knox, Javon M; Perez-Orive, Fernando; Du, Yijun; Tan, Lei; Hanson, Kenneth; Ma, Biwu; Gao, Hanwei

2016-10-01

Highly bright light-emitting diodes based on solution-processed all-inorganic perovskite thin film are demonstrated. The cesium lead bromide (CsPbBr 3 ) created using a new poly(ethylene oxide)-additive spin-coating method exhibits photoluminescence quantum yield up to 60% and excellent uniformity of electrical current distribution. Using the smooth CsPbBr 3 films as emitting layers, green perovskite-based light-emitting diodes (PeLEDs) exhibit electroluminescent brightness and efficiency above 53 000 cd m -2 and 4%: a new benchmark of device performance for all-inorganic PeLEDs. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Analysis of electrophoresis performance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roberts, Glyn O.

1988-01-01

A flexible efficient computer code is being developed to simulate electrophoretic separation phenomena, in either a cylindrical or a rectangular geometry. The code will computer the evolution in time of the concentrations of an arbitrary number of chemical species, and of the temperature, pH distribution, conductivity, electric field, and fluid motion. Use of nonuniform meshes and fast accurate implicit time-stepping will yield accurate answers at economical cost.

Characteristics of DC electric fields in transient plasma sheet events

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laakso, H. E.; Escoubet, C. P.; Masson, A.

2015-12-01

We take an advantage of five different DC electric field measurements in the plasma sheet available from the EFW double probe experiment, EDI electron drift instrument, CODIF and HIA ion spectrometers, and PEACE electron spectrometer on the four Cluster spacecraft. The calibrated observations of the three spectrometers are used to determine the proton and electron velocity moments. The velocity moments can be used to estimate the proton and electron drift velocity and furthermore the DC electric field, assuming that the electron and proton velocity perpendicular to the magnetic field is dominated by the ExB drift motion. Naturally when ions and electrons do not perform a proper drift motion, which can happen in the plasma sheet, the estimated DC electric field from ion and electron motion is not correct. However, surprisingly often the DC electric fields estimated from electron and ion motions are identical suggesting that this field is a real DC electric field around the measurement point. As the measurement techniques are so different, it is quite plausible that when two different measurements yield the same DC electric field, it is the correct field. All five measurements of the DC electric field are usually not simultaneously available, especially on Cluster 2 where CODIF and HIA are not operational, or on Cluster 4 where EDI is off. In this presentation we investigate DC electric field in various transient plasma sheet events such as dipolarization events and BBF's and how the five measurements agree or disagree. There are plenty of important issues that are considered, e.g., (1) what kind of DC electric fields exist in such events and what are their spatial scales, (2) do electrons and ions perform ExB drift motions in these events, and (3) how well the instruments have been calibrated.

Nuclear reactor descriptions for space power systems analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mccauley, E. W.; Brown, N. J.

1972-01-01

For the small, high performance reactors required for space electric applications, adequate neutronic analysis is of crucial importance, but in terms of computational time consumed, nuclear calculations probably yield the least amount of detail for mission analysis study. It has been found possible, after generation of only a few designs of a reactor family in elaborate thermomechanical and nuclear detail to use simple curve fitting techniques to assure desired neutronic performance while still performing the thermomechanical analysis in explicit detail. The resulting speed-up in computation time permits a broad detailed examination of constraints by the mission analyst.

Assessing students' conceptual knowledge of electricity and magnetism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McColgan, Michele W.; Finn, Rose A.; Broder, Darren L.; Hassel, George E.

2017-12-01

We present the Electricity and Magnetism Conceptual Assessment (EMCA), a new assessment aligned with second-semester introductory physics courses. Topics covered include electrostatics, electric fields, circuits, magnetism, and induction. We have two motives for writing a new assessment. First, we find other assessments such as the Brief Electricity and Magnetism Assessment and the Conceptual Survey on Electricity and Magnetism not well aligned with the topics and content depth of our courses. We want to test introductory physics content at a level appropriate for our students. Second, we want the assessment to yield scores and gains comparable to the widely used Force Concept Inventory (FCI). After five testing and revision cycles, the assessment was finalized in early 2015 and is available online. We present performance results for a cohort of 225 students at Siena College who were enrolled in our algebra- and calculus-based physics courses during the spring 2015 and 2016 semesters. We provide pretest, post-test, and gain analyses, as well as individual question and whole test statistics to quantify difficulty and reliability. In addition, we compare EMCA and FCI scores and gains, and we find that students' FCI scores are strongly correlated with their performance on the EMCA. Finally, the assessment was piloted in an algebra-based physics course at George Washington University (GWU). We present performance results for a cohort of 130 GWU students and we find that their EMCA scores are comparable to the scores of students in our calculus-based physics course.

Magnetic field characteristics of electric bed-heating devices.

PubMed

Wilson, B W; Lee, G M; Yost, M G; Davis, K C; Heimbigner, T; Buschbom, R L

1996-01-01

Measurements of the flux density and spectra of magnetic fields (MFs) generated by several types of electric bed heaters (EBH) were made in order to characterize the MFs to which the fetus may be exposed in utero from the mother's use of these devices. Data on MPs were gathered from more than 1,300 in-home and laboratory spot measurements. In-home measurements taken at seven different positions 10 cm from the EBHs determined that the mean flux density at the estimated position of the fetus relative to the device was 0.45 microT (4.5 mG) for electric blankets and 0.20 microT (2.0 mG) for electrically heated water beds. A rate-of-change (RC) metric applied to the nighttime segment of 24 h EMDEX-C personal-dosimeter measurements, which were taken next to the bed of volunteers, yielded an approximate fourfold to sixfold higher value for electric blanket users compared to water-bed heater users. These same data records yielded an approximate twofold difference for the same measurements when evaluated by the time-weighted-average (TWA)MF exposure metric. Performance of exposure meters was checked against standard fields generated in the laboratory, and studies of sources of variance in the in-home measurement protocols were carried out. Spectral measurements showed that the EBH's measured produced no appreciable high-frequency MFs. Data gathered during this work will be used in interpreting results from a component of the California Pregnancy Outcome Study, which evaluates the use of EBHs as a possible risk factor in miscarriage.

PVWatts Version 5 Manual

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

Dobos, A. P.

2014-09-01

The NREL PVWatts calculator is a web application developed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) that estimates the electricity production of a grid-connected photovoltaic system based on a few simple inputs. PVWatts combines a number of sub-models to predict overall system performance, and makes includes several built-in parameters that are hidden from the user. This technical reference describes the sub-models, documents assumptions and hidden parameters, and explains the sequence of calculations that yield the final system performance estimate. This reference is applicable to the significantly revised version of PVWatts released by NREL in 2014.

Annealing effects on the chemical deposited CdS films and the electrical properties of CdS/CdTe solar cells

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

Han, Junfeng; Institute of Materials Science, Darmstadt University of Technology, Petersenstr. 23, 64287 Darmstadt; Liao, Cheng, E-mail: Cliao@pku.edu.cn

2011-02-15

Graphical abstract: From XPS core level spectras, compared with as-depositing CdS (sample A), the Fermi level is shifting closer to the conduction band after annealing treatment in the oxygen (sample B) while it is shifting closer to the valence band after annealing treatment in the argon-hydrogen (sample C). That might be the main reason of the different performance of the final devices. The open circuit voltage of the CdS/CdTe solar cell increases when the CBD CdS is annealed with oxygen, while the performance of the solar cell decreases when the CBD CdS is annealed with argon-hydrogen. Research highlights: {yields} Twomore » different methods (oxidation and reduction) were used to anneal CdS films for CdTe solar cells. {yields} Electrical properties were analyzed by XPS (Fermi levels of CdS films). {yields} Annealing treatment in oxidation atmosphere could shift Fermi level of CdS film to higher position and consequently improve the CdS/CdTe junction and performance of solar cells. -- Abstract: CdS layers grown by chemical bath deposition (CBD) are annealed in the oxygen and argon-hydrogen atmosphere respectively. It has been found that the open circuit voltage of the CdS/CdTe solar cell increases when the CBD CdS is annealed with oxygen before the deposition of CdTe by close spaced sublimation (CSS), while the performance of the solar cell decreases when the CBD CdS is annealed with argon-hydrogen. Electronic properties of the CdS films are investigated using X-ray photo-electron spectroscopy (XPS), which indicates that the Fermi level is shifting closer to the conduction band after annealing in the oxygen and consequently a higher open circuit voltage of the solar cell can be obtained.« less

Multi-point Measurements of Relativistic Electrons in the Magnetosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, X.; Selesnick, R.; Baker, D. N.; Blake, J. B.; Schiller, Q.; Blum, L. W.; Zhao, H.; Jaynes, A. N.; Kanekal, S.

2014-12-01

We take an advantage of five different DC electric field measurements in the plasma sheet available from the EFW double probe experiment, EDI electron drift instrument, CODIF and HIA ion spectrometers, and PEACE electron spectrometer on the four Cluster spacecraft. The calibrated observations of the three spectrometers are used to determine the proton and electron velocity moments. The velocity moments can be used to estimate the proton and electron drift velocity and furthermore the DC electric field, assuming that the electron and proton velocity perpendicular to the magnetic field is dominated by the ExB drift motion. Naturally when ions and electrons do not perform a proper drift motion, which can happen in the plasma sheet, the estimated DC electric field from ion and electron motion is not correct. However, surprisingly often the DC electric fields estimated from electron and ion motions are identical suggesting that this field is a real DC electric field around the measurement point. As the measurement techniques are so different, it is quite plausible that when two different measurements yield the same DC electric field, it is the correct field. All five measurements of the DC electric field are usually not simultaneously available, especially on Cluster 2 where CODIF and HIA are not operational, or on Cluster 4 where EDI is off. In this presentation we investigate DC electric field in various transient plasma sheet events such as dipolarization events and BBF's and how the five measurements agree or disagree. There are plenty of important issues that are considered, e.g., (1) what kind of DC electric fields exist in such events and what are their spatial scales, (2) do electrons and ions perform ExB drift motions in these events, and (3) how well the instruments have been calibrated.

Length separation of single-walled carbon nanotubes and its impact on structural and electrical properties of wafer-level fabricated carbon nanotube-field-effect transistors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Böttger, Simon; Hermann, Sascha; Schulz, Stefan E.; Gessner, Thomas

2016-10-01

For an industrial realization of devices based on single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNTs) such as field-effect transistors (FETs) it becomes increasingly important to consider technological aspects such as intrinsic device structure, integration process controllability as well as yield. From the perspective of a wafer-level integration technology, the influence of SWCNT length on the performance of short-channel CNT-FETs is demonstrated by means of a statistical and comparative study. Therefore, a methodological development of a length separation process based on size-exclusion chromatography was conducted in order to extract well-separated SWCNT dispersions with narrowed length distribution. It could be shown that short SWCNTs adversely affect integrability and reproducibility, underlined by a 25% decline of the integration yield with respect to long SWCNTs. Furthermore, it turns out that the significant changes in electrical performance are directly linked to a SWCNT chain formation in the transistor channel. In particular, CNT-FETs with long SWCNTs outperform reference and short SWCNTs with respect to hole mobility and subthreshold controllability by up to 300% and up to 140%, respectively. As a whole, this study provides a statistical and comparative analysis towards chain-less CNT-FETs fabricated with a wafer-level technology.

Electrorheological suspensions of laponite in oil: rheometry studies.

PubMed

Parmar, K P S; Méheust, Y; Schjelderupsen, Børge; Fossum, J O

2008-03-04

We have studied the effect of an external direct current (DC) electric field ( approximately 1 kV/mm) on the rheological properties of colloidal suspensions consisting of aggregates of laponite particles in a silicone oil. Microscopy observations show that, under application of an electric field greater than a triggering electric field Ec approximately 0.6 kV/mm, laponite aggregates assemble into chain- and/or columnlike structures in the oil. Without an applied electric field, the steady-state shear behavior of such suspensions is Newtonian-like. Under application of an electric field larger than Ec, it changes dramatically as a result of the changes in the microstructure: a significant yield stress is measured, and under continuous shear the fluid is shear-thinning. The rheological properties, in particular the dynamic and static shear stress, were studied as a function of particle volume fraction for various strengths (including null) of the applied electric field. The flow curves at constant shear rate can be scaled with respect to both the particle fraction and electric field strength onto a master curve. This scaling is consistent with simple scaling arguments. The shape of the master curve accounts for the system's complexity; it approaches a standard power-law model at high Mason numbers. Both dynamic and static yield stresses are observed to depend on the particle fraction Phi and electric field E as PhibetaEalpha, with alpha approximately 1.85 and beta approximately 1 and 1.70 for the dynamic and static yield stresses, respectively. The yield stress was also determined as the critical stress at which there occurs a bifurcation in the rheological behavior of suspensions that are submitted to a constant shear stress; a scaling law with alpha approximately 1.84 and beta approximately 1.70 was obtained. The effectiveness of the latter technique confirms that such electrorheological (ER) fluids can be studied in the framework of thixotropic fluids. The method is very reproducible; we suggest that it could be used routinely for studying ER fluids. The measured overall yield stress behavior of the suspensions may be explained in terms of standard conduction models for electrorheological systems. Interesting prospects include using such systems for guided self-assembly of clay nanoparticles.

High Performance, Low Temperature Solution-Processed Barium and Strontium Doped Oxide Thin Film Transistors.

PubMed

Banger, Kulbinder K; Peterson, Rebecca L; Mori, Kiyotaka; Yamashita, Yoshihisa; Leedham, Timothy; Sirringhaus, Henning

2014-01-28

Amorphous mixed metal oxides are emerging as high performance semiconductors for thin film transistor (TFT) applications, with indium gallium zinc oxide, InGaZnO (IGZO), being one of the most widely studied and best performing systems. Here, we investigate alkaline earth (barium or strontium) doped InBa(Sr)ZnO as alternative, semiconducting channel layers and compare their performance of the electrical stress stability with IGZO. In films fabricated by solution-processing from metal alkoxide precursors and annealed to 450 °C we achieve high field-effect electron mobility up to 26 cm 2 V -1 s -1 . We show that it is possible to solution-process these materials at low process temperature (225-200 °C yielding mobilities up to 4.4 cm 2 V -1 s -1 ) and demonstrate a facile "ink-on-demand" process for these materials which utilizes the alcoholysis reaction of alkyl metal precursors to negate the need for complex synthesis and purification protocols. Electrical bias stress measurements which can serve as a figure of merit for performance stability for a TFT device reveal Sr- and Ba-doped semiconductors to exhibit enhanced electrical stability and reduced threshold voltage shift compared to IGZO irrespective of the process temperature and preparation method. This enhancement in stability can be attributed to the higher Gibbs energy of oxidation of barium and strontium compared to gallium.

High Performance, Low Temperature Solution-Processed Barium and Strontium Doped Oxide Thin Film Transistors

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Amorphous mixed metal oxides are emerging as high performance semiconductors for thin film transistor (TFT) applications, with indium gallium zinc oxide, InGaZnO (IGZO), being one of the most widely studied and best performing systems. Here, we investigate alkaline earth (barium or strontium) doped InBa(Sr)ZnO as alternative, semiconducting channel layers and compare their performance of the electrical stress stability with IGZO. In films fabricated by solution-processing from metal alkoxide precursors and annealed to 450 °C we achieve high field-effect electron mobility up to 26 cm2 V–1 s–1. We show that it is possible to solution-process these materials at low process temperature (225–200 °C yielding mobilities up to 4.4 cm2 V–1 s–1) and demonstrate a facile “ink-on-demand” process for these materials which utilizes the alcoholysis reaction of alkyl metal precursors to negate the need for complex synthesis and purification protocols. Electrical bias stress measurements which can serve as a figure of merit for performance stability for a TFT device reveal Sr- and Ba-doped semiconductors to exhibit enhanced electrical stability and reduced threshold voltage shift compared to IGZO irrespective of the process temperature and preparation method. This enhancement in stability can be attributed to the higher Gibbs energy of oxidation of barium and strontium compared to gallium. PMID:24511184

Bottom-up realization and electrical characterization of a graphene-based device.

PubMed

Maffucci, A; Micciulla, F; Cataldo, A; Miano, G; Bellucci, S

2016-03-04

We propose a bottom-up procedure to fabricate an easy-to-engineer graphene-based device, consisting of a microstrip-like circuit where few-layer graphene nanoplatelets are used to contact two copper electrodes. The graphene nanoplatelets are obtained by the microwave irradiation of intercalated graphite, i.e., an environmentally friendly, fast and low-cost procedure. The contact is created by a bottom-up process, driven by the application of a DC electrical field in the gap between the electrodes, yielding the formation of a graphene carpet. The electrical resistance of the device has been measured as a function of the gap length and device temperature. The possible use of this device as a gas sensor is demonstrated by measuring the sensitivity of its electrical resistance to the presence of gas. The measured results demonstrate a good degree of reproducibility in the fabrication process, and the competitive performance of devices, thus making the proposed technique potentially attractive for industrial applications.

Turbine Inlet Air Cooling for Industrial and Aero-derivative Gas Turbine in Malaysia Climate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nordin, A.; Salim, D. A.; Othoman, M. A.; Kamal, S. N. Omar; Tam, Danny; Yusof, M. KY

2017-12-01

The performance of a gas turbine is dependent on the ambient temperature. A higher temperature results in a reduction of the gas turbine’s power output and an increase in heat rate. The warm and humid climate in Malaysia with its high ambient air temperature has an adverse effect on the performance of gas turbine generators. In this paper, the expected effect of turbine inlet air cooling technology on the annual performance of an aero-derivative gas turbine (GE LM6000PD) is compared against that of an industrial gas turbine (GEFr6B.03) using GT Pro software. This study investigated the annual net energy output and the annual net electrical efficiency of a plant with and without turbine inlet air cooling technology. The results show that the aero-derivative gas turbine responds more favorably to turbine inlet air cooling technology, thereby yielding higher annual net energy output and higher net electrical efficiency when compared to the industrial gas turbine.

New Carrollton Federal Building Lighting Retrofit Captures Cool Savings

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

None

2017-01-01

Case study describes how the U.S. General Services Administration cut a $291,000 annual lighting electric bill to an estimated $53,500 by upgrading their fluorescent lighting to a new LED troffer lighting and controls system in the New Carrollton Federal Building in Lanham, Maryland. The lighting project yielded an 82% reduction in energy use and earned GSA two awards for exemplary performance from the Interior Lighting Campaign in 2016.

Economic Analysis Case Studies of Battery Energy Storage with SAM

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

DiOrio, Nicholas; Dobos, Aron; Janzou, Steven

2015-11-01

Interest in energy storage has continued to increase as states like California have introduced mandates and subsidies to spur adoption. This energy storage includes customer sited behind-the-meter storage coupled with photovoltaics (PV). This paper presents case study results from California and Tennessee, which were performed to assess the economic benefit of customer-installed systems. Different dispatch strategies, including manual scheduling and automated peak-shaving were explored to determine ideal ways to use the storage system to increase the system value and mitigate demand charges. Incentives, complex electric tariffs, and site specific load and PV data were used to perform detailed analysis. Themore » analysis was performed using the free, publically available System Advisor Model (SAM) tool. We find that installation of photovoltaics with a lithium-ion battery system priced at $300/kWh in Los Angeles under a high demand charge utility rate structure and dispatched using perfect day-ahead forecasting yields a positive net-present value, while all other scenarios cost the customer more than the savings accrued. Different dispatch strategies, including manual scheduling and automated peak-shaving were explored to determine ideal ways to use the storage system to increase the system value and mitigate demand charges. Incentives, complex electric tariffs, and site specific load and PV data were used to perform detailed analysis. The analysis was performed using the free, publically available System Advisor Model (SAM) tool. We find that installation of photovoltaics with a lithium-ion battery system priced at $300/kWh in Los Angeles under a high demand charge utility rate structure and dispatched using perfect day-ahead forecasting yields a positive net-present value, while all other scenarios cost the customer more than the savings accrued.« less

Electric Power System for High Altitude UAV Technology Survey

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1997-01-01

Electric powertrain technologies with application to high altitude Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) are assessed. One hundred twenty five solar electric UAV configurations and missions were simulated. Synergistic design opportunities were investigated with the premise that specific benefits may be realized, for example, if a single component can serve multiple functions, such as a battery being used for energy storage as well as for a structural component of the aircraft. For each UAV mission simulation, the airframe structure, powertrain configuration (type of solar cells, energy storage options) and performance baseline (1997 or 2001) were specified. It has been found that the use of the high efficiency (multijunction) solar cells or the use of the synergistic amorphous silicon solar cell configuration yields aircraft that can accomplish the majority of the missions of interest for any latitude between 0 deg and 55 deg, hence, a single versatile aircraft can be constructed and implemented to accomplish these missions.

Electricity Load Forecasting Using Support Vector Regression with Memetic Algorithms

PubMed Central

Hu, Zhongyi; Xiong, Tao

2013-01-01

Electricity load forecasting is an important issue that is widely explored and examined in power systems operation literature and commercial transactions in electricity markets literature as well. Among the existing forecasting models, support vector regression (SVR) has gained much attention. Considering the performance of SVR highly depends on its parameters; this study proposed a firefly algorithm (FA) based memetic algorithm (FA-MA) to appropriately determine the parameters of SVR forecasting model. In the proposed FA-MA algorithm, the FA algorithm is applied to explore the solution space, and the pattern search is used to conduct individual learning and thus enhance the exploitation of FA. Experimental results confirm that the proposed FA-MA based SVR model can not only yield more accurate forecasting results than the other four evolutionary algorithms based SVR models and three well-known forecasting models but also outperform the hybrid algorithms in the related existing literature. PMID:24459425

Electricity load forecasting using support vector regression with memetic algorithms.

PubMed

Hu, Zhongyi; Bao, Yukun; Xiong, Tao

2013-01-01

Electricity load forecasting is an important issue that is widely explored and examined in power systems operation literature and commercial transactions in electricity markets literature as well. Among the existing forecasting models, support vector regression (SVR) has gained much attention. Considering the performance of SVR highly depends on its parameters; this study proposed a firefly algorithm (FA) based memetic algorithm (FA-MA) to appropriately determine the parameters of SVR forecasting model. In the proposed FA-MA algorithm, the FA algorithm is applied to explore the solution space, and the pattern search is used to conduct individual learning and thus enhance the exploitation of FA. Experimental results confirm that the proposed FA-MA based SVR model can not only yield more accurate forecasting results than the other four evolutionary algorithms based SVR models and three well-known forecasting models but also outperform the hybrid algorithms in the related existing literature.

Near term hybrid passenger vehicle development program, phase 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1980-01-01

Missions for hybrid vehicles that promise to yield high petroleum impact were identified and a preliminary design, was developed that satisfies the mission requirements and performance specifications. Technologies that are critical to successful vehicle design, development and fabrication were determined. Trade-off studies to maximize fuel savings were used to develop initial design specifications of the near term hybrid vehicle. Various designs were "driven" through detailed computer simulations which calculate the petroleum consumption in standard driving cycles, the petroleum and electricity consumptions over the specified missions, and the vehicle's life cycle costs over a 10 year vehicle lifetime. Particular attention was given to the selection of the electric motor, heat engine, drivetrain, battery pack and control system. The preliminary design reflects a modified current compact car powered by a currently available turbocharged diesel engine and a 24 kW (peak) compound dc electric motor.

Synthesis of single-walled carbon nanotubes and graphene composite in arc for ultracapacitors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Jian; Cheng, Xiaoqian; Shashurin, Alexey; Keidar, Michael

2012-10-01

Arc discharge supported by the erosion of graphite anode is considered as one of the most practical and efficient methods to synthesize various carbon nanostructures such as single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) and graphene with minimal defects and large yield due to the relatively high synthesis temperature and eco-friendly growth mechanism. By introducing a non-uniform magnetic field during synthesis process, large-scale graphene and high-purity SWCNT can be obtained in one step. In addition, the yield of graphene can be controlled by external parameters, such as the type and pressure of buffer gas, the temperature of substrate, and so on. Possessing the properties of highly accessible surface area and good electrical conductivity, the composite of graphene and SWCNT are promising nanomaterials for the electrodes of ultracapacitor, which can store electric energy with high level of capacitance. In this work, we fabricated electrodes of ultracapacitor based on nanostructures composite by wire-wound rod coating method, characterized them by SEM, EDX and Raman spectroscopy, and tested the performance by a potentiostat/galvanostat.

TAL Performance and Mission Analysis in a CDL Capacitor Powered Direct-Drive Configuration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hrbud, Ivana; Rose, M. Frank; Oleson, Steve R.; Jenkins, Rhonald M.

1999-01-01

The goals of this research are (1) to prove the concept feasibility of a direct-drive electric propulsion system, and (2) to evaluate the performance and characteristics of a Russian TAL (Thruster with Anode Layer) operating in a long-pulse mode, powered by a capacitor-based power source developed at Space Power Institute. The TAL, designated D-55, is characterized by an external acceleration zone and is powered by a unique chemical double layer (CDL) capacitor bank with a capacitance of 4 F at a charge voltage of 400 V. Performance testing of this power supply on the TAL was conducted at NASA Lewis Research Center in Cleveland, OH. Direct thrust measurements of the TAL were obtained at CDL power levels ranging from 450 to 1750 W. The specific impulse encompassed a range from 1150 s to 2200 s, yielding thruster system efficiencies between 50 and 60%. Preliminary mission analysis of the CDL direct-drive concept and other electric propulsion options was performed for the ORACLE spacecraft in 6am/6pm and 12am/12pm, 300 km sun-synchronous orbits. The direct-drive option was competitive with the other systems by increasing available net mass between 5 and 42% and reducing two-year system wet mass between 18 and 63%. Overall, the electric propulsion power requirements for the satellite solar array were reduced between 57 and 91% depending oil the orbit evaluated The direct-drive, CDL capacitor-based concept in electric propulsion thus promises to be a highly-efficient, viable alternative for satellite operations in specific near-Earth missions.

Essays on energy derivatives pricing and financial risk management =

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Madaleno, Mara Teresa da Silva

This thesis consists of an introductory chapter (essay I) and five more empirical essays on electricity markets and CO2 spot price behaviour, derivatives pricing analysis and hedging. Essay I presents the structure of the thesis and electricity markets functioning and characteristics, as well as the type of products traded, to be analyzed on the following essays. In the second essay we conduct an empirical study on co-movements in electricity markets resorting to wavelet analysis, discussing long-term dynamics and markets integration. Essay three is about hedging performance and multiscale relationships in the German electricity spot and futures markets, also using wavelet analysis. We concentrate the investigation on the relationship between coherence evolution and hedge ratio analysis, on a time-frequency-scale approach, between spot and futures which conditions the effectiveness of the hedging strategy. Essays four, five and six are interrelated between them and with the other two previous essays given the nature of the commodity analyzed, CO2 emission allowances, traded in electricity markets. Relationships between electricity prices, primary energy fuel prices and carbon dioxide permits are analyzed on essay four. The efficiency of the European market for allowances is examined taking into account markets heterogeneity. Essay five analyzes stylized statistical properties of the recent traded asset CO2 emission allowances, for spot and futures returns, examining also the relation linking convenience yield and risk premium, for the German European Energy Exchange (EEX) between October 2005 and October 2009. The study was conducted through empirical estimations of CO2 allowances risk premium, convenience yield, and their relation. Future prices from an ex-post perspective are examined to show evidence for significant negative risk premium, or else a positive forward premium. Finally, essay six analyzes emission allowances futures hedging effectiveness, providing evidence for utility gains increases with investor’s preference over risk. Deregulation of electricity markets has led to higher uncertainty in electricity prices and by presenting these essays we try to shed new lights about structuring, pricing and hedging in this type of markets.

Pine Needles as Potential Energy Feedstock: Availability in the Central Himalayan State of Uttarakhand, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kala, L. D.; Subbarao, P. M. V.

2017-11-01

The amount of pine needles (pinus roxburgii) potentially available for use as energy feedstock in the Central Himalayan state of Uttarakhand in India has been estimated. It involves estimating the gross annual amount of pine needle yield followed by a comprehensive identification and quantification of the factors that affect the net annual pine needle yield available as energy feedstock. These factors include considerations such as accessibility, alternative uses, forest fires, other losses, etc., that are influenced by aspects ranging from physical constraints to traditional societal traits. Tree canopy cover method has been used for estimating the gross annual pine needle yield. The information on canopy density is obtained from remote sensing data, that forms the basis for forest classification. The annual gross pine needle yield has been estimated at 1.9 million tonnes while the annual net pine needle yield at 1.33 million tonnes. The annual primary energy potential of pine needles available as energy feedstock has also been estimated. For annual net energy potential estimation, thermal and electrical routes are considered. Electrical energy generation from pine needles using thermochemical conversion has been examined and the corresponding potential for electricity generation been estimated. An installed capacity of 789 MW can be supported with pine needles feedstock for supplying electricity in rural areas for five hours a day. For round the clock generation, an installed capacity of 165 MW can be supported by the pine needle energy feedstock.

The effects of demand uncertainty on strategic gaming in the merit-order electricity pool market

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frem, Bassam

In a merit-order electricity pool market, generating companies (Gencos) game with their offered incremental cost to meet the electricity demand and earn bigger market shares and higher profits. However when the demand is treated as a random variable instead of as a known constant, these Genco gaming strategies become more complex. After a brief introduction of electricity markets and gaming, the effects of demand uncertainty on strategic gaming are studied in two parts: (1) Demand modelled as a discrete random variable (2) Demand modelled as a continuous random variable. In the first part, we proposed an algorithm, the discrete stochastic strategy (DSS) algorithm that generates a strategic set of offers from the perspective of the Gencos' profits. The DSS offers were tested and compared to the deterministic Nash equilibrium (NE) offers based on the predicted demand. This comparison, based on the expected Genco profits, showed the DSS to be a better strategy in a probabilistic sense than the deterministic NE. In the second part, we presented three gaming strategies: (1) Deterministic NE (2) No-Risk (3) Risk-Taking. The strategies were then tested and their profit performances were compared using two assessment tools: (a) Expected value and standard deviation (b) Inverse cumulative distribution. We concluded that despite yielding higher profit performance under the right conjectures, Risk-Taking strategies are very sensitive to incorrect conjectures on the competitors' gaming decisions. As such, despite its lower profit performance, the No-Risk strategy was deemed preferable.

Integration of membrane distillation into traditional salt farming method: Process development and modelling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hizam, S.; Bilad, M. R.; Putra, Z. A.

2017-10-01

Farmers still practice the traditional salt farming in many regions, particularly in Indonesia. This archaic method not only produces low yield and poor salt quality, it is also laborious. Furthermore, the farming locations typically have poor access to fresh water and are far away from electricity grid, which restrict upgrade to a more advanced technology for salt production. This paper proposes a new concept of salt harvesting method that improves the salt yield and at the same time facilitates recovery of fresh water from seawater. The new concept integrates solar powered membrane distillation (MD) and photovoltaic cells to drive the pumping. We performed basic solar still experiments to quantify the heat flux received by a pond. The data were used as insight for designing the proposed concept, particularly on operational strategy and the most effective way to integrate MD. After the conceptual design had been developed, we formulated mass and energy balance to estimate the performance of the proposed concept. Based on our data and design, it is expected that the system would improve the yield and quality of the salt production, maximizing fresh water harvesting, and eventually provides economical gain for salt farmers hence improving their quality of life. The key performance can only be measured via experiment using gain output ratio as performance indicator, which will be done in a future study.

Integration of mechanical, structural and electrical imaging to understand response to cardiac resynchronization therapy.

PubMed

Silva, Etelvino; Bijnens, Bart; Berruezo, Antonio; Mont, Lluis; Doltra, Adelina; Andreu, David; Brugada, Josep; Sitges, Marta

2014-10-01

There is extensive controversy exists on whether cardiac resynchronization therapy corrects electrical or mechanical asynchrony. The aim of this study was to determine if there is a correlation between electrical and mechanical sequences and if myocardial scar has any relevant impact. Six patients with normal left ventricular function and 12 patients with left ventricular dysfunction and left bundle branch block, treated with cardiac resynchronization therapy, were studied. Real-time three-dimensional echocardiography and electroanatomical mapping were performed in all patients and, where applicable, before and after therapy. Magnetic resonance was performed for evaluation of myocardial scar. Images were postprocessed and mechanical and electrical activation sequences were defined and time differences between the first and last ventricular segment to be activated were determined. Response to therapy was defined as a reduction in left ventricular end-systolic volume ≥ 15% after 12 months of follow-up. Good correlation between electrical and mechanical timings was found in patients with normal left ventricular function (r(2) = 0.88; P = .005) but not in those with left ventricular dysfunction (r(2) = 0.02; P = not significant). After therapy, both timings and sequences were modified and improved, except in those with myocardial scar. Despite a close electromechanical relationship in normal left ventricular function, there is no significant correlation in patients with dysfunction. Although resynchronization therapy improves this correlation, the changes in electrical activation may not yield similar changes in left ventricular mechanics particularly depending on the underlying myocardial substrate. Copyright © 2013 Sociedad Española de Cardiología. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

The tunable mechanical property of water-filled carbon nanotubes under an electric field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ye, Hongfei; Zhang, Zhongqiang; Zhang, Hongwu; Chen, Zhen; Zong, Zhi; Zheng, Yonggang

2014-03-01

The spring-induced compression of water-filled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) under an electric field is investigated by molecular dynamics simulations. Due to the incompressibility and polarity of water, the mechanical property of CNTs can be tuned through filling with water molecules and applying an electric field. To explore the variation of the mechanical property of water-filled CNTs, the effects of the CNT length, the filling density and the electric field intensity are examined. The simulation results indicate that the water filling and electric field can result in a slight change in the elastic property (the elastic modulus and Poisson's ratio) of water-filled CNTs. However, the yield stress and average post-buckling stress exhibit a significant response to the water density and electric field intensity. As compared to hollow CNTs, the increment in yield stress of the water-filled CNTs under an electric field of 2.0 V Å-1 is up to 35.29%, which is even higher than that resulting from metal filling. The findings from this study provide a valuable theoretical basis for designing and fabricating the controlling units at the nanoscale.

Electric quadrupole moment of the 5d {sup 2}D{sub 3/2} state in {sup 171}Yb{sup +}: A relativistic coupled-cluster analysis

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

Latha, K. V. P.; Chaudhuri, R. K.; Das, B. P.

2007-12-15

The electric quadrupole moment for the 5d {sup 2}D{sub 3/2} state of {sup 171}Yb{sup +}, has been calculated using the relativistic coupled-cluster method. Earlier a similar calculation was performed for the 4d {sup 2}D{sub 5/2} state of {sup 88}Sr{sup +} which is the most accurate determination to date [Sur et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 96, 193001 (2006)]. The present calculation of the electric quadrupole moment of {sup 171}Yb{sup +} yielded a value 2.157ea{sub 0}{sup 2} where the experimental value is 2.08(11)ea{sub 0}{sup 2}; a{sub 0} is the Bohr radius and e the elementary charge. We discuss in this paper ourmore » results for {sup 171}Yb{sup +} in detail and highlight the dominant correlation effects present. We have presented the effect of inner core excitations and their contribution to the electric quadrupole moment, which is a property sensitive to regions away from the nucleus.« less

Transforming information from silicon testing and design characterization into numerical data sets for yield learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Thomas; Shen, Yang; Zhang, Yifan; Sweis, Jason; Lai, Ya-Chieh

2017-03-01

Silicon testing results are regularly collected for a particular lot of wafers to study yield loss from test result diagnostics. Product engineers will analyze the diagnostic results and perform a number of physical failure analyses to detect systematic defects which cause yield loss for these sets of wafers in order to feedback the information to process engineers for process improvements. Most of time, the systematic defects that are detected are major issues or just one of the causes for the overall yield loss. This paper will present a working flow for using design analysis techniques combined with diagnostic methods to systematically transform silicon testing information into physical layout information. A new set of the testing results are received from a new lot of wafers for the same product. We can then correlate all the diagnostic results from different periods of time to check which blocks or nets have been highlighted or stop occurring on the failure reports in order to monitor process changes which impact the yield. The design characteristic analysis flow is also implemented to find 1) the block connections on a design that have failed electrical test or 2) frequently used cells that been highlighted multiple times.

Brewery and liquid manure wastewaters as potential feedstocks for microbial fuel cells: a performance study.

PubMed

Angosto, J M; Fernández-López, J A; Godínez, C

2015-01-01

This work aims at the comparison of the electrical and chemical performance of microbial fuel cells (MFCs) fed with several types of brewery and manure industrial wastewaters. Experiments were conducted in a single-cell MFC with the cathode exposed to air operated in batch and fed-batch modes. In fed-batch mode, after 4 days of operation, a standard MFC was refilled with crude wastewater to regenerate the biofilm and recreate initial feeding conditions. Brewery wastewater (CV1) mixed with pig-farm liquid manure (PU sample) gave the highest voltage (199.8 mV) and power density (340 mW/m3) outputs than non-mixed brewery waste water. Also, coulombic efficiency is much larger in the mixture (11%) than in the others (2-3%). However, in terms of chemical oxygen demand removal, the performance showed to be poorer (53%) for the mixed sample than in the pure brewery sample (93%). Fed-batch operation showed to be a good alternate for quasi-continuous operation, with equivalent electrical and chemical yields as compared with normal batchwise operation.

Analytical Study of 90Sr Betavoltaic Nuclear Battery Performance Based on p-n Junction Silicon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rahastama, Swastya; Waris, Abdul

2016-08-01

Previously, an analytical calculation of 63Ni p-n junction betavoltaic battery has been published. As the basic approach, we reproduced the analytical simulation of 63Ni betavoltaic battery and then compared it to previous results using the same design of the battery. Furthermore, we calculated its maximum power output and radiation- electricity conversion efficiency using semiconductor analysis method.Then, the same method were applied to calculate and analyse the performance of 90Sr betavoltaic battery. The aim of this project is to compare the analytical perfomance results of 90Sr betavoltaic battery to 63Ni betavoltaic battery and the source activity influences to performance. Since it has a higher power density, 90Sr betavoltaic battery yields more power than 63Ni betavoltaic battery but less radiation-electricity conversion efficiency. However, beta particles emitted from 90Sr source could travel further inside the silicon corresponding to stopping range of beta particles, thus the 90Sr betavoltaic battery could be designed thicker than 63Ni betavoltaic battery to achieve higher conversion efficiency.

A Global Analysis of Light and Charge Yields in Liquid Xenon

DOE PAGES

Lenardo, Brian; Kazkaz, Kareem; Manalaysay, Aaron; ...

2015-11-04

Here, we present an updated model of light and charge yields from nuclear recoils in liquid xenon with a simultaneously constrained parameter set. A global analysis is performed using measurements of electron and photon yields compiled from all available historical data, as well as measurements of the ratio of the two. These data sweep over energies from keV and external applied electric fields from V/cm. The model is constrained by constructing global cost functions and using a simulated annealing algorithm and a Markov Chain Monte Carlo approach to optimize and find confidence intervals on all free parameters in the model.more » This analysis contrasts with previous work in that we do not unnecessarily exclude datasets nor impose artificially conservative assumptions, do not use spline functions, and reduce the number of parameters used in NEST v 0.98. Here, we report our results and the calculated best-fit charge and light yields. These quantities are crucial to understanding the response of liquid xenon detectors in the energy regime important for rare event searches such as the direct detection of dark matter particles.« less

Could binary mixture of Nd-Ni ions control the electrical behavior of strontium-barium M-type hexaferrite nanoparticles?

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

Iqbal, Muhammad Javed, E-mail: mjiqauchem@yahoo.com; Farooq, Saima

2011-05-15

Research highlights: {yields} Strontium-barium hexaferrites (Sr{sub 0.5}Ba{sub 0.5}Fe{sub 12}O{sub 19}) in single magnetoplumbite phase solid structure are synthesized by the co-precipitation method. {yields} Structural and electrical properties of Nd-Ni substituted ferrites are investigated. {yields} These ferrite materials possess high electrical resistivity (108 {Omega} cm) that is essential to curb the eddy current loss, which is pre-requisite for surface mount devices. -- Abstract: Cationic substitution in M-type hexaferrites is considered to be an important tool for modification of their electrical properties. This work is part of our comprehensive study on the synthesis and characterization of Nd-Ni doped strontium-barium hexaferrite nanomaterials ofmore » nominal composition Sr{sub 0.5}Ba{sub 0.5-x}Nd{sub x}Fe{sub 12-y}Ni{sub y}O{sub 19} (x = 0.00-0.10; y = 0.00-1.00). Doping with this binary mixture modulates the physical and electrical properties of strontium-barium hexaferrite nanoparticles. Structural and electrical properties of the co-precipitated ferrites are investigated using state-of-the-art techniques. The results of X-ray diffraction analysis reveal that the lattice parameters and cell volume are inversely related to the dopant content. Temperature dependent DC-electrical resistivity measurements infer that resistivity of strontium-barium hexaferrites decreases from 1.8 x 10{sup 10} to 2.0 x 10{sup 8} {Omega} cm whereas the drift mobility, dielectric constant and dielectric loss tangent are directly related to the Nd-Ni content. The results of the study demonstrate a relationship between the modulation of electrical properties of substituted ferrites and nature of cations and their lattice site occupancy.« less

Note: cryogenic microstripline-on-Kapton microwave interconnects.

PubMed

Harris, A I; Sieth, M; Lau, J M; Church, S E; Samoska, L A; Cleary, K

2012-08-01

Simple broadband microwave interconnects are needed for increasing the size of focal plane heterodyne radiometer arrays. We have measured loss and crosstalk for arrays of microstrip transmission lines in flex circuit technology at 297 and 77 K, finding good performance to at least 20 GHz. The dielectric constant of Kapton substrates changes very little from 297 to 77 K, and the electrical loss drops. The small cross-sectional area of metal in a printed circuit structure yields overall thermal conductivities similar to stainless steel coaxial cable. Operationally, the main performance tradeoffs are between crosstalk and thermal conductivity. We tested a patterned ground plane to reduce heat flux.

Photovoltaic Pixels for Neural Stimulation: Circuit Models and Performance.

PubMed

Boinagrov, David; Lei, Xin; Goetz, Georges; Kamins, Theodore I; Mathieson, Keith; Galambos, Ludwig; Harris, James S; Palanker, Daniel

2016-02-01

Photovoltaic conversion of pulsed light into pulsed electric current enables optically-activated neural stimulation with miniature wireless implants. In photovoltaic retinal prostheses, patterns of near-infrared light projected from video goggles onto subretinal arrays of photovoltaic pixels are converted into patterns of current to stimulate the inner retinal neurons. We describe a model of these devices and evaluate the performance of photovoltaic circuits, including the electrode-electrolyte interface. Characteristics of the electrodes measured in saline with various voltages, pulse durations, and polarities were modeled as voltage-dependent capacitances and Faradaic resistances. The resulting mathematical model of the circuit yielded dynamics of the electric current generated by the photovoltaic pixels illuminated by pulsed light. Voltages measured in saline with a pipette electrode above the pixel closely matched results of the model. Using the circuit model, our pixel design was optimized for maximum charge injection under various lighting conditions and for different stimulation thresholds. To speed discharge of the electrodes between the pulses of light, a shunt resistor was introduced and optimized for high frequency stimulation.

High-Performance CuInS 2 Quantum Dot Laminated Glass Luminescent Solar Concentrators for Windows

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

Bergren, Matthew R.; Makarov, Nikolay S.; Ramasamy, Karthik

Building-integrated sunlight harvesting utilizing laminated glass luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs) is proposed. By incorporating high quantum yield (>90%), NIR-emitting CuInS2/ZnS quantum dots into the polymer interlayer between two sheets of low-iron float glass, a record optical efficiency of 8.1% is demonstrated for a 10 cm x 10 cm device that transmits ~44% visible light. After completing prototypes by attaching silicon solar cells along the perimeter of the device, the electrical power conversion efficiency was certified at 2.2% with a black background and at 2.9% using a reflective substrate. This 'drop-in' LSC solution is particularly attractive because it fits within themore » existing glazing industry value chain with only modest changes to typical glazing products. Performance modeling predicts >1 GWh annual electricity production for a typical urban skyscraper in most major U.S. cities, enabling significant energy cost savings and potentially 'net-zero' buildings.« less

MOCVD process technology for affordable, high-yield, high-performance MESFET structures. Phase 3: MIMIC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1993-01-01

Under the MIMIC Program, Spire has pursued improvements in the manufacturing of low cost, high quality gallium arsenide MOCVD wafers for advanced MIMIC FET applications. As a demonstration of such improvements, Spire was tasked to supply MOCVD wafers for comparison to MBE wafers in the fabrication of millimeter and microwave integrated circuits. In this, the final technical report for Spire's two-year MIMIC contract, we report the results of our work. The main objectives of Spire's MIMIC Phase 3 Program, as outlined in the Statement of Work, were as follows: Optimize the MOCVD growth conditions for the best possible electrical and morphological gallium arsenide. Optimization should include substrate and source qualification as well as determination of the optimum reactor growth conditions; Perform all work on 75 millimeter diameter wafers, using a reactor capable of at least three wafers per run; and Evaluate epitaxial layers using electrical, optical, and morphological tests to obtain thickness, carrier concentration, and mobility data across wafers.

Study on Ferroelectric Thick Film Insulator Sleeve On Plasma Focus

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

Sylvester, Gustavo; Silva, Patricio; Moreno, Jose

The effect of ferroelectric lead germanate Pb5Ge3O11 (PGO) thick film in the alumina insulator sleeve of the 400 Joule Mather-type plasma focus device, PF-400J is studied. The breakdown phase along the insulator is fundamental for the formation of a homogeneous and symmetric current sheath, that is essential for a good plasma pinching, high neutron yield and X-ray emissions. For over several hundreds of electrical discharges, the films show good mechanical and electric performance. From the beginning the operating system is highly reproducible, shot to shot, with a clear definition of the plasma pinch on the axis of discharge. The grademore » of influence of the electron emission from the ferroelectric is experimentally studied.« less

Developing a Hybrid Solar/Wind Powered Drip Irrigation System for Dragon Fruit Yield

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Widiastuti, I.; Wijayanto, D. S.

2017-03-01

Irrigation operations take a large amount of water and energy which impact to total costs of crop production. Development of an efficient irrigation supplying precise amount of water and conserving the use of energy can have benefits not only by reducing the operating costs but also by enhancing the farmland productivity. This article presents an irrigation method that promotes sustainable use of water and energy appropriate for a developing tropical country. It proposes a drip irrigation system supported by a combined solar-wind electric power generation system for efficient use of water in dragon fruit cultivation. The electric power generated is used to drive a water pump filling a storage tank for irrigating a 3000 m2 dragon fruit yield in Nguntoronadi, Wonogiri, Indonesia. In designing the irrigation system, the plant’s water requirement was identified based on the value of reference evapotranspiration of the area. A cost/benefit analysis was performed to evaluate the economic feasibility of the proposed scheme. The installation of this solar and wind drip irrigation helps provide sufficient quantity of water to each plant using renewable energy sources which reduce dependence on fossil fuel.

The electroluminescence of Xe-Ne gas mixtures: A Monte Carol simulation study

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

Santos, F.P.; Dias, T.H.V.T.; Rachinhas, P.J.B.M.

1998-04-01

The authors have performed a Monte Carlo simulation of the drift of electrons through a mixture of gaseous xenon with the lighter noble gas neon at a total pressure of 1 atm. The electroluminescence characteristics and other transport parameters are investigated as a function of the reduced electric field and composition of the mixture. For Xe-Ne mixtures with 5, 10, 20, 40, 70, 90, and 100% of Xe, they present results for electroluminescence yield and excitation efficiency, average electron energy, electron drift velocity, reduced mobility, reduced diffusion coefficients, and characteristic energies over a range of reduced electric fields which excludemore » electron multiplication. For the 5% Xe mixture, they also assess the influence of electron multiplication on the electroluminescence yield. The present study of Xe-Ne mixtures was motivated by an interest in using them as a filling for gas proportional scintillation counters in low-energy X-ray applications. In this energy range, the X rays will penetrate further into the detector due to the presence of Ne, and this will lead to an improvement in the collection of primary electrons originating near the detector window and may represent an advantage over the use of pure Xe.« less

Solid State Digital Propulsion "Cluster Thrusters" For Small Satellites Using High Performance Electrically Controlled Extinguishable Solid Propellants (ECESP)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sawka, Wayne N.; Katzakian, Arthur; Grix, Charles

2005-01-01

Electrically controlled extinguishable solid propellants (ESCSP) are capable of multiple ignitions, extinguishments and throttle control by the application of electrical power. Both core and end burning no moving parts ECESP grains/motors to three inches in diameter have now been tested. Ongoing research has led to a newer family of even higher performance ECESP providing up to 10% higher performance, manufacturing ease, and significantly higher electrical conduction. The high conductivity was not found to be desirable for larger motors; however it is ideal for downward scaling to micro and pico- propulsion applications with a web thickness of less than 0.125 inch/ diameter. As a solid solution propellant, this ECESP is molecularly uniform, having no granular structure. Because of this homogeneity and workable viscosity it can be directly cast into thin layers or vacuum cast into complex geometries. Both coaxial and grain stacks have been demonstrated. Combining individual propellant coaxial grains and/or grain stacks together form three-dimensional arrays yield modular cluster thrusters. Adoption of fabless manufacturing methods and standards from the electronics industry will provide custom, highly reproducible micro-propulsion arrays and clusters at low costs. These stack and cluster thruster designs provide a small footprint saving spacecraft surface area for solar panels and/or experiments. The simplicity of these thrusters will enable their broad use on micro-pico satellites for primary propulsion, ACS and formation flying applications. Larger spacecraft may find uses for ECESP thrusters on extended booms, on-orbit refueling, pneumatic actuators, and gas generators.

Ion and advanced electric thruster research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilbur, P. J.

1980-01-01

A phenomenological model of the orificed, hollow cathode based on the field enhanced, thermionic mechanism of electron emission is presented. High frequency oscillations associated with the orificed, hollow cathode are shown to be a consequence of current flow through the cathode orifice. A procedure for Langmuir probing of the hollow cathode discharge and analyzing the resulting probe characteristics is discussed. The results of sputter yield measurements made for molybdenum, tantalum, type 304 stainless steel and copper surfaces being bombarded by low energy argon or mercury ions are also given. The effects of nitrogen and alternated copper layers on the sputter yields of molybdenum, tantalum and 304 stainless steel are also discussed. A dynamic model of electrothermal rocket and ramjet thrusters is developed. The gross performance of these devices is compared to that of an electromagnetic gun for the case of a high acceleration, Earth launch mission. The theoretical performance of electrothermal rockets and ramjets is shown to be comparable to that of the electromagnetic gun.

Effect of Cation Ordering on the Performance and Chemical Stability of Layered Double Perovskite Cathodes

PubMed Central

Bernuy-Lopez, Carlos; Rioja-Monllor, Laura; Nakamura, Takashi; Ricote, Sandrine; O’Hayre, Ryan; Amezawa, Koji; Einarsrud, Mari-Ann

2018-01-01

The effect of A-site cation ordering on the cathode performance and chemical stability of A-site cation ordered LaBaCo2O5+δ and disordered La0.5Ba0.5CoO3−δ materials are reported. Symmetric half-cells with a proton-conducting BaZr0.9Y0.1O3−δ electrolyte were prepared by ceramic processing, and good chemical compatibility of the materials was demonstrated. Both A-site ordered LaBaCo2O5+δ and A-site disordered La0.5Ba0.5CoO3−δ yield excellent cathode performance with Area Specific Resistances as low as 7.4 and 11.5 Ω·cm2 at 400 °C and 0.16 and 0.32 Ω·cm2 at 600 °C in 3% humidified synthetic air respectively. The oxygen vacancy concentration, electrical conductivity, basicity of cations and crystal structure were evaluated to rationalize the electrochemical performance of the two materials. The combination of high-basicity elements and high electrical conductivity as well as sufficient oxygen vacancy concentration explains the excellent performance of both LaBaCo2O5+δ and La0.5Ba0.5CoO3−δ materials at high temperatures. At lower temperatures, oxygen-deficiency in both materials is greatly reduced, leading to decreased performance despite the high basicity and electrical conductivity. A-site cation ordering leads to a higher oxygen vacancy concentration, which explains the better performance of LaBaCo2O5+δ. Finally, the more pronounced oxygen deficiency of the cation ordered polymorph and the lower chemical stability at reducing conditions were confirmed by coulometric titration. PMID:29373541

Operational Merits of Maritime Superconductivity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ross, R.; Bosklopper, J. J.; van der Meij, K. H.

The perspective of superconductivity to transfer currents without loss is very appealing in high power applications. In the maritime sector many machines and systems exist in the roughly 1-100 MW range and the losses are well over 50%, which calls for dramatic efficiency improvements. This paper reports on three studies that aimed at the perspectives of superconductivity in the maritime sector. It is important to realize that the introduction of superconductivity comprises two technology transitions namely firstly electrification i.e. the transition from mechanical drives to electric drives and secondly the transition from normal to superconductive electrical machinery. It is concluded that superconductivity does reduce losses, but its impact on the total energy chain is of little significance compared to the investments and the risk of introducing a very promising but as yet not proven technology in the harsh maritime environment. The main reason of the little impact is that the largest losses are imposed on the system by the fossil fueled generators as prime movers that generate the electricity through mechanical torque. Unless electric power is supplied by an efficient and reliable technology that does not involve mechanical torque with the present losses both normal as well as superconductive electrification of the propulsion will hardly improve energy efficiency or may even reduce it. One exception may be the application of degaussing coils. Still appealing merits of superconductivity do exist, but they are rather related to the behavior of superconductive machines and strong magnetic fields and consequently reduction in volume and mass of machinery or (sometimes radically) better performance. The merits are rather convenience, design flexibility as well as novel applications and capabilities which together yield more adequate systems. These may yield lower operational costs in the long run, but at present the added value of superconductivity rather seems more adequate than cheaper systems.

Double-Wall Nanotubes and Graphene Nanoplatelets for Hybrid Conductive Adhesives with Enhanced Thermal and Electrical Conductivity.

PubMed

Messina, Elena; Leone, Nancy; Foti, Antonino; Di Marco, Gaetano; Riccucci, Cristina; Di Carlo, Gabriella; Di Maggio, Francesco; Cassata, Antonio; Gargano, Leonardo; D'Andrea, Cristiano; Fazio, Barbara; Maragò, Onofrio Maria; Robba, Benedetto; Vasi, Cirino; Ingo, Gabriel Maria; Gucciardi, Pietro Giuseppe

2016-09-07

Improving the electrical and thermal properties of conductive adhesives is essential for the fabrication of compact microelectronic and optoelectronic power devices. Here we report on the addition of a commercially available conductive resin with double-wall carbon nanotubes and graphene nanoplatelets that yields simultaneously improved thermal and electrical conductivity. Using isopropanol as a common solvent for the debundling of nanotubes, exfoliation of graphene, and dispersion of the carbon nanostructures in the epoxy resin, we obtain a nanostructured conducting adhesive with thermal conductivity of ∼12 W/mK and resistivity down to 30 μΩ cm at very small loadings (1% w/w for nanotubes and 0.01% w/w for graphene). The low filler content allows one to keep almost unchanged the glass-transition temperature, the viscosity, and the curing parameters. Die shear measurements show that the nanostructured resins fulfill the MIL-STD-883 requirements when bonding gold-metalized SMD components, even after repeated thermal cycling. The same procedure has been validated on a high-conductivity resin characterized by a higher viscosity, on which we have doubled the thermal conductivity and quadrupled the electrical conductivity. Graphene yields better performances with respect to nanotubes in terms of conductivity and filler quantity needed to improve the resin. We have finally applied the nanostructured resins to bond GaN-based high-electron-mobility transistors in power-amplifier circuits. We observe a decrease of the GaN peak and average temperatures of, respectively, ∼30 °C and ∼10 °C, with respect to the pristine resin. The obtained results are important for the fabrication of advanced packaging materials in power electronic and microwave applications and fit the technological roadmap for CNTs, graphene, and hybrid systems.

Combined electric and acoustic hearing performance with Zebra® speech processor: speech reception, place, and temporal coding evaluation.

PubMed

Vaerenberg, Bart; Péan, Vincent; Lesbros, Guillaume; De Ceulaer, Geert; Schauwers, Karen; Daemers, Kristin; Gnansia, Dan; Govaerts, Paul J

2013-06-01

To assess the auditory performance of Digisonic(®) cochlear implant users with electric stimulation (ES) and electro-acoustic stimulation (EAS) with special attention to the processing of low-frequency temporal fine structure. Six patients implanted with a Digisonic(®) SP implant and showing low-frequency residual hearing were fitted with the Zebra(®) speech processor providing both electric and acoustic stimulation. Assessment consisted of monosyllabic speech identification tests in quiet and in noise at different presentation levels, and a pitch discrimination task using harmonic and disharmonic intonating complex sounds ( Vaerenberg et al., 2011 ). These tests investigate place and time coding through pitch discrimination. All tasks were performed with ES only and with EAS. Speech results in noise showed significant improvement with EAS when compared to ES. Whereas EAS did not yield better results in the harmonic intonation test, the improvements in the disharmonic intonation test were remarkable, suggesting better coding of pitch cues requiring phase locking. These results suggest that patients with residual hearing in the low-frequency range still have good phase-locking capacities, allowing them to process fine temporal information. ES relies mainly on place coding but provides poor low-frequency temporal coding, whereas EAS also provides temporal coding in the low-frequency range. Patients with residual phase-locking capacities can make use of these cues.

Solar microclimatology. [tables (data) on insolation for application to solar energy conversion by electric power plants

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mckenney, D. B.; Beauchamp, W. T.

1975-01-01

It has become apparent in recent years that solar energy can be used for electric power production by several methods. Because of the diffuse nature of the solar insolation, the area involved in any central power plant design can encompass several square miles. A detailed design of these large area collection systems will require precise knowledge of the local solar insolation. Detailed information will also be needed concerning the temporal nature of the insolation and the local spatial distribution. Therefore, insolation data was collected and analyzed for a network of sensors distributed over an area of several square kilometers in Arizona. The analyses of this data yielded probability distributions of cloud size, velocity, and direction of motion which were compared with data obtained from the National Weather Service. Microclimatological analyses were also performed for suitable modeling parameters pertinent to large scale electric power plant design. Instrumentation used to collect the data is described.

High-yield transfer printing of metal-insulator-metal nanodiodes.

PubMed

Bareiss, Mario; Ante, Frederik; Kälblein, Daniel; Jegert, Gunther; Jirauschek, Christian; Scarpa, Giuseppe; Fabel, Bernhard; Nelson, Edward M; Timp, Gregory; Zschieschang, Ute; Klauk, Hagen; Porod, Wolfgang; Lugli, Paolo

2012-03-27

Nanoscale metal-insulator-metal (MIM) diodes represent important devices in the fields of electronic circuits, detectors, communication, and energy, as their cutoff frequencies may extend into the "gap" between the electronic microwave range and the optical long-wave infrared regime. In this paper, we present a nanotransfer printing method, which allows the efficient and simultaneous fabrication of large-scale arrays of MIM nanodiode stacks, thus offering the possibility of low-cost mass production. In previous work, we have demonstrated the successful transfer and electrical characterization of macroscopic structures. Here, we demonstrate for the first time the fabrication of several millions of nanoscale diodes with a single transfer-printing step using a temperature-enhanced process. The electrical characterization of individual MIM nanodiodes was performed using a conductive atomic force microscope (AFM) setup. Our analysis shows that the tunneling current is the dominant conduction mechanism, and the electrical measurement data agree well with experimental data on previously fabricated microscale diodes and numerical simulations. © 2012 American Chemical Society

A comparison of 2 evaporative cooling systems on a commercial dairy farm in Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Ortiz, X A; Smith, J F; Villar, F; Hall, L; Allen, J; Oddy, A; Al-Haddad, A; Lyle, P; Collier, R J

2015-12-01

Efficacy of 2 cooling systems (Korral Kool, KK, Korral Kool Inc., Mesa, AZ; FlipFan dairy system, FF, Schaefer Ventilation Equipment LLC, Sauk Rapids, MN) was estimated utilizing 400 multiparous Holstein dairy cows randomly assigned to 1 of 4 cooled California-style shade pens (2 shade pens per cooling system). Each shaded pen contained 100 cows (days in milk=58±39, milk production=56±18 kg/d, and lactation=3±1). Production data (milk yield and reproductive performance) were collected during 3mo (June-August, 2013) and physiological responses (core body temperature, respiration rates, surface temperatures, and resting time) were measured in June and July to estimate responses of cows to the 2 different cooling systems. Water and electricity consumption were recorded for each system. Cows in the KK system displayed slightly lower respiration rates in the month of June and lower surface temperatures in June and July. However, no differences were observed in the core body temperature of cows, resting time, feed intake, milk yield, services/cow, and conception rate between systems. The FF system used less water and electricity during this study. In conclusion, both cooling systems (KK and FF) were effective in mitigating the negative effects of heat stress on cows housed in arid environments, whereas the FF system consumed less water and electricity and did not require use of curtains on the shade structure. Copyright © 2015 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Impact of use of treated wastewater for irrigation on soil and quinoa crop in South of Morocco

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El Youssfi, Lahcen; Choukr-Allah, Redouane; Zaafrani, Mina; Hirich, Aziz; Fahmi, Hasna; Abdelatif, Rami; Laajaj, Khadija; El Omari, Halima

2015-04-01

This work was conducted at the experimental station of the IAV Hassan II-CHA-Agadir in southwest Morocco between 2010 and 2012. It aimed the assessment of the effects of use of treated wastewater on soil properties and agronomic parameters by adopting crop rotation introducing quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) as a new crop under semi-arid climate. Biomass production, yield, nutrient accumulation in leaves and the level of electrical conductivity and soil nitrate are the evaluated parameters during three growing seasons. Results show that quinoa has a performing behavior when it is preceded by fabae bean in term of water use efficiency; in addition, the recorded level of salt accumulation in the soil was the lowest in comparison with that of the combinations bean>quinoa and fallow>quinoa. Concerning growth and yield, it was found that growing quinoa after chickpea was more beneficial in terms of biomass productivity and yield. Keywords: Quinoa, soil, treated wastewater semi-arid

NEST: a comprehensive model for scintillation yield in liquid xenon

DOE PAGES

Szydagis, M.; Barry, N.; Kazkaz, K.; ...

2011-10-03

Here, a comprehensive model for explaining scintillation yield in liquid xenon is introduced. We unify various definitions of work function which abound in the literature and incorporate all available data on electron recoil scintillation yield. This results in a better understanding of electron recoil, and facilitates an improved description of nuclear recoil. An incident gamma energy range of O(1 keV) to O(1 MeV) and electric fields between 0 and O(10 kV/cm) are incorporated into this heuristic model. We show results from a Geant4 implementation, but because the model has a few free parameters, implementation in any simulation package should bemore » simple. We use a quasi-empirical approach, with an objective of improving detector calibrations and performance verification. The model will aid in the design and optimization of future detectors. This model is also easy to extend to other noble elements. In this paper we lay the foundation for an exhaustive simulation code which we call NEST (Noble Element Simulation Technique).« less

Improving yield and reliability of FIB modifications using electrical testing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Desplats, Romain; Benbrik, Jamel; Benteo, Bruno; Perdu, Philippe

1998-08-01

Focused Ion Beam technology has two main areas of application for ICs: modification and preparation for technological analysis. The most solicited area is modification. This involves physically modifying a circuit by cutting lines and creating new ones in order to change the electrical function of the circuit. IC planar technologies have an increasing number of metal interconnections making FIB modifications more complex and decreasing their changes of success. The yield of FIB operations on ICs reflects a downward trend that imposes a greater number of circuits to be modified in order to successfully correct a small number of them. This requires extended duration, which is not compatible with production line turn around times. To respond to this problem, two solutions can be defined: either, reducing the duration of each FIB operation or increasing the success rate of FIB modifications. Since reducing the time depends mainly on FIB operator experience, insuring a higher success rate represents a more crucial aspect as both experienced and novice operators could benefit from this improvement. In order to insure successful modifications, it is necessary to control each step of a FIB operation. To do this, we have developed a new method using in situ electrical testing which has a direct impact on the yield of FIB modifications. We will present this innovative development through a real case study of a CMOS ASIC for high-speed communications. Monitoring the electrical behavior at each step in a FIB operation makes it possible to reduce the number of circuits to be modified and consequently reduces system costs thanks to better yield control. Knowing the internal electrical behavior also gives us indications about the impact on reliability of FIB modified circuits. Finally, this approach can be applied to failure analysis and FIB operations on flip chip circuits.

Measurement of Scintillation and Ionization Yield and Scintillation Pulse Shape from Nuclear Recoils in Liquid Argon

DOE PAGES

Cao, H.

2015-05-26

We have measured the scintillation and ionization yield of recoiling nuclei in liquid argon as a function of applied electric field by exposing a dual-phase liquid argon time projection chamber (LAr-TPC) to a low energy pulsed narrow band neutron beam produced at the Notre Dame Institute for Structure and Nuclear Astrophysics. Liquid scintillation counters were arranged to detect and identify neutrons scattered in the TPC and to select the energy of the recoiling nuclei. We also report measurements of the scintillation yields for nuclear recoils with energies from 10.3 to 57.3 keV and for median applied electric fields from 0more » to 970 V/cm. For the ionization yields, we report measurements from 16.9 to 57.3 keV and for electric fields from 96.4 to 486 V/cm. Furthermore, we report the observation of an anticorrelation between scintillation and ionization from nuclear recoils, which is similar to the anticorrelation between scintillation and ionization from electron recoils. Assuming that the energy loss partitions into excitons and ion pairs from 83mKr internal conversion electrons is comparable to that from 207Bi conversion electrons, we obtained the numbers of excitons (N ex) and ion pairs (N i) and their ratio (N ex/N i) produced by nuclear recoils from 16.9 to 57.3 keV. Motivated by arguments suggesting direction sensitivity in LAr-TPC signals due to columnar recombination, a comparison of the light and charge yield of recoils parallel and perpendicular to the applied electric field is presented for the first time.« less

The effect of electrical lighting power and irradiance on indoor-grown cannabis potency and yield.

PubMed

Potter, David J; Duncombe, Paul

2012-05-01

The floral development and potencies [Δ(9) -tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) contents] of cannabis plants were compared when grown indoors under high-pressure sodium lamps consuming electrical power at three densities (270, 400, and 600 W/m(2)). After a 3-week vegetative phase, plants were grown for 8 weeks, with lamps maintaining an artificial day length of 12 h. Foliar and floral yields were measured. Gas chromatography was used to measure the content of the psychoactive cannabinoid THC. Mean yields per unit of electrical power in each lighting regime ranged from 0.9 to 1.6 g/W, the highest being achieved in the lowest irradiance regime. The individual potencies of the separated leaf and flower materials were not affected by increasing irradiance. However, there was a corresponding increase in the overall potency of the aerial plant tissue. This was because of the plants in brighter conditions producing a higher proportion of floral material. © 2011 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Lightning Scaling Laws Revisited

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Boccippio, D. J.; Arnold, James E. (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

Scaling laws relating storm electrical generator power (and hence lightning flash rate) to charge transport velocity and storm geometry were originally posed by Vonnegut (1963). These laws were later simplified to yield simple parameterizations for lightning based upon cloud top height, with separate parameterizations derived over land and ocean. It is demonstrated that the most recent ocean parameterization: (1) yields predictions of storm updraft velocity which appear inconsistent with observation, and (2) is formally inconsistent with the theory from which it purports to derive. Revised formulations consistent with Vonnegut's original framework are presented. These demonstrate that Vonnegut's theory is, to first order, consistent with observation. The implications of assuming that flash rate is set by the electrical generator power, rather than the electrical generator current, are examined. The two approaches yield significantly different predictions about the dependence of charge transfer per flash on storm dimensions, which should be empirically testable. The two approaches also differ significantly in their explanation of regional variability in lightning observations.

A comparison of pay-as-bid and marginal pricing in electricity markets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ren, Yongjun

This thesis investigates the behaviour of electricity markets under marginal and pay-as-bid pricing. Marginal pricing is believed to yield the maximum social welfare and is currently implemented by most electricity markets. However, in view of recent electricity market failures, pay-as-bid has been extensively discussed as a possible alternative to marginal pricing. In this research, marginal and pay-as-bid pricing have been analyzed in electricity markets with both perfect and imperfect competition. The perfect competition case is studied under both exact and uncertain system marginal cost prediction. The comparison of the two pricing methods is conducted through two steps: (i) identify the best offer strategy of the generating companies (gencos); (ii) analyze the market performance under these optimum genco strategies. The analysis results together with numerical simulations show that pay-as-bid and marginal pricing are equivalent in a perfect market with exact system marginal cost prediction. In perfect markets with uncertain demand prediction, the two pricing methods are also equivalent but in an expected value sense. If we compare from the perspective of second order statistics, all market performance measures exhibit much lower values under pay-as-bid than under marginal pricing. The risk of deviating from the mean is therefore much higher under marginal pricing than under pay-as-bid. In an imperfect competition market with exact demand prediction, the research shows that pay-as-bid pricing yields lower consumer payments and lower genco profits. This research provides quantitative evidence that challenges some common claims about pay-as-bid pricing. One is that under pay-as-bid, participants would soon learn how to offer so as to obtain the same or higher profits than what they would have obtained under marginal pricing. This research however shows that, under pay-as-bid, participants can at best earn the same profit or expected profit as under marginal pricing. A second common claim refuted by this research is that pay-as-bid does not provide correct price signals if there is a scarcity of generation resources. We show that pay-as-bid does provide a price signal with such characteristics and furthermore argue that the price signal under marginal pricing with gaming may not necessarily be correct since it would then not reflect a lack of generation capacity but a desire to increase profit.

Electrorheological effect of Ti-bearing blast furnace slag with different TiC contents at 1500°C

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yue, Hong-rui; Jiang, Tao; Zhang, Qiao-yi; Duan, Pei-ning; Xue, Xiang-xin

2017-07-01

The electrorheological properties of CaO-SiO2-Al2O3-MgO-TiO2-TiC slags were investigated to enhance understanding of the effect of TiC addition on the viscosity, yield stress, and fluid pattern of Ti-bearing slags in a direct-current electric field. The viscosities and shear stresses of 4wt% and 8wt% TiC slags were found to increase substantially with increasing electric field intensity, whereas virtually no rheological changes were observed in the 0wt% TiC slag. The Herschel-Bulkley model was applied to demonstrate that the fluid pattern of the 4wt% TiC slag was converted from that of a Newtonian fluid to that of a Bingham fluid in response to the applied electric field; and the static yield stress increased linearly with the square of the electric field intensity.

Prediction of beef carcass salable yield and trimmable fat using bioelectrical impedance analysis.

PubMed

Zollinger, B L; Farrow, R L; Lawrence, T E; Latman, N S

2010-03-01

Bioelectrical impedance technology (BIA) is capable of providing an objective method of beef carcass yield estimation with the rapidity of yield grading. Electrical resistance (Rs), reactance (Xc), impedance (I), hot carcass weight (HCW), fat thickness between the 12th and 13th ribs (FT), estimated percentage kidney, pelvic, and heart fat (KPH%), longissimus muscle area (LMA), length between electrodes (LGE) as well as three derived carcass values that included electrical volume (EVOL), reactive density (XcD), and resistive density (RsD) were determined for the carcasses of 41 commercially fed cattle. Carcasses were subsequently fabricated into salable beef products reflective of industry standards. Equations were developed to predict percentage salable carcass yield (SY%) and percentage trimmable fat (FT%). Resulting equations accounted for 81% and 84% of variation in SY% and FT%, respectively. These results indicate that BIA technology is an accurate predictor of beef carcass composition. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of pulsed electric fields treatment and mash size on extraction and composition of apple juices.

PubMed

Turk, Mohammad F; Baron, Alain; Vorobiev, Eugene

2010-09-08

This study explored the effect of pulsed electric field (PEF) treatment (E=450 V/cm; tt=10 ms; E<3 kJ/kg) and apple mash size on juice yield, polyphenolic compounds, sugars, and malic acid. Juice yield increased significantly after PEF treatment of large mash (Y=71.4%) and remained higher than the juice yield obtained for a control small mash (45.6%). The acid sweet balance was not altered by PEF. A correlation was established between the decrease of light absorbance (control: 1.43; treated: 1.10) and the decline of native polyphenols yield due to PEF treatment (control: 9.6%; treated: 5.9% for small mash). An enhanced oxidation of phenolic compounds in cells due to electroporation of the inner cell membrane and the adsorption of the oxidized products on the mash may explain both the lower light absorbance and the lower native polyphenol concentration.

Design Considerations for Clean QED Fusion Propulsion Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bussard, Robert W.; Jameson, Lorin W.

1994-07-01

The direct production of electric power appears possible from fusion reactions between fuels whose products consist solely of charged particles and thus do not present radiation hazards from energetic neutron production, as do reactions involving deuteron-bearing fuels. Among these are the fuels p, 11B, 3He, and 6Li. All of these can be ``burned'' in inertial-electrostatic-fusion (IEF) devices to power QED fusion-electric rocket engines. These IEF sources provide direct-converted electrical power at high voltage (MeV) to drive e-beams for efficient propellant heating to extreme temperatures, with resulting high specific impulse performance capabilities. IEF/QED engine systems using p11B can outperform all other advanced concepts for controlled fusion propulsion by 2-3 orders of magnitude, while 6Li6Li fusion yields one order of magnitude less advance. Either of these fusion rocket propulsion systems can provide very rapid transit for solar system missions, with high payload fractions in single-stage vehicles. The 3He3He reaction can not be used practically for direct electric conversion because of the wide spread in energy of its fusion products. However, it may eventually prove useful for thermal/electrical power generation in central station power plants, or for direct-fusion-product (DFP) propellant heatingin advanced deep-space rocket engines.

High-throughput electrical characterization for robust overlay lithography control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Devender, Devender; Shen, Xumin; Duggan, Mark; Singh, Sunil; Rullan, Jonathan; Choo, Jae; Mehta, Sohan; Tang, Teck Jung; Reidy, Sean; Holt, Jonathan; Kim, Hyung Woo; Fox, Robert; Sohn, D. K.

2017-03-01

Realizing sensitive, high throughput and robust overlay measurement is a challenge in current 14nm and advanced upcoming nodes with transition to 300mm and upcoming 450mm semiconductor manufacturing, where slight deviation in overlay has significant impact on reliability and yield1). Exponentially increasing number of critical masks in multi-patterning lithoetch, litho-etch (LELE) and subsequent LELELE semiconductor processes require even tighter overlay specification2). Here, we discuss limitations of current image- and diffraction- based overlay measurement techniques to meet these stringent processing requirements due to sensitivity, throughput and low contrast3). We demonstrate a new electrical measurement based technique where resistance is measured for a macro with intentional misalignment between two layers. Overlay is quantified by a parabolic fitting model to resistance where minima and inflection points are extracted to characterize overlay control and process window, respectively. Analyses using transmission electron microscopy show good correlation between actual overlay performance and overlay obtained from fitting. Additionally, excellent correlation of overlay from electrical measurements to existing image- and diffraction- based techniques is found. We also discuss challenges of integrating electrical measurement based approach in semiconductor manufacturing from Back End of Line (BEOL) perspective. Our findings open up a new pathway for accessing simultaneous overlay as well as process window and margins from a robust, high throughput and electrical measurement approach.

Design and Performance of the NASA SCEPTOR Distributed Electric Propulsion Flight Demonstrator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Borer, Nicholas K.; Patterson, Michael D.; Viken, Jeffrey K.; Moore, Mark D.; Clarke, Sean; Redifer, Matthew E.; Christie, Robert J.; Stoll, Alex M.; Dubois, Arthur; Bevirt, JoeBen;

Conformal Pad-Printing Electrically Conductive Composites onto Thermoplastic Hemispheres: Toward Sustainable Fabrication of 3-Cents Volumetric Electrically Small Antennas.

PubMed

Wu, Haoyi; Chiang, Sum Wai; Yang, Cheng; Lin, Ziyin; Liu, Jingping; Moon, Kyoung-Sik; Kang, Feiyu; Li, Bo; Wong, Ching Ping

2015-01-01

Electrically small antennas (ESAs) are becoming one of the key components in the compact wireless devices for telecommunications, defence, and aerospace systems, especially for the spherical one whose geometric layout is more closely approaching Chu's limit, thus yielding significant bandwidth improvements relative to the linear and planar counterparts. Yet broad applications of the volumetric ESAs are still hindered since the low cost fabrication has remained a tremendous challenge. Here we report a state-of-the-art technology to transfer electrically conductive composites (ECCs) from a planar mould to a volumetric thermoplastic substrate by using pad-printing technology without pattern distortion, benefit from the excellent properties of the ECCs as well as the printing-calibration method that we developed. The antenna samples prepared in this way meet the stringent requirement of an ESA (ka is as low as 0.32 and the antenna efficiency is as high as 57%), suggesting that volumetric electronic components i.e. the antennas can be produced in such a simple, green, and cost-effective way. This work can be of interest for the development of studies on green and high performance wireless communication devices.

Epipremnum aureum and Dracaena braunii as indoor plants for enhanced bio-electricity generation in a plant microbial fuel cell with electrochemically modified carbon fiber brush anode.

PubMed

Sarma, Pranab Jyoti; Mohanty, Kaustubha

2018-04-13

In this study, two different unexploited indoor plants, Epipremnum aureum and Dracaena braunii were used to produce clean and sustainable bio-electricity in a plant microbial fuel cell (PMFC). Acid modified carbon fiber brush electrodes as well as bare electrodes were used in both the PMFCs. A bentonite based clay membrane was successfully integrated in the PMFCs. Maximum performance of E. aureum was 620 mV which was 188 mV higher potential than D. braunii. The bio-electricity generation using modified electrode was 154 mV higher than the bare carbon fiber, probably due to the effective bacterial attachment to the carbon fiber owing to hydrogen bonding. Maximum power output of 15.38 mW/m 2 was obtained by E. aureum with an internal resistance of 200 Ω. Higher biomass yield was also obtained in case of E. aureum during 60 days of experiment, which may correlate with the higher bio-electricity generation than D. braunii. Copyright © 2018 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Fe nanoparticles produced by electric explosion of wire for new generation of magneto-rheological fluids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berasategi, Joanes; Gomez, Ainara; Mounir Bou-Ali, M.; Gutiérrez, Jon; Barandiarán, Jose Manuel; Beketov, Igor V.; Safronov, Aleksander P.; Kurlyandskaya, Galina V.

2018-04-01

Iron magnetic nanoparticles were produced by the technique of the electric explosion of a wire (EEW). The major crystalline phase (95 ± 1%) was α-Fe with lattice parameter a = 0.2863(3) nm. The size of the coherent diffraction domains of this phase was 77 ± 3 nm. The EEW MNPs presented a large saturation magnetization value, reaching about 87% of the saturation magnetization of the bulk iron. EEW NMPs demonstrated an improved magnetic performance when used in magnetorheological (MR) fluids with respect to the commercial carbonyl iron particles (CIPs) micron-sized particles studied for comparison. The MR fluids composed with the EEW nanoparticles showed larger yield stress values than those with CIP micron-sized particles, so proving that the EEW MNPs have a high potential for MR fluids applications.

Thermal-mechanical fatigue crack growth in Inconel X-750

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marchand, N.; Pelloux, R. M.

1984-01-01

Thermal-mechanical fatigue crack growth (TMFCG) was studied in a gamma-gamma' nickel base superalloy Inconel X-750 under controlled load amplitude in the temperature range from 300 to 650 C. In-phase (T sub max at sigma sub max), out-of-phase (T sub min at sigma sub max), and isothermal tests at 650 C were performed on single-edge notch bars under fully reversed cyclic conditions. A dc electrical potential method was used to measure crack length. The electrical potential response obtained for each cycle of a given wave form and R value yields information on crack closure and crack extension per cycle. The macroscopic crack growth rates are reported as a function of delta k and the relative magnitude of the TMFCG are discussed in the light of the potential drop information and of the fractographic observations.

The Pioneer Venus Orbiter plasma wave investigation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Scarf, F. L.; Taylor, W. W. L.; Virobik, P. F.

1980-01-01

The Pioneer Venus plasma wave instrument has a self-contained balanced electric dipole (effective length = 0.75 m) and a 4-channel spectrum analyzer (30% bandwidth filters with center frequencies at 100 Hz, 730 Hz, and 30 kHz). The channels are continuously active and the highest Orbiter telemetry rate (2048 bits/sec) yields 4 spectral scans/sec. The total mass of 0.55 kg includes the electronics, the antenna, and the antenna deployment mechanism. This report contains a brief description of the instrument design and a discussion of the in-flight performance.

Electrodynamic ratchet motor.

PubMed

Lim, Jiufu; Sader, John E; Mulvaney, Paul

2009-03-01

Brownian ratchets produce directed motion through rectification of thermal fluctuations and have been used for separation processes and colloidal transport. We propose a flashing ratchet motor that enables the transduction of electrical energy into rotary micromechanical work. This is achieved through torque generation provided by boundary shaping of equipotential surfaces. The present device contrasts to previous implementations that focus on translational motion. Stochastic simulations elucidate the performance characteristics of this device as a function of its geometry. Miniaturization to nanoscale dimensions yields rotational speeds in excess of 1 kHz, which is comparable to biomolecular motors of similar size.

Experimental Study of Thermophysical Properties of Peat Fuel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mikhailov, A. S.; Piralishvili, Sh. A.; Stepanov, E. G.; Spesivtseva, N. S.

2017-03-01

A study has been made of thermophysical properties of peat pellets of higher-than-average reactivity due to the pretreatment of the raw material. A synchronous differential analysis of the produced pellets was performed to determine the gaseous products of their decomposition by the mass-spectroscopy method. The parameters of the mass loss rate, the heat-release function, the activation energy, the rate constant of the combustion reaction, and the volatile yield were compared to the properties of pellets compressed by the traditional method on a matrix pelletizer. It has been determined that as a result of the peat pretreatment, the yield of volatile components increases and the activation energy of the combustion reaction decreases by 17 and 30% respectively compared with the raw fuel. This determines its prospects for burning in an atomized state at coal-fired thermal electric power plants.

Spatially-explicit life cycle assessment of sun-to-wheels transportation pathways in the U.S.

PubMed

Geyer, Roland; Stoms, David; Kallaos, James

2013-01-15

Growth in biofuel production, which is meant to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and fossil energy demand, is increasingly seen as a threat to food supply and natural habitats. Using photovoltaics (PV) to directly convert solar radiation into electricity for battery electric vehicles (BEVs) is an alternative to photosynthesis, which suffers from a very low energy conversion efficiency. Assessments need to be spatially explicit, since solar insolation and crop yields vary widely between locations. This paper therefore compares direct land use, life cycle GHG emissions and fossil fuel requirements of five different sun-to-wheels conversion pathways for every county in the contiguous U.S.: Ethanol from corn or switchgrass for internal combustion vehicles (ICVs), electricity from corn or switchgrass for BEVs, and PV electricity for BEVs. Even the most land-use efficient biomass-based pathway (i.e., switchgrass bioelectricity in U.S. counties with hypothetical crop yields of over 24 tonnes/ha) requires 29 times more land than the PV-based alternative in the same locations. PV BEV systems also have the lowest life cycle GHG emissions throughout the U.S. and the lowest fossil fuel inputs, except for locations with hypothetical switchgrass yields of 16 or more tonnes/ha. Including indirect land use effects further strengthens the case for PV.

Electricity and H2 generation from hemicellulose by sequential fermentation and microbial fuel/electrolysis cell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Di; Yang, Xuewei; Yuan, Wenqiao

2015-09-01

Electricity and hydrogen generation by bacteria Geobacter sulfurreducens in a dual-chamber microbial fuel/electrolysis cell following the fermentation of hemicellulose by bacteria Moorella thermoacetica was investigated. Experimental results showed that 10 g l-1 xylose under 60 °C was appropriate for the fermentation of xylose by M. thermoacetica, yielding 0.87 g-acetic acid per gram of xylose consumed. Corncob hydrolysate could also be fermented to produce acetic acid, but with lower yield (0.74 g-acid per g-xylose). The broths of xylose and corncob hydrolysate fermented by M. thermoacetica containing acetic acid were fed to G. sulfurreducens in a dual-chamber microbial fuel/electrolysis cell for electricity and hydrogen generation. The highest open-circuit cell voltages generated were 802 and 745 mV, and hydrogen yields were 41.7 and 23.3 mmol per mol-acetate, in xylose and corncob hydrolysate fermentation broth media, respectively. The internal resistance of the microbial fuel/electrolysis cell fed with corncob hydrolysate fermentation broth (3472 Ω) was much higher than that with xylose fermentation broth (1993 Ω) or sodium acetate medium (467 Ω), which was believed to be the main cause of the variation in hydrogen yield of the three feeding media.

Effect of driver impedance on dense plasma focus Z-pinch neutron yield

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

Sears, Jason, E-mail: sears8@llnl.gov, E-mail: schmidt36@llnl.gov; Link, Anthony, E-mail: sears8@llnl.gov, E-mail: schmidt36@llnl.gov; Schmidt, Andrea, E-mail: sears8@llnl.gov, E-mail: schmidt36@llnl.gov

2014-12-15

The Z-pinch phase of a dense plasma focus (DPF) heats the plasma by rapid compression and accelerates ions across its intense electric fields, producing neutrons through both thermonuclear and beam-target fusion. Driver characteristics have empirically been shown to affect performance, as measured by neutron yield per unit of stored energy. We are exploring the effect of driver characteristics on DPF performance using particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations of a kJ scale DPF. In this work, our PIC simulations are fluid for the run-down phase and transition to fully kinetic for the pinch phase, capturing kinetic instabilities, anomalous resistivity, and beam formation duringmore » the pinch. The anode-cathode boundary is driven by a circuit model of the capacitive driver, including system inductance, the load of the railgap switches, the guard resistors, and the coaxial transmission line parameters. It is known that the driver impedance plays an important role in the neutron yield: first, it sets the peak current achieved at pinch time; and second, it affects how much current continues to flow through the pinch when the pinch inductance and resistance suddenly increase. Here we show from fully kinetic simulations how total neutron yield depends on the impedance of the driver and the distributed parameters of the transmission circuit. Direct comparisons between the experiment and simulations enhance our understanding of these plasmas and provide predictive design capability for neutron source applications.« less

Investigation of sewage sludge treatment using air plasma assisted gasification.

PubMed

Striūgas, Nerijus; Valinčius, Vitas; Pedišius, Nerijus; Poškas, Robertas; Zakarauskas, Kęstutis

2017-06-01

This study presents an experimental investigation of downdraft gasification process coupled with a secondary thermal plasma reactor in order to perform experimental investigations of sewage sludge gasification, and compare process parameters running the system with and without the secondary thermal plasma reactor. The experimental investigation were performed with non-pelletized mixture of dried sewage sludge and wood pellets. To estimate the process performance, the composition of the producer gas, tars, particle matter, producer gas and char yield were measured at the exit of the gasification and plasma reactor. The research revealed the distribution of selected metals and chlorine in the process products and examined a possible formation of hexachlorobenzene. It determined that the plasma assisted processing of gaseous products changes the composition of the tars and the producer gas, mostly by destruction of hydrocarbon species, such as methane, acetylene, ethane or propane. Plasma processing of the producer gas reduces their calorific value but increases the gas yield and the total produced energy amount. The presented technology demonstrated capability both for applying to reduce the accumulation of the sewage sludge and production of substitute gas for drying of sewage sludge and electrical power. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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

Cao, H.

We have measured the scintillation and ionization yield of recoiling nuclei in liquid argon as a function of applied electric field by exposing a dual-phase liquid argon time projection chamber (LAr-TPC) to a low energy pulsed narrow band neutron beam produced at the Notre Dame Institute for Structure and Nuclear Astrophysics. Liquid scintillation counters were arranged to detect and identify neutrons scattered in the TPC and to select the energy of the recoiling nuclei. We also report measurements of the scintillation yields for nuclear recoils with energies from 10.3 to 57.3 keV and for median applied electric fields from 0more » to 970 V/cm. For the ionization yields, we report measurements from 16.9 to 57.3 keV and for electric fields from 96.4 to 486 V/cm. Furthermore, we report the observation of an anticorrelation between scintillation and ionization from nuclear recoils, which is similar to the anticorrelation between scintillation and ionization from electron recoils. Assuming that the energy loss partitions into excitons and ion pairs from 83mKr internal conversion electrons is comparable to that from 207Bi conversion electrons, we obtained the numbers of excitons (N ex) and ion pairs (N i) and their ratio (N ex/N i) produced by nuclear recoils from 16.9 to 57.3 keV. Motivated by arguments suggesting direction sensitivity in LAr-TPC signals due to columnar recombination, a comparison of the light and charge yield of recoils parallel and perpendicular to the applied electric field is presented for the first time.« less

Robust high-performance control for robotic manipulators

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Seraji, Homayoun (Inventor)

1991-01-01

Model-based and performance-based control techniques are combined for an electrical robotic control system. Thus, two distinct and separate design philosophies have been merged into a single control system having a control law formulation including two distinct and separate components, each of which yields a respective signal component that is combined into a total command signal for the system. Those two separate system components include a feedforward controller and a feedback controller. The feedforward controller is model-based and contains any known part of the manipulator dynamics that can be used for on-line control to produce a nominal feedforward component of the system's control signal. The feedback controller is performance-based and consists of a simple adaptive PID controller which generates an adaptive control signal to complement the nominal feedforward signal.

Robust high-performance control for robotic manipulators

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Seraji, Homayoun (Inventor)

1989-01-01

Model-based and performance-based control techniques are combined for an electrical robotic control system. Thus, two distinct and separate design philosophies were merged into a single control system having a control law formulation including two distinct and separate components, each of which yields a respective signal componet that is combined into a total command signal for the system. Those two separate system components include a feedforward controller and feedback controller. The feedforward controller is model-based and contains any known part of the manipulator dynamics that can be used for on-line control to produce a nominal feedforward component of the system's control signal. The feedback controller is performance-based and consists of a simple adaptive PID controller which generates an adaptive control signal to complement the nomical feedforward signal.

Enhancing the Performance of CdSe/CdS Dot-in-Rod Light-Emitting Diodes via Surface Ligand Modification.

PubMed

Rastogi, Prachi; Palazon, Francisco; Prato, Mirko; Di Stasio, Francesco; Krahne, Roman

2018-02-14

The surface ligands on colloidal nanocrystals (NCs) play an important role in the performance of NC-based optoelectronic devices such as photovoltaic cells, photodetectors, and light-emitting diodes (LEDs). On one hand, the NC emission depends critically on the passivation of the surface to minimize trap states that can provide nonradiative recombination channels. On the other hand, the electrical properties of NC films are dominated by the ligands that constitute the barriers for charge transport from one NC to its neighbor. Therefore, surface modifications via ligand exchange have been employed to improve the conductance of NC films. However, in LEDs, such surface modifications are more critical because of their possible detrimental effects on the emission properties. In this work, we study the role of surface ligand modifications on the optical and electrical properties of CdSe/CdS dot-in-rods (DiRs) in films and investigate their performance in all-solution-processed LEDs. The DiR films maintain high photoluminescence quantum yield, around 40-50%, and their electroluminescence in the LED preserves the excellent color purity of the photoluminescence. In the LEDs, the ligand exchange boosted the luminance, reaching a fourfold increase from 2200 cd/m 2 for native surfactants to 8500 cd/m 2 for the exchanged aminoethanethiol (AET) ligands. Moreover, the efficiency roll-off, operational stability, and shelf life are significantly improved, and the external quantum efficiency is modestly increased from 5.1 to 5.4%. We relate these improvements to the increased conductivity of the emissive layer and to the better charge balance of the electrically injected carriers. In this respect, we performed ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS) to obtain a deeper insight into the band alignment of the LED structure. The UPS data confirm similar flat-band offsets of the emitting layer to the electron- and hole-transport layers in the case of AET ligands, which translates to more symmetric barriers for charge injection of electrons and holes. Furthermore, the change in solubility of the NCs induced by the ligand exchange allows for a layer-by-layer deposition process of the DiR films, which yields excellent homogeneity and good thickness control and enables the fabrication of all the LED layers (except for cathode and anode) by spin-coating.

Evolution of the electrical resistivity anisotropy during saline tracer tests: insights from geoelectrical milli-fluidic experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jougnot, D.; Jimenez-Martinez, J.; Legendre, R.; Le Borgne, T.; Meheust, Y.; Linde, N.

2017-12-01

The use of time-lapse electrical resistivity tomography has been largely developed in environmental studies to remotely monitor water saturation and contaminant plumes migration. However, subsurface heterogeneities, and corresponding preferential transport paths, yield a potentially large anisotropy in the electrical properties of the subsurface. In order to study this effect, we have used a newly developed geoelectrical milli-fluidic experimental set-up with a flow cell that contains a 2D porous medium consisting of a single layer of cylindrical solid grains. We performed saline tracer tests under full and partial water saturations in that cell by jointly injecting air and aqueous solutions with different salinities. The flow cell is equipped with four electrodes to measure the bulk electrical resistivity at the cell's scale. The spatial distribution of the water/air phases and the saline solute concentration field in the water phase are captured simultaneously with a high-resolution camera by combining a fluorescent tracer with the saline solute. These data are used to compute the longitudinal and transverse effective electrical resistivity numerically from the measured spatial distributions of the fluid phases and the salinity field. This approach is validated as the computed longitudinal effective resistivities are in good agreement with the laboratory measurements. The anisotropy in electrical resistivity is then inferred from the computed longitudinal and transverse effective resistivities. We find that the spatial distribution of saline tracer, and potentially air phase, drive temporal changes in the effective resistivity through preferential paths or barriers for electrical current at the pore scale. The resulting heterogeneities in the solute concentrations lead to strong anisotropy of the effective bulk electrical resistivity, especially for partially saturated conditions. Therefore, considering the electrical resistivity as a tensor could improve our understanding of transport properties from field-scale time-lapse ERT.

Pyroelectric energy conversion with large energy and power density in relaxor ferroelectric thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pandya, Shishir; Wilbur, Joshua; Kim, Jieun; Gao, Ran; Dasgupta, Arvind; Dames, Chris; Martin, Lane W.

2018-05-01

The need for efficient energy utilization is driving research into ways to harvest ubiquitous waste heat. Here, we explore pyroelectric energy conversion from low-grade thermal sources that exploits strong field- and temperature-induced polarization susceptibilities in the relaxor ferroelectric 0.68Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-0.32PbTiO3. Electric-field-driven enhancement of the pyroelectric response (as large as -550 μC m-2 K-1) and suppression of the dielectric response (by 72%) yield substantial figures of merit for pyroelectric energy conversion. Field- and temperature-dependent pyroelectric measurements highlight the role of polarization rotation and field-induced polarization in mediating these effects. Solid-state, thin-film devices that convert low-grade heat into electrical energy are demonstrated using pyroelectric Ericsson cycles, and optimized to yield maximum energy density, power density and efficiency of 1.06 J cm-3, 526 W cm-3 and 19% of Carnot, respectively; the highest values reported to date and equivalent to the performance of a thermoelectric with an effective ZT ≈ 1.16 for a temperature change of 10 K. Our findings suggest that pyroelectric devices may be competitive with thermoelectric devices for low-grade thermal harvesting.

Pyroelectric energy conversion with large energy and power density in relaxor ferroelectric thin films.

PubMed

Pandya, Shishir; Wilbur, Joshua; Kim, Jieun; Gao, Ran; Dasgupta, Arvind; Dames, Chris; Martin, Lane W

2018-05-01

The need for efficient energy utilization is driving research into ways to harvest ubiquitous waste heat. Here, we explore pyroelectric energy conversion from low-grade thermal sources that exploits strong field- and temperature-induced polarization susceptibilities in the relaxor ferroelectric 0.68Pb(Mg 1/3 Nb 2/3 )O 3 -0.32PbTiO 3 . Electric-field-driven enhancement of the pyroelectric response (as large as -550 μC m -2  K -1 ) and suppression of the dielectric response (by 72%) yield substantial figures of merit for pyroelectric energy conversion. Field- and temperature-dependent pyroelectric measurements highlight the role of polarization rotation and field-induced polarization in mediating these effects. Solid-state, thin-film devices that convert low-grade heat into electrical energy are demonstrated using pyroelectric Ericsson cycles, and optimized to yield maximum energy density, power density and efficiency of 1.06 J cm -3 , 526 W cm -3 and 19% of Carnot, respectively; the highest values reported to date and equivalent to the performance of a thermoelectric with an effective ZT ≈ 1.16 for a temperature change of 10 K. Our findings suggest that pyroelectric devices may be competitive with thermoelectric devices for low-grade thermal harvesting.

Laboratory investigation of dust impacts induced signals on antennas in space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rocha, J. R.; Collette, A.; Malaspina, D.; Gruen, E.; Sternovsky, Z.

2014-12-01

Recent observations of sharp voltage spikes by the WAVES electric field experiments onboard the twin STEREO spacecraft have been attributed to plasma clouds generated by the impact ionization of high velocity dust particles. The reported dust fluxes are much higher than those measured by dedicated dust detectors at 1 AU, which leads to the interpretation that the STEREO observations are due to nanometer-sized dust particles originating from the inner solar system and accelerated to high velocities by the solar wind magnetic field. However, this interpretation is based on a simplified model of coupling between the expanding plasma cloud from the dust impact and the WAVES electric field instrument. A series of laboratory measurements are performed to validate this model and to calibrate/investigate the effect of various impact parameters on the signals measured by the electric field instrument. The dust accelerator facility operating at the University of Colorado is used for the measurement with micron and submicron sized particles accelerated to 50 km/s. The first set of measurements was aimed at the understanding of the charge yield of impact-generated plasmas from common materials used on spacecraft, i.e. BeCu, germanium coated black Kapton, MLI, and solar cells. The measurements show that at 10 km/s these materials yield similar charge signals. At higher speeds (~50 km/s) the variation is with material increases. The impact charge is also found to depend on angle of incidence; the data suggest a maximum at 45 degrees. The second set of measurements investigates the variation of the induced dust signal with bias potential applied on the simulated spacecraft.

Evolution of mechanical properties of ultrafine grained 1050 alloy annealing with electric current

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

Cao, Yiheng; He, Lizi, E-mail: helizi@epm.neu.edu.cn; Zhang, Lin

2016-03-15

The tensile properties and microstructures of 1050 aluminum alloy prepared by equal channel angular pressing at cryogenic temperature (cryoECAP) after electric current annealing at 90–210 °C for 3 h were investigated by tensile test, electron back scattering diffraction (EBSD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). An unexpected annealing-induced strengthening phenomenon occurs at 90–210 °C, due to a significant decrease in the density of mobile dislocations after annealing, and thus a higher yield stress is required to nucleate alternative dislocation sources during tensile test. The electric current can enhance the motion of dislocations, lead to a lower dislocation density at 90–150 °C,more » and thus shift the peak annealing temperature from 150 °C to 120 °C. Moreover, the electric current can promote the migration of grain boundaries at 150–210 °C, result in a larger grain size at 150 °C and 210 °C, and thus causes a lower yield stress. The sample annealed with electric current has a lower uniform elongation at 90–120 °C, and the deviation in the uniform elongation between samples annealed without and with electric current becomes smaller at 150–210 °C. - Highlights: • An unexpected annealing-induced strengthening phenomenon occurs at 90–210 °C. • The d. c. current can enhance the motion of dislocations at 90–150 °C, and thus shift the peak annealing temperature from 150 °C to 120 °C. • The d. c. current can promote the grain growth at 150–210 °C, and thus cause a lower yield stress. • The DC annealed sample has a lower uniform elongation at 90–120 °C.« less

Centrifugal spinning: A novel approach to fabricate porous carbon fibers as binder-free electrodes for electric double-layer capacitors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Yao; Fu, Kun; Zhang, Shu; Li, Ying; Chen, Chen; Zhu, Jiadeng; Yanilmaz, Meltem; Dirican, Mahmut; Zhang, Xiangwu

2015-01-01

Carbon nanofibers (CNFs), among various carbonaceous candidates for electric double-layer capacitor (EDLC) electrodes, draw extensive attention because their one-dimensional architecture offers both shortened electron pathways and high ion-accessible sites. Creating porous structures on CNFs yields larger surface area and enhanced capacitive performance. Herein, porous carbon nanofibers (PCNFs) were synthesized via centrifugal spinning of polyacrylonitrile (PAN)/poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) solutions combined with thermal treatment and were used as binder-free EDLC electrodes. Three precursor fibers with PAN/PMMA weight ratios of 9/1, 7/3 and 5/5 were prepared and carbonized at 700, 800, and 900 °C, respectively. The highest specific capacitance obtained was 144 F g-1 at 0.1 A g-1 with a rate capability of 74% from 0.1 to 2 A g-1 by PCNFs prepared with PAN/PMMA weight ratio of 7/3 at 900 °C. These PCNFs also showed stable cycling performance. The present work demonstrates that PCNFs are promising EDLC electrode candidate and centrifugal spinning offers a simple, cost-effective strategy to produce PCNFs.

Process for introducing electrical conductivity into high-temperature polymeric materials

DOEpatents

Liepins, R.; Jorgensen, B.S.; Liepins, L.Z.

1993-12-21

High-temperature electrically conducting polymers are described. The in situ reactions: AgNO[sub 3] + RCHO [yields] Ag + RCOOH and R[sub 3]M [yields] M + 3R, where M=Au or Pt have been found to introduce either substantial bulk or surface conductivity in high-temperature polymers. The reactions involving the R[sub 3]M were caused to proceed thermally suggesting the possibility of using laser means for initiating such reactions in selected areas or volumes of the polymeric materials. The polymers successfully investigated to date are polyphenylquinoxaline, polytolylquinoxaline, polyquinoline, polythiazole, and pyrone.

A statistical analysis of energy and power demand for the tractive purposes of an electric vehicle in urban traffic - an analysis of a short and long observation period

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Slaski, G.; Ohde, B.

2016-09-01

The article presents the results of a statistical dispersion analysis of an energy and power demand for tractive purposes of a battery electric vehicle. The authors compare data distribution for different values of an average speed in two approaches, namely a short and long period of observation. The short period of observation (generally around several hundred meters) results from a previously proposed macroscopic energy consumption model based on an average speed per road section. This approach yielded high values of standard deviation and coefficient of variation (the ratio between standard deviation and the mean) around 0.7-1.2. The long period of observation (about several kilometers long) is similar in length to standardized speed cycles used in testing a vehicle energy consumption and available range. The data were analysed to determine the impact of observation length on the energy and power demand variation. The analysis was based on a simulation of electric power and energy consumption performed with speed profiles data recorded in Poznan agglomeration.

Olive oil pilot-production assisted by pulsed electric field: impact on extraction yield, chemical parameters and sensory properties.

PubMed

Puértolas, Eduardo; Martínez de Marañón, Iñigo

2015-01-15

The impact of the use of pulsed electric field (PEF) technology on Arroniz olive oil production in terms of extraction yield and chemical and sensory quality has been studied at pilot scale in an industrial oil mill. The application of a PEF treatment (2 kV/cm; 11.25 kJ/kg) to the olive paste significantly increased the extraction yield by 13.3%, with respect to a control. Furthermore, olive oil obtained by PEF showed total phenolic content, total phytosterols and total tocopherols significantly higher than control (11.5%, 9.9% and 15.0%, respectively). The use of PEF had no negative effects on general chemical and sensory characteristics of the olive oil, maintaining the highest quality according to EU legal standards (EVOO; extra virgin olive oil). Therefore, PEF could be an appropriate technology to improve olive oil yield and produce EVOO enriched in human-health-related compounds, such as polyphenols, phytosterols and tocopherols. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Development of a high-yield via-last through silicon via process using notchless silicon etching and wet cleaning of the first metal layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Watanabe, Naoya; Kikuchi, Hidekazu; Yanagisawa, Azusa; Shimamoto, Haruo; Kikuchi, Katsuya; Aoyagi, Masahiro; Nakamura, Akio

2017-07-01

A high-yield via-last through silicon via (TSV) process has been developed using notchless Si etching and wet cleaning of the first metal layer. In this process, the notching was suppressed by optimizing the deep Si etching conditions and wet cleaning was performed using an organic alkaline solution to remove reaction products generated by the etchback step on the first metal layer. By this process, a number of small TSVs (TSV diameter: 6 µm TSV depth: 22 µm number of TSVs: 20,000/chip) could be formed uniformly on an 8-in. wafer. The electrical characteristics of small TSVs formed by this via-last TSV process were investigated. The TSV resistance determined by four-terminal measurements was approximately 24 mΩ. The leakage current between the TSV and the Si substrate was 2.5 pA at 5 V. The TSV capacitance determined using an inductance-capacitance-resistance (LCR) meter was 54 fF, while the TSV yield determined from TSV chain measurements was high (83%) over an 8-in. wafer.

Reliability improvements in tunable Pb1-xSnxSe diode lasers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Linden, K. J.; Butler, J. F.; Nill, K. W.; Reeder, R. E.

1980-01-01

Recent developments in the technology of Pb-salt diode lasers which have led to significant improvements in reliability and lifetime, and to improved operation at very long wavelengths are described. A combination of packaging and contacting-metallurgy improvements has led to diode lasers that are stable both in terms of temperature cycling and shelf-storage time. Lasers cycled over 500 times between 77 K and 300 K have exhibited no measurable changes in either electrical contact resistance or threshold current. Utilizing metallurgical contacting process, both lasers and experimental n-type and p-type bulk materials are shown to have electrical contact resistance values that are stable for shelf storage periods well in excess of one year. Problems and experiments which have led to devices with improved performance stability are discussed. Stable device configurations achieved for material compositions yielding lasers which operate continuously at wavelengths as long as 30.3 micrometers are described.

Themis - A solar power station

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hillairet, J.

The organization, goals, equipment, costs, and performance of the French Themis (Thermo-helio-electric-MW) project are outlined. The program was begun for both the domestic energy market and for export. The installation comprises a molten eutectic salt loop which receives heat from radiators situated in a central tower. The salt transfers the heat to water for steam generation of electricity. A storage tank holds enough molten salt to supply one day's reserve of power, 40 MWh. A field of heliostats directs the suns rays for an estimated 2400 hr/yr onto the central receiver aperture, while 11 additional parabolic concentrators provide sufficient heat to keep the salt reservoir at temperatures exceeding 200 C. In a test run of several months during the spring of 1982 the heliostats directed the sun's rays with an average efficiency of 75 percent, yielding 2.3 MW of power at a system efficiency of 20.5 percent in completely automatic operation.

Dynamic of microwave breakdown in the localized places of transmitting line driving by Cherenkov-type oscillator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xie, Jialing; Chen, Changhua; Chang, Chao; Wu, Cheng; Shi, Yanchao; Cao, Yibing; Song, Zhimin; Zhang, Yuchuan

2018-02-01

A breakdown cavity is designed to study the breakdown phenomena of high-power microwaves in transmission waveguides. The maximum electric field within the cavity varies in amplitude from 400 kV/cm to 1.8 MV/cm and may surpass breakdown thresholds. The breakdown cavities were studied in particle-in-cell simulations and experiments, the results of which yielded waveforms that were consistent. The experimental results indicate that the microwave pulse does not shorten, and the amplitude of the electric field does not fall below 800 kV/cm. Moreover, large numbers of electrons are not emitted in microwaves below 670 kV/cm at 9.75 GHz frequency and 25-ns pulse width transmitted in stainless steel waveguides. The radiation waveforms of breakdown cavity with different materials are compared in experiments, with titanium material performing better.

Agricultural and Food Processing Applications of Pulsed Power Technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takaki, Koichi; Ihara, Satoshi

Recent progress of agricultural and food processing applications of pulsed power is described in this paper. Repetitively operated compact pulsed power generators with a moderate peak power have been developed for the agricultural and the food processing applications. These applications are mainly based on biological effects and can be categorized as decontamination of air and liquid, germination promotion, inhabitation of saprophytes growth, extraction of juice from fruits and vegetables, and fertilization of liquid medium, etc. Types of pulsed power that have biological effects are caused with gas discharges, water discharges, and electromagnetic fields. The discharges yield free radicals, UV radiation, intense electric field, and shock waves. Biologically based applications of pulsed power are performed by selecting the type that gives the target objects the adequate result from among these agents or byproducts. For instance, intense electric fields form pores on the cell membrane, which is called electroporation, or influence the nuclei.

Solar electric and thermal conversion system in close proximity to the consumer. [solar panels on house roofs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Boeer, K. W.

1975-01-01

Solar cells may be used to convert sunlight directly into electrical energy and into lowgrade heat to be used for large-scale terrestrial solar-energy conversion. Both forms of energy can be utilized if such cells are deployed in close proximity to the consumer (rooftop). Cadmium-sulfide/copper-sulfide (CdS/Cu2S) solar cells are an example of cells which may be produced inexpensively enough to become economically attractive. Cell parameters relevant for combined solar conversion are presented. Critical issues, such as production yield, life expectancy, and stability of performance, are discussed. Systems-design parameters related to operating temperatures are analyzed. First results obtained on Solar One, the experimental house of the University of Delaware, are given. Economic aspects are discussed. Different modes of operation are discussed in respect to the power utility and consumer incentives.

The synthesis of higher oxides of alkali and alkaline earth metals in an electric discharge: Theoretical and experimental studies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bell, A. T.; Sadhukhan, P.

1974-01-01

Potassium hydroxide was subjected to the products of an electrical discharge sustained in oxygen and produced both potassium peroxide and superoxide. The conversion to higher oxides was shown to strongly depend upon the particle size of KOH, the position of KOH in the discharge zone, and the operating conditions of the discharge. Similar experiments were performed with hydroxides of lithium and calcium which do not form superoxides, but are converted to peroxides. The yields of peroxides were shown to strongly depend upon the operating conditions of the discharge. The absence of superoxides and the presence of peroxides of lithium and calcium was explained from the consideration of relative thermodynamic stability of the oxides of lithium and calcium. Thermogravimetric analysis was shown to provide a more accurate means for determining the amount of KO2 than previous methods.

Study on light and thermal energy of illumination device for plant factory design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoshida, A.; Moriuchi, K.; Ueda, Y.; Kinoshita, S.

2018-01-01

To investigate the effect of illumination devices on the yield of crops cultivated in a plant factory, it is necessary to measure the actual cultivation environmental factors related to the plant growth and understand the distribution ratio of light and thermal energy to the electrical energy injected into the illumination device. Based on cultivation results, we found that light intensity greatly affected the growth of plant weight. Regarding the selection of illumination device, its spectral components also affected the morphological change. Lighting experiments using a high frequency (Hf) fluorescent lamp and a light emitting diode (LED) bulb were performed. A certain difference was found in the distribution ratio of light energy to electrical energy between Hf and LED. It was showed that by placing the safety equipment or internal circuits outside the cultivated site, the air conditioning load could be reduced.

Applicability of Long Duration Exposure Facility environmental effects data to the design of Space Station Freedom electrical power system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Christie, Robert J.; Lu, Cheng-Yi; Aronoff, Irene

1992-01-01

Data defining space environmental effects on the Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF) are examined in terms of the design of the electrical power system (EPS) of the Space Station Freedom (SSF). The significant effects of long-term exposure to space are identified with respect to the performance of the LDEF's materials, components, and systems. A total of 57 experiments were conducted on the LDEF yielding information regarding coatings, thermal systems, electronics, optics, and power systems. The resulting database is analyzed in terms of the specifications of the SSF EPS materials and subsystems and is found to be valuable in the design of control and protection features. Specific applications are listed for findings regarding the thermal environment, atomic oxygen, UV and ionizing radiation, debris, and contamination. The LDEF data are shown to have a considerable number of applications to the design and planning of the SSF and its EPS.

Dopingless ferroelectric tunnel FET architecture for the improvement of performance of dopingless n-channel tunnel FETs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lahgere, Avinash; Panchore, Meena; Singh, Jawar

2016-08-01

In this paper, we propose a novel tunnel field-effect transistor (TFET) based on charge plasma (CP) and negative capacitance (NC) for enhanced ON-current and steep subthreshold swing (SS). It is shown that the replacement of standard insulator for gate stack with ferroelectric (Fe) insulator yields NC and high electric field at the tunneling junction. Similarly, use of dopingless silicon nanowire with CP has a genuine advantage in process engineering. Therefore, combination of both technology boosters (CP and NC) in the proposed device enable low thermal budget, process variation immunity, and excellent electrical characteristics in contrast with its counterpart dopingless (DL) TFET (DL-TFET). An optimized device accomplishes an impressive 10× improvement in on-current, 100× reduced leakage current, 3× more transconductance (gm), and on-off current ratio of ∼1011 as compared to DL-TFET.

Development of a piezopolymer pressure sensor for a portable fetal heart rate monitor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zuckerwar, A. J.; Pretlow, R. A.; Stoughton, J. W.; Baker, D. A.

1993-01-01

A piezopolymer pressure sensor has been developed for service in a portable fetal heart rate monitor, which will permit an expectant mother to perform the fetal nonstress test, a standard predelivery test, in her home. Several sensors are mounted in an array on a belt worn by the mother. The sensor design conforms to the distinctive features of the fetal heart tone, namely, the acoustic signature, frequency spectrum, signal amplitude, and localization. The components of a sensor serve to fulfill five functions: signal detection, acceleration cancellation, acoustical isolation, electrical shielding, and electrical isolation of the mother. A theoretical analysis of the sensor response yields a numerical value for the sensor sensitivity, which is compared to experiment in an in vitro sensor calibration. Finally, an in vivo test on patients within the last six weeks of term reveals that nonstress test recordings from the acoustic monitor compare well with those obtained from conventional ultrasound.

Prefrontal Engagement during Source Memory Retrieval Depends on the Prior Encoding Task

PubMed Central

Kuo, Trudy Y.; Van Petten, Cyma

2008-01-01

The prefrontal cortex is strongly engaged by some, but not all, episodic memory tests. Prior work has shown that source recognition tests—those that require memory for conjunctions of studied attributes—yield deficient performance in patients with prefrontal damage and greater prefrontal activity in healthy subjects, as compared to simple recognition tests. Here, we tested the hypothesis that there is no intrinsic relationship between the prefrontal cortex and source memory, but that the prefrontal cortex is engaged by the demand to retrieve weakly encoded relationships. Subjects attempted to remember object/color conjunctions after an encoding task that focused on object identity alone, and an integrative encoding task that encouraged attention to object/color relationships. After the integrative encoding task, the late prefrontal brain electrical activity that typically occurs in source memory tests was eliminated. Earlier brain electrical activity related to successful recognition of the objects was unaffected by the nature of prior encoding. PMID:16839287

Electric oxygen-iodine laser discharge scaling and laser performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Woodard, Brian S.

In 2004, a research partnership between the University of Illinois and CU Aerospace demonstrated the first electric discharge pumped oxygen-iodine laser referred to as ElectricOIL. This exciting improvement over the standard oxygen-iodine laser utilizes a gas discharge to produce the necessary electronically-excited molecular oxygen, O2(a 1Delta), that serves as the energy reservoir in the laser system. Pumped by a near-resonant energy transfer, the atomic iodine lases on the I(2P1/2) → I(2P3/2) transition at 1315 nm. Molecular oxygen diluted with helium and a small fraction of nitric oxide flows through a radiofrequency discharge where O2(a 1Delta) and many other excited species are created. Careful investigations to understand the benefits and problems associated with these other states in the laser system allowed this team to succeed where other research groups had failed, and after the initial demonstration, the ElectricOIL research focus shifted to increasing the efficiencies along with the output laser energy. Among other factors, the laser power scales with the flow rate of oxygen in the desired excited state. Therefore, high yields of O2(a 1Delta) are desired along with high input oxygen flow rates. In the early ElectricOIL experiments, the pressure in the discharge was approximately 10 Torr, but increased flow rates forced the pressure to between 50 and 60 Torr requiring a number of new discharge designs in order to produce similar yields of O2(a1Delta) efficiently. Experiments were conducted with only the electric discharge portion of the laser system using emission diagnostics to study the effects of changing the discharge geometry, flow residence time, and diluent. The power carried by O2(a 1Delta) is the maximum power that could be extracted from the laser, and the results from these studies showed approximately 2500 W stored in the O2(a1Delta) state. Transferring this energy into the atomic iodine has been another challenge in ElectricOIL as experiments have shown that the iodine is pumped into the excited state slower than is predicted by the known kinetics, resulting in reduced output power. An elementary model is presented that may partially explain this problem. Larger laser resonator volumes are employed to improve power extraction by providing more flow time for iodine pumping. The results presented in this work in conjunction with the efforts of others led to ElectricOIL scaling from 200 mW in the initial demonstration to nearly 500 W.

Statistical analysis and yield management in LED design through TCAD device simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Létay, Gergö; Ng, Wei-Choon; Schneider, Lutz; Bregy, Adrian; Pfeiffer, Michael

2007-02-01

This paper illustrates how technology computer-aided design (TCAD), which nowadays is an essential part of CMOS technology, can be applied to LED development and manufacturing. In the first part, the essential electrical and optical models inherent to LED modeling are reviewed. The second part of the work describes a methodology to improve the efficiency of the simulation procedure by using the concept of process compact models (PCMs). The last part demonstrates the capabilities of PCMs using an example of a blue InGaN LED. In particular, a parameter screening is performed to find the most important parameters, an optimization task incorporating the robustness of the design is carried out, and finally the impact of manufacturing tolerances on yield is investigated. It is indicated how the concept of PCMs can contribute to an efficient design for manufacturing DFM-aware development.

Conceptual designs of two petawatt-class pulsed-power accelerators for high-energy-density-physics experiments

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

Stygar, W. A.; Awe, T. J.; Bennett, N L

Here, we have developed conceptual designs of two petawatt-class pulsed-power accelerators: Z 300 and Z 800. The designs are based on an accelerator architecture that is founded on two concepts: single-stage electrical-pulse compression and impedance matching [Phys. Rev. ST Accel. Beams 10, 030401 (2007)]. The prime power source of each machine consists of 90 linear-transformer-driver (LTD) modules. Each module comprises LTD cavities connected electrically in series, each of which is powered by 5-GW LTD bricks connected electrically in parallel. (A brick comprises a single switch and two capacitors in series.) Six water-insulated radial-transmission-line impedance transformers transport the power generated bymore » the modules to a six-level vacuum-insulator stack. The stack serves as the accelerator’s water-vacuum interface. The stack is connected to six conical outer magnetically insulated vacuum transmission lines (MITLs), which are joined in parallel at a 10-cm radius by a triple-post-hole vacuum convolute. The convolute sums the electrical currents at the outputs of the six outer MITLs, and delivers the combined current to a single short inner MITL. The inner MITL transmits the combined current to the accelerator’s physics-package load. Z 300 is 35 m in diameter and stores 48 MJ of electrical energy in its LTD capacitors. The accelerator generates 320 TW of electrical power at the output of the LTD system, and delivers 48 MA in 154 ns to a magnetized-liner inertial-fusion (MagLIF) target [Phys. Plasmas 17, 056303 (2010)]. The peak electrical power at the MagLIF target is 870 TW, which is the highest power throughout the accelerator. Power amplification is accomplished by the centrally located vacuum section, which serves as an intermediate inductive-energy-storage device. The principal goal of Z 300 is to achieve thermonuclear ignition; i.e., a fusion yield that exceeds the energy transmitted by the accelerator to the liner. 2D magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations suggest Z 300 will deliver 4.3 MJ to the liner, and achieve a yield on the order of 18 MJ. Z 800 is 52 m in diameter and stores 130 MJ. This accelerator generates 890 TW at the output of its LTD system, and delivers 65 MA in 113 ns to a MagLIF target. The peak electrical power at the MagLIF liner is 2500 TW. The principal goal of Z 800 is to achieve high-yield thermonuclear fusion; i.e., a yield that exceeds the energy initially stored by the accelerator’s capacitors. 2D MHD simulations suggest Z 800 will deliver 8.0 MJ to the liner, and achieve a yield on the order of 440 MJ. Z 300 and Z 800, or variations of these accelerators, will allow the international high-energy-density-physics community to conduct advanced inertial-confinement-fusion, radiation-physics, material-physics, and laboratory-astrophysics experiments over heretofore-inaccessible parameter regimes.« less

Conceptual designs of two petawatt-class pulsed-power accelerators for high-energy-density-physics experiments

DOE PAGES

Stygar, W. A.; Awe, T. J.; Bennett, N L; ...

2015-11-30

Here, we have developed conceptual designs of two petawatt-class pulsed-power accelerators: Z 300 and Z 800. The designs are based on an accelerator architecture that is founded on two concepts: single-stage electrical-pulse compression and impedance matching [Phys. Rev. ST Accel. Beams 10, 030401 (2007)]. The prime power source of each machine consists of 90 linear-transformer-driver (LTD) modules. Each module comprises LTD cavities connected electrically in series, each of which is powered by 5-GW LTD bricks connected electrically in parallel. (A brick comprises a single switch and two capacitors in series.) Six water-insulated radial-transmission-line impedance transformers transport the power generated bymore » the modules to a six-level vacuum-insulator stack. The stack serves as the accelerator’s water-vacuum interface. The stack is connected to six conical outer magnetically insulated vacuum transmission lines (MITLs), which are joined in parallel at a 10-cm radius by a triple-post-hole vacuum convolute. The convolute sums the electrical currents at the outputs of the six outer MITLs, and delivers the combined current to a single short inner MITL. The inner MITL transmits the combined current to the accelerator’s physics-package load. Z 300 is 35 m in diameter and stores 48 MJ of electrical energy in its LTD capacitors. The accelerator generates 320 TW of electrical power at the output of the LTD system, and delivers 48 MA in 154 ns to a magnetized-liner inertial-fusion (MagLIF) target [Phys. Plasmas 17, 056303 (2010)]. The peak electrical power at the MagLIF target is 870 TW, which is the highest power throughout the accelerator. Power amplification is accomplished by the centrally located vacuum section, which serves as an intermediate inductive-energy-storage device. The principal goal of Z 300 is to achieve thermonuclear ignition; i.e., a fusion yield that exceeds the energy transmitted by the accelerator to the liner. 2D magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations suggest Z 300 will deliver 4.3 MJ to the liner, and achieve a yield on the order of 18 MJ. Z 800 is 52 m in diameter and stores 130 MJ. This accelerator generates 890 TW at the output of its LTD system, and delivers 65 MA in 113 ns to a MagLIF target. The peak electrical power at the MagLIF liner is 2500 TW. The principal goal of Z 800 is to achieve high-yield thermonuclear fusion; i.e., a yield that exceeds the energy initially stored by the accelerator’s capacitors. 2D MHD simulations suggest Z 800 will deliver 8.0 MJ to the liner, and achieve a yield on the order of 440 MJ. Z 300 and Z 800, or variations of these accelerators, will allow the international high-energy-density-physics community to conduct advanced inertial-confinement-fusion, radiation-physics, material-physics, and laboratory-astrophysics experiments over heretofore-inaccessible parameter regimes.« less

Conceptual designs of two petawatt-class pulsed-power accelerators for high-energy-density-physics experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stygar, W. A.; Awe, T. J.; Bailey, J. E.; Bennett, N. L.; Breden, E. W.; Campbell, E. M.; Clark, R. E.; Cooper, R. A.; Cuneo, M. E.; Ennis, J. B.; Fehl, D. L.; Genoni, T. C.; Gomez, M. R.; Greiser, G. W.; Gruner, F. R.; Herrmann, M. C.; Hutsel, B. T.; Jennings, C. A.; Jobe, D. O.; Jones, B. M.; Jones, M. C.; Jones, P. A.; Knapp, P. F.; Lash, J. S.; LeChien, K. R.; Leckbee, J. J.; Leeper, R. J.; Lewis, S. A.; Long, F. W.; Lucero, D. J.; Madrid, E. A.; Martin, M. R.; Matzen, M. K.; Mazarakis, M. G.; McBride, R. D.; McKee, G. R.; Miller, C. L.; Moore, J. K.; Mostrom, C. B.; Mulville, T. D.; Peterson, K. J.; Porter, J. L.; Reisman, D. B.; Rochau, G. A.; Rochau, G. E.; Rose, D. V.; Rovang, D. C.; Savage, M. E.; Sceiford, M. E.; Schmit, P. F.; Schneider, R. F.; Schwarz, J.; Sefkow, A. B.; Sinars, D. B.; Slutz, S. A.; Spielman, R. B.; Stoltzfus, B. S.; Thoma, C.; Vesey, R. A.; Wakeland, P. E.; Welch, D. R.; Wisher, M. L.; Woodworth, J. R.

2015-11-01

We have developed conceptual designs of two petawatt-class pulsed-power accelerators: Z 300 and Z 800. The designs are based on an accelerator architecture that is founded on two concepts: single-stage electrical-pulse compression and impedance matching [Phys. Rev. ST Accel. Beams 10, 030401 (2007)]. The prime power source of each machine consists of 90 linear-transformer-driver (LTD) modules. Each module comprises LTD cavities connected electrically in series, each of which is powered by 5-GW LTD bricks connected electrically in parallel. (A brick comprises a single switch and two capacitors in series.) Six water-insulated radial-transmission-line impedance transformers transport the power generated by the modules to a six-level vacuum-insulator stack. The stack serves as the accelerator's water-vacuum interface. The stack is connected to six conical outer magnetically insulated vacuum transmission lines (MITLs), which are joined in parallel at a 10-cm radius by a triple-post-hole vacuum convolute. The convolute sums the electrical currents at the outputs of the six outer MITLs, and delivers the combined current to a single short inner MITL. The inner MITL transmits the combined current to the accelerator's physics-package load. Z 300 is 35 m in diameter and stores 48 MJ of electrical energy in its LTD capacitors. The accelerator generates 320 TW of electrical power at the output of the LTD system, and delivers 48 MA in 154 ns to a magnetized-liner inertial-fusion (MagLIF) target [Phys. Plasmas 17, 056303 (2010)]. The peak electrical power at the MagLIF target is 870 TW, which is the highest power throughout the accelerator. Power amplification is accomplished by the centrally located vacuum section, which serves as an intermediate inductive-energy-storage device. The principal goal of Z 300 is to achieve thermonuclear ignition; i.e., a fusion yield that exceeds the energy transmitted by the accelerator to the liner. 2D magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations suggest Z 300 will deliver 4.3 MJ to the liner, and achieve a yield on the order of 18 MJ. Z 800 is 52 m in diameter and stores 130 MJ. This accelerator generates 890 TW at the output of its LTD system, and delivers 65 MA in 113 ns to a MagLIF target. The peak electrical power at the MagLIF liner is 2500 TW. The principal goal of Z 800 is to achieve high-yield thermonuclear fusion; i.e., a yield that exceeds the energy initially stored by the accelerator's capacitors. 2D MHD simulations suggest Z 800 will deliver 8.0 MJ to the liner, and achieve a yield on the order of 440 MJ. Z 300 and Z 800, or variations of these accelerators, will allow the international high-energy-density-physics community to conduct advanced inertial-confinement-fusion, radiation-physics, material-physics, and laboratory-astrophysics experiments over heretofore-inaccessible parameter regimes.

Solid electrolyte fuel cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Isaacs, H. S.

Progress in the development of functioning solid electrolyte fuel cells is summarized. The solid electrolyte cells perform at 1000 C, a temperature elevated enough to indicate high efficiencies are available, especially if the cell is combined with a steam generator/turbine system. The system is noted to be sulfur tolerant, so coal containing significant amounts of sulfur is expected to yield satisfactory performances with low parasitic losses for gasification and purification. Solid oxide systems are electrically reversible, and are usable in both fuel cell and electrolysis modes. Employing zirconium and yttrium in the electrolyte provides component stability with time, a feature not present with other fuel cells. The chemical reactions producing the cell current are reviewed, along with materials choices for the cathodes, anodes, and interconnections.

Measurement of the E1/E3 phase in 226Ra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amzal, N.; Butler, P. A.; Hawcroft, D.; Hammond, N. J.; Herzberg, R.-D.; Jones, G. D.; Scholey, C.; Stezowski, O.; Czosnyka, T.; Iwanicki, J.; Napiorkowski, P. J.; Julin, R.; Mach, H.; Cerderka¨Ll, J.; Fraile, L. M.; Fynbo, H. O. U.; Isolde Collaboration

2004-04-01

We report experimental attempts to determine the sign of the electric dipole moment (relative to the electric octupole moment) in the octupole deformed nucleus 226Ra. Sensitivity to this quantity is observed in the measured yields of γ-ray transitions following very low energy Coulomb excitation.

Exergy & economic analysis of biogas fueled solid oxide fuel cell systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siefert, Nicholas S.; Litster, Shawn

2014-12-01

We present an exergy and an economic analysis of a power plant that uses biogas produced from a thermophilic anaerobic digester (AD) to fuel a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC). We performed a 4-variable parametric analysis of the AD-SOFC system in order to determine the optimal design operation conditions, depending on the objective function of interest. We present results on the exergy efficiency (%), power normalized capital cost ( kW-1), and the internal rate of return on investment, IRR, (% yr-1) as a function of the current density, the stack pressure, the fuel utilization, and the total air stoichiometric ratio. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first AD-SOFC paper to include the cost of the AD when conducting economic optimization of the AD-SOFC plant. Our calculations show that adding a new AD-SOFC system to an existing waste water treatment (WWT) plant could yield positives values of IRR at today's average electricity prices and could significantly out-compete other options for using biogas to generate electricity. AD-SOFC systems could likely convert WWT plants into net generators of electricity rather than net consumers of electricity while generating economically viable rates of return on investment if the costs of SOFC systems are within a factor of two of the DOE/SECA cost targets.

Electrical Breakdown of Anodized Structures in a Low Earth Orbital Environmental

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Galofaro, J. T.; Doreswamy, C. V.; Vayner, B. V.; Snyder, D. B.; Ferguson, D. C.

1999-01-01

A comprehensive set of investigations involving arcing on a negatively biased anodized aluminum plate immersed in a low density argon plasma at low pressures (P(sub O), 7.5 x 10(exp -5) Torr) have been performed. These arcing experiments were designed to simulate electrical breakdown of anodized coatings in a Low Earth Orbital (LEO) environment. When electrical breakdown of an anodized layer occurs, an arc strikes, and there is a sudden flux of electrons accelerated into the ambient plasma. This event is directly followed by ejection of a quasi-neutral plasma cloud consisting of ejected material blown out of the anodized layer. Statistical analysis of plasma cloud expansion velocities have yielded a mean propagation velocity, v = (19.4 +/- 3.5) km/s. As the plasma cloud expands into the ambient plasma, energy in the form of electrical noise is generated. The radiated electromagnetic noise is detected by means of an insulated antenna immersed in the ambient plasma. The purpose of the investigations is (1) to observe and record the electromagnetic radiation spectrum resulting from the arcing process. (2) Make estimates of the travel time of the quasi-neutral plasma cloud based on fluctuations to several Langmuir probes mounted in the ambient plasma. (3) To study induced arcing between two anodized aluminum structures in close proximity.

Self-Powered Wearable Electronics Based on Moisture Enabled Electricity Generation.

PubMed

Shen, Daozhi; Xiao, Ming; Zou, Guisheng; Liu, Lei; Duley, Walter W; Zhou, Y Norman

2018-05-01

Most state-of-the-art electronic wearable sensors are powered by batteries that require regular charging and eventual replacement, which would cause environmental issues and complex management problems. Here, a device concept is reported that can break this paradigm in ambient moisture monitoring-a new class of simple sensors themselves can generate moisture-dependent voltage that can be used to determine the ambient humidity level directly. It is demonstrated that a moisture-driven electrical generator, based on the diffusive flow of water in titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) nanowire networks, can yield an output power density of up to 4 µW cm -2 when exposed to a highly moist environment. This performance is two orders of magnitude better than that reported for carbon-black generators. The output voltage is strongly dependent on humidity of ambient environment. As a big breakthrough, this new type of device is successfully used as self-powered wearable human-breathing monitors and touch pads, which is not achievable by any existing moisture-induced-electricity technology. The availability of high-output self-powered electrical generators will facilitate the design and application of a wide range of new innovative flexible electronic devices. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Rheological and electrical properties used to investigate the coagulation process during sludge treatment.

PubMed

Mortadi, A; El Melouky, A; Chahid, E; Nasrellah, H; Bakasse, M; Zradba, A; Cherkaoui, O; El Moznine, R

2018-01-01

Analyses of rheological properties and electrical conductivity (σ dc ) at direct current have been employed in order to investigate the effects of calcium oxide on the coagulation process during sludge treatment in the textile industry. In this context, rheological and electrical measurements were performed on five samples - one that contained raw sludge and the other four that were prepared from the raw sludge and different amounts of calcium oxide: 2, 3, 4, 5% (w/w). Rheological behavior of these samples was analyzed using the Herschel-Bulkley modified model. The influence of calcium oxide content on the rheological parameters such as infinite viscosity, the yield stress, the consistency coefficient, and the consistency index, are presented and discussed. The impact of the calcium oxide content on pH and conductivity were also examined. Similar behaviors have been seen in the evolution of conductivity and infinite viscosity as a function of the calcium oxide content. These latter characteristics were modeled by an equation using two power laws. This equation was able to fit very well the evolution of electrical conductivity and also the viscosity versus the percentage of calcium oxide to predict the optimal amount of calcium oxide (3%) to achieve the coagulation step during sludge treatment.

Thermoelectric performance of various benzo-difuran wires

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

Péterfalvi, Csaba G.; Grace, Iain; Manrique, Dávid Zs.

2014-05-07

Using a first principles approach to electron transport, we calculate the electrical and thermoelectrical transport properties of a series of molecular wires containing benzo-difuran subunits. We demonstrate that the side groups introduce Fano resonances, the energy of which is changing with the electronegativity of selected atoms in it. We also study the relative effect of single, double, or triple bonds along the molecular backbone and find that single bonds yield the highest thermopower, approximately 22 μV/K at room temperature, which is comparable with the highest measured values for single-molecule thermopower reported to date.

Electron-Beam Deposition of Superconducting Molybdenum Thin Films for the Development of Mo/Au TES X-Ray Microcalorimeter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Finkbeiner, Fred Michael; Adams, Joseph S.; Bandler, Simon R.; Betancour-Martinez, Gabriele L.; Brown, Ari David; Chang, Meng-Ping; Chervenak, James A.; Chiao, Meng P.; Datesman, Aaron; Eckart, Megan E.;

Prediction performance of reservoir computing systems based on a diode-pumped erbium-doped microchip laser subject to optical feedback.

PubMed

Nguimdo, Romain Modeste; Lacot, Eric; Jacquin, Olivier; Hugon, Olivier; Van der Sande, Guy; Guillet de Chatellus, Hugues

2017-02-01

Reservoir computing (RC) systems are computational tools for information processing that can be fully implemented in optics. Here, we experimentally and numerically show that an optically pumped laser subject to optical delayed feedback can yield similar results to those obtained for electrically pumped lasers. Unlike with previous implementations, the input data are injected at a time interval that is much larger than the time-delay feedback. These data are directly coupled to the feedback light beam. Our results illustrate possible new avenues for RC implementations for prediction tasks.

Nanocomposites with embedded structures for lithium-ion batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Zichao

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have been widely employed in portable electronics and are rapidly expanding into emerging markets such as hybrid and electric vehicles and potentially electric grid storage. These new opportunities create new challenges for LIBs and further improvement of specific energy, cycling performance and rate capability are required. A major strategy in performance enhancement for the electrode materials involves the creation of carbon composites to provide mechanical buffering of active material and to improve electrical conductivity. In the current work, a platform is developed for creating functional hybrid materials by copolymerization of organic molecules and inorganic compounds followed by thermal pyrolysis, and the approach yields nanostructured composites in which nanoparticles are uniformly embedded in a porous, partially graphitic carbon matrix. Depending upon the chemistry of the starting materials, nanocomposites with embedded structures created using the approach are attractive as anode or cathode materials for next-generation rechargeable lithium battery systems. The platform is very versatile and through ex situ conversion or utilization of multiple precursors, can be applied to various classes of materials including metal oxides (single or mixed), metals, metal sulfides, alloys, metalloids, phosphates, etc. The approach also lends itself to the development of scalable processes for production of nanostructured battery materials. Mechanistic analysis was performed and reveals that the performance enhancement of the embedded nanocomposite configuration is mainly brought about by the mechanical buffering effect offered by the carbon matrix. The active material loading was shown to be an important factor in the design of the composites as electrode materials. In addition to the polymerization-based approach, other in situ methods such as one based on spray pyrolysis are also explored and demonstrate the versatility of the in situ synthesis concept.

Patterns of zone management uncertainty in cotton using tarnished plant bug distributions, NDVI, soil EC, yield and thermal imagery

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Management zones for various crops have been delineated using NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index), apparent bulk soil electrical conductivity (ECa - Veris), and yield data; however, estimations of uncertainty for these data layers are equally important considerations. The objective of this...

Gd2O3:Eu3+/PPO/POPOP/PS composites for digital imaging radiation detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oliveira, J.; Martins, P. M.; Martins, P.; Correia, V.; Rocha, J. G.; Lanceros-Mendez, S.

2015-11-01

Polymer-based scintillator composites have been produced by combining polystyrene (PS) and Gd2O3:Eu3+ scintillator nanoparticles. Polystyrene has been used since it is a flexible and stable binder matrix, resistant to thermal and light deterioration and with suitable optical properties. Gd2O3:Eu3+ has been selected as scintillator material due to its wide band gap, high density and visible light yield. The optical, thermal and electrical characteristics of the composites were studied as a function of filler content, together with their performance as scintillator material. Additionally 1 wt.% of 2,5-diphenyloxazole (PPO) and 0.01 wt.% of 1,4 di[2-(5phenyloxazolyl)]benzene (POPOP) were introduced in the polymer matrix in order to strongly improve light yield, i.e., the measured intensity of the output visible radiation, under X-ray irradiation. Increasing scintillator filler concentration (from 0.25 to 7.5 wt.%) increases scintillator light yield and decreases the optical transparency of the composite. The addition of PPO and POPOP strongly increased the overall transduction performance of the composite due to specific absorption and re-emission processes. It is thus shown that Gd2O3:Eu3+/PPO/POPOP/PS composites with 0.25 wt.% of scintillator content with fluorescence molecules are suitable for the development of innovative large-area X-ray radiation detectors with huge demand from the industries.

Magnetotelluric and audiomagnetotelluric groundwater survey along the Humu'ula portion of Saddle Road near and around the Pohakuloa Training Area, Hawaii

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pierce, Herbert A.; Thomas, Donald M.

2009-01-01

The Pohakuloa Training Area (PTA), operated by the U.S. Army on the Big Island of Hawaii, is in need of a reliable potable water supply to sustain ongoing operations by staff and trainees. In an effort to acquire baseline hydrologic data with which to develop a plan for providing that water, a series of magnetotelluric (MT) geophysical surveys was performed that spanned the Mauna Loa/Mauna Kea Saddle region of Hawaii Island. These surveys provided electrical resistivity profiles and resistivity maps at several elevations along the axis of the field measurements that can be interpreted to yield information on the depth to the water table. In 2004 a preliminary sequence of 23 audiomagnetotelluric (AMT) soundings was collected along Saddle Road extending from the Waikii Ranch area, west of the PTA, to Department of Hawaiian Home Lands Humu'ula properties east of the Mauna Kea access road. The results of those soundings showed that highly resistive rocks, consistent with dry basalts, were present to depths of at least one kilometer, the maximum depth to which the AMT technique can reliably reach in Hawaii's rocks. A second survey was conducted in 2008 using MT instruments capable of recovering resistivity data to depths of several kilometers below sea level where saturated formations are known to exist. A total of 30 MT soundings was performed along a roughly east to west transect that extended from the (recently acquired) Keamuku PTA lands on the west to as far as the County of Hawaii's upper Kaumana water supply well to the east. Inversion and processing of the field data yielded an electrical cross-section following the Saddle that roughly parallels the geologic contact between the Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa lavas. Several additional electrical sections were constructed normal to the main transect to investigate the three-dimensional nature of the contact. These resistivity data and models suggest that the elevation of saturated rock in places are 400 to 600 meters above mean sea level beneath the surveyed region. Highest elevations for water-saturated zones based upon preferred electrical models are located between training area 3 and training area 6 southwest of training area 4.

Draft de novo transcriptome assembly and proteome characterization of the electric lobe of Tetronarce californica: a molecular tool for the study of cholinergic neurotransmission in the electric organ.

PubMed

Stavrianakou, Maria; Perez, Ricardo; Wu, Cheng; Sachs, Matthew S; Aramayo, Rodolfo; Harlow, Mark

2017-08-14

The electric organ of Tetronarce californica (an electric ray formerly known as Torpedo californica) is a classic preparation for biochemical studies of cholinergic neurotransmission. To broaden the usefulness of this preparation, we have performed a transcriptome assembly of the presynaptic component of the electric organ (the electric lobe). We combined our assembled transcriptome with a previous transcriptome of the postsynaptic electric organ, to define a MetaProteome containing pre- and post-synaptic components of the electric organ. Sequencing yielded 102 million paired-end 100 bp reads. De novo Trinity assembly was performed at Kmer 25 (default) and Kmers 27, 29, and 31. Trinity, generated around 103,000 transcripts, and 78,000 genes per assembly. Assemblies were evaluated based on the number of bases/transcripts assembled, RSEM-EVAL scores and informational content and completeness. We found that different assemblies scored differently according to the evaluation criteria used, and that while each individual assembly contained unique information, much of the assembly information was shared by all assemblies. To generate the presynaptic transcriptome (electric lobe), while capturing all information, assemblies were first clustered and then combined with postsynaptic transcripts (electric organ) downloaded from NCBI. The completness of the resulting clustered predicted MetaProteome was rigorously evaluated by comparing its information against the predicted proteomes from Homo sapiens, Callorhinchus milli, and the Transporter Classification Database (TCDB). In summary, we obtained a MetaProteome containing 92%, 88.5%, and 66% of the expected set of ultra-conserved sequences (i.e., BUSCOs), expected to be found for Eukaryotes, Metazoa, and Vertebrata, respectively. We cross-annotated the conserved set of proteins shared between the T. californica MetaProteome and the proteomes of H. sapiens and C. milli, using the H. sapiens genome as a reference. This information was used to predict the position in human pathways of the conserved members of the T. californica MetaProteome. We found proteins not detected before in T. californica, corresponding to processes involved in synaptic vesicle biology. Finally, we identified 42 transporter proteins in TCDB that were detected by the T. californica MetaProteome (electric fish) and not selected by a control proteome consisting of the combined proteomes of 12 widely diverse non-electric fishes by Reverse-Blast-Hit Blast. Combined, the information provided here is not only a unique tool for the study of cholinergic neurotransmission, but it is also a starting point for understanding the evolution of early vertebrates.

Electrically Conductive Polyimide Films Containing Gold Surface

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Caplan, Maggie L.; Stoakley, Diane M.; St. Clair, Anne K.

1994-01-01

Polyimide films exhibiting high thermo-oxidative stability and including electrically conductive surface layers containing gold made by casting process. Many variations of basic process conditions, ingredients, and sequence of operations possible, and not all resulting versions of process yield electrically conductive films. Gold-containing layer formed on film surface during cure. These metallic gold-containing polyimides used in film and coating applications requiring electrical conductivity, high reflectivity, exceptional thermal stability, and/or mechanical integrity. They also find commercial potential in areas ranging from thin films for satellite antennas to decorative coatings and packaging.

The energetic implications of curtailing versus storing wind- and solar-generated electricity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barnhart, C. J.; Dale, M.; Brandt, A. R.; Benson, S. M.

2013-12-01

Rapid deployment of power generation technologies harnessing wind and solar resources continues to reduce the carbon intensity of the power grid. But as these technologies comprise a larger fraction of power supply, their variable, weather-dependent nature poses challenges to power grid operation. Today, during times of power oversupply or unfavorable market conditions, power grid operators curtail these resources. Rates of curtailment are expected to increase with increased renewable electricity production. That is unless technologies are implemented that can provide grid flexibility to balance power supply with power demand. Curtailment is an obvious forfeiture of energy and it decreases the profitability of electricity from curtailed generators. What are less obvious are the energetic costs for technologies that provide grid flexibility. We present a theoretical framework to calculate how storage affects the energy return on energy investment (EROI) ratios of wind and solar resources. Our methods identify conditions under which it is more energetically favorable to store energy than it is to simply curtail electricity production. Electrochemically based storage technologies result in much smaller EROI ratios than large-scale geologically based storage technologies like compressed air energy storage (CAES) and pumped hydroelectric storage (PHS). All storage technologies paired with solar photovoltaic (PV) generation yield EROI ratios that are greater than curtailment. Due to their low energy stored on electrical energy invested (ESOIe) ratios, conventional battery technologies reduce the EROI ratios of wind generation below curtailment EROI ratios. To yield a greater net energy return than curtailment, battery storage technologies paired with wind generation need an ESOIe>80. We identify improvements in cycle life as the most feasible way to increase battery ESOIe. Depending upon the battery's embodied energy requirement, an increase of cycle life to 10,000--18,000 (2-20 times present values) is required for pairing with wind (assuming liberal round-trip efficiency [90%] and liberal depth-of-discharge [80%] values). Reducing embodied energy costs, increasing efficiency and increasing depth of discharge will also further improve the energetic performance of batteries. While this paper focuses on only one benefit of energy storage, the value of not curtailing electricity generation during periods of excess production, similar analyses could be used to draw conclusions about other benefits as well.

Effect of corona electric field on the production of gamma-poly glutamic acid based on bacillus natto

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qi, Hong; Na, Ri; Xin, Jiletu; Jie Xie, Ya; Guo, Jiu Feng

2013-03-01

Bacillus Natto is an important strain for gamma-poly glutamic acid (γ-PGA) production. The mutagenesis of Bacillus Natto 20646 under corona electric field and the screening of high γ-PGA producing mutant were investigated. A new mutant bacillus natto Ndlz01 was isolated from Bacillus Natto 20646 after mutation in corona electric field at 9kV for 2min. The Ndlz01 exhibited genetic stability of high γ-PGA producing ability even after five generation cultures. When the bacterium was mutated in streamer discharge state at 9kV for 2min, its death rate was more than 90%. Compared with the yield of γ-PGA based on the original Bacillus Natto 20646, the γ-PGA yield of mutant bacillus natto Ndlz01 increased from 2.6 to 5.94 g/L, with an increase rate of 129.78%.

Electrical resistance tomography from measurements inside a steel cased borehole

DOEpatents

Daily, William D.; Schenkel, Clifford; Ramirez, Abelardo L.

2000-01-01

Electrical resistance tomography (ERT) produced from measurements taken inside a steel cased borehole. A tomographic inversion of electrical resistance measurements made within a steel casing was then made for the purpose of imaging the electrical resistivity distribution in the formation remotely from the borehole. The ERT method involves combining electrical resistance measurements made inside a steel casing of a borehole to determine the electrical resistivity in the formation adjacent to the borehole; and the inversion of electrical resistance measurements made from a borehole not cased with an electrically conducting casing to determine the electrical resistivity distribution remotely from a borehole. It has been demonstrated that by using these combined techniques, highly accurate current injection and voltage measurements, made at appropriate points within the casing, can be tomographically inverted to yield useful information outside the borehole casing.

Low-Loss, High-Isolation Microwave Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) Switches Being Developed

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ponchak, George E.

2002-01-01

Switches, electrical components that either permit or prevent the flow of electricity, are the most important and widely used electrical devices in integrated circuits. In microwave systems, switches are required for switching between the transmitter and receiver; in communication systems, they are needed for phase shifters in phased-array antennas, for radar and communication systems, and for the new class of digital or software definable radios. Ideally, switches would be lossless devices that did not depend on the electrical signal's frequency or power, and they would not consume electrical power to change from OFF to ON or to maintain one of these two states. Reality is quite different, especially at microwave frequencies. Typical switches in microwave integrated circuits are pin diodes or gallium arsenide (GaAs) field-effect transistors that are nonlinear, with characteristics that depend on the power of the signal. In addition, they are frequency-dependent, lossy, and require electrical power to maintain a certain state. A new type of component has been developed that overcomes most of these technical difficulties. Microelectromechanical (MEMS) switches rely on mechanical movement as a response to an applied electrical force to either transmit or reflect electrical signal power. The NASA Glenn Research Center has been actively developing MEMS for microwave applications for over the last 5 years. Complete fabrication procedures have been developed so that the moving parts of the switch can be released with near 100-percent yield. Moreover, the switches fabricated at Glenn have demonstrated state-of-the-art performance. A typical MEMS switch is shown. The switch extends over the signal and ground lines of a finite ground coplanar waveguide, a commonly used microwave transmission line. In the state shown, the switch is in the UP state and all the microwave power traveling along the transmission line proceeds unimpeded. When a potential difference is applied between the cantilever and the transmission line, the cantilever is pulled downward until it connects the signal line to the ground planes, creating a short circuit. In this state, all the microwave power is reflected. The graph shows the measured performance of the switch, which has less than 0.1 dB of insertion loss and greater than 30dB of isolation. These switches consume negligible electrical power and are extremely linear. Additional research is required to address reliability and to increase the switching speed.

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

Wang, X.; Xiao, Y.; Xu, S.

A co-production system based on Fischer-Tropsch (FT) synthesis reactor and gas turbine was simulated and analyzed. Syngas from entrained bed coal gasification was used as feedstock of the low-temperature slurry phase Fischer-Tropsch reactor. Raw synthetic liquid produced was fractioned and upgraded to diesel, gasoline, and liquid petrol gas (LPG). Tail gas composed of unconverted syngas and FT light components was fed to the gas turbine. Supplemental fuel (NG, or refinery mine gas) might be necessary, which was dependent on gas turbine capacity expander through flow capacity, etc. FT yield information was important to the simulation of this co-production system. Amore » correlation model based on Mobil's two step pilot plant was applied. User models that can predict product yields and cooperate with other units were embedded into Aspen plus simulation. Performance prediction of syngas fired gas turbine was the other key of this system. The increase in mass flow through the turbine affects the match between compressor and turbine operating conditions. The calculation was carried out by GS software developed by Politecnico Di Milano and Princeton University. Various cases were investigated to match the FT synthesis island, power island, and gasification island in co-production systems. Effects of CO{sub 2} removal/LPG recovery, co-firing, and CH{sub 4} content variation were studied. Simulation results indicated that more than 50% of input energy was converted to electricity and FT products. Total yield of gasoline, diesel, and LPG was 136-155 g/N m{sup 3} (CO+H{sub 2}). At coal feed of 21.9 kg/s, net electricity exported to the grid was higher than 100 MW. Total production of diesel and gasoline (and LPG) was 118,000 t (134,000 t)/year. Under the economic analysis conditions assumed in this paper the co-production system was economically feasible.« less

Statistical Metamodeling and Sequential Design of Computer Experiments to Model Glyco-Altered Gating of Sodium Channels in Cardiac Myocytes.

PubMed

Du, Dongping; Yang, Hui; Ednie, Andrew R; Bennett, Eric S

2016-09-01

Glycan structures account for up to 35% of the mass of cardiac sodium ( Nav ) channels. To question whether and how reduced sialylation affects Nav activity and cardiac electrical signaling, we conducted a series of in vitro experiments on ventricular apex myocytes under two different glycosylation conditions, reduced protein sialylation (ST3Gal4(-/-)) and full glycosylation (control). Although aberrant electrical signaling is observed in reduced sialylation, realizing a better understanding of mechanistic details of pathological variations in INa and AP is difficult without performing in silico studies. However, computer model of Nav channels and cardiac myocytes involves greater levels of complexity, e.g., high-dimensional parameter space, nonlinear and nonconvex equations. Traditional linear and nonlinear optimization methods have encountered many difficulties for model calibration. This paper presents a new statistical metamodeling approach for efficient computer experiments and optimization of Nav models. First, we utilize a fractional factorial design to identify control variables from the large set of model parameters, thereby reducing the dimensionality of parametric space. Further, we develop the Gaussian process model as a surrogate of expensive and time-consuming computer models and then identify the next best design point that yields the maximal probability of improvement. This process iterates until convergence, and the performance is evaluated and validated with real-world experimental data. Experimental results show the proposed algorithm achieves superior performance in modeling the kinetics of Nav channels under a variety of glycosylation conditions. As a result, in silico models provide a better understanding of glyco-altered mechanistic details in state transitions and distributions of Nav channels. Notably, ST3Gal4(-/-) myocytes are shown to have higher probabilities accumulated in intermediate inactivation during the repolarization and yield a shorter refractory period than WTs. The proposed statistical design of computer experiments is generally extensible to many other disciplines that involve large-scale and computationally expensive models.

Styrene-butadiene-styrene copolymer compatibilized carbon black/polypropylene/polystyrene composites with tunable morphology, electrical conduction and rheological stabilities.

PubMed

Song, Yihu; Xu, Chunfeng; Zheng, Qiang

2014-04-21

We report a facile kinetic strategy in combination with styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS) copolymer compatibilizers for preparing carbon black (CB) filled immiscible polypropylene (PP)/polystyrene (PS) (1/1) blends with finely tuned morphologies and show the important role of location and migration of CB nanoparticles in determining the electrical conductivity and rheological behaviour of the composites. A novel method of mixing a SBS/CB (5/3) masterbatch with the polymers allowed producing composites with CB aggregates dispersed partially in the unfavorable PP phase and partially in the PP side of the interface to exhibit diverse phase connectivity and electrical conductivity depending on the compounding sequences. A cocontinuous morphology with CB enrichment along the interface was formed in the composite prepared by mixing the SBS/CB masterbatch with the premixed PP/PS blend, giving rise to a highest electrical conductivity and dynamic moduli at low frequencies. On the other hand, mixing the masterbatch with one and then with another polymer yielded droplet (PS)-in-matrix (filled PP) composites. The composites underwent phase coalescence and CB redistribution accompanied by marked dynamic electrical conduction and modulus percolations as a function of time during thermal annealing at 180 °C. The composites with the initial droplet-in-matrix morphology progressed anomalously into the cocontinuous morphology, reflecting a common mechanism being fairly nonspecific for understanding the processing of filled multicomponent composites with tailored performances of general concern.

The systematic study of the electroporation and electrofusion of B16-F1 and CHO cells in isotonic and hypotonic buffer.

PubMed

Usaj, Marko; Kanduser, Masa

2012-09-01

The fusogenic state of the cell membrane can be induced by external electric field. When two fusogenic membranes are in close contact, cell fusion takes place. An appropriate hypotonic treatment of cells before the application of electric pulses significantly improves electrofusion efficiency. How hypotonic treatment improves electrofusion is still not known in detail. Our results indicate that at given induced transmembrane potential electroporation was not affected by buffer osmolarity. In contrast to electroporation, cells' response to hypotonic treatment significantly affects their electrofusion. High fusion yield was observed when B16-F1 cells were used; this cell line in hypotonic buffer resulted in 41 ± 9 % yield, while in isotonic buffer 32 ± 11 % yield was observed. Based on our knowledge, these fusion yields determined in situ by dual-color fluorescence microscopy are among the highest in electrofusion research field. The use of hypotonic buffer was more crucial for electrofusion of CHO cells; the fusion yield increased from below 1 % in isotonic buffer to 10 ± 4 % in hypotonic buffer. Since the same degree of cell permeabilization was achieved in both buffers, these results indicate that hypotonic treatment significantly improves fusion yield. The effect could be attributed to improved physical contact of cell membranes or to enhanced fusogenic state of the cell membrane itself.

Technologies Enabling Scientific Exploration of Asteroids and Moons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shaw, A.; Fulford, P.; Chappell, L.

2016-12-01

Scientific exploration of moons and asteroids is enabled by several key technologies that yield topographic information, allow excavation of subsurface materials, and allow delivery of higher-mass scientific payloads to moons and asteroids. These key technologies include lidar systems, robotics, and solar-electric propulsion spacecraft buses. Many of these technologies have applications for a variety of planetary targets. Lidar systems yield high-resolution shape models of asteroids and moons. These shape models can then be combined with radio science information to yield insight into density and internal structure. Further, lidar systems allow investigation of topographic surface features, large and small, which yields information on regolith properties. Robotic arms can be used for a variety of purposes, especially to support excavation, revealing subsurface material and acquiring material from depth for either in situ analysis or sample return. Robotic arms with built-in force sensors can also be used to gauge the strength of materials as a function of depth, yielding insight into regolith physical properties. Mobility systems allow scientific exploration of multiple sites, and also yield insight into regolith physical properties due to the interaction of wheels with regolith. High-power solar electric propulsion (SEP) spacecraft bus systems allow more science instruments to be included on missions given their ability to support greater payload mass. In addition, leveraging a cost-effective commercially-built SEP spacecraft bus can significantly reduce mission cost.

Combined Electric and Acoustic Stimulation With Hearing Preservation: Effect of Cochlear Implant Low-Frequency Cutoff on Speech Understanding and Perceived Listening Difficulty.

PubMed

Gifford, René H; Davis, Timothy J; Sunderhaus, Linsey W; Menapace, Christine; Buck, Barbara; Crosson, Jillian; O'Neill, Lori; Beiter, Anne; Segel, Phil

The primary objective of this study was to assess the effect of electric and acoustic overlap for speech understanding in typical listening conditions using semidiffuse noise. This study used a within-subjects, repeated measures design including 11 experienced adult implant recipients (13 ears) with functional residual hearing in the implanted and nonimplanted ear. The aided acoustic bandwidth was fixed and the low-frequency cutoff for the cochlear implant (CI) was varied systematically. Assessments were completed in the R-SPACE sound-simulation system which includes a semidiffuse restaurant noise originating from eight loudspeakers placed circumferentially about the subject's head. AzBio sentences were presented at 67 dBA with signal to noise ratio varying between +10 and 0 dB determined individually to yield approximately 50 to 60% correct for the CI-alone condition with full CI bandwidth. Listening conditions for all subjects included CI alone, bimodal (CI + contralateral hearing aid), and bilateral-aided electric and acoustic stimulation (EAS; CI + bilateral hearing aid). Low-frequency cutoffs both below and above the original "clinical software recommendation" frequency were tested for all patients, in all conditions. Subjects estimated listening difficulty for all conditions using listener ratings based on a visual analog scale. Three primary findings were that (1) there was statistically significant benefit of preserved acoustic hearing in the implanted ear for most overlap conditions, (2) the default clinical software recommendation rarely yielded the highest level of speech recognition (1 of 13 ears), and (3) greater EAS overlap than that provided by the clinical recommendation yielded significant improvements in speech understanding. For standard-electrode CI recipients with preserved hearing, spectral overlap of acoustic and electric stimuli yielded significantly better speech understanding and less listening effort in a laboratory-based, restaurant-noise simulation. In conclusion, EAS patients may derive more benefit from greater acoustic and electric overlap than given in current software fitting recommendations, which are based solely on audiometric threshold. These data have larger scientific implications, as previous studies may not have assessed outcomes with optimized EAS parameters, thereby underestimating the benefit afforded by hearing preservation.

Two-dimensional layered semiconductor/graphene heterostructures for solar photovoltaic applications.

PubMed

Shanmugam, Mariyappan; Jacobs-Gedrim, Robin; Song, Eui Sang; Yu, Bin

2014-11-07

Schottky barriers formed by graphene (monolayer, bilayer, and multilayer) on 2D layered semiconductor tungsten disulfide (WS2) nanosheets are explored for solar energy harvesting. The characteristics of the graphene-WS2 Schottky junction vary significantly with the number of graphene layers on WS2, resulting in differences in solar cell performance. Compared with monolayer or stacked bilayer graphene, multilayer graphene helps in achieving improved solar cell performance due to superior electrical conductivity. The all-layered-material Schottky barrier solar cell employing WS2 as a photoactive semiconductor exhibits efficient photon absorption in the visible spectral range, yielding 3.3% photoelectric conversion efficiency with multilayer graphene as the Schottky contact. Carrier transport at the graphene/WS2 interface and the interfacial recombination process in the Schottky barrier solar cells are examined.

Poster — Thur Eve — 09: Evaluation of electrical impedance and computed tomography fusion algorithms using an anthropomorphic phantom

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

Chugh, Brige Paul; Krishnan, Kalpagam; Liu, Jeff

2014-08-15

Integration of biological conductivity information provided by Electrical Impedance Tomography (EIT) with anatomical information provided by Computed Tomography (CT) imaging could improve the ability to characterize tissues in clinical applications. In this paper, we report results of our study which compared the fusion of EIT with CT using three different image fusion algorithms, namely: weighted averaging, wavelet fusion, and ROI indexing. The ROI indexing method of fusion involves segmenting the regions of interest from the CT image and replacing the pixels with the pixels of the EIT image. The three algorithms were applied to a CT and EIT image ofmore » an anthropomorphic phantom, constructed out of five acrylic contrast targets with varying diameter embedded in a base of gelatin bolus. The imaging performance was assessed using Detectability and Structural Similarity Index Measure (SSIM). Wavelet fusion and ROI-indexing resulted in lower Detectability (by 35% and 47%, respectively) yet higher SSIM (by 66% and 73%, respectively) than weighted averaging. Our results suggest that wavelet fusion and ROI-indexing yielded more consistent and optimal fusion performance than weighted averaging.« less

Design, Fabrication and Characterization of a Low-Impedance 3D Electrode Array System for Neuro-Electrophysiology

PubMed Central

Kusko, Mihaela; Craciunoiu, Florea; Amuzescu, Bogdan; Halitzchi, Ferdinand; Selescu, Tudor; Radoi, Antonio; Popescu, Marian; Simion, Monica; Bragaru, Adina; Ignat, Teodora

2012-01-01

Recent progress in patterned microelectrode manufacturing technology and microfluidics has opened the way to a large variety of cellular and molecular biosensor-based applications. In this extremely diverse and rapidly expanding landscape, silicon-based technologies occupy a special position, given their statute of mature, consolidated, and highly accessible areas of development. Within the present work we report microfabrication procedures and workflows for 3D patterned gold-plated microelectrode arrays (MEA) of different shapes (pyramidal, conical and high aspect ratio), and we provide a detailed characterization of their physical features during all the fabrication steps to have in the end a reliable technology. Moreover, the electrical performances of MEA silicon chips mounted on standardized connector boards via ultrasound wire-bonding have been tested using non-destructive electrochemical methods: linear sweep and cyclic voltammetry, impedance spectroscopy. Further, an experimental recording chamber package suitable for in vitro electrophysiology experiments has been realized using custom-design electronics for electrical stimulus delivery and local field potential recording, included in a complete electrophysiology setup, and the experimental structures have been tested on newborn rat hippocampal slices, yielding similar performance compared to commercially available MEA equipments. PMID:23208555

Dual-responsive immunosensor that combines colorimetric recognition and electrochemical response for ultrasensitive detection of cancer biomarkers.

PubMed

Hong, Wooyoung; Lee, Sooyeon; Cho, Youngnam

2016-12-15

We developed a nanoroughened, biotin-doped polypyrrole immunosensor for the detection of tumor markers through dual-signal (electrochemical and colorimetric) channels, electrochemical and colorimetric, that demonstrates remarkable analytical performance. A rapid, one-step electric field-mediated method was employed to fabricate the immunosensor with nanoscale roughness by simply modulating the applied electrical potential. We demonstrated the successful detection of three tumor markers (CA125, CEA, and PSA) via the double enzymatic signal amplifications in the presence of a target antigen, ultimately leading to desired diagnostic accuracy and reliability. The addition of multiple horseradish peroxidase (HRP)- and antibody-labeled nanoparticles greatly amplified the signal and simplified the measurement of cancer biomarker proteins by sequentially magnifying electrochemical and colorimetric signals in a single platform. The two parallel assays performed using the proposed immunosensor have yielded highly consistent and reproducible results. Additionally, for the analysis of plasma samples in a clinical setting, the values obtained with our immunosensor were validated by correlating the results with those of a standard radioimmunoassay (RIA), which obtained very similar clinically valid responses. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Specific considerations for obtaining appropriate La1-xSrxGa1-yMgyO3-δ thin films using pulsed-laser deposition and its influence on the performance of solid-oxide fuel cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hwang, Jaeyeon; Lee, Heon; Lee, Jong-Ho; Yoon, Kyung Joong; Kim, Hyoungchul; Hong, Jongsup; Son, Ji-Won

2015-01-01

To obtain La1-xSrxGa1-yMgyO3-δ (LSGM) thin films with the appropriate properties, pulsed-laser deposition (PLD) is employed, and specific considerations regarding control of the deposition parameters is investigated. It is demonstrated that with a target of stoichiometric composition, appropriate LSGM thin films cannot be produced because of the deviation of the composition from the target to the thin film. Only after adjusting the target composition an LSGM thin film with an appropriate composition and phase can be obtained. The optimized LSGM thin film possesses an electrical conductivity close to that of the bulk LSGM. In contrast, non-optimized thin films do not yield any measurable electrical conductivity. The impact of the optimization of the LSGM thin-film electrolyte on the cell performance is quite significant, in that a solid-oxide fuel cell (SOFC) with an optimized LSGM thin-film electrolyte produces a maximum power density of 1.1 W cm-2 at 600 °C, whereas an SOFC with a non-optimal LSGM thin-film electrolyte is not operable.

(Electro)Mechanical Properties of Olefinic Block Copolymers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spontak, Richard

2014-03-01

Conventional styrenic triblock copolymers (SBCs) swollen with a midblock-selective oil have been previously shown to exhibit excellent electromechanical properties as dielectric elastomers. In this class of electroactive polymers, compliant electrodes applied as active areas to opposing surfaces of an elastomer attract each other, and thus compress the elastomer due to the onset of a Maxwell stress, upon application of an external electric field. This isochoric process is accompanied by an increase in lateral area, which yields the electroactuation strain (measuring beyond 300% in SBC systems). Performance parameters such as the Maxwell stress, transverse strain, dielectric breakdown, energy density and electromechanical efficiency are determined directly from the applied electric field and resulting electroactuation strain. In this study, the same principle used to evaluate SBC systems is extended to olefinic block copolymers (OBCs), which can be described as randomly-coupled multiblock copolymers that consist of crystallizable polyethylene hard segments and rubbery poly(ethylene-co-octene) soft segments. Considerations governing the development of a methodology to fabricate electroresponsive OBC systems are first discussed for several OBCs differing in composition and bulk properties. Evidence of electroactuation in selectively-solvated OBC systems is presented and performance metrics measured therefrom are quantitatively compared with dielectric elastomers derived from SBC and related materials.

Simultaneous Rheoelectric Measurements of Strongly Conductive Complex Fluids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Helal, Ahmed; Divoux, Thibaut; McKinley, Gareth H.

2016-12-01

We introduce an modular fixture designed for stress-controlled rheometers to perform simultaneous rheological and electrical measurements on strongly conductive complex fluids under shear. By means of a nontoxic liquid metal at room temperature, the electrical connection to the rotating shaft is completed with minimal additional mechanical friction, allowing for simultaneous stress measurements at values as low as 1 Pa. Motivated by applications such as flow batteries, we use the capabilities of this design to perform an extensive set of rheoelectric experiments on gels formulated from attractive carbon-black particles, at concentrations ranging from 4 to 15 wt %. First, experiments on gels at rest prepared with different shear histories show a robust power-law scaling between the elastic modulus G0' and the conductivity σ0 of the gels—i.e., G0'˜σ0α, with α =1.65 ±0.04 , regardless of the gel concentration. Second, we report conductivity measurements performed simultaneously with creep experiments. Changes in conductivity in the early stage of the experiments, also known as the Andrade-creep regime, reveal for the first time that plastic events take place in the bulk, while the shear rate γ ˙ decreases as a weak power law of time. The subsequent evolution of the conductivity and the shear rate allows us to propose a local yielding scenario that is in agreement with previous velocimetry measurements. Finally, to establish a set of benchmark data, we determine the constitutive rheological and electrical behavior of carbon-black gels. Corrections first introduced for mechanical measurements regarding shear inhomogeneity and wall slip are carefully extended to electrical measurements to accurately distinguish between bulk and surface contributions to the conductivity. As an illustrative example, we examine the constitutive rheoelectric properties of five different grades of carbon-black gels and we demonstrate the relevance of this rheoelectric apparatus as a versatile characterization tool for strongly conductive complex fluids and their applications.

Modulating the Electron-Hole Interaction in a Hybrid Lead Halide Perovskite with an Electric Field.

PubMed

Leijtens, Tomas; Srimath Kandada, Ajay Ram; Eperon, Giles E; Grancini, Giulia; D'Innocenzo, Valerio; Ball, James M; Stranks, Samuel D; Snaith, Henry J; Petrozza, Annamaria

2015-12-16

Despite rapid developments in both photovoltaic and light-emitting device performance, the understanding of the optoelectronic properties of hybrid lead halide perovskites is still incomplete. In particular, the polarizability of the material, the presence of molecular dipoles, and their influence on the dynamics of the photoexcitations remain an open issue to be clarified. Here, we investigate the effect of an applied external electric field on the photoexcited species of CH3NH3PbI3 thin films, both at room temperature and at low temperature, by monitoring the photoluminescence (PL) yield and PL decays. At room temperature we find evidence for electric-field-induced reduction of radiative bimolecular carrier recombination together with motion of charged defects that affects the nonradiative decay rate of the photoexcited species. At low temperature (190 K), we observe a field-induced enhancement of radiative free carrier recombination rates that lasts even after the removal of the field. We assign this to field-induced alignment of the molecular dipoles, which reduces the vibrational freedom of the lattice and the associated local screening and hence results in a stronger electron-hole interaction.

Contact-Engineered Electrical Properties of MoS2 Field-Effect Transistors via Selectively Deposited Thiol-Molecules.

PubMed

Cho, Kyungjune; Pak, Jinsu; Kim, Jae-Keun; Kang, Keehoon; Kim, Tae-Young; Shin, Jiwon; Choi, Barbara Yuri; Chung, Seungjun; Lee, Takhee

2018-05-01

Although 2D molybdenum disulfide (MoS 2 ) has gained much attention due to its unique electrical and optical properties, the limited electrical contact to 2D semiconductors still impedes the realization of high-performance 2D MoS 2 -based devices. In this regard, many studies have been conducted to improve the carrier-injection properties by inserting functional paths, such as graphene or hexagonal boron nitride, between the electrodes and 2D semiconductors. The reported strategies, however, require relatively time-consuming and low-yield transfer processes on sub-micrometer MoS 2 flakes. Here, a simple contact-engineering method is suggested, introducing chemically adsorbed thiol-molecules as thin tunneling barriers between the metal electrodes and MoS 2 channels. The selectively deposited thiol-molecules via the vapor-deposition process provide additional tunneling paths at the contact regions, improving the carrier-injection properties with lower activation energies in MoS 2 field-effect transistors. Additionally, by inserting thiol-molecules at the only one contact region, asymmetric carrier-injection is feasible depending on the temperature and gate bias. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

High resolution, low cost solar cell contact development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mardesich, N.

1981-01-01

The MIDFILM cell fabrication and encapsulation processes were demonstrated as a means of applying low-cost solar cell collector metallization. The average cell efficiency of 12.0 percent (AM1, 28 C) was achieved with fritted silver metallization with a demonstration run of 500 starting wafers. A 98 percent mechanical yield and 80 percent electrical yield were achieved through the MIDFILM process. High series resistance was responsible for over 90 percent of the electrical failures and was the major factor causing the low average cell efficiency. Environmental evaluations suggest that the MIDFILM cells do not degrade. A slight degradation in power was experienced in the MIDFILM minimodules when the AMP Solarlok connector delaminated during the environmental testing.

Solution hardened platinum alloy flexure materials for improved performance and reliability of MEMS devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brazzle, John D.; Taylor, William P.; Ganesh, Bala; Price, James J.; Bernstein, Jonathan J.

2005-01-01

Solution hardened platinum alloys are presented for use as a MEMS flexure material. Two Pt alloys are discussed in this work; Pt alloyed with 15% Rh and 6% Ru (known as Alloy 851) and an alloy of Pt with 10% Ir. These alloys do not require protective masking, resulting in fewer fabrication steps because the alloys can be exposed to fluorine, chlorine and oxygen plasmas as well as wet chemical etches without damage. These alloys combine many desirable properties such as biocompatibility, extreme corrosion resistance, good electrical/thermal conductivity, high Young's modulus, high yield strength [1], low hysteresis and fatigue, and they are non-ferromagnetic. Compositional profiles for the sputtered films are described, as well as stress control during deposition. Nanoindentation experiments were performed to measure mechanical properties. The mechanical performance of these Pt alloy flexures as supports for rotating micromirror structures is described.

Highly efficient Cu(In,Ga)Se2 solar cells grown on flexible polymer films.

PubMed

Chirilă, Adrian; Buecheler, Stephan; Pianezzi, Fabian; Bloesch, Patrick; Gretener, Christina; Uhl, Alexander R; Fella, Carolin; Kranz, Lukas; Perrenoud, Julian; Seyrling, Sieghard; Verma, Rajneesh; Nishiwaki, Shiro; Romanyuk, Yaroslav E; Bilger, Gerhard; Tiwari, Ayodhya N

2011-09-18

Solar cells based on polycrystalline Cu(In,Ga)Se(2) absorber layers have yielded the highest conversion efficiency among all thin-film technologies, and the use of flexible polymer films as substrates offers several advantages in lowering manufacturing costs. However, given that conversion efficiency is crucial for cost-competitiveness, it is necessary to develop devices on flexible substrates that perform as well as those obtained on rigid substrates. Such comparable performance has not previously been achieved, primarily because polymer films require much lower substrate temperatures during absorber deposition, generally resulting in much lower efficiencies. Here we identify a strong composition gradient in the absorber layer as the main reason for inferior performance and show that, by adjusting it appropriately, very high efficiencies can be obtained. This implies that future manufacturing of highly efficient flexible solar cells could lower the cost of solar electricity and thus become a significant branch of the photovoltaic industry.

Au nanostructure arrays for plasmonic applications: annealed island films versus nanoimprint lithography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lopatynskyi, Andrii M.; Lytvyn, Vitalii K.; Nazarenko, Volodymyr I.; Guo, L. Jay; Lucas, Brandon D.; Chegel, Volodymyr I.

2015-03-01

This paper attempts to compare the main features of random and highly ordered gold nanostructure arrays (NSA) prepared by thermally annealed island film and nanoimprint lithography (NIL) techniques, respectively. Each substrate possesses different morphology in terms of plasmonic enhancement. Both methods allow such important features as spectral tuning of plasmon resonance position depending on size and shape of nanostructures; however, the time and cost is quite different. The respective comparison was performed experimentally and theoretically for a number of samples with different geometrical parameters. Spectral characteristics of fabricated NSA exhibited an expressed plasmon peak in the range from 576 to 809 nm for thermally annealed samples and from 606 to 783 nm for samples prepared by NIL. Modelling of the optical response for nanostructures with typical shapes associated with these techniques (parallelepiped for NIL and semi-ellipsoid for annealed island films) was performed using finite-difference time-domain calculations. Mathematical simulations have indicated the dependence of electric field enhancement on the shape and size of the nanoparticles. As an important point, the distribution of electric field at so-called `hot spots' was considered. Parallelepiped-shaped nanoparticles were shown to yield maximal enhancement values by an order of magnitude greater than their semi-ellipsoid-shaped counterparts; however, both nanoparticle shapes have demonstrated comparable effective electrical field enhancement values. Optimized Au nanostructures with equivalent diameters ranging from 85 to 143 nm and height equal to 35 nm were obtained for both techniques, resulting in the largest electrical field enhancement. The application of island film thermal annealing method for nanochips fabrication can be considered as a possible cost-effective platform for various surface-enhanced spectroscopies; while the NIL-fabricated NSA looks like more effective for sensing of small-size objects.

Operator performance evaluation using multi criteria decision making methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rani, Ruzanita Mat; Ismail, Wan Rosmanira; Razali, Siti Fatihah

2014-06-01

Operator performance evaluation is a very important operation in labor-intensive manufacturing industry because the company's productivity depends on the performance of its operators. The aims of operator performance evaluation are to give feedback to operators on their performance, to increase company's productivity and to identify strengths and weaknesses of each operator. In this paper, six multi criteria decision making methods; Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), fuzzy AHP (FAHP), ELECTRE, PROMETHEE II, Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) and VlseKriterijumska Optimizacija I Kompromisno Resenje (VIKOR) are used to evaluate the operators' performance and to rank the operators. The performance evaluation is based on six main criteria; competency, experience and skill, teamwork and time punctuality, personal characteristics, capability and outcome. The study was conducted at one of the SME food manufacturing companies in Selangor. From the study, it is found that AHP and FAHP yielded the "outcome" criteria as the most important criteria. The results of operator performance evaluation showed that the same operator is ranked the first using all six methods.

Estimates of genetics and phenotypics parameters for the yield and quality of soybean seeds.

PubMed

Zambiazzi, E V; Bruzi, A T; Guilherme, S R; Pereira, D R; Lima, J G; Zuffo, A M; Ribeiro, F O; Mendes, A E S; Godinho, S H M; Carvalho, M L M

2017-09-27

Estimating genotype x environment (GxE) parameters for quality and yield in soybean seed grown in different environments in Minas Gerais State was the goal of this study, as well as to evaluate interaction effects of GxE for soybean seeds yield and quality. Seeds were produced in three locations in Minas Gerais State (Lavras, Inconfidentes, and Patos de Minas) in 2013/14 and 2014/15 seasons. Field experiments were conducted in randomized blocks in a factorial 17 x 6 (GxE), and three replications. Seed yield and quality were evaluated for germination in substrates paper and sand, seedling emergence, speed emergency index, mechanical damage by sodium hypochlorite, electrical conductivity, speed aging, vigor and viability of seeds by tetrazolium test in laboratory using completely randomized design. Quadratic component genotypic, GXE variance component, genotype determination coefficient, genetic variation coefficient and environmental variation coefficient were estimated using the Genes software. Percentage analysis of genotypes contribution, environments and genotype x environment interaction were conducted by sites combination two by two and three sites combination, using the R software. Considering genotypes selection of broad adaptation, TMG 1179 RR, CD 2737 RR, and CD 237 RR associated better yield performance at high physical and physiological potential of seed. Environmental effect was more expressive for most of the characters related to soybean seed quality. GxE interaction effects were expressive though genotypes did not present coincidental behavior in different environments.

Stimuli-Responsive Polymer-Clay Nanocomposites under Electric Fields

PubMed Central

Piao, Shang Hao; Kwon, Seung Hyuk; Choi, Hyoung Jin

2016-01-01

This short Feature Article reviews electric stimuli-responsive polymer/clay nanocomposites with respect to their fabrication, physical characteristics and electrorheological (ER) behaviors under applied electric fields when dispersed in oil. Their structural characteristics, morphological features and thermal degradation behavior were examined by X-ray diffraction pattern, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis, respectively. Particular focus is given to the electro-responsive ER characteristics of the polymer/clay nanocomposites in terms of the yield stress and viscoelastic properties along with their applications. PMID:28787852

Determination of Peukert's Constant Using Impedance Spectroscopy: Application to Supercapacitors.

PubMed

Mills, Edmund Martin; Kim, Sangtae

2016-12-15

Peukert's equation is widely used to model the rate dependence of battery capacity, and has recently attracted attention for application to supercapacitors. Here we present a newly developed method to readily determine Peukert's constant using impedance spectroscopy. Impedance spectroscopy is ideal for this purpose as it has the capability of probing electrical performance of a device over a wide range of time-scales within a single measurement. We demonstrate that the new method yields consistent results with conventional galvanostatic measurements through applying it to commercially available supercapacitors. Additionally, the novel method is much simpler and more precise, making it an attractive alternative for the determination of Peukert's constant.

Optical and electrical characterization of a back-thinned CMOS active pixel sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blue, Andrew; Clark, A.; Houston, S.; Laing, A.; Maneuski, D.; Prydderch, M.; Turchetta, R.; O'Shea, V.

2009-06-01

This work will report on the first work on the characterization of a back-thinned Vanilla-a 512×512 (25 μm squared) active pixel sensor (APS). Characterization of the detectors was carried out through the analysis of photon transfer curves to yield a measurement of full well capacity, noise levels, gain constants and linearity. Spectral characterization of the sensors was also performed in the visible and UV regions. A full comparison against non-back-thinned front illuminated Vanilla sensors is included. Such measurements suggest that the Vanilla APS will be suitable for a wide range of applications, including particle physics and biomedical imaging.

SNAP 19 Pioneer F and G. Final Report

DOE R&D Accomplishments Database

1973-06-01

The generator developed for the Pioneer mission evolved from the SNAP 19 RTG`s launched aboard the NIMBUS III spacecraft. In order to satisfy the power requirements and environment of earth escape trajectory, significant modifications were made to the thermoelectric converter, heat source, and structural configuration. Specifically, a TAGS 2N thermoelectric couple was designed to provide higher efficiency and improved long term power performance, and the electrical circuitry was modified to yield very low magnetic field from current flow in the RTG. A new heat source was employed to satisfy operational requirements and its integration with the generator required alteration to the method of providing support to the fuel capsule.

Electric Propulsion Induced Secondary Mass Spectroscopy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Amini, Rashied; Landis, Geoffrey

2012-01-01

A document highlights a means to complement remote spectroscopy while also providing in situ surface samples without a landed system. Historically, most compositional analysis of small body surfaces has been done remotely by analyzing reflection or nuclear spectra. However, neither provides direct measurement that can unambiguously constrain the global surface composition and most importantly, the nature of trace composition and second-phase impurities. Recently, missions such as Deep Space 1 and Dawn have utilized electric propulsion (EP) accelerated, high-energy collimated beam of Xe+ ions to propel deep space missions to their target bodies. The energies of the Xe+ are sufficient to cause sputtering interactions, which eject material from the top microns of a targeted surface. Using a mass spectrometer, the sputtered material can be determined. The sputtering properties of EP exhaust can be used to determine detailed surface composition of atmosphereless bodies by electric propulsion induced secondary mass spectroscopy (EPI-SMS). EPI-SMS operation has three high-level requirements: EP system, mass spectrometer, and altitude of about 10 km. Approximately 1 keV Xe+ has been studied and proven to generate high sputtering yields in metallic substrates. Using these yields, first-order calculations predict that EPI-SMS will yield high signal-to-noise at altitudes greater than 10 km with both electrostatic and Hall thrusters.

Floating compression of Ag nanowire networks for effective strain release of stretchable transparent electrodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pyo, Jun Beom; Kim, Byoung Soo; Park, Hyunchul; Kim, Tae Ann; Koo, Chong Min; Lee, Jonghwi; Son, Jeong Gon; Lee, Sang-Soo; Park, Jong Hyuk

2015-10-01

Manipulation of the configuration of Ag nanowire (NW) networks has been pursued to enhance the performance of stretchable transparent electrodes. However, it has remained challenging due to the high Young's modulus and low yield strain of Ag NWs, which lead to their mechanical failure when subjected to structural deformation. We demonstrate that floating a Ag NW network on water and subsequent in-plane compression allows convenient development of a wavy configuration in the Ag NW network, which can release the applied strain. A greatly enhanced electromechanical stability of Ag NW networks can be achieved due to their wavy configuration, while the NW networks maintain the desirable optical and electrical properties. Moreover, the produced NW networks can be transferred to a variety of substrates, offering flexibility for device fabrication. The Ag NW networks with wavy configurations are used as compliant electrodes for dielectric elastomer actuators. The study demonstrates their promising potential to provide improved performance for soft electronic devices.Manipulation of the configuration of Ag nanowire (NW) networks has been pursued to enhance the performance of stretchable transparent electrodes. However, it has remained challenging due to the high Young's modulus and low yield strain of Ag NWs, which lead to their mechanical failure when subjected to structural deformation. We demonstrate that floating a Ag NW network on water and subsequent in-plane compression allows convenient development of a wavy configuration in the Ag NW network, which can release the applied strain. A greatly enhanced electromechanical stability of Ag NW networks can be achieved due to their wavy configuration, while the NW networks maintain the desirable optical and electrical properties. Moreover, the produced NW networks can be transferred to a variety of substrates, offering flexibility for device fabrication. The Ag NW networks with wavy configurations are used as compliant electrodes for dielectric elastomer actuators. The study demonstrates their promising potential to provide improved performance for soft electronic devices. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c5nr03814f

Electrical Programming of Soft Matter: Using Temporally Varying Electrical Inputs To Spatially Control Self Assembly.

PubMed

Yan, Kun; Liu, Yi; Zhang, Jitao; Correa, Santiago O; Shang, Wu; Tsai, Cheng-Chieh; Bentley, William E; Shen, Jana; Scarcelli, Giuliano; Raub, Christopher B; Shi, Xiao-Wen; Payne, Gregory F

2018-02-12

The growing importance of hydrogels in translational medicine has stimulated the development of top-down fabrication methods, yet often these methods lack the capabilities to generate the complex matrix architectures observed in biology. Here we show that temporally varying electrical signals can cue a self-assembling polysaccharide to controllably form a hydrogel with complex internal patterns. Evidence from theory and experiment indicate that internal structure emerges through a subtle interplay between the electrical current that triggers self-assembly and the electrical potential (or electric field) that recruits and appears to orient the polysaccharide chains at the growing gel front. These studies demonstrate that short sequences (minutes) of low-power (∼1 V) electrical inputs can provide the program to guide self-assembly that yields hydrogels with stable, complex, and spatially varying structure and properties.

Electrophoretic and field-effect graphene for all-electrical DNA array technology.

PubMed

Xu, Guangyu; Abbott, Jeffrey; Qin, Ling; Yeung, Kitty Y M; Song, Yi; Yoon, Hosang; Kong, Jing; Ham, Donhee

2014-09-05

Field-effect transistor biomolecular sensors based on low-dimensional nanomaterials boast sensitivity, label-free operation and chip-scale construction. Chemical vapour deposition graphene is especially well suited for multiplexed electronic DNA array applications, since its large two-dimensional morphology readily lends itself to top-down fabrication of transistor arrays. Nonetheless, graphene field-effect transistor DNA sensors have been studied mainly at single-device level. Here we create, from chemical vapour deposition graphene, field-effect transistor arrays with two features representing steps towards multiplexed DNA arrays. First, a robust array yield--seven out of eight transistors--is achieved with a 100-fM sensitivity, on par with optical DNA microarrays and at least 10 times higher than prior chemical vapour deposition graphene transistor DNA sensors. Second, each graphene acts as an electrophoretic electrode for site-specific probe DNA immobilization, and performs subsequent site-specific detection of target DNA as a field-effect transistor. The use of graphene as both electrode and transistor suggests a path towards all-electrical multiplexed graphene DNA arrays.

Optically-Induced Cell Fusion on Cell Pairing Microstructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Po-Fu; Wang, Chih-Hung; Lee, Gwo-Bin

2016-02-01

Cell fusion is a critical operation for numerous biomedical applications including cell reprogramming, hybridoma formation, cancer immunotherapy, and tissue regeneration. However, unstable cell contact and random cell pairings have limited efficiency and yields when utilizing traditional methods. Furthermore, it is challenging to selectively perform cell fusion within a group of cells. This study reports a new approach called optically-induced cell fusion (OICF), which integrates cell-pairing microstructures with an optically-induced, localized electrical field. By projecting light patterns onto a photoconductive film (hydrogen-rich, amorphous silicon) coated on an indium-tin-oxide (ITO) glass while an alternating current electrical field was applied between two such ITO glass slides, “virtual” electrodes could be generated that could selectively fuse pairing cells. At 10 kHz, a 57% cell paring rate and an 87% fusion efficiency were successfully achieved at a driving voltage of 20  Vpp, suggesting that this new technology could be promising for selective cell fusion within a group of cells.

Additive Manufacturing of Multifunctional Components Using High Density Carbon Nanotube Yarn Filaments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gardner, John M.; Sauti, Godfrey; Kim, Jae-Woo; Cano, Roberto J.; Wincheski, Russell A.; Stelter, Christopher J.; Grimsley, Brian W.; Working, Dennis C.; Siochi, Emilie J.

2016-01-01

Additive manufacturing allows for design freedom and part complexity not currently attainable using traditional manufacturing technologies. Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF), for example, can yield novel component geometries and functionalities because the method provides a high level of control over material placement and processing conditions. This is achievable by extrusion of a preprocessed filament feedstock material along a predetermined path. However if fabrication of a multifunctional part relies only on conventional filament materials, it will require a different material for each unique functionality printed into the part. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are an attractive material for many applications due to their high specific strength as well as good electrical and thermal conductivity. The presence of this set of properties in a single material presents an opportunity to use one material to achieve multifunctionality in an additively manufactured part. This paper describes a recently developed method for processing continuous CNT yarn filaments into three-dimensional articles, and summarizes the mechanical, electrical, and sensing performance of the components fabricated in this way.

Electrical and Optical Studies of Deep Levels in Nominally Undoped Thallium Bromide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, Holland M.; Haegel, Nancy M.; Phillips, David J.; Cirignano, Leonard; Ciampi, Guido; Kim, Hadong; Chrzan, Daryl C.; Haller, Eugene E.

2014-02-01

Photo-induced conductivity transient spectroscopy (PICTS) and cathodoluminescence (CL) measurements were performed on nominally undoped detector grade samples of TlBr. In PICTS measurements, nine traps were detected in the temperature range 80-250 K using four-gate analysis. Five of the traps are tentatively identified as electron traps, and four as hole traps. CL measurements yielded two broad peaks common to all samples and most likely associated with defects. Correlations between the optically and electrically detected deep levels are considered. Above 250 K, the photoconductivity transients measured in the PICTS experiments exhibited anomalous transient behavior, indicated by non-monotonic slope variations as a function of time. The origin of the transients is under further investigation, but their presence precludes the accurate determination of trap parameters in TlBr above 250 K with traditional PICTS analysis. Their discovery was made possible by the use of a PICTS system that records whole photoconductivity transients, as opposed to reduced and processed signals.

Performance of monolayer graphene nanomechanical resonators with electrical readout.

PubMed

Chen, Changyao; Rosenblatt, Sami; Bolotin, Kirill I; Kalb, William; Kim, Philip; Kymissis, Ioannis; Stormer, Horst L; Heinz, Tony F; Hone, James

2009-12-01

The enormous stiffness and low density of graphene make it an ideal material for nanoelectromechanical applications. Here, we demonstrate the fabrication and electrical readout of monolayer graphene resonators, and test their response to changes in mass and temperature. The devices show resonances in the megahertz range, and the strong dependence of resonant frequency on applied gate voltage can be fitted to a membrane model to yield the mass density and built-in strain of the graphene. Following the removal and addition of mass, changes in both density and strain are observed, indicating that adsorbates impart tension to the graphene. On cooling, the frequency increases, and the shift rate can be used to measure the unusual negative thermal expansion coefficient of graphene. The quality factor increases with decreasing temperature, reaching approximately 1 x 10(4) at 5 K. By establishing many of the basic attributes of monolayer graphene resonators, the groundwork for applications of these devices, including high-sensitivity mass detectors, is put in place.

Electrical valley filtering in transition metal dichalcogenides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hsieh, Tzu-Chi; Chou, Mei-Yin; Wu, Yu-Shu

2018-03-01

This work investigates the feasibility of electrical valley filtering for holes in transition metal dichalcogenides. We look specifically into the scheme that utilizes a potential barrier to produce valley-dependent tunneling rates, and perform the study with both a k .p -based analytic method and a recursive Green's function-based numerical method. The study yields the transmission coefficient as a function of incident energy and transverse wave vector, for holes going through lateral quantum barriers oriented in either armchair or zigzag directions, in both homogeneous and heterogeneous systems. The main findings are the following: (1) The tunneling current valley polarization increases with increasing barrier width or height; (2) both the valley-orbit interaction and band structure warping contribute to valley-dependent tunneling, with the former contribution being manifest in structures with asymmetric potential barriers, and the latter being orientation dependent and reaching maximum for transmission in the armchair direction; and (3) for transmission ˜0.1 , a tunneling current valley polarization of the order of 10 % can be achieved.

Recent Advances on Luminescent Enhancement-Based Porous Silicon Biosensors.

PubMed

Jenie, S N Aisyiyah; Plush, Sally E; Voelcker, Nicolas H

2016-10-01

Luminescence-based detection paradigms have key advantages over other optical platforms such as absorbance, reflectance or interferometric based detection. However, autofluorescence, low quantum yield and lack of photostability of the fluorophore or emitting molecule are still performance-limiting factors. Recent research has shown the need for enhanced luminescence-based detection to overcome these drawbacks while at the same time improving the sensitivity, selectivity and reducing the detection limits of optical sensors and biosensors. Nanostructures have been reported to significantly improve the spectral properties of the emitting molecules. These structures offer unique electrical, optic and magnetic properties which may be used to tailor the surrounding electrical field of the emitter. Here, the main principles behind luminescence and luminescence enhancement-based detections are reviewed, with an emphasis on europium complexes as the emitting molecule. An overview of the optical porous silicon microcavity (pSiMC) as a biosensing platform and recent proof-of-concept examples on enhanced luminescence-based detection using pSiMCs are provided and discussed.

Ab-initio molecular dynamics in electric fields via Wannier functions: Dielectric properties of liquid water.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharma, Manu; Resta, Raffaele; Car, Roberto

2004-03-01

We have implemented a modified Car-Parrinello molecular dynamics scheme in which maximally localized Wannier functions, instead of delocalized Bloch orbitals, are used to represent ``on the fly'' the electronic wavefunction of an insulating system. Within our scheme, we account for the effects of a finite homogeneous field applied to the simulation cell; we then use the ideas of the modern theory of polarization to investigate the system's response. The dielectric response (linear and nonlinear) of a given material is thus directly accessible at a reasonable computational cost. We have performed a thorough study of the behavior of a computational sample of liquid water under the effect of an electric field. We used norm-conserving pseudopotentials, the PBE exchange-correlation potential, and supercell containing water 64 molecules. Besides providing the static response of the liquid at a given temperature, our simulations yield microscopic insight into features wich are not easily measured in experiments, particularly regarding relaxation phenomena.

Solar energy conversion with photon-enhanced thermionic emission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kribus, Abraham; Segev, Gideon

2016-07-01

Photon-enhanced thermionic emission (PETE) converts sunlight to electricity with the combined photonic and thermal excitation of charge carriers in a semiconductor, leading to electron emission over a vacuum gap. Theoretical analyses predict conversion efficiency that can match, or even exceed, the efficiency of traditional solar thermal and photovoltaic converters. Several materials have been examined as candidates for radiation absorbers and electron emitters, with no conclusion yet on the best set of materials to achieve high efficiency. Analyses have shown the complexity of the energy conversion and transport processes, and the significance of several loss mechanisms, requiring careful control of material properties and optimization of the device structure. Here we survey current research on PETE modeling, materials, and device configurations, outline the advances made, and stress the open issues and future research needed. Based on the substantial progress already made in this young topic, and the potential of high conversion efficiency based on theoretical performance limits, continued research in this direction is very promising and may yield a competitive technology for solar electricity generation.

Ultrabroadband Microwave Metamaterial Absorber Based on Electric SRR Loaded with Lumped Resistors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Jingcheng; Cheng, Yongzhi

2016-10-01

An ultrabroadband microwave metamaterial absorber (MMA) based on an electric split-ring resonator (ESRR) loaded with lumped resistors is presented. Compared with an ESRR MMA, the composite MMA (CMMA) loaded with lumped resistors offers stronger absorption over an extremely extended bandwidth. The reflectance simulated under different substrate loss conditions indicates that incident electromagnetic (EM) wave energy is mainly consumed by the lumped resistors. The simulated surface current and power loss density distributions further illustrate the mechanism underlying the observed absorption. Further simulation results indicate that the performance of the CMMA can be tuned by adjusting structural parameters of the ESRR and lumped resistor parameters. We fabricated and measured MMA and CMMA samples. The CMMA yielded below -10 dB reflectance from 4.4 GHz to 18 GHz experimentally, with absorption bandwidth and relative bandwidth of 13.6 GHz and 121.4%, respectively. This ultrabroadband microwave absorber has potential applications in the electromagnetic energy harvesting and stealth fields.

Characterization of printed planar electromagnetic coils using digital extrusion and roll-to-roll flexographic processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rickard, Scott

Electromagnets are a crucial component in a wide range of more complex electrical devices due to their ability to turn electrical energy into mechanical energy and vice versa. The trend for electronics becoming smaller and lighter has led to increased interest in using flat, planar electromagnetic coils, which have been shown to perform better at scaled down sizes. The two-dimensional geometry of a planar electromagnetic coil yields itself to be produced by a roll-to-roll additive manufacturing process. The emergence of the printed electronics field, which uses traditional printing processes to pattern functional inks, has led to new methods of mass-producing basic electrical components. The ability to print a planar electromagnetic coil using printed electronics could rival the traditional subtractive and semi-subtractive PCB process of manufacturing. The ability to print lightweight planar electromagnetic coils on flexible substrates could lead to their inclusion into intelligent packaging applications and could have specific use in actuating devices, transformers, and electromagnetic induction applications such as energy harvesting or wireless charging. In attempts to better understand the limitations of printing planar electromagnetic coils, the effect that the design parameters of the planar coils have on the achievable magnetic field strength were researched. A comparison between prototyping methods of digital extrusion and manufacturing scale flexographic printing are presented, discussing consistency in the printed coils and their performance in generating magnetic fields. A method to predict the performance of these planar coils is introduced to allow for design within required needs of an application. Results from the research include a demonstration of a printed coil being used in a flat speaker design, working off of actuating principles.

Conventional and microwave pyrolysis of a macroalgae waste from the Agar-Agar industry. Prospects for bio-fuel production.

PubMed

Ferrera-Lorenzo, N; Fuente, E; Bermúdez, J M; Suárez-Ruiz, I; Ruiz, B

2014-01-01

A comparative study of the pyrolysis of a macroalgae industrial solid waste (algae meal) in an electrical conventional furnace and in a microwave furnace has been carried out. It was found that the chars obtained from both pyrolyses are similar and show good properties for performing as a solid bio-fuel and as a precursor of activated carbon. Bio-oils from conventional pyrolysis have a greater number of phenolic, pyrrole and alkane compounds whereas benzene and pyridine compounds are more predominant in microwave pyrolysis with a major presence of light compounds. The bio-gas fraction from microwave pyrolysis presents a much higher syngas content (H2+CO), and a lower CO2 and CH4 proportion than that obtained by conventional pyrolysis. Yields are similar for both treatments with a slightly higher gas yield in the case of microwave pyrolysis due to the fact that microwave heating favors heterogeneous reactions between the gases and the char. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Electrical stimulation in white oyster mushroom (Pleurotus florida) production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roshita, I.; Nurfazira, K. M. P.; Fern, C. Shi; Ain, M. S. Nur

2017-09-01

White oyster mushroom (Pleurotus florida) is an edible mushroom that gained popularity due to its nutritional values, low production cost and ease of cultivation. There are several research reported on the mushroom fruiting bodies which were actively developed when applying electrical shock treatment. This study was aimed to investigate the effects of different electrical voltages on the growth and yield of white oyster mushroom (Pleurotus florida). Five different electrical voltages had been applied during spawning period which were 6V, 9V, 12V, 15V and mushroom bags without any treatment served as control. Treatment at 6V showed the highest rate for mycelium growth while 15V took the shortest time for fruiting body formation. However, no significant different (P>0.05) among all the treatments was observed for the time taken for the mycelium to fill-up the bag and pinhead emergence. The total fresh weight and percentage of biological efficiency for treatment at 9V showed higher values compared to control. Treatment at 9V also showed the largest pileus diameter and the most firm in the pileus texture. Meanwhile, treatment at 6V showed the highest a* value (redness). In addition, different electrical voltage treatments applied did not show any significant effect on substrate utilization efficiency, colour L* and b* values. In conclusion, among all the electrical treatments applied, 9V could be considered as the best treatment to enhance the yield of white oyster mushroom.

Multimedia Learning in an Interactive Self-Explaining Environment: What Works in the Design of Agent-Based Microworlds?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mayer, Richard E.; Dow, Gayle T.; Mayer, Sarah

2003-01-01

Students learned about electric motors by asking questions and receiving answers from an on-screen pedagogical agent named Dr. Phyz who stood next to an on-screen drawing of an electric motor. Results are consistent with a cognitive theory of multimedia learning and yield principles for the design of interactive multimedia learning environments.…

Microstructural Evolution and Mechanical Property Development of Selective Laser Melted Copper Alloys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ventura, Anthony Patrick

Selective Laser Melting (SLM) is an additive manufacturing technology that utilizes a high-power laser to melt metal powder and form a part layer-by-layer. Over the last 25 years, the technology has progressed from prototyping polymer parts to full scale production of metal component. SLM offers several advantages over traditional manufacturing techniques; however, the current alloy systems that are researched and utilized for SLM do not address applications requiring high electrical and thermal conductivity. This work presents a characterization of the microstructural evolution and mechanical property development of two copper alloys fabricated via SLM and post-process heat treated to address this gap in knowledge. Tensile testing, conductivity measurement, and detailed microstructural characterization was carried out on samples in the as-printed and heat treated conditions. A single phase solid solution strengthened binary alloy, Cu-4.3Sn, was the first alloy studied. Components were selectively laser melted from pre-alloyed Cu-4.3Sn powder and heat treated at 873 K (600 °C) and 1173 K (900 °C) for 1 hour. As-printed samples were around 97 percent dense with a yield strength of 274 MPa, an electrical conductivity of 24.1 %IACS, and an elongation of 5.6%. Heat treatment resulted in lower yield strength with significant increases in ductility due to recrystallization and a decrease in dislocation density. Tensile sample geometry and surface finish also showed a significant effect on measured yield strength but a negligible change in measured ductility. Microstructural characterization indicated that grains primarily grow epitaxially with a sub-micron cellular solidification sub-structure. Nanometer scale tin dioxide particles identified via XRD were found throughout the structure in the tin-rich intercellular regions. The second alloy studied was a high-performance precipitation hardening Cu-Ni-Si alloy, C70250. Pre-alloyed powder was selectively laser melted to produce components around 98 percent dense with high mechanical strength and electrical conductivity. Aging heat treatments were carried out at 723 K (450 °C) directly on as-printed samples up to 128 hours. A peak yield strength of around 590 MPa could be attained with an electrical conductivity of 34.2 %IACS after 8 hours of aging. Conductivity continues to increase with further aging while the peak strength appears to be less sensitive to aging time exhibiting a broad range of time where near-peak properties exist. Nanometer-scale silicon-rich oxide particles exist throughout the material and persist during aging. Deformation twinning is observed in the peak age condition after tensile testing and several strengthening mechanisms appear to be active to varying degrees throughout aging, which accounts for the broad range of aging time where nearly the peak mechanical properties exist. The findings of this research are integral to understanding SLM copper alloys and serve as a foundation for future development of new copper alloys tailored to the SLM process.

Techno-economic assessment of the need for bulk energy storage in low-carbon electricity systems with a focus on compressed air storage (CAES)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Safaei Mohamadabadi, Hossein

Increasing electrification of the economy while decarbonizing the electricity supply is among the most effective strategies for cutting greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in order to abate climate change. This thesis offers insights into the role of bulk energy storage (BES) systems to cut GHG emissions from the electricity sector. Wind and solar energies can supply large volumes of low-carbon electricity. Nevertheless, large penetration of these resources poses serious reliability concerns to the grid, mainly because of their intermittency. This thesis evaluates the performance of BES systems - especially compressed air energy storage (CAES) technology - for integration of wind energy from engineering and economic aspects. Analytical thermodynamic analysis of Distributed CAES (D-CAES) and Adiabatic CAES (A-CAES) suggest high roundtrip storage efficiencies ( 80% and 70%) compared to conventional CAES ( 50%). Using hydrogen to fuel CAES plants - instead of natural gas - yields a low overall efficiency ( 35%), despite its negligible GHG emissions. The techno-economic study of D-CAES shows that exporting compression heat to low-temperature loads (e.g. space heating) can enhance both the economic and emissions performance of compressed air storage plants. A case study for Alberta, Canada reveals that the abatement cost of replacing a conventional CAES with D-CAES plant practicing electricity arbitrage can be negative (-$40 per tCO2e, when the heat load is 50 km away from the air storage site). A green-field simulation finds that reducing the capital cost of BES - even drastically below current levels - does not substantially impact the cost of low-carbon electricity. At a 70% reduction in the GHG emissions intensity of the grid, gas turbines remain three times more cost-efficient in managing the wind variability compared to BES (in the best case and with a 15-minute resolution). Wind and solar thus, do not need to wait for availability of cheap BES systems to cost-effectively decarbonize the grid. The prospects of A-CAES seem to be stronger compared to other BES systems due to its low energy-specific capital cost.

Water absorption and method improvement concerning electrical conductivity testing Acacia mangium (Fabaceae) seeds.

PubMed

de Oliveira, Daniel Luiz; Smiderle, Oscar Jose; Paulino, Pollyana Priscila Schuertz; Souza, Aline das Graças

2016-12-01

Acacia is an important forest species of rapid growth whose seeds have tegument dormancy. In this work it was intended to characterize water absorption pattern after seed dormancy break, and to determine the amount of water, container size and the need of breaking the tegument dormancy, as to perform electrical conductivity test in small and large seeds of Acacia mangium (Fabaceae). The seeds were collected from 10, 8 and 6 years old trees established in poor yielding-capacity soils on savannah areas of Roraima, Brazil; seeds were classified in six lots concerning to seed size and tree age. Germination tests (50 seeds and four replications per lot) were carried out on germitest® paper maintained on gerbox at 25 °C. Imbibition was verified by seed weighing at different times (0, 2, 5, 8, 12, 16, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84, 96 and 120 hours). The electrical conductivity test consisted of three experiments, distinguished by the amount of water used and by the container size in which seeds were immersed. Seeds of A. mangium coming from 10 years old trees presented increased germination percent and germination speed than seeds of six-year old trees. Small seeds presented increased in electrical conductivity and water absorption until 120 hours when compared to large seeds. The immersion of seeds of A. mangium in 40 mL of distilled water into 180 mL plastic containers, after dormancy break, it is indicated for the determination of electrical conductivity test. The ratio of electrolytes by seed mass, after 24 hours of immersion in water, turns electrical conductivity test more accurate concerning A. mangium seeds.

Concurrent recordings of Electrical Current Emissions and Acoustic Emissions detected from marble specimens subjected to mechanical stress up to fracture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stavrakas, I.; Hloupis, G.; Triantis, D.; Vallianatos, F.

2012-04-01

The emission of electrical signals during the application of mechanical stress on brittle geo-materials (the so called Pressure Stimulated Current - PSC[1,2]), provides significant information regarding the mechanical status of the studied rock sample, since PSCs are originated as a result of the opening of cracks and microfractures[3]. The latter mechanism for the creation of PSCs it is straightforward to associated with the recording of acoustic emissions (AE). To justify the common origin of PSCs and AE due to opening of cracks, a combined study was performed implicating the concurrent recording of electric current emissions and AE on marble samples when they are subjected to linearly increasing mechanical load up to the fracture. The electric signal detected is recorded by an ultra sensitive electrometer (Keithley 6514). The sensor used for detecting the electric current is a pair of gold plated electrodes adapted bilaterally on the sample found under axial mechanical stress[4]. The AE were recorded through the Physical Acoustics PCI-2 Acquisition System. The experimental results prove the strong association of the recorded electrical signals and the corresponding acoustic emissions justifying their common origin due to opening of microfractures. Furthermore, when the applied mechanical load exceeds the yield stress then an increasing of PSCs amplitude along with that of AE rate is observed. Acknowledgments. This work was partly supported by the THALES Program of the Ministry of Education of Greece and the European Union in the framework of the project entitled "Integrated understanding of Seismicity, using innovative Methodologies of Fracture mechanics along with Earthquake and non extensive statistical physics - Application to the geodynamic system of the Hellenic Arc. SEISMO FEAR HELLARC".

Approach to Modeling Boundary Layer Ingestion Using a Fully Coupled Propulsion-RANS Model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gray, Justin S.; Mader, Charles A.; Kenway, Gaetan K. W.; Martins, Joaquim R. R. A.

2017-01-01

Airframe-propulsion integration concepts that use boundary layer ingestion have the potential to reduce aircraft fuel burn. One concept that has been recently explored is NASA's Starc-ABL aircraft configuration, which offers the potential for 12% mission fuel burn reduction by using a turbo-electric propulsion system with an aft-mounted electrically driven boundary layer ingestion propulsor. This large potential for improved performance motivates a more detailed study of the boundary layer ingestion propulsor design, but to date, analyses of boundary layer ingestion have used uncoupled methods. These methods account for only aerodynamic effects on the propulsion system or propulsion system effects on the aerodynamics, but not both simultaneously. This work presents a new approach for building fully coupled propulsive-aerodynamic models of boundary layer ingestion propulsion systems. A 1D thermodynamic cycle analysis is coupled to a RANS simulation to model the Starc-ABL aft propulsor at a cruise condition and the effects variation in propulsor design on performance are examined. The results indicates that both propulsion and aerodynamic effects contribute equally toward the overall performance and that the fully coupled model yields substantially different results compared to uncoupled. The most significant finding is that boundary layer ingestion, while offering substantial fuel burn savings, introduces throttle dependent aerodynamics effects that need to be accounted for. This work represents a first step toward the multidisciplinary design optimization of boundary layer ingestion propulsion systems.

Improvement of metabolic and cardiorespiratory responses through treadmill gait training with neuromuscular electrical stimulation in quadriplegic subjects.

PubMed

de Carvalho, Daniela Cristina Leite; Martins, Cristiane Luzia; Cardoso, Simone David; Cliquet, Alberto

2006-01-01

This work assessed the influence of treadmill gait training with neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) on the metabolic and cardiorespiratory responses in quadriplegic subjects. The gait group (GG) (n=11) performed 6 months of treadmill training with 30-50% body weight support and with the help of physiotherapists, twice a week, allotting 20 min for each session. The control group (CG) (n=10), during the 6 months of training, did not perform any activity using NMES, performing instead conventional physiotherapy. Metabolic and cardiorespiratory responses (O(2) uptake [VO(2)], CO(2) production [VCO(2)], pulmonary ventilation (V(E)), heart rate [HR], and blood pressure [BP]) were measured on inclusion and after 6 months. For the GG, differences were found in all parameters after training (P<0.05), except for HR and diastolic BP. During gait, VO(2) (L/min) increased by 36%, VCO(2) (L/min) increased by 42.97%, V(E) (L/min) increased by 30.48%, and systolic BP (mm Hg) increased by 4.8%. For the CG, only VO(2) and VCO(2) (L/min) significantly increased at rest (30.82 and 16.39%, respectively) and during knee-extension exercise (26.29 and 17.37%, respectively). Treadmill gait with NMES was, therefore, more efficient toward increasing the aerobic capacity due to yielding higher metabolic and cardiovascular stresses.

Electricity generation from synthesis gas by microbial processes: CO fermentation and microbial fuel cell technology.

PubMed

Kim, Daehee; Chang, In Seop

2009-10-01

A microbiological process was established to harvest electricity from the carbon monoxide (CO). A CO fermenter was enriched with CO as the sole carbon source. The DGGE/DNA sequencing results showed that Acetobacterium spp. were enriched from the anaerobic digester fluid. After the fermenter was operated under continuous mode, the products were then continuously fed to the microbial fuel cell (MFC) to generate electricity. Even though the conversion yield was quite low, this study proved that synthesis gas (syn-gas) can be converted to electricity with the aid of microbes that do not possess the drawbacks of metal catalysts of conventional methods.

Systems definition space based power conversion systems: Executive summary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1977-01-01

Potential space-located systems for the generation of electrical power for use on earth were investigated. These systems were of three basic types: (1) systems producing electrical power from solar energy; (2) systems producing electrical power from nuclear reactors; (3) systems for augmenting ground-based solar power plants by orbital sunlight reflectors. Configurations implementing these concepts were developed through an optimization process intended to yield the lowest cost for each. A complete program was developed for each concept, identifying required production rates, quantities of launches, required facilities, etc. Each program was costed in order to provide the electric power cost appropriate to each concept.

The TFTR E Parallel B Spectrometer for Mass and Energy Resolved Multi-Ion Charge Exchange Diagnostics

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

A.L. Roquemore; S.S. Medley

1998-01-01

The Charge Exchange Neutral Analyzer diagnostic for the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor was designed to measure the energy distributions of both the thermal ions and the supra thermal populations arising from neutral-beam injection and ion cyclotron radio-frequency heating. These measurements yield the plasma ion temperature, as well as several other plasma parameters necessary to provide an understanding of the plasma condition and the performance of the auxiliary heating methods. For this application, a novel charge-exchange spectrometer using a dee-shaped region of parallel electric and magnetic fields was developed at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory. The design and performance of thismore » spectrometer is described in detail, including the effects of exposure of the microchannel plate detector to magnetic fields, neutrons, and tritium.« less

Facile Preparation of Highly Conductive Metal Oxides by Self-Combustion for Solution-Processed Thermoelectric Generators.

PubMed

Kang, Young Hun; Jang, Kwang-Suk; Lee, Changjin; Cho, Song Yun

2016-03-02

Highly conductive indium zinc oxide (IZO) thin films were successfully fabricated via a self-combustion reaction for application in solution-processed thermoelectric devices. Self-combustion efficiently facilitates the conversion of soluble precursors into metal oxides by lowering the required annealing temperature of oxide films, which leads to considerable enhancement of the electrical conductivity of IZO thin films. Such enhanced electrical conductivity induced by exothermic heat from a combustion reaction consequently yields high performance IZO thermoelectric films. In addition, the effect of the composition ratio of In to Zn precursors on the electrical and thermoelectric properties of the IZO thin films was investigated. IZO thin films with a composition ratio of In:Zn = 6:2 at the low annealing temperature of 350 °C showed an enhanced electrical conductivity, Seebeck coefficient, and power factor of 327 S cm(-1), 50.6 μV K(-1), and 83.8 μW m(-1) K(-2), respectively. Moreover, the IZO thin film prepared at an even lower temperature of 300 °C retained a large power factor of 78.7 μW m(-1) K(-2) with an electrical conductivity of 168 S cm(-1). Using the combustive IZO precursor, a thermoelectric generator consisting of 15 legs was fabricated by a printing process. The thermoelectric array generated a thermoelectric voltage of 4.95 mV at a low temperature difference (5 °C). We suggest that the highly conductive IZO thin films by self-combustion may be utilized for fabricating n-type flexible printed thermoelectric devices.

Electrically conductive borate-based bioactive glass scaffolds for bone tissue engineering applications.

PubMed

Turk, Mert; Deliormanlı, Aylin M

2017-07-01

In this study, electrically conductive, borate-based, porous 13-93B3 bioactive glass composite scaffolds were prepared using a polymer foam replication technique. For this purpose, a slurry containing 40 vol% glass particles and 0-10 wt% graphene nanoplatelets was prepared by dispersing the particles in ethanol in the presence of ethyl cellulose. Composite scaffolds were subjected to a controlled heat treatment, in air atmosphere, to decompose the foam and sinter the glass particles into a dense network. It was found that the applied heat treatment did not influence the structure of graphene in the glass network. Graphene additions did not negatively affect the mechanical properties and enhanced the electrical conductivity of the glass scaffolds. In X-ray diffraction analysis, the crystalline peak corresponding to hydroxyapatite was observed in all the samples suggesting that all of the samples were bioactive after 30 days of immersion in simulated body fluid. However, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis and scanning electron microscope observations revealed that hydroxyapatite formation rate decreased with increasing graphene concentration especially for samples treated in simulated body fluid for shorter times. Based on the cytotoxicity assay findings, the MC3T3-E1 cell growth was significantly inhibited by the scaffolds containing higher amount of graphene compared to bare glass scaffolds. Best performance was obtained for 5 wt% graphene which yielded an enhancement of electrical conductivity with moderate cellular response and in vitro hydroxyapatite forming ability. The study revealed that the electrically conductive 13-93B3 graphene scaffolds are promising candidates for bone tissue engineering applications.

Quantifying electrical impacts on redundant wire insertion in 7nm unidirectional designs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohyeldin, Ahmed; Schroeder, Uwe Paul; Srinivasan, Ramya; Narisetty, Haritez; Malik, Shobhit; Madhavan, Sriram

2017-04-01

In nano-meter scale Integrated Circuits, via fails due to random defects is a well-known yield detractor, and via redundancy insertion is a common method to help enhance semiconductors yield. For the case of Self Aligned Double Patterning (SADP), which might require unidirectional design layers as in the case of some advanced technology nodes, the conventional methods of inserting redundant vias don't work any longer. This is because adding redundant vias conventionally requires adding metal shapes in the non-preferred direction, which will violate the SADP design constraints in that case. Therefore, such metal layers fabricated using unidirectional SADP require an alternative method for providing the needed redundancy. This paper proposes a post-layout Design for Manufacturability (DFM) redundancy insertion method tailored for the design requirements introduced by unidirectional metal layers. The proposed method adds redundant wires in the preferred direction - after searching for nearby vacant routing tracks - in order to provide redundant paths for electrical signals. This method opportunistically adds robustness against failures due to silicon defects without impacting area or incurring new design rule violations. Implementation details of this redundancy insertion method will be explained in this paper. One known challenge with similar DFM layout fixing methods is the possible introduction of undesired electrical impact, causing other unintentional failures in design functionality. In this paper, a study is presented to quantify the electrical impacts of such redundancy insertion scheme and to examine if that electrical impact can be tolerated. The paper will show results to evaluate DFM insertion rates and corresponding electrical impact for a given design utilization and maximum inserted wire length. Parasitic extraction and static timing analysis results will be presented. A typical digital design implemented using GLOBALFOUNDRIES 7nm technology is used for demonstration. The provided results can help evaluate such extensive DFM insertion method from an electrical standpoint. Furthermore, the results could provide guidance on how to implement the proposed method of adding electrical redundancy such that intolerable electrical impacts could be avoided.

Reply to “Comment on ‘Axion induced oscillating electric dipole moments’”

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

Hill, Christopher T.

A recent paper of Flambaum, Roberts and Stadnik, [1], claims there is no induced oscillating electric dipole moment (OEDM), eg, for the electron, arising from the oscillating cosmic axion background via the anomaly. This claim is based upon the assumption that electric dipoles always be defined by their coupling to static (constant in time) electric fields. The relevant Feynman diagram, as computed by [1], then becomes a total divergence, and vanishes in momentum space. However, an OEDM does arise from the anomaly, coupled to time dependent electric fields. It shares the decoupling properties with the anomaly. The full action, inmore » an arbitrary gauge, was computed in [2], [3]. It is nonvanishing with a time dependent outgoing photon, and yields physics, eg, electric dipole radiation of an electron immersed in a cosmic axion field.« less

Reduced toxicological activity of cigarette smoke by the addition of ammonia magnesium phosphate to the paper of an electrically heated cigarette: subchronic inhalation toxicology.

PubMed

Moennikes, O; Vanscheeuwijck, P M; Friedrichs, B; Anskeit, E; Patskan, G J

2008-05-01

Cigarette smoke is a complex chemical mixture that causes a variety of diseases, such as lung cancer. With the electrically heated cigarette smoking system (EHCSS), temperatures are applied to the tobacco below those found in conventional cigarettes, resulting in less combustion, reduced yields of some smoke constituents, and decreased activity in some standard toxicological tests. The first generation of electrically heated cigarettes (EHC) also resulted in increased formaldehyde yields; therefore, a second generation of EHC was developed with ammonium magnesium phosphate (AMP) in the cigarette paper in part to address this increase. The toxicological activity of mainstream smoke from these two generations of EHC and of a conventional reference cigarette was investigated in two studies in rats: a standard 90-day inhalation toxicity study and a 35-day inhalation study focusing on lung inflammation. Many of the typical smoke exposure-related changes were found to be less pronounced after exposure to smoke from the second-generation EHC with AMP than to smoke from the first-generation EHC or the conventional reference cigarette, when compared on a particulate matter or nicotine basis. Differences between the EHC without AMP and the conventional reference cigarette were not as prominent. Overall, AMP incorporated in the EHC cigarette paper reduced the inhalation toxicity of the EHCSS more than expected based on the observed reduction in aldehyde yields.

Electric analog of three-dimensional flow to wells and its application to unconfined aquifers

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stallman, Robert W.

1963-01-01

Electric-analog design criteria are established from the differential equations of ground-water flow for analyzing pumping-test data. A convenient analog design was obtained by transforming the cylindrical equation of flow to a rectilinear form. The design criteria were applied in the construction of an electric analog, which was used for studying pumping-test data collected near Grand Island, Nebr. Data analysis indicated (1) vertical flow components near pumping wells in unconfined aquifers may be much more significant in the control of water-table decline than radial flow components for as much as a day of pumping; (2) the specific yield during the first few minutes of pumping appears to be a very small fraction of that observed after pumping for more than 1 day; and (3) estimates of specific yield made from model studies seem much more sensitive to variations in assumed flow conditions than are estimates of permeability. Analysis of pumping-test data where vertical flow components are important requires that the degree of anisotropy be known. A procedure for computing anisotropy directly from drawdowns observed at five points was developed. Results obtained in the analog study emphasize the futility of calculating unconfined aquifer properties from pumping tests of short duration by means of equations based on the assumptions that vertical flow components are negligible and specific yield is constant.

Greased Lightning (GL-10) Flight Testing Campaign

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fredericks, William J.; McSwain, Robert G.; Beaton, Brian F.; Klassman, David W.; Theodore, Colin R.

2017-01-01

Greased Lightning (GL-10) is an aircraft configuration that combines the characteristics of a cruise efficient airplane with the ability to perform vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL). This aircraft has been designed, fabricated and flight tested at the small unmanned aerial system (UAS) scale. This technical memorandum will document the procedures and findings of the flight test experiments. The GL-10 design utilized two key technologies to enable this unique aircraft design; namely, distributed electric propulsion (DEP) and inexpensive closed loop controllers. These technologies enabled the flight of this inherently unstable aircraft. Overall it has been determined thru flight test that a design that leverages these new technologies can yield a useful VTOL cruise efficient aircraft.

Advances in Multi-Pixel Photon Counter technology: First characterization results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bonanno, G.; Marano, D.; Romeo, G.; Garozzo, S.; Grillo, A.; Timpanaro, M. C.; Catalano, O.; Giarrusso, S.; Impiombato, D.; La Rosa, G.; Sottile, G.

2016-01-01

Due to the recent advances in silicon photomultiplier technology, new types of Silicon Photomultiplier (SiPM), also named Multi-Pixel Photon Counter (MPPC) detectors have become recently available, demonstrating superior performance in terms of their most important electrical and optical parameters. This paper presents the latest characterization results of the novel Low Cross-Talk (LCT) MPPC families from Hamamatsu, where a noticeable fill-factor enhancement and cross-talk reduction is achieved. In addition, the newly adopted resin coating has been proven to yield improved photon detection capabilities in the 280-320 nm spectral range, making the new LCT MPPCs particularly suitable for emerging applications like Cherenkov Telescope Array, and Astroparticle Physics.

Non-invasive monitoring of pulmonary artery pressure from timing information by EIT: experimental evaluation during induced hypoxia.

PubMed

Proença, Martin; Braun, Fabian; Solà, Josep; Adler, Andy; Lemay, Mathieu; Thiran, Jean-Philippe; Rimoldi, Stefano F

2016-06-01

Monitoring of pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) in pulmonary hypertensive patients is currently limited to invasive solutions. We investigate a novel non-invasive approach for continuous monitoring of PAP, based on electrical impedance tomography (EIT), a safe, low-cost and non-invasive imaging technology. EIT recordings were performed in three healthy subjects undergoing hypoxia-induced PAP variations. The pulmonary pulse arrival time (PAT), a timing parameter physiologically linked to the PAP, was automatically calculated from the EIT signals. Values were compared to systolic PAP values from Doppler echocardiography, and yielded strong correlation scores ([Formula: see text]) for all three subjects. Results suggest the feasibility of non-invasive, unsupervised monitoring of PAP.

Super Yang-Mills theory with impurity walls and instanton moduli spaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cherkis, Sergey A.; O'Hara, Clare; Sämann, Christian

2011-06-01

We explore maximally supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory with walls of impurities respecting half of the supersymmetries. The walls carry fundamental or bifundamental matter multiplets. We employ three-dimensional N=2 superspace language to identify the Higgs branch of this theory. We find that the vacuum conditions determining the Higgs branch are exactly the bow equations yielding Yang-Mills instantons on a multi-Taub-NUT space. Under electric-magnetic duality, the super Yang-Mills theory describing the bulk is mapped to itself, while the fundamental- and bifundamental-carrying impurity walls are interchanged. We perform a one-loop computation on the Coulomb branch of the dual theory to find the asymptotic metric on the original Higgs branch.

Improving Light Distribution by Zoom Lens for Electricity Savings in a Plant Factory with Light-Emitting Diodes.

PubMed

Li, Kun; Li, Zhipeng; Yang, Qichang

2016-01-01

The high energy consumption of a plant factory is the biggest issue in its rapid expansion, especially for lighting electricity, which has been solved to a large extent by light-emitting diodes (LED). However, the remarkable potential for further energy savings remains to be further investigated. In this study, an optical system applied just below the LED was designed. The effects of the system on the growth and photosynthesis of butterhead lettuce (Lactuca sativa var. capitata) were examined, and the performance of the optical improvement in energy savings was evaluated by comparison with the traditional LED illumination mode. The irradiation patterns used were LED with zoom lenses (Z-LED) and conventional non-lenses LED (C-LED). The seedlings in both treatments were exposed to the same light environment over the entire growth period. The improvement saved over half of the light source electricity, while prominently lowering the temperature. Influenced by this, the rate of photosynthesis sharply decreased, causing reductions in plant yield and nitrate content, while having no negative effects on morphological parameters and photosynthetic pigment contents. Nevertheless, the much higher light use efficiency of Z-LEDs makes this system a better approach to illumination in a plant factory with artificial lighting.

Improving Light Distribution by Zoom Lens for Electricity Savings in a Plant Factory with Light-Emitting Diodes

PubMed Central

Li, Kun; Li, Zhipeng; Yang, Qichang

2016-01-01

The high energy consumption of a plant factory is the biggest issue in its rapid expansion, especially for lighting electricity, which has been solved to a large extent by light-emitting diodes (LED). However, the remarkable potential for further energy savings remains to be further investigated. In this study, an optical system applied just below the LED was designed. The effects of the system on the growth and photosynthesis of butterhead lettuce (Lactuca sativa var. capitata) were examined, and the performance of the optical improvement in energy savings was evaluated by comparison with the traditional LED illumination mode. The irradiation patterns used were LED with zoom lenses (Z-LED) and conventional non-lenses LED (C-LED). The seedlings in both treatments were exposed to the same light environment over the entire growth period. The improvement saved over half of the light source electricity, while prominently lowering the temperature. Influenced by this, the rate of photosynthesis sharply decreased, causing reductions in plant yield and nitrate content, while having no negative effects on morphological parameters and photosynthetic pigment contents. Nevertheless, the much higher light use efficiency of Z-LEDs makes this system a better approach to illumination in a plant factory with artificial lighting. PMID:26904062

Characterizing Uncertainty In Electrical Resistivity Tomography Images Due To Subzero Temperature Variability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herring, T.; Cey, E. E.; Pidlisecky, A.

2017-12-01

Time-lapse electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) is used to image changes in subsurface electrical conductivity (EC), e.g. due to a saline contaminant plume. Temperature variation also produces an EC response, which interferes with the signal of interest. Temperature compensation requires the temperature distribution and the relationship between EC and temperature, but this relationship at subzero temperatures is not well defined. The goal of this study is to examine how uncertainty in the subzero EC/temperature relationship manifests in temperature corrected ERT images, especially with respect to relevant plume parameters (location, contaminant mass, etc.). First, a lab experiment was performed to determine the EC of fine-grained glass beads over a range of temperatures (-20° to 20° C) and saturations. The measured EC/temperature relationship was then used to add temperature effects to a hypothetical EC model of a conductive plume. Forward simulations yielded synthetic field data to which temperature corrections were applied. Varying the temperature/EC relationship used in the temperature correction and comparing the temperature corrected ERT results to the synthetic model enabled a quantitative analysis of the error of plume parameters associated with temperature variability. Modeling possible scenarios in this way helps to establish the feasibility of different time-lapse ERT applications by quantifying the uncertainty associated with parameter(s) of interest.

Numerical simulation of dielectrophoretic separation of live/dead cells using a three-dimensional nonuniform AC electric field in micro-fabricated devices.

PubMed

Tada, Shigeru

2015-01-01

The analysis of cell separation has many important biological and medical applications. Dielectrophoresis (DEP) is one of the most effective and widely used techniques for separating and identifying biological species. In the present study, a DEP flow channel, a device that exploits the differences in the dielectric properties of cells in cell separation, was numerically simulated and its cell-separation performance examined. The samples of cells used in the simulation were modeled as human leukocyte (B cell) live and dead cells. The cell-separation analysis was carried out for a flow channel equipped with a planar electrode on the channel's top face and a pair of interdigitated counter electrodes on the bottom. This yielded a three-dimensional (3D) nonuniform AC electric field in the entire space of the flow channel. To investigate the optimal separation conditions for mixtures of live and dead cells, the strength of the applied electric field was varied. With appropriately selected conditions, the device was predicted to be very effective at separating dead cells from live cells. The major advantage of the proposed method is that a large volume of sample can be processed rapidly because of a large spacing of the channel height.

Self-assembly preparation of SiO2@Ni-Al layered double hydroxide composites and their enhanced electrorheological characteristics

PubMed Central

Ji, Xuqiang; Zhang, Wenling; Shan, Lei; Tian, Yu; Liu, Jingquan

2015-01-01

The core-shell structured SiO2@Ni-Al layered double hydroxide (LDH) composites were prepared via self-assembly of Ni-Al LDH on the surface of SiO2 spheres. Only coating a layer of ultrathin Ni-Al LDH sheet, the resulting SiO2@Ni-Al LDH composites exhibit significantly enhanced electrorheological (ER) characteristics compared to conventional bare SiO2 spheres. The monodispersed SiO2 spheres with average diameters of 260 nm were synthesized by the hydrolysis of tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS), while the shell part, Ni-Al LDH sheet was prepared by the hydrothermal procedure. The morphology of the samples was investigated via scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The structure of the samples was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The species and distribution of elements in samples were confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Energy dispersive analysis of X-ray (EDX) and elemental mapping in STEM. Subsequently, the ER characteristics of the composites dispersed in insulating oil were characterized by a rotational rheometer. The electric field-stimulated rheological performances (yield stress, viscosity, modulus, etc.) were observed under an external electric field, which is different from the Newtonian state in the free electric field. PMID:26670467

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.

Numerical dosimetry of transcranial magnetic stimulation coils

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crowther, Lawrence; Hadimani, Ravi; Jiles, David

2014-03-01

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a non-invasive neuromodulation technique capable of stimulating neurons by means of electromagnetic induction. TMS can be used to map brain function and shows promise for the diagnosis and treatment of neurological and psychiatric disorders. Calculation of fields induced in the brain are necessary to accurately identify stimulated neural tissue during TMS. This allows the development of novel TMS coil designs capable of stimulating deeper brain regions and increasing the localization of stimulation that can be achieved. We have performed numerical calculations of magnetic and electric field with high-resolution anatomically realistic human head models to find these stimulated brain regions for a variety of proposed TMS coil designs. The realistic head models contain heterogeneous tissue structures and electrical conductivities, yielding superior results to those obtained from the simplified homogeneous head models that are commonly employed. The attenuation of electric field as a function of depth in the brain and the localization of stimulating field have been methodically investigated. In addition to providing a quantitative comparison of different TMS coil designs the variation of induced field between subjects has been investigated. We also show the differences in induced fields between adult, adolescent and child head models to preemptively identify potential safety issues in the application of pediatric TMS.

Estimation Model for Magnetic Properties of Stamped Electrical Steel Sheet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kashiwara, Yoshiyuki; Fujimura, Hiroshi; Okamura, Kazuo; Imanishi, Kenji; Yashiki, Hiroyoshi

Less deterioration in magnetic properties of electrical steel sheets in the process of stamping out iron-core are necessary in order to maintain its performance. First, the influence of plastic strain and stress on magnetic properties was studied by test pieces, in which plastic strain was added uniformly and residual stress was not induced. Because the influence of plastic strain was expressed by equivalent plastic strain, at each equivalent plastic strain state the influence of load stress was investigated. Secondly, elastic limit was determined about 60% of macroscopic yield point (MYP), and it was found to agree with stress limit inducing irreversible deterioration in magnetic properties. Therefore simulation models, where beyond elastic limit plastic deformation begins and magnetic properties are deteriorated steeply, are proposed. Besides considered points in the deformation analysis are strain-rate sensitivity of flow stress, anisotropy under deformation, and influence of stress triaxiality on fracture. Finally, proposed models have been shown to be valid, because magnetic properties of 5mm width rectangular sheets stamped out from non-oriented electrical steel sheet (35A250 JIS grade) can be estimated with good accuracy. It is concluded that the elastic limit must be taken into account in both stamping process simulation and magnetic field calculation.

Self-assembly preparation of SiO2@Ni-Al layered double hydroxide composites and their enhanced electrorheological characteristics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ji, Xuqiang; Zhang, Wenling; Shan, Lei; Tian, Yu; Liu, Jingquan

2015-12-01

The core-shell structured SiO2@Ni-Al layered double hydroxide (LDH) composites were prepared via self-assembly of Ni-Al LDH on the surface of SiO2 spheres. Only coating a layer of ultrathin Ni-Al LDH sheet, the resulting SiO2@Ni-Al LDH composites exhibit significantly enhanced electrorheological (ER) characteristics compared to conventional bare SiO2 spheres. The monodispersed SiO2 spheres with average diameters of 260 nm were synthesized by the hydrolysis of tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS), while the shell part, Ni-Al LDH sheet was prepared by the hydrothermal procedure. The morphology of the samples was investigated via scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The structure of the samples was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The species and distribution of elements in samples were confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Energy dispersive analysis of X-ray (EDX) and elemental mapping in STEM. Subsequently, the ER characteristics of the composites dispersed in insulating oil were characterized by a rotational rheometer. The electric field-stimulated rheological performances (yield stress, viscosity, modulus, etc.) were observed under an external electric field, which is different from the Newtonian state in the free electric field.

Use of a spread sheet to calculate the current-density distribution produced in human and rat models by low-frequency electric fields.

PubMed

Hart, F X

1990-01-01

The current-density distribution produced inside irregularly shaped, homogeneous human and rat models by low-frequency electric fields is obtained by a two-stage finite-difference procedure. In the first stage the model is assumed to be equipotential. Laplace's equation is solved by iteration in the external region to obtain the capacitive-current densities at the model's surface elements. These values then provide the boundary conditions for the second-stage relaxation solution, which yields the internal current-density distribution. Calculations were performed with the Excel spread-sheet program on a Macintosh-II microcomputer. A spread sheet is a two-dimensional array of cells. Each cell of the sheet can represent a square element of space. Equations relating the values of the cells can represent the relationships between the potentials in the corresponding spatial elements. Extension to three dimensions is readily made. Good agreement was obtained with current densities measured on human models with both, one, or no legs grounded and on rat models in four different grounding configurations. The results also compared well with predictions of more sophisticated numerical analyses. Spread sheets can provide an inexpensive and relatively simple means to perform good, approximate dosimetric calculations on irregularly shaped objects.

Self-sensing performance of MWCNT-low density polyethylene nanocomposites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gupta, Tejendra K.; Kumar, S.; Khan, Amal Z.; Varadarajan, Kartik M.; Cantwell, Wesley J.

2018-01-01

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) based polymer nanocomposites offer a range of remarkable properties. Here, we demonstrate self-sensing performance of low density polyethylene (LDPE)-multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) nanocomposites for the first time. The dispersion of the CNTs and the morphology of the nanocomposites was investigated using scanning electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopic techniques. The thermal properties were measured using thermal gravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry and were found to increase with increasing wt% of MWCNTs in LDPE matrix. An overall improvement in ultimate tensile strength, yield strength and Young’s modulus was found to be 59.6%, 48.5% and 129.3%, respectively for 5.0 wt% loading of MWCNTs. The electrical percolation threshold was observed at 1.0 wt% of MWCNTs and the highest electrical conductivity of 2.8 × 10-2 Scm-1 was observed at 5.0 wt% loading of MWCNTs. These piezo-resistive nanocomposites offer tunable self-sensing capabilities with gauge factors in the ranges of 17-52 and 42-530 in linear elastic (strain ˜3%) and inelastic regimes (strain ˜15%) respectively. Our demonstration would provide guidelines for the fabrication of low cost, self-sensing MWCNT-LDPE nanocomposites for potential use as civil water pipelines and landfill membranes.

Compression Properties and Electrical Conductivity of In-Situ 20 vol.% Nano-Sized TiCx/Cu Composites with Different Particle Size and Morphology

PubMed Central

Zhang, Dongdong; Bai, Fang; Sun, Liping; Wang, Yong; Wang, Jinguo

2017-01-01

The compression properties and electrical conductivity of in-situ 20 vol.% nano-sized TiCx/Cu composites fabricated via combustion synthesis and hot press in Cu-Ti-CNTs system at various particles size and morphology were investigated. Cubic-TiCx/Cu composite had higher ultimate compression strength (σUCS), yield strength (σ0.2), and electric conductivity, compared with those of spherical-TiCx/Cu composite. The σUCS, σ0.2, and electrical conductivity of cubic-TiCx/Cu composite increased by 4.37%, 20.7%, and 17.8% compared with those of spherical-TiCx/Cu composite (526 MPa, 183 MPa, and 55.6% International Annealed Copper Standard, IACS). Spherical-TiCx/Cu composite with average particle size of ~94 nm exhibited higher ultimate compression strength, yield strength, and electrical conductivity compared with those of spherical-TiCx/Cu composite with 46 nm in size. The σUCS, σ0.2, and electrical conductivity of spherical-TiCx/Cu composite with average size of ~94 nm in size increased by 17.8%, 33.9%, and 62.5% compared with those of spherical-TiCx/Cu composite (417 MPa, 121 MPa, and 40.3% IACS) with particle size of 49 nm, respectively. Cubic-shaped TiCx particles with sharp corners and edges led to stress/strain localization, which enhanced the compression strength of the composites. The agglomeration of spherical-TiCx particles with small size led to the compression strength reduction of the composites. PMID:28772859

Structural and electrochemical properties of nanostructured nickel silicides by reduction and silicification of high-surface-area nickel oxide

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

Chen, Xiao; Zhang, Bingsen; Li, Chuang

Graphical abstract: Nanostructured nickel silicides have been synthesized by reduction and silification of high-surface-area nickel oxide, and exhibited remarkably like-noble metal property, lower electric resistivity, and ferromagnetism at room temperature. Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer NiSi{sub x} have been prepared by reduction and silification of high-surface-area NiO. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The structure of nickel silicides changed with increasing reaction temperature. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Si doping into nickel changed the magnetic properties of metallic nickel. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer NiSi{sub x} have remarkably lower electric resistivity and like-noble metal property. -- Abstract: Nanostructured nickel silicides have been prepared by reduction and silicification of high-surface-area nickel oxide (145 m{sup 2} g{sup -1})more » produced via precipitation. The prepared materials were characterized by nitrogen adsorption, X-ray diffraction, thermal analysis, FT-IR spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, magnetic and electrochemical measurements. The nickel silicide formation involves the following sequence: NiO (cubic) {yields} Ni (cubic) {yields} Ni{sub 2}Si (orthorhombic) {yields} NiSi (orthorhombic) {yields} NiSi{sub 2} (cubic), with particles growing from 13.7 to 21.3 nm. The nickel silicides are ferromagnetic at room temperature, and their saturation magnetization values change drastically with the increase of Si content. Nickel silicides have remarkably low electrical resistivity and noble metal-like properties because of a constriction of the Ni d band and an increase of the electronic density of states. The results suggest that such silicides are promising candidates as inexpensive yet functional materials for applications in electrochemistry as well as catalysis.« less

Imaging quantum transport using scanning gate microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hackens, Benoit

2014-03-01

Quantum transport in nanodevices is usually probed thanks to measurements of the electrical resistance or conductance, which lack the spatial resolution necessary to probe electron behaviour inside the devices. In this talk, we will show that scanning gate microscopy (SGM) yields real-space images of quantum transport phenomena inside archetypal mesoscopic devices such as quantum point contacts and quantum rings. We will first discuss the SGM technique, which is based on mapping the electrical conductance of a device as an electrically-biased sharp metallic tip scans in its vicinity. With SGM, we demonstrated low temperature imaging of the electron probability density and interferences in embedded mesoscopic quantum rings [B. Hackens et al., Nat. Phys. 2, 826 (2006)]. At high magnetic field, thanks to the SGM conductance maps, one can decrypt complex transport phenomena such as tunneling between quantum Hall edge state, either direct or through localized states [B. Hackens et al., Nat. Comm. 1, 39 (2010)]. Moreover, the technique also allows to perform local spectroscopy of electron transport through selected localized states [F. Martins et al., New J. of Phys. 15, 013049 (2013); F. Martins et al., Sci. Rep. 3, 1416 (2013)]. Overall, these examples show that scanning gate microscopy is a powerful tool for imaging charge carrier behavior inside devices fabricated from a variety of materials, and opens the way towards a more intimate manipulation of charge and quasiparticle transport. This work was performed in collaboration with F. Martins, S. Faniel, B. Brun, M. Pala, X. Wallart, L. Desplanque, B. Rosenow, T. Ouisse, H. Sellier, S. Huant and V. Bayot.

Electrical Detection of C-Reactive Protein Using a Single Free-Standing, Thermally Controlled Piezoresistive Microcantilever for Highly Reproducible and Accurate Measurements

PubMed Central

Yen, Yi-Kuang; Lai, Yu-Cheng; Hong, Wei-Ting; Pheanpanitporn, Yotsapoom; Chen, Chuin-Shan; Huang, Long-Sun

2013-01-01

This study demonstrates a novel method for electrical detection of C-reactive protein (CRP) as a means of identifying an infection in the body, or as a cardiovascular disease risk assay. The method uses a single free-standing, thermally controlled piezoresistive microcantilever biosensor. In a commonly used sensing arrangement of conventional dual cantilevers in the Wheatstone bridge circuit, reference and gold-coated sensing cantilevers that inherently have heterogeneous surface materials and different multilayer structures may yield independent responses to the liquid environmental changes of chemical substances, flow field and temperature, leading to unwanted signal disturbance for biosensing targets. In this study, the single free-standing microcantilever for biosensing applications is employed to resolve the dual-beam problem of individual responses in chemical solutions and, in a thermally controlled system, to maintain its sensor performance due to the sensitive temperature effect. With this type of single temperature-controlled microcantilever sensor, the electrical detection of various CRP concentrations from 1 μg/mL to 200 μg/mL was performed, which covers the clinically relevant range. Induced surface stresses were measured at between 0.25 N/m and 3.4 N/m with high reproducibility. Moreover, the binding affinity (KD) of CRP and anti-CRP interaction was found to be 18.83 ± 2.99 μg/mL, which agreed with results in previous reported studies. This biosensing technique thus proves valuable in detecting inflammation, and in cardiovascular disease risk assays. PMID:23899933

Applying petrophysical models to radar travel time and electrical resistivity tomograms: Resolution-dependent limitations

USGS Publications Warehouse

Day-Lewis, F. D.; Singha, K.; Binley, A.M.

2005-01-01

Geophysical imaging has traditionally provided qualitative information about geologic structure; however, there is increasing interest in using petrophysical models to convert tomograms to quantitative estimates of hydrogeologic, mechanical, or geochemical parameters of interest (e.g., permeability, porosity, water content, and salinity). Unfortunately, petrophysical estimation based on tomograms is complicated by limited and variable image resolution, which depends on (1) measurement physics (e.g., electrical conduction or electromagnetic wave propagation), (2) parameterization and regularization, (3) measurement error, and (4) spatial variability. We present a framework to predict how core-scale relations between geophysical properties and hydrologic parameters are altered by the inversion, which produces smoothly varying pixel-scale estimates. We refer to this loss of information as "correlation loss." Our approach upscales the core-scale relation to the pixel scale using the model resolution matrix from the inversion, random field averaging, and spatial statistics of the geophysical property. Synthetic examples evaluate the utility of radar travel time tomography (RTT) and electrical-resistivity tomography (ERT) for estimating water content. This work provides (1) a framework to assess tomograms for geologic parameter estimation and (2) insights into the different patterns of correlation loss for ERT and RTT. Whereas ERT generally performs better near boreholes, RTT performs better in the interwell region. Application of petrophysical models to the tomograms in our examples would yield misleading estimates of water content. Although the examples presented illustrate the problem of correlation loss in the context of near-surface geophysical imaging, our results have clear implications for quantitative analysis of tomograms for diverse geoscience applications. Copyright 2005 by the American Geophysical Union.

Plasma barodiffusion in inertial-confinement-fusion implosions: application to observed yield anomalies in thermonuclear fuel mixtures.

PubMed

Amendt, Peter; Landen, O L; Robey, H F; Li, C K; Petrasso, R D

2010-09-10

The observation of large, self-generated electric fields (≥10(9)  V/m) in imploding capsules using proton radiography has been reported [C. K. Li, Phys. Rev. Lett. 100, 225001 (2008)]. A model of pressure gradient-driven diffusion in a plasma with self-generated electric fields is developed and applied to reported neutron yield deficits for equimolar D3He [J. R. Rygg, Phys. Plasmas 13, 052702 (2006)] and (DT)3He [H. W. Herrmann, Phys. Plasmas 16, 056312 (2009)] fuel mixtures and Ar-doped deuterium fuels [J. D. Lindl, Phys. Plasmas 11, 339 (2004)]. The observed anomalies are explained as a mild loss of deuterium nuclei near capsule center arising from shock-driven diffusion in the high-field limit.

77 FR 9303 - National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants From Coal- and Oil-Fired Electric...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-16

... Utility Steam Generating Units and Standards of Performance for Fossil-Fuel-Fired Electric Utility... Performance for Fossil-Fuel-Fired Electric Utility, Industrial-Commercial-Institutional, and Small Industrial... electric utility steam generating units (EGUs) and standards of performance for fossil-fuel-fired electric...

NON-NEUTRALIZED ELECTRIC CURRENT PATTERNS IN SOLAR ACTIVE REGIONS: ORIGIN OF THE SHEAR-GENERATING LORENTZ FORCE

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

Georgoulis, Manolis K.; Titov, Viacheslav S.; Mikic, Zoran

Using solar vector magnetograms of the highest available spatial resolution and signal-to-noise ratio, we perform a detailed study of electric current patterns in two solar active regions (ARs): a flaring/eruptive and a flare-quiet one. We aim to determine whether ARs inject non-neutralized (net) electric currents in the solar atmosphere, responding to a debate initiated nearly two decades ago that remains inconclusive. We find that well-formed, intense magnetic polarity inversion lines (PILs) within ARs are the only photospheric magnetic structures that support significant net current. More intense PILs seem to imply stronger non-neutralized current patterns per polarity. This finding revises previousmore » works that claim frequent injections of intense non-neutralized currents by most ARs appearing in the solar disk but also works that altogether rule out injection of non-neutralized currents. In agreement with previous studies, we also find that magnetically isolated ARs remain globally current-balanced. In addition, we confirm and quantify the preference of a given magnetic polarity to follow a given sense of electric currents, indicating a dominant sense of twist in ARs. This coherence effect is more pronounced in more compact ARs with stronger PILs and must be of sub-photospheric origin. Our results yield a natural explanation of the Lorentz force, invariably generating velocity and magnetic shear along strong PILs, thus setting a physical context for the observed pre-eruption evolution in solar ARs.« less

Hydrogeological characterisation and prospect of basement Aquifers of Ibarapa region, southwestern Nigeria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akanbi, Olanrewaju Akinfemiwa

2018-06-01

The present study involved the use of 82 geo-electric soundings, and the measurement of well inventory and conduct of yield tests in 19 wells across the various bedrock terrains of Ibarapa region of southwestern Nigeria. The aim is to proffer solution to the unsustainable yield of the available boreholes in order to effectively exploit the existing groundwater resource in the area. From the geological reports, the area is underlain by four principal crystalline rocks that include porphyritic granite, gneisses, amphibolite and migmatite. The geo-electric studies revealed that the degree and extent of development of the weathered-fractured component varied, leading to diversity in groundwater yield and in aquifer vulnerability to contamination. The thickness of the weathered layer is greater than 18 m in areas underlain by amphibolite and gneisses and less than 13 m within migmatite and porphyritic granite terrains. High groundwater yield greater than 70 m3/day was recorded in wells within the zones of rock contacts and in areas with large concentration of bedrock fractures and elevated locations across the various bedrock terrains. Aquifer vulnerability is low in amphibolite, high in granitic terrains, low to moderate in gneisses and high to moderate in migmatite. Also, wells' depths and terrain elevation have a moderate to strong indirect relationship with groundwater yield in most bedrock terrains, except in high topographic areas underlain by porphyritic granite. Therefore, there is need for modification of well depth in accordance with the terrain elevation and hydrogeological complexity of the weathered-fractured components of the variuos bedrock terrains, so as to ensure a sustainable groundwater yield.

Feasibility tests for treating shampoo and hair colorant wastewaters using anaerobic processes.

PubMed

Ahammad, Shaikh Z; Yakubu, A; Dolfing, J; Mota, C; Graham, D W

2012-01-01

Wastes from the personal care product (PCP) industry are often high in biodegradable carbon, which makes them amenable to aerobic biological treatment, although process costs are usually high due to aeration inefficiencies, high electricity demand and production of large amounts of sludge. As such, anaerobic treatment technologies are being considered to lower net energy costs by reducing air use and increasing methane production. To assess the amenability of PCP wastes to anaerobic treatment, methane yields and rates were quantified in different anaerobic reactors treating typical PCP wastes, including wastes from shampoo and hair colorant products. Overall, shampoo wastes were more amenable to methanogenesis with almost double the methane yields compared with colour wastes. To assess relevant microbial guilds, qPCR was performed on reactor biomass samples. Methanosaetaceae abundances were always significantly higher than Methanosarcinaceae and Methanomicrobiales abundances (P < 0.05), and did not differ significantly between waste types. Although colour wastes were less amenable to anaerobic treatment than shampoo wastes, differences cannot be explained by relative microbial abundances and probably result from the presence of inhibiting compounds in hair colorants (e.g., oxidants) at higher levels. Results showed that anaerobic technologies have great potential for treating PCP wastes, but additional work is needed to establish the basis of elevated methane yields and inhibition, especially when colorant wastes are present.

High-temperature geothermal cableheads

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coquat, J. A.; Eifert, R. W.

1981-11-01

Two high temperature, corrosion resistant logging cable heads which use metal seals and a stable fluid to achieve proper electrical terminations and cable sonde interfacings are described. A tensile bar provides a calibrated yield point, and a cone assembly anchors the cable armor to the head. Electrical problems of the sort generally ascribable to the cable sonde interface were absent during demonstration hostile environment loggings in which these cable heads were used.

Electrical screening procedure for solid ionic conductors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kautz, H. E.; Singer, J.; Fielder, W. L.; Fordyce, J. S.

1973-01-01

An electrical screening method has been developed for preliminary evaluation of polycrystalline specimens of candidates for use as solid ionic conductive electrolytes in batteries. The procedure measures dielectric loss and capacitance, from which are calculated an ac conductivity attributed provisionally to ions and an activation energy for that conductivity. Electronic conductivity is directly measured. The screening procedure applied to sodium beta-alumina yielded acceptable values for conductivity and activation energy.

NREL Updates Baseline Cost and Performance Data for Electricity Generation

Science.gov Websites

Technologies | News | NREL Updates Baseline Cost and Performance Data for Electricity Generation Technologies News Release: NREL Updates Baseline Cost and Performance Data for Electricity generation technology cost and performance data used to support and inform electric sector analysis in the

Testing a community water supply well located near a stream for susceptibility to stream contamination and low-flows.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stewart-Maddox, N. S.; Tysor, E. H.; Swanson, J.; Degon, A.; Howard, J.; Tsinnajinnie, L.; Frisbee, M. D.; Wilson, J. L.; Newman, B. D.

2014-12-01

A community well is the primary water supply to the town of El Rito. This small rural town in is located in a semi-arid, mountainous portion of northern New Mexico where water is scarce. The well is 72 meters from a nearby intermittent stream. Initial tritium sampling suggests a groundwater connection between the stream and well. The community is concerned with the sustainability and future quality of the well water. If this well is as tightly connected to the stream as the tritium data suggests, then the well is potentially at risk due to upstream contamination and the impacts of extended drought. To examine this, we observed the well over a two-week period performing pump and recovery tests, electrical resistivity surveys, and physical observations of the nearby stream. We also collected general chemistry, stable isotope and radon samples from the well and stream. Despite the large well diameter, our pump test data exhibited behavior similar to a Theis curve, but the rate of drawdown decreased below the Theis curve late in the test. This decrease suggests that the aquifer is being recharged, possibly through delayed yield, upwelling of groundwater, or from the stream. The delayed yield hypothesis is supported by our electrical resistivity surveys, which shows very little change in the saturated zone over the course of the pump test, and by low values of pump-test estimated aquifer storativity. Observations of the nearby stream showed no change in stream-water level throughout the pump test. Together this data suggests that the interaction between the stream and the well is low, but recharge could be occurring through other mechanisms such as delayed yield. Additional pump tests of longer duration are required to determine the exact nature of the aquifer and its communication with the well.

Thermal and catalytic pyrolysis of a mixture of plastics from small waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE).

PubMed

Santella, Chiara; Cafiero, Lorenzo; De Angelis, Doina; La Marca, Floriana; Tuffi, Riccardo; Vecchio Ciprioti, Stefano

2016-08-01

Pyrolysis seems a promising route for recycling of heterogeneous, contaminated and additives containing plastics from waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). This study deals with the thermal and catalytic pyrolysis of a synthetic mixture containing real waste plastics, representative of polymers contained in small WEEE. Two zeolite-based catalysts were used at 400°C: HUSY and HZSM-5 with a high silica content, while three different temperatures were adopted for the thermal cracking: 400, 600 and 800°C. The mass balance showed that the oil produced by pyrolysis is always the main product regardless the process conditions selected, with yields ranging from 83% to 93%. A higher yield was obtained when pyrolysis was carried out with HZSM-5 at 400°C and without catalysts, but at 600 and 800°C. Formation of a significant amount of solid residue (about 13%) is observed using HUSY. The oily liquid product of pyrolysis, analysed by GC-MS and GC-FID, as well as by elemental analysis and for energy content, appeared lighter, less viscous and with a higher concentration of monoaromatics under catalytic condition, if compared to the liquid product derived from thermal degradation at the same temperature. HZSM-5 led to the production of a high yield of styrene (17.5%), while HUSY favoured the formation of ethylbenzene (15%). Energy released by combustion of the oil was around 39MJ/kg, thus suggesting the possibility to exploit it as a fuel, if the recovery of chemical compounds could not be realised. Elemental and proximate analysis of char and GC-TCD analysis of the gas were also performed. Finally, it was estimated to what extent these two products, showing a relevant ability to release energy, could fulfil the energy demand requested in pyrolysis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Method and apparatus for increasing the durability and yield of thin film photovoltaic devices

DOEpatents

Phillips, J.E.; Lasswell, P.G.

1987-02-03

Thin film photovoltaic cells having a pair of semiconductor layers between an opaque and a transparent electrical contact are manufactured in a method which includes the step of scanning one of the semiconductor layers to determine the location of any possible shorting defect. Upon the detection of such defect, the defect is eliminated to increase the durability and yield of the photovoltaic device. 10 figs.

Method and apparatus for increasing the durability and yield of thin film photovoltaic devices

DOEpatents

Phillips, James E.; Lasswell, Patrick G.

1987-01-01

Thin film photovoltaic cells having a pair of semiconductor layers between an opaque and a transparent electrical contact are manufactured in a method which includes the step of scanning one of the semiconductor layers to determine the location of any possible shorting defect. Upon the detection of such defect, the defect is eliminated to increase the durability and yield of the photovoltaic device.

Better Organic Ternary Memory Performance through Self-Assembled Alkyltrichlorosilane Monolayers on Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) Surfaces.

PubMed

Hou, Xiang; Cheng, Xue-Feng; Zhou, Jin; He, Jing-Hui; Xu, Qing-Feng; Li, Hua; Li, Na-Jun; Chen, Dong-Yun; Lu, Jian-Mei

2017-11-16

Recently, surface engineering of the indium tin oxide (ITO) electrode of sandwich-like organic electric memory devices was found to effectively improve their memory performances. However, there are few methods to modify the ITO substrates. In this paper, we have successfully prepared alkyltrichlorosilane self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on ITO substrates, and resistive random access memory devices are fabricated on these surfaces. Compared to the unmodified ITO substrates, organic molecules (i.e., 2-((4-butylphenyl)amino)-4-((4-butylphenyl)iminio)-3-oxocyclobut-1-en-1-olate, SA-Bu) grown on these SAM-modified ITO substrates have rougher surface morphologies but a smaller mosaicity. The organic layer on the SAM-modified ITO further aged to eliminate the crystalline phase diversity. In consequence, the ternary memory yields are effectively improved to approximately 40-47 %. Our results suggest that the insertion of alkyltrichlorosilane self-assembled monolayers could be an efficient method to improve the performance of organic memory devices. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Device optimization and scaling properties of a gate-on-germanium source tunnel field-effect transistor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chattopadhyay, Avik; Mallik, Abhijit; Omura, Yasuhisa

2015-06-01

A gate-on-germanium source (GoGeS) tunnel field-effect transistor (TFET) shows great promise for low-power (sub-0.5 V) applications. A detailed investigation, with the help of a numerical device simulator, on the effects of variation in different structural parameters of a GoGeS TFET on its electrical performance is reported in this paper. Structural parameters such as κ-value of the gate dielectric, length and κ-value of the spacer, and doping concentrations of both the substrate and source are considered. A low-κ symmetric spacer and a high-κ gate dielectric are found to yield better device performance. The substrate doping influences only the p-i-n leakage floor. The source doping is found to significantly affect performance parameters such as OFF-state current, ON-state current and subthreshold swing, in addition to a threshold voltage shift. Results of the investigation on the gate length scaling of such devices are also reported in this paper.

Enhanced succinic acid production from corncob hydrolysate by microbial electrolysis cells.

PubMed

Zhao, Yan; Cao, Weijia; Wang, Zhen; Zhang, Bowen; Chen, Kequan; Ouyang, Pingkai

2016-02-01

In this study, Actinobacillus succinogenes NJ113 microbial electrolysis cells (MECs) were used to enhance the reducing power responsible for succinic acid production from corncob hydrolysate. During corncob hydrolysate fermentation, electric MECs resulted in a 1.31-fold increase in succinic acid production and a 1.33-fold increase in the reducing power compared with those in non-electric MECs. When the hydrolysate was detoxified by combining Ca(OH)2, NaOH, and activated carbon, succinic acid production increased from 3.47 to 6.95 g/l. Using a constant potential of -1.8 V further increased succinic acid production to 7.18 g/l. A total of 18.09 g/l of succinic acid and a yield of 0.60 g/g total sugar were obtained after a 60-h fermentation when NaOH was used as a pH regulator. The improved succinic acid yield from corncob hydrolysate fermentation using A. succinogenes NJ113 in electric MECs demonstrates the great potential of using biomass as a feedstock to cost-effectively produce succinate. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparison of liquid hot water and alkaline pretreatments of giant reed for improved enzymatic digestibility and biogas energy production.

PubMed

Jiang, Danping; Ge, Xumeng; Zhang, Quanguo; Li, Yebo

2016-09-01

Liquid hot water (LHW) and alkaline pretreatments of giant reed biomass were compared in terms of digestibility, methane production, and cost-benefit efficiency for electricity generation via anaerobic digestion with a combined heat and power system. Compared to LHW pretreatment, alkaline pretreatment retained more of the dry matter in giant reed biomass solids due to less severe conditions. Under their optimal conditions, LHW pretreatment (190°C, 15min) and alkaline pretreatment (20g/L of NaOH, 24h) improved glucose yield from giant reed by more than 2-fold, while only the alkaline pretreatment significantly (p<0.05) increased cumulative methane yield (by 63%) over that of untreated biomass (217L/kgVS). LHW pretreatment obtained negative net electrical energy production due to high energy input. Alkaline pretreatment achieved 27% higher net electrical energy production than that of non-pretreatment (3859kJ/kg initial total solids), but alkaline liquor reuse is needed for improved net benefit. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Analysis of dynamic hydrogen (H2) generation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buford, Marcelle C.

2003-03-01

The focus of this research is on-demand hydrogen generation for applications such as electric vehicles and electric appliances. Hydrogen can be generated by steam reformation of alcohols, hydrocarbons and other hydrogen containing complexes. Steam reformation can be represented as a simple chemical reaction between an alcohol, commonly methanol, and water vapor to produce hydrogen and carbon dioxide. A fuel cell can then be employed to produce electrical power from hydrogen and air. Numerical and experimental techniques are employed to analyze the most appropriate reforming fuel to maximize H2 yield and minimize by-products of which carbon monoxide is the most harmful

Atomically-thin molecular layers for electrode modification of organic transistors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gim, Yuseong; Kang, Boseok; Kim, Bongsoo; Kim, Sun-Guk; Lee, Joong-Hee; Cho, Kilwon; Ku, Bon-Cheol; Cho, Jeong Ho

2015-08-01

Atomically-thin molecular layers of aryl-functionalized graphene oxides (GOs) were used to modify the surface characteristics of source-drain electrodes to improve the performances of organic field-effect transistor (OFET) devices. The GOs were functionalized with various aryl diazonium salts, including 4-nitroaniline, 4-fluoroaniline, or 4-methoxyaniline, to produce several types of GOs with different surface functional groups (NO2-Ph-GO, F-Ph-GO, or CH3O-Ph-GO, respectively). The deposition of aryl-functionalized GOs or their reduced derivatives onto metal electrode surfaces dramatically enhanced the electrical performances of both p-type and n-type OFETs relative to the performances of OFETs prepared without the GO modification layer. Among the functionalized rGOs, CH3O-Ph-rGO yielded the highest hole mobility of 0.55 cm2 V-1 s-1 and electron mobility of 0.17 cm2 V-1 s-1 in p-type and n-type FETs, respectively. Two governing factors: (1) the work function of the modified electrodes and (2) the crystalline microstructures of the benchmark semiconductors grown on the modified electrode surface were systematically investigated to reveal the origin of the performance improvements. Our simple, inexpensive, and scalable electrode modification technique provides a significant step toward optimizing the device performance by engineering the semiconductor-electrode interfaces in OFETs.Atomically-thin molecular layers of aryl-functionalized graphene oxides (GOs) were used to modify the surface characteristics of source-drain electrodes to improve the performances of organic field-effect transistor (OFET) devices. The GOs were functionalized with various aryl diazonium salts, including 4-nitroaniline, 4-fluoroaniline, or 4-methoxyaniline, to produce several types of GOs with different surface functional groups (NO2-Ph-GO, F-Ph-GO, or CH3O-Ph-GO, respectively). The deposition of aryl-functionalized GOs or their reduced derivatives onto metal electrode surfaces dramatically enhanced the electrical performances of both p-type and n-type OFETs relative to the performances of OFETs prepared without the GO modification layer. Among the functionalized rGOs, CH3O-Ph-rGO yielded the highest hole mobility of 0.55 cm2 V-1 s-1 and electron mobility of 0.17 cm2 V-1 s-1 in p-type and n-type FETs, respectively. Two governing factors: (1) the work function of the modified electrodes and (2) the crystalline microstructures of the benchmark semiconductors grown on the modified electrode surface were systematically investigated to reveal the origin of the performance improvements. Our simple, inexpensive, and scalable electrode modification technique provides a significant step toward optimizing the device performance by engineering the semiconductor-electrode interfaces in OFETs. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c5nr03307a

Ultrasound guided electrochemotherapy for the treatment of a clear cell thymoma in a cat

PubMed Central

Spugnini, Enrico Pierluigi; Menicagli, Francesco; Pettorali, Michela; Baldi, Alfonso

2017-01-01

A twelve-year-old male castrated domestic shorthair cat was presented for rapidly progressing respiratory distress. The cat was depressed, tachypneic and moderately responsive. Ultrasonography showed a mediastinal mass associated with a significant pleural effusion that needed tapping every five to seven days. Ultrasound guided biopsy yielded a diagnosis of clear cell thymoma upon histopathology. After complete staging procedures, the owner elected to treat the cat with electrochemotherapy (ECT) using systemic bleomycin. Two sessions of ultrasound guided ECT were performed at two week intervals with trains of biphasic electric pulses applied using needle electrodes until complete coverage of the area was achieved. The treatment was well tolerated and resulted in partial remission (PR). Additional sessions were performed on a monthly basis. The cat is still in PR after fourteen months. ECT resulted in improved local control and should be considered among the available adjuvant treatments in pets carrying visceral tumors. PMID:28331834

Intermediate photovoltaic system application experiment operational performance report. Volume 6: Beverly High School, Beverly, Mass.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1982-03-01

Performance data are given for the month of February, 1982 for a photovoltaic power supply at a Massachusetts high school. Data given include: monthly and daily electrical energy yield; monthly and daily insolation; monthly and daily array efficiency; energy production as a function of power level, voltage, cell temperature, and hour of day; insolation as a function of hour of the day; input, output and efficiency for each of two power conditioning units and for the total power conditioning system; energy supplied to the load by the photovoltaic system and by the grid; photovoltaic system efficiency; dollar value of the energy supplied by the photovoltaic system; capacity factor; daily photovoltaic energy to load; daily system availability and hours of daylight; heating and cooling degree days; hourly cell temperature, ambient temperature, wind speed, and insolation; average monthly wind speed; wind direction distribution; and daily data acquisition mode and recording interval plot.

Computer modeling of thermoelectric generator performance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chmielewski, A. B.; Shields, V.

1982-01-01

Features of the DEGRA 2 computer code for simulating the operations of a spacecraft thermoelectric generator are described. The code models the physical processes occurring during operation. Input variables include the thermoelectric couple geometry and composition, the thermoelectric materials' properties, interfaces and insulation in the thermopile, the heat source characteristics, mission trajectory, and generator electrical requirements. Time steps can be specified and sublimation of the leg and hot shoe is accounted for, as are shorts between legs. Calculations are performed for conduction, Peltier, Thomson, and Joule heating, the cold junction can be adjusted for solar radition, and the legs of the thermoelectric couple are segmented to enhance the approximation accuracy. A trial run covering 18 couple modules yielded data with 0.3% accuracy with regard to test data. The model has been successful with selenide materials, SiGe, and SiN4, with output of all critical operational variables.

Two-dimensional high efficiency thin-film silicon solar cells with a lateral light trapping architecture.

PubMed

Fang, Jia; Liu, Bofei; Zhao, Ying; Zhang, Xiaodan

2014-08-22

Introducing light trapping structures into thin-film solar cells has the potential to enhance their solar energy harvesting as well as the performance of the cells; however, current strategies have been focused mainly on harvesting photons without considering the light re-escaping from cells in two-dimensional scales. The lateral out-coupled solar energy loss from the marginal areas of cells has reduced the electrical yield indeed. We therefore herein propose a lateral light trapping structure (LLTS) as a means of improving the light-harvesting capacity and performance of cells, achieving a 13.07% initial efficiency and greatly improved current output of a-Si:H single-junction solar cell based on this architecture. Given the unique transparency characteristics of thin-film solar cells, this proposed architecture has great potential for integration into the windows of buildings, microelectronics and other applications requiring transparent components.

Secondary scintillation yield from GEM and THGEM gaseous electron multipliers for direct dark matter search

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Monteiro, C. M. B.; Fernandes, L. M. P.; Veloso, J. F. C. A.; Oliveira, C. A. B.; dos Santos, J. M. F.

2012-07-01

The search for alternatives to PMTs as photosensors in optical TPCs for rare event detection has significantly increased in the last few years. In particular, in view of the next generation large volume detectors, the use of photosensors with lower natural radioactivity, such as large area APDs or GM-APDs, with the additional possibility of sparse surface coverage, triggered the intense study of secondary scintillation production in micropattern electron multipliers, such as GEMs and THGEMs, as alternatives to the commonly used uniform electric field region between two parallel meshes. The much higher scintillation output obtained from the electron avalanches in such microstructures presents an advantage in those situations. The accurate knowledge of the amount of such scintillation is important for correct detector simulation and optimization. It will also serve as a benchmark for software tools developed and/or under development for the calculation of the amount of such scintillation.The secondary scintillation yield, or electroluminescence yield, in the electron avalanches of GEMs and THGEMs operating in gaseous xenon and argon has been determined for different gas pressures. At 1 bar, THGEMs deliver electroluminescence yields that are more than one order of magnitude higher when compared to those achieved in GEMs and two orders of magnitude when compared to those achieved in a uniform field gap. The THGEM electroluminescence yield presents a faster decrease with pressure when comparing to the GEM electroluminescence yield, reaching similar values to what is achieved in GEMs for xenon pressures of 2.5 bar, but still one order of magnitude higher than that produced in a uniform field gap. Another exception is the GEM operating in argon, which presents an electroluminescence yield similar to that produced in a uniform electric field gap, while the THGEM achieves yields that are more than one order of magnitude higher.

Estimating rooftop solar technical potential across the US using a combination of GIS-based methods, lidar data, and statistical modeling

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

Gagnon, Pieter; Margolis, Robert; Melius, Jennifer

We provide a detailed estimate of the technical potential of rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) electricity generation throughout the contiguous United States. This national estimate is based on an analysis of select US cities that combines light detection and ranging (lidar) data with a validated analytical method for determining rooftop PV suitability employing geographic information systems. We use statistical models to extend this analysis to estimate the quantity and characteristics of roofs in areas not covered by lidar data. Finally, we model PV generation for all rooftops to yield technical potential estimates. At the national level, 8.13 billion m 2 ofmore » suitable roof area could host 1118 GW of PV capacity, generating 1432 TWh of electricity per year. This would equate to 38.6% of the electricity that was sold in the contiguous United States in 2013. This estimate is substantially higher than a previous estimate made by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. The difference can be attributed to increases in PV module power density, improved estimation of building suitability, higher estimates of total number of buildings, and improvements in PV performance simulation tools that previously tended to underestimate productivity. Also notable, the nationwide percentage of buildings suitable for at least some PV deployment is high—82% for buildings smaller than 5000 ft 2 and over 99% for buildings larger than that. In most states, rooftop PV could enable small, mostly residential buildings to offset the majority of average household electricity consumption. Even in some states with a relatively poor solar resource, such as those in the Northeast, the residential sector has the potential to offset around 100% of its total electricity consumption with rooftop PV.« less

Estimating rooftop solar technical potential across the US using a combination of GIS-based methods, lidar data, and statistical modeling

DOE PAGES

Gagnon, Pieter; Margolis, Robert; Melius, Jennifer; ...

2018-01-05

We provide a detailed estimate of the technical potential of rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) electricity generation throughout the contiguous United States. This national estimate is based on an analysis of select US cities that combines light detection and ranging (lidar) data with a validated analytical method for determining rooftop PV suitability employing geographic information systems. We use statistical models to extend this analysis to estimate the quantity and characteristics of roofs in areas not covered by lidar data. Finally, we model PV generation for all rooftops to yield technical potential estimates. At the national level, 8.13 billion m 2 ofmore » suitable roof area could host 1118 GW of PV capacity, generating 1432 TWh of electricity per year. This would equate to 38.6% of the electricity that was sold in the contiguous United States in 2013. This estimate is substantially higher than a previous estimate made by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. The difference can be attributed to increases in PV module power density, improved estimation of building suitability, higher estimates of total number of buildings, and improvements in PV performance simulation tools that previously tended to underestimate productivity. Also notable, the nationwide percentage of buildings suitable for at least some PV deployment is high—82% for buildings smaller than 5000 ft 2 and over 99% for buildings larger than that. In most states, rooftop PV could enable small, mostly residential buildings to offset the majority of average household electricity consumption. Even in some states with a relatively poor solar resource, such as those in the Northeast, the residential sector has the potential to offset around 100% of its total electricity consumption with rooftop PV.« less

Estimating rooftop solar technical potential across the US using a combination of GIS-based methods, lidar data, and statistical modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gagnon, Pieter; Margolis, Robert; Melius, Jennifer; Phillips, Caleb; Elmore, Ryan

2018-02-01

We provide a detailed estimate of the technical potential of rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) electricity generation throughout the contiguous United States. This national estimate is based on an analysis of select US cities that combines light detection and ranging (lidar) data with a validated analytical method for determining rooftop PV suitability employing geographic information systems. We use statistical models to extend this analysis to estimate the quantity and characteristics of roofs in areas not covered by lidar data. Finally, we model PV generation for all rooftops to yield technical potential estimates. At the national level, 8.13 billion m2 of suitable roof area could host 1118 GW of PV capacity, generating 1432 TWh of electricity per year. This would equate to 38.6% of the electricity that was sold in the contiguous United States in 2013. This estimate is substantially higher than a previous estimate made by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. The difference can be attributed to increases in PV module power density, improved estimation of building suitability, higher estimates of total number of buildings, and improvements in PV performance simulation tools that previously tended to underestimate productivity. Also notable, the nationwide percentage of buildings suitable for at least some PV deployment is high—82% for buildings smaller than 5000 ft2 and over 99% for buildings larger than that. In most states, rooftop PV could enable small, mostly residential buildings to offset the majority of average household electricity consumption. Even in some states with a relatively poor solar resource, such as those in the Northeast, the residential sector has the potential to offset around 100% of its total electricity consumption with rooftop PV.

Electrokinetic framework of dielectrophoretic deposition devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burg, Brian R.; Bianco, Vincenzo; Schneider, Julian; Poulikakos, Dimos

2010-06-01

Numerical modeling and experiments are performed investigating the properties of a dielectrophoresis-based deposition device, in order to establish the electrokinetic framework required to understand the effects of applied inhomogeneous electric fields while moving particles to desired locations. By capacitively coupling electrodes to a conductive substrate, the controlled large-scale parallel dielectrophoretic assembly of nanostructures in individually accessible devices at a high integration density is accomplished. Thermal gradients in the solution, which give rise to local permittivity and conductivity changes, and velocity fields are solved by coupling electric, thermal, and fluid-mechanical equations. The induced electrothermal flow (ETF) causes vortices above the electrode gap, attracting particles, such as single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs), before they are trapped by the dielectrophoretic force and deposit across the electrodes. Long-range carbon nanotube transport is governed by hydrodynamic effects, while local trapping is dominated by dielectrophoretic forces in low concentration SWNT dispersions. Results show that by decreasing the ac frequency ac electroosmosis on the metallic electrodes occurs due to the emergence of an electric double layer, disturbing the initial flow pattern of the system. By superimposing a dc potential offset, a generated tangential electroosmotic fluid flow in the dielectric electrode gap also disrupts the ETF. Capacitive coupling is most efficient in the high frequency regime where it is the dominating impedance contribution. Understanding the occurrence and interaction of these different effects, including a self-limiting integration mechanism for individual nanostructures, allows an increased deposition yield at overall lower electric field strengths through a prudent choice of electric field parameters. The findings provide important avenues toward gentler particle handling, without direct current throughput, a relevant aspect for limiting process effects during device fabrication, all while increasing dielectrophoretic deposition efficiency in nanostructured networks.

Thrust Stand for Vertically Oriented Electric Propulsion Performance Evaluation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moeller, Trevor; Polzin, Kurt A.

2010-01-01

A variation of a hanging pendulum thrust stand capable of measuring the performance of an electric thruster operating in the vertical orientation is presented. The vertical orientation of the thruster dictates that the thruster must be horizontally offset from the pendulum pivot arm, necessitating the use of a counterweight system to provide a neutrally-stable system. Motion of the pendulum arm is transferred through a balance mechanism to a secondary arm on which deflection is measured. A non-contact light-based transducer is used to measure displacement of the secondary beam. The members experience very little friction, rotating on twisting torsional pivots with oscillatory motion attenuated by a passive, eddy current damper. Displacement is calibrated using an in situ thrust calibration system. Thermal management and self-leveling systems are incorporated to mitigate thermal and mechanical drifts. Gravitational restoring force and torsional spring constants associated with flexure pivots provide restoring moments. An analysis of the design indicates that the thrust measurement range spans roughly four decades, with the stand capable of measuring thrust up to 12 N for a 200 kg thruster and up to approximately 800 mN for a 10 kg thruster. Data obtained from calibration tests performed using a 26.8 lbm simulated thruster indicated a resolution of 1 mN on 100 mN-level thrusts, while those tests conducted on 200 lbm thruster yielded a resolution of roughly 2.5 micro at thrust levels of 0.5 N and greater.

Thrust stand for vertically oriented electric propulsion performance evaluation

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

Moeller, Trevor; Polzin, Kurt A.

A variation of a hanging pendulum thrust stand capable of measuring the performance of an electric thruster operating in the vertical orientation is presented. The vertical orientation of the thruster dictates that the thruster must be horizontally offset from the pendulum pivot arm, necessitating the use of a counterweight system to provide a neutrally stable system. Motion of the pendulum arm is transferred through a balance mechanism to a secondary arm on which deflection is measured. A noncontact light-based transducer is used to measure displacement of the secondary beam. The members experience very little friction, rotating on twisting torsional pivotsmore » with oscillatory motion attenuated by a passive, eddy-current damper. Displacement is calibrated using an in situ thrust calibration system. Thermal management and self-leveling systems are incorporated to mitigate thermal and mechanical drifts. Gravitational force and torsional spring constants associated with flexure pivots provide restoring moments. An analysis of the design indicates that the thrust measurement range spans roughly four decades, with the stand capable of measuring thrust up to 12 N for a 200 kg thruster and up to approximately 800 mN for a 10 kg thruster. Data obtained from calibration tests performed using a 26.8 lbm simulated thruster indicated a resolution of 1 mN on 100 mN level thrusts, while those tests conducted on a 200 lbm thruster yielded a resolution of roughly 2.5 mN at thrust levels of 0.5 N and greater.« less

A CPV System with Static Linear Fresnel Lenses in a Greenhouse

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sonneveld, Piet; Zahn, Helmut; Swinkels, Gert-Jan

2010-10-01

A new CPV system with a static linear Fresnel lens, silicon PV module suitable for concentrated radiation and an innovative tracking system is integrated in a greenhouse covering. The basic idea of this horticultural application is to develop a greenhouse for pot plants (typical shadow plants) which don't like high direct radiation. Removing all direct radiation will block up to 77% of the solar energy, which will reduce the necessary cooling capacity. The solar energy focused on the Thermal Photovoltaic (PV/T) module generates electric and thermal energy. The PV/T module is tracked in the focal line and requires cooling due to the high heat load of the concentrated radiation (concentration factor of 50 times). All parts are integrated in a greenhouse with a size of about 36 m2. The electrical and thermal yield is determined for Dutch climate circumstances. Some measurements were performed with a PMMA linear Fresnel lens between double glass. Further improvement of the performance of the CPV-system is possible by using a PDMS lens directly laminated on glass and using AR-coated glass. This lens is developed with ZEMAX and the results of the Ray-tracing simulations are presented with the lens structure oriented in an upwards and downwards position. The best performance of the static linear Fresnel lens is achieved with upwards orientation of the lens structures. In practice this is only possible with the Fresnel lens placed between a double glass structure, which will keep the lens clean and free of water.

Electric fields yield chaos in microflows

PubMed Central

Posner, Jonathan D.; Pérez, Carlos L.; Santiago, Juan G.

2012-01-01

We present an investigation of chaotic dynamics of a low Reynolds number electrokinetic flow. Electrokinetic flows arise due to couplings of electric fields and electric double layers. In these flows, applied (steady) electric fields can couple with ionic conductivity gradients outside electric double layers to produce flow instabilities. The threshold of these instabilities is controlled by an electric Rayleigh number, Rae. As Rae increases monotonically, we show here flow dynamics can transition from steady state to a time-dependent periodic state and then to an aperiodic, chaotic state. Interestingly, further monotonic increase of Rae shows a transition back to a well-ordered state, followed by a second transition to a chaotic state. Temporal power spectra and time-delay phase maps of low dimensional attractors graphically depict the sequence between periodic and chaotic states. To our knowledge, this is a unique report of a low Reynolds number flow with such a sequence of periodic-to-aperiodic transitions. Also unique is a report of strange attractors triggered and sustained through electric fluid body forces. PMID:22908251

Efficacy of very fast simulated annealing global optimization method for interpretation of self-potential anomaly by different forward formulation over 2D inclined sheet type structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Biswas, A.; Sharma, S. P.

2012-12-01

Self-Potential anomaly is an important geophysical technique that measures the electrical potential due natural source of current in the Earth's subsurface. An inclined sheet type model is a very familiar structure associated with mineralization, fault plane, groundwater flow and many other geological features which exhibits self potential anomaly. A number of linearized and global inversion approaches have been developed for the interpretation of SP anomaly over different structures for various purposes. Mathematical expression to compute the forward response over a two-dimensional dipping sheet type structures can be described in three different ways using five variables in each case. Complexities in the inversion using three different forward approaches are different. Interpretation of self-potential anomaly using very fast simulated annealing global optimization has been developed in the present study which yielded a new insight about the uncertainty and equivalence in model parameters. Interpretation of the measured data yields the location of the causative body, depth to the top, extension, dip and quality of the causative body. In the present study, a comparative performance of three different forward approaches in the interpretation of self-potential anomaly is performed to assess the efficacy of the each approach in resolving the possible ambiguity. Even though each forward formulation yields the same forward response but optimization of different sets of variable using different forward problems poses different kinds of ambiguity in the interpretation. Performance of the three approaches in optimization has been compared and it is observed that out of three methods, one approach is best and suitable for this kind of study. Our VFSA approach has been tested on synthetic, noisy and field data for three different methods to show the efficacy and suitability of the best method. It is important to use the forward problem in the optimization that yields the best result without any ambiguity and smaller uncertainty. Keywords: SP anomaly, inclined sheet, 2D structure, forward problems, VFSA Optimization,

Electrophoretically active sol-gel processes to backfill, seal, and/or densify porous, flawed, and/or cracked coatings on electrically conductive material

DOEpatents

Panitz, Janda K.; Reed, Scott T.; Ashley, Carol S.; Neiser, Richard A.; Moffatt, William C.

1999-01-01

Electrophoretically active sol-gel processes to fill, seal, and/or density porous, flawed, and/or cracked coatings on electrically conductive substrates. Such coatings may be dielectrics, ceramics, or semiconductors and, by the present invention, may have deposited onto and into them sol-gel ceramic precursor compounds which are subsequently converted to sol-gel ceramics to yield composite materials with various tailored properties.

Multi-probe-based resonance-frequency electrical impedance spectroscopy for detection of suspicious breast lesions: improving performance using partial ROC optimization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lederman, Dror; Zheng, Bin; Wang, Xingwei; Wang, Xiao Hui; Gur, David

2011-03-01

We have developed a multi-probe resonance-frequency electrical impedance spectroscope (REIS) system to detect breast abnormalities. Based on assessing asymmetry in REIS signals acquired between left and right breasts, we developed several machine learning classifiers to classify younger women (i.e., under 50YO) into two groups of having high and low risk for developing breast cancer. In this study, we investigated a new method to optimize performance based on the area under a selected partial receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve when optimizing an artificial neural network (ANN), and tested whether it could improve classification performance. From an ongoing prospective study, we selected a dataset of 174 cases for whom we have both REIS signals and diagnostic status verification. The dataset includes 66 "positive" cases recommended for biopsy due to detection of highly suspicious breast lesions and 108 "negative" cases determined by imaging based examinations. A set of REIS-based feature differences, extracted from the two breasts using a mirror-matched approach, was computed and constituted an initial feature pool. Using a leave-one-case-out cross-validation method, we applied a genetic algorithm (GA) to train the ANN with an optimal subset of features. Two optimization criteria were separately used in GA optimization, namely the area under the entire ROC curve (AUC) and the partial area under the ROC curve, up to a predetermined threshold (i.e., 90% specificity). The results showed that although the ANN optimized using the entire AUC yielded higher overall performance (AUC = 0.83 versus 0.76), the ANN optimized using the partial ROC area criterion achieved substantially higher operational performance (i.e., increasing sensitivity level from 28% to 48% at 95% specificity and/ or from 48% to 58% at 90% specificity).

Development of Low Global Warming Potential Refrigerant Solutions for Commercial Refrigeration Systems using a Life Cycle Climate Performance Design Tool

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

Abdelaziz, Omar; Fricke, Brian A; Vineyard, Edward Allan

Commercial refrigeration systems are known to be prone to high leak rates and to consume large amounts of electricity. As such, direct emissions related to refrigerant leakage and indirect emissions resulting from primary energy consumption contribute greatly to their Life Cycle Climate Performance (LCCP). In this paper, an LCCP design tool is used to evaluate the performance of a typical commercial refrigeration system with alternative refrigerants and minor system modifications to provide lower Global Warming Potential (GWP) refrigerant solutions with improved LCCP compared to baseline systems. The LCCP design tool accounts for system performance, ambient temperature, and system load; systemmore » performance is evaluated using a validated vapor compression system simulation tool while ambient temperature and system load are devised from a widely used building energy modeling tool (EnergyPlus). The LCCP design tool also accounts for the change in hourly electricity emission rate to yield an accurate prediction of indirect emissions. The analysis shows that conventional commercial refrigeration system life cycle emissions are largely due to direct emissions associated with refrigerant leaks and that system efficiency plays a smaller role in the LCCP. However, as a transition occurs to low GWP refrigerants, the indirect emissions become more relevant. Low GWP refrigerants may not be suitable for drop-in replacements in conventional commercial refrigeration systems; however some mixtures may be introduced as transitional drop-in replacements. These transitional refrigerants have a significantly lower GWP than baseline refrigerants and as such, improved LCCP. The paper concludes with a brief discussion on the tradeoffs between refrigerant GWP, efficiency and capacity.« less

Method for manufacturing high quality carbon nanotubes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Benavides, Jeanette M. (Inventor)

2006-01-01

A non-catalytic process for the production of carbon nanotubes includes supplying an electric current to a carbon anode and a carbon cathode which have been securely positioned in the open atmosphere with a gap between them. The electric current creates an electric arc between the carbon anode and the carbon cathode, which causes carbon to be vaporized from the carbon anode and a carbonaceous residue to be deposited on the carbon cathode. Inert gas is pumped into the gap to flush out oxygen, thereby preventing interference with the vaporization of carbon from the anode and preventing oxidation of the carbonaceous residue being deposited on the cathode. The anode and cathode are cooled while electric current is being supplied thereto. When the supply of electric current is terminated, the carbonaceous residue is removed from the cathode and is purified to yield carbon nanotubes.

Microbial electrolysis cells turning to be versatile technology: recent advances and future challenges.

PubMed

Zhang, Yifeng; Angelidaki, Irini

2014-06-01

Microbial electrolysis cells (MECs) are an electricity-mediated microbial bioelectrochemical technology, which is originally developed for high-efficiency biological hydrogen production from waste streams. Compared to traditional biological technologies, MECs can overcome thermodynamic limitations and achieve high-yield hydrogen production from wide range of organic matters at relatively mild conditions. This approach greatly reduces the electric energy cost for hydrogen production in contrast to direct water electrolysis. In addition to hydrogen production, MECs may also support several energetically unfavorable biological/chemical reactions. This unique advantage of MECs has led to several alternative applications such as chemicals synthesis, recalcitrant pollutants removal, resources recovery, bioelectrochemical research platform and biosensors, which have greatly broaden the application scopes of MECs. MECs are becoming a versatile platform technology and offer a new solution for emerging environmental issues related to waste streams treatment and energy and resource recovery. Different from previous reviews that mainly focus on hydrogen production, this paper provides an up-to-date review of all the new applications of MECs and their resulting performance, current challenges and prospects of future. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Efficiently-cooled plasmonic amorphous silicon solar cells integrated with a nano-coated heat-pipe plate

PubMed Central

Zhang, Yinan; Du, Yanping; Shum, Clifford; Cai, Boyuan; Le, Nam Cao Hoai; Chen, Xi; Duck, Benjamin; Fell, Christopher; Zhu, Yonggang; Gu, Min

2016-01-01

Solar photovoltaics (PV) are emerging as a major alternative energy source. The cost of PV electricity depends on the efficiency of conversion of light to electricity. Despite of steady growth in the efficiency for several decades, little has been achieved to reduce the impact of real-world operating temperatures on this efficiency. Here we demonstrate a highly efficient cooling solution to the recently emerging high performance plasmonic solar cell technology by integrating an advanced nano-coated heat-pipe plate. This thermal cooling technology, efficient for both summer and winter time, demonstrates the heat transportation capability up to ten times higher than those of the metal plate and the conventional wickless heat-pipe plates. The reduction in temperature rise of the plasmonic solar cells operating under one sun condition can be as high as 46%, leading to an approximate 56% recovery in efficiency, which dramatically increases the energy yield of the plasmonic solar cells. This newly-developed, thermally-managed plasmonic solar cell device significantly extends the application scope of PV for highly efficient solar energy conversion. PMID:27113558

Efficiently-cooled plasmonic amorphous silicon solar cells integrated with a nano-coated heat-pipe plate.

PubMed

Zhang, Yinan; Du, Yanping; Shum, Clifford; Cai, Boyuan; Le, Nam Cao Hoai; Chen, Xi; Duck, Benjamin; Fell, Christopher; Zhu, Yonggang; Gu, Min

2016-04-26

Solar photovoltaics (PV) are emerging as a major alternative energy source. The cost of PV electricity depends on the efficiency of conversion of light to electricity. Despite of steady growth in the efficiency for several decades, little has been achieved to reduce the impact of real-world operating temperatures on this efficiency. Here we demonstrate a highly efficient cooling solution to the recently emerging high performance plasmonic solar cell technology by integrating an advanced nano-coated heat-pipe plate. This thermal cooling technology, efficient for both summer and winter time, demonstrates the heat transportation capability up to ten times higher than those of the metal plate and the conventional wickless heat-pipe plates. The reduction in temperature rise of the plasmonic solar cells operating under one sun condition can be as high as 46%, leading to an approximate 56% recovery in efficiency, which dramatically increases the energy yield of the plasmonic solar cells. This newly-developed, thermally-managed plasmonic solar cell device significantly extends the application scope of PV for highly efficient solar energy conversion.

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.

Self-assembled photosystem-I biophotovoltaics on nanostructured TiO(2 )and ZnO.

PubMed

Mershin, Andreas; Matsumoto, Kazuya; Kaiser, Liselotte; Yu, Daoyong; Vaughn, Michael; Nazeeruddin, Md K; Bruce, Barry D; Graetzel, Michael; Zhang, Shuguang

2012-01-01

The abundant pigment-protein membrane complex photosystem-I (PS-I) is at the heart of the Earth's energy cycle. It is the central molecule in the "Z-scheme" of photosynthesis, converting sunlight into the chemical energy of life. Commandeering this intricately organized photosynthetic nanocircuitry and re-wiring it to produce electricity carries the promise of inexpensive and environmentally friendly solar power. We here report that dry PS-I stabilized by surfactant peptides functioned as both the light-harvester and charge separator in solar cells self-assembled on nanostructured semiconductors. Contrary to previous attempts at biophotovoltaics requiring elaborate surface chemistries, thin film deposition, and illumination concentrated into narrow wavelength ranges the devices described here are straightforward and inexpensive to fabricate and perform well under standard sunlight yielding open circuit photovoltage of 0.5 V, fill factor of 71%, electrical power density of 81 µW/cm(2) and photocurrent density of 362 µA/cm(2), over four orders of magnitude higher than any photosystem-based biophotovoltaic to date.

Self-assembled photosystem-I biophotovoltaics on nanostructured TiO2 and ZnO

PubMed Central

Mershin, Andreas; Matsumoto, Kazuya; Kaiser, Liselotte; Yu, Daoyong; Vaughn, Michael; Nazeeruddin, Md. K.; Bruce, Barry D.; Graetzel, Michael; Zhang, Shuguang

2012-01-01

The abundant pigment-protein membrane complex photosystem-I (PS-I) is at the heart of the Earth’s energy cycle. It is the central molecule in the “Z-scheme” of photosynthesis, converting sunlight into the chemical energy of life. Commandeering this intricately organized photosynthetic nanocircuitry and re-wiring it to produce electricity carries the promise of inexpensive and environmentally friendly solar power. We here report that dry PS-I stabilized by surfactant peptides functioned as both the light-harvester and charge separator in solar cells self-assembled on nanostructured semiconductors. Contrary to previous attempts at biophotovoltaics requiring elaborate surface chemistries, thin film deposition, and illumination concentrated into narrow wavelength ranges the devices described here are straightforward and inexpensive to fabricate and perform well under standard sunlight yielding open circuit photovoltage of 0.5 V, fill factor of 71%, electrical power density of 81 µW/cm2 and photocurrent density of 362 µA/cm2, over four orders of magnitude higher than any photosystem-based biophotovoltaic to date. PMID:22355747

Effects of Stress Relaxation Aging with Electrical Pulses on Microstructures and Properties of 2219 Aluminum Alloy

PubMed Central

Tan, Jingsheng; Zhan, Lihua; Zhang, Jiao; Yang, Zhan; Ma, Ziyao

2016-01-01

To realize the high-efficiency and high-performance manufacture of complex high-web panels, this paper introduced electric pulse current (EPC) into the stress relaxation aging forming process of 2219 aluminum alloy and systematically studied the effects of EPC, stress, and aging time upon the microstructure and properties of 2219 aluminum alloy. It is discovered that: (a) EPC greatly enhanced the mechanical properties after stress relaxation aging and reduced the sensitivity of the yield strength for the initial stress under the aging system of 165 °C/11 h; (b) compared with general aging, stress relaxation aging instead delayed the aging process of 2219 aluminum alloy and greatly increased the peak strength value; (c) EPC accelerated the aging precipitation behavior of 2219 aluminum alloy and reduced transgranular and grain-boundary energy difference, thus leading to a more diffused distribution of the transgranular precipitated phase and the absence of a significant precipitation-free zone (PFZ) and grain-boundary stable phase in the grain boundary, further improving the mechanical properties of the alloy. PMID:28773660

Efficiently-cooled plasmonic amorphous silicon solar cells integrated with a nano-coated heat-pipe plate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yinan; Du, Yanping; Shum, Clifford; Cai, Boyuan; Le, Nam Cao Hoai; Chen, Xi; Duck, Benjamin; Fell, Christopher; Zhu, Yonggang; Gu, Min

2016-04-01

Solar photovoltaics (PV) are emerging as a major alternative energy source. The cost of PV electricity depends on the efficiency of conversion of light to electricity. Despite of steady growth in the efficiency for several decades, little has been achieved to reduce the impact of real-world operating temperatures on this efficiency. Here we demonstrate a highly efficient cooling solution to the recently emerging high performance plasmonic solar cell technology by integrating an advanced nano-coated heat-pipe plate. This thermal cooling technology, efficient for both summer and winter time, demonstrates the heat transportation capability up to ten times higher than those of the metal plate and the conventional wickless heat-pipe plates. The reduction in temperature rise of the plasmonic solar cells operating under one sun condition can be as high as 46%, leading to an approximate 56% recovery in efficiency, which dramatically increases the energy yield of the plasmonic solar cells. This newly-developed, thermally-managed plasmonic solar cell device significantly extends the application scope of PV for highly efficient solar energy conversion.

Characterisation and materials flow management for waste electrical and electronic equipment plastics from German dismantling centres.

PubMed

Arends, Dagmar; Schlummer, Martin; Mäurer, Andreas; Markowski, Jens; Wagenknecht, Udo

2015-09-01

Waste electrical and electronic equipment is a complex waste stream and treatment options that work for one waste category or product may not be appropriate for others. A comprehensive case study has been performed for plastic-rich fractions that are treated in German dismantling centres. Plastics from TVs, monitors and printers and small household appliances have been characterised extensively. Based on the characterisation results, state-of-the-art treatment technologies have been combined to design an optimised recycling and upgrade process for each input fraction. High-impact polystyrene from TV casings that complies with the European directive on the restriction of hazardous substances (RoHS) was produced by applying continuous density separation with yields of about 60%. Valuable acrylonitrile butadiene styrene/polycarbonate can be extracted from monitor and printer casings by near-infrared-based sorting. Polyolefins and/or a halogen-free fraction of mixed styrenics can be sorted out by density separation from monitors and printers and small household appliances. Emerging separation technologies are discussed to improve recycling results. © The Author(s) 2015.

Electrostatic Structure and Double-Probe Performance in Tenuous Plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cully, C. M.; Ergun, R. E.

2006-12-01

Many in-situ plasma instruments are affected by the local electrostatic structure surrounding the spacecraft. In order to better understand this structure, we have developed a fully 3-dimensional self-consistent model that uses realistic spacecraft geometry, including thin (<1 mm) wires and long (>100m) booms, with open boundary conditions. One of the more surprising results is that in tenuous plasmas, the charge on the booms can dominate over the charge on the spacecraft body. For instruments such as electric field double probes and boom-mounted low-energy particle detectors, this challenges the existing paradigm: long booms do not allow the probes to escape the spacecraft potential. Instead, the potential structure simply expands as the boom is deployed. We then apply our model to the double-probe Electric Field and Waves (EFW) instruments on Cluster, and predict the magnitudes of the main error sources. The overall error budget is consistent with experiment, and the model yields some additional interesting insights. We show that the charge in the photoelectron cloud is relatively unimportant, and that the spacecraft potential is typically underestimated by about 20% by double-probe experiments.

Electric field responsive origami structures using electrostriction-based active materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmed, Saad; Arrojado, Erika; Sigamani, Nirmal; Ounaies, Zoubeida

2015-04-01

The objective of origami engineering is to combine origami principles with advanced materials to yield active origami shapes, which fold and unfold in response to external stimuli. We are investigating the use of P(VDF-TrFE-CTFE), a relaxor ferroelectric terpolymer, to realize origami-inspired folding and unfolding of structures and to actuate so-called action origami structures. To accomplish these two objectives, we have explored different approaches to the P(VDF-TrFECTFE) polymer actuator construction, ranging from unimorph to multilayered stacks. Electromechanical characterization of the terpolymer-based actuators is conducted with a focus on free strain, force-displacement and blocked force. Moreover dynamic thickness strains of P(VDF-TrFE-CTFE) terpolymer at different frequencies ranging from 0.1Hz to 10Hz is also measured. Quantifying the performance of terpolymer-based actuators is important to the design of action origami structures. Following these studies, action origami prototypes based on catapult, flapping butterfly wings and barking fox are actuated and characterization of these prototypes are conducted by studying impact of various parameters such as electric field magnitude and frequency, number of active layers, and actuator dimensions.

Bioethanol fermentation as alternative valorization route of agricultural digestate according to a biorefinery approach.

PubMed

Sambusiti, C; Monlau, F; Barakat, A

2016-07-01

This study investigates the feasibility of producing bioethanol from solid digestate after a mechanical fractionation (i.e. centrifugal milling), in order to improve the energy recovery from agricultural wastes and the sustainability of anaerobic digestion plants. A bioethanol yield of 37gkg(-1)TS was evaluated for the solid digestate fraction. Mass and energetic balances were performed and compared between two scenarios: (A) one-stage bioethanol fermentation and (B) two-stage anaerobic digestion-bioethanol fermentation, in order to evaluate the feasibility and the advantages of the two-stage process. Results revealed that, compared to the one-stage process, the dual anaerobic digestion-bioethanol process permitted: (i) to diversify biofuels production; (ii) to provide the thermal energy sufficient for drying digestate (13,351kWhthday(-1)), for the subsequent milling step; (iii) to reduce the electric energy requirement for the milling step (from 23,880 to 3580kWhelday(-1)); (iv) to produce extra electrical energy of 8483kWhelday(-1); (v) to improve the reduction of waste streams generated (from 13% to 54% of organic matter removal). Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Heliostat cost reduction study.

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

Jones, Scott A.; Lumia, Ronald.; Davenport, Roger

2007-06-01

Power towers are capable of producing solar-generated electricity and hydrogen on a large scale. Heliostats are the most important cost element of a solar power tower plant. Since they constitute {approx} 50% of the capital cost of the plant it is important to reduce heliostat cost as much as possible to improve the economic performance of power towers. In this study we evaluate current heliostat technology and estimate a price ofmore » $$126/m{sup 2} given year-2006 materials and labor costs for a deployment of {approx}600 MW of power towers per year. This 2006 price yields electricity at $$0.067/kWh and hydrogen at $3.20/kg. We propose research and development that should ultimately lead to a price as low as $$90/m{sup 2}, which equates to $$0.056/kWh and $2.75/kg H{sup 2}. Approximately 30 heliostat and manufacturing experts from the United States, Europe, and Australia contributed to the content of this report during two separate workshops conducted at the National Solar Thermal Test Facility.« less

Standard Practices for Usage of Inductive Magnetic Field Probes with Application to Electric Propulsion Testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Polzin, Kurt A.; Hill, Carrie S.

2013-01-01

Inductive magnetic field probes (also known as B-dot probes and sometimes as B-probes or magnetic probes) are useful for performing measurements in electric space thrusters and various plasma accelerator applications where a time-varying magnetic field is present. Magnetic field probes have proven to be a mainstay in diagnosing plasma thrusters where changes occur rapidly with respect to time, providing the means to measure the magnetic fields produced by time-varying currents and even an indirect measure of the plasma current density through the application of Ampère's law. Examples of applications where this measurement technique has been employed include pulsed plasma thrusters and quasi-steady magnetoplasmadynamic thrusters. The Electric Propulsion Technical Committee (EPTC) of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) was asked to assemble a Committee on Standards (CoS) for Electric Propulsion Testing. The assembled CoS was tasked with developing Standards and Recommended Practices for various diagnostic techniques used in the evaluation of plasma thrusters. These include measurements that can yield either global information related to a thruster and its performance or detailed, local data related to the specific physical processes occurring in the plasma. This paper presents a summary of the standard, describing the preferred methods for fabrication, calibration, and usage of inductive magnetic field probes for use in diagnosing plasma thrusters. Inductive magnetic field probes (also called B-dot probes throughout this document) are commonly used in electric propulsion (EP) research and testing to measure unsteady magnetic fields produced by time-varying currents. The B-dot probe is relatively simple in construction, and requires minimal cost, making it a low-cost technique that is readily accessible to most researchers. While relatively simple, the design of a B-dot probe is not trivial and there are many opportunities for errors in probe construction, calibration, and usage, and in the post-processing of data that is produced by the probe. There are typically several ways in which each of these steps can be approached, and different applications may require more or less vigorous attention to various issues.

A clustering approach for the analysis of solar energy yields: A case study for concentrating solar thermal power plants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peruchena, Carlos M. Fernández; García-Barberena, Javier; Guisado, María Vicenta; Gastón, Martín

2016-05-01

The design of Concentrating Solar Thermal Power (CSTP) systems requires a detailed knowledge of the dynamic behavior of the meteorology at the site of interest. Meteorological series are often condensed into one representative year with the aim of data volume reduction and speeding-up of energy system simulations, defined as Typical Meteorological Year (TMY). This approach seems to be appropriate for rather detailed simulations of a specific plant; however, in previous stages of the design of a power plant, especially during the optimization of the large number of plant parameters before a final design is reached, a huge number of simulations are needed. Even with today's technology, the computational effort to simulate solar energy system performance with one year of data at high frequency (as 1-min) may become colossal if a multivariable optimization has to be performed. This work presents a simple and efficient methodology for selecting number of individual days able to represent the electrical production of the plant throughout the complete year. To achieve this objective, a new procedure for determining a reduced set of typical weather data in order to evaluate the long-term performance of a solar energy system is proposed. The proposed methodology is based on cluster analysis and permits to drastically reduce computational effort related to the calculation of a CSTP plant energy yield by simulating a reduced number of days from a high frequency TMY.

Electric Fields at the Active Site of an Enzyme: Direct Comparison of Experiment with Theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suydam, Ian T.; Snow, Christopher D.; Pande, Vijay S.; Boxer, Steven G.

2006-07-01

The electric fields produced in folded proteins influence nearly every aspect of protein function. We present a vibrational spectroscopy technique that measures changes in electric field at a specific site of a protein as shifts in frequency (Stark shifts) of a calibrated nitrile vibration. A nitrile-containing inhibitor is used to deliver a unique probe vibration to the active site of human aldose reductase, and the response of the nitrile stretch frequency is measured for a series of mutations in the enzyme active site. These shifts yield quantitative information on electric fields that can be directly compared with electrostatics calculations. We show that extensive molecular dynamics simulations and ensemble averaging are required to reproduce the observed changes in field.

Systems definition space-based power conversion systems. [for satellite power transmission to earth

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1976-01-01

Potential space-located systems for the generation of electrical power for use on Earth are discussed and include: (1) systems producing electrical power from solar energy; (2) systems producing electrical power from nuclear reactors; and (3) systems for augmenting ground-based solar power plants by orbital sunlight reflectors. Systems (1) and (2) would utilize a microwave beam system to transmit their output to Earth. Configurations implementing these concepts were developed through an optimization process intended to yield the lowest cost for each. A complete program was developed for each concept, identifying required production rates, quantities of launches, required facilities, etc. Each program was costed in order to provide the electric power cost appropriate to each concept.

The Use of Phytochemicals to Effectively Produce Biofuel from Rhizophora mangle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singhal, M.; Brinker, R.

2015-12-01

After successfully determining the presence of phytochemicals in both the Common Crabgrass (Digitaria ischaemum), and North American Dandelion (Taxacum officinale) , my research focused on the effects of specific phytochemicals, Luteolin from crabgrass and Taxasterol from dandelion, on electrical energy yield from a hydrogen fuel cell. Improvements in hydrogen fuel cell efficiency and cost are sought. By use of red mangrove (Rhizophora mangle) propagules as an oxygen source the effects of Luteolin and Taxasterol could be tested as a means to optimize hydrogen fuel cells. The methodology began with physical chemical extraction, then proceeded with separation by column chromatography, and ended with fuel cell testing of the isolated phytochemicals. Published retention factor values were used to isolate Luteolin (.66) and Taxasterol (.30). In order to test electrical energy yield, the amount of current produced by the fuel cell was measured in microamperes (μA[RB1] ) over five minutes for both the three control and three experimental group trials for both experimental groups each. The largest ampere value collected from Luteolin group was 4.3 μA, while the largest value collected from Taxasterol group was 2.5 μA. Out of both experimental groups, taraxsterol had the smallest range, showing more consistency between the control and corresponding experimental groups tested. My hypothesis was not supported. Luteolin treated fuel cell produced a larger electrical energy yield than did fuel cells treated with Taxasterol. [RB1]I found μ by selecting "insert symbol", then looking at Greek symbols.

High performance low voltage organic field effect transistors on plastic substrate for amplifier circuits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Houin, G.; Duez, F.; Garcia, L.; Cantatore, E.; Torricelli, F.; Hirsch, L.; Belot, D.; Pellet, C.; Abbas, M.

2016-09-01

The high performance air stable organic semiconductor small molecule dinaphtho[2,3-b:2',3'-f]thieno[3,2-b]thiophene (DNTT) was chosen as active layer for field effect transistors built to realize flexible amplifier circuits. Initial device on rigid Si/SiO2 substrate showed appreciable performance with hysteresis-free characteristics. A number of approaches were applied to simplify the process, improve device performance and decrease the operating voltage: they include an oxide interfacial layer to decrease contact resistance; a polymer passivation layer to optimize semiconductor/dielectric interface and an anodized high-k oxide as dielectric layer for low voltage operation. The devices fabricated on plastic substrate yielded excellent electrical characteristics, showing mobility of 1.6 cm2/Vs, lack of hysteresis, operation below 5 V and on/off current ratio above 105. An OFET model based on variable ranging hopping theory was used to extract the relevant parameters from the transfer and output characteristics, which enabled us to simulate our devices achieving reasonable agreement with the measurements

Techno-economic and uncertainty analysis of in situ and ex situ fast pyrolysis for biofuel production

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

Li, Boyan; Ou, Longwen; Dang, Qi

This study evaluates the techno-economic uncertainty in cost estimates for two emerging biorefinery technologies for biofuel production: in situ and ex situ catalytic pyrolysis. Stochastic simulations based on process and economic parameter distributions are applied to calculate biorefinery performance and production costs. The probability distributions for the minimum fuel-selling price (MFSP) indicate that in situ catalytic pyrolysis has an expected MFSP of $4.20 per gallon with a standard deviation of 1.15, while the ex situ catalytic pyrolysis has a similar MFSP with a smaller deviation ($4.27 per gallon and 0.79 respectively). These results suggest that a biorefinery based on exmore » situ catalytic pyrolysis could have a lower techno-economic risk than in situ pyrolysis despite a slightly higher MFSP cost estimate. Analysis of how each parameter affects the NPV indicates that internal rate of return, feedstock price, total project investment, electricity price, biochar yield and bio-oil yield are significant parameters which have substantial impact on the MFSP for both in situ and ex situ catalytic pyrolysis.« less

In situ earthworm breeding in orchards significantly improves the growth, quality and yield of papaya (Carica papaya L.)

PubMed Central

Xiang, Huimin; Guo, Lei; Zhao, Benliang

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to compare the effects of four fertilizer applications—control (C), chemical fertilizer (F), compost (O), and in situ earthworm breeding (E)—on the growth, quality and yield of papaya (Carica papaya L.). In this study, 5 g plant−1 urea (CH4N2O, %N = 46.3%) and 100 g plant−1 microelement fertilizer was applied to each treatment. The fertilizer applications of these four treatments are different from each other. The results showed that the E treatment had the highest growth parameters over the whole growth period. At 127 days after transplantation, the order of plant heights from greatest to smallest was E > F > O > C, and the stem diameters were E > F > O > C, with significant differences between all treatments. Soluble-solid, sugar, vitamin C, and protein content significantly increased in the E treatment. In addition, the total acid and the electrical conductivity of the fruit significantly decreased in the E treatment. Fruit firmness clearly increased in the O treatment, and decreased in the F treatment. The fresh individual fruit weights, fruit numbers, and total yields were greatly improved in the F and E treatments, and the total yield of the E treatment was higher than that in the F treatment. In conclusion, the in situ earthworm breeding treatment performed better than conventional compost and chemical fertilizer treatments. Furthermore, in situ earthworm breeding may be a potential organic fertilizer application in orchards because it not only improves the fruit quality and yield but also reduces the amount of organic wastes from agriculture as a result of the activities of earthworms. PMID:27994969

Integration options for high energy efficiency and improved economics in a wood-to-ethanol process.

PubMed

Sassner, Per; Zacchi, Guido

2008-04-15

There is currently a steady increase in the use of wood-based fuels for heat and power production in Sweden. A major proportion of these fuels could serve as feedstock for ethanol production. In this study various options for the utilization of the solid residue formed during ethanol production from spruce, such as the production of pellets, electricity and heat for district heating, were compared in terms of overall energy efficiency and production cost. The effects of changes in the process performance, such as variations in the ethanol yield and/or the energy demand, were also studied. The process was based on SO2-catalysed steam pretreatment, which was followed by simultaneous saccharification and fermentation. A model including all the major process steps was implemented in the commercial flow-sheeting program Aspen Plus, the model input was based on data recently obtained on lab scale or in a process development unit. For the five base case scenarios presented in the paper the overall energy efficiency ranged from 53 to 92%, based on the lower heating values, and a minimum ethanol selling price from 3.87 to 4.73 Swedish kronor per litre (0.41-0.50 EUR/L); however, ethanol production was performed in essentially the same way in each base case scenario. (Highly realistic) improvements in the ethanol yield and reductions in the energy demand resulted in significantly lower production costs for all scenarios. Although ethanol was shown to be the main product, i.e. yielding the major part of the income, the co-product revenue had a considerable effect on the process economics and the importance of good utilization of the entire feedstock was clearly shown. With the assumed prices of the co-products, utilization of the excess solid residue for heat and power production was highly economically favourable. The study also showed that improvements in the ethanol yield and reductions in the energy demand resulted in significant production cost reductions almost independently of each other.

Facile high-yield synthesis of polyaniline nanosticks with intrinsic stability and electrical conductivity.

PubMed

Li, Xin-Gui; Li, Ang; Huang, Mei-Rong

2008-01-01

Chemical oxidative polymerization at 15 degrees C was used for the simple and productive synthesis of polyaniline (PAN) nanosticks. The effect of polymerization media on the yield, size, stability, and electrical conductivity of the PAN nanosticks was studied by changing the concentration and nature of the acid medium and oxidant and by introducing organic solvent. Molecular and supramolecular structure, size, and size distribution of the PAN nanosticks were characterized by UV/Vis and IR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, laser particle-size analysis, and transmission electron microscopy. Introduction of organic solvent is advantageous for enhancing the yield of PAN nanosticks but disadvantageous for formation of PAN nanosticks with small size and high conductivity. The concentration and nature of the acid medium have a major influence on the polymerization yield and conductivity of the nanosized PAN. The average diameter and length of PAN nanosticks produced with 2 M HNO(3) and 0.5 M H(2)SO(4) as acid media are about 40 and 300 nm, respectively. The PAN nanosticks obtained in an optimal medium (i.e., 2 M HNO(3)) exhibit the highest conductivity of 2.23 S cm(-1) and the highest yield of 80.7 %. A mechanism of formation of nanosticks instead of nanoparticles is proposed. Nanocomposite films of the PAN nanosticks with poly(vinyl alcohol) show a low percolation threshold of 0.2 wt %, at which the film retains almost the same transparency and strength as pure poly(vinyl alcohol) but 262 000 times the conductivity of pure poly(vinyl alcohol) film. The present synthesis of PAN nanosticks requires no external stabilizer and provides a facile and direct route for fabrication of PAN nanosticks with high yield, controllable size, intrinsic self-stability, strong redispersibility, high purity, and optimizable conductivity.

Spatial relationship between the productivity of cane sugar and soil electrical conductivity measured by electromagnetic induction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siqueira, Glecio; Silva, Jucicléia; Bezerra, Joel; Silva, Enio; Montenegro, Abelardo

2013-04-01

The cultivation of sugar cane in Brazil occupies a prominent place in national production chain, because the country is the main world producer of sugar and ethanol. Accordingly, studies are needed that allow an integrated production and technified, and especially that estimates of crops are consistent with the actual production of each region. The objective of this study was to determine the spatial relationship between the productivity of cane sugar and soil electrical conductivity measured by electromagnetic induction. The field experiment was conducted at an agricultural research site located in Goiana municipality, Pernambuco State, north-east of Brazil (Latitude 07 ° 34 '25 "S, Longitude 34 ° 55' 39" W). The surface of the studied field is 6.5 ha, and its mean height 8.5 m a.s.l. This site has been under sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum sp.) monoculture during the last 24 years and it was managed burning the straw each year after harvesting, renewal of plantation was performed every 7 years. Studied the field is located 10 km east from Atlantic Ocean and it is representative of the regional landscape lowlands, whose soils are affected by salinity seawater, sugarcane plantations with the main economical activity. Soil was classified an orthic the Podsol. The productivity of cane sugar and electrical conductivity were measured in 90 sampling points. The productivity of cane sugar was determined in each of the sampling points in plots of 9 m2. The Apparent soil electrical conductivity (ECa, mS m-1) was measured with an electromagnetic induction device EM38-DD (Geonics Limited). The equipment consists of two units of measurement, one in a horizontal dipole (ECa-H) to provide effective measurement distance of 1.5 m approximately and other one in vertical dipole (ECa-V) with an effective measurement depth of approximately 0.75 m. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and geostatistical tools. The results showed that productivity in the study area reached values above 200 t ha-1, with higher values of productivity are concentrated in the region northern terrain. The maps of soil electrical conductivity (ECa-V and ECa-H) showed behavior similar to the productivity of cane sugar. The linear correlation showed values of 0.74 (yield x ECa-H) and 0.85 (yield x ECa-V). The adjusted semivariograms showed no similarity in the spatial pattern of pairs of semivariance. The electrical conductivity measured by electromagnetic induction has been shown as an important tool for predicting the productivity of sugar cane, however more studies are needed to determine the magnitude of the differences between such attributes.

Forward modeling and inversion of tensor CSAMT in 3D anisotropic media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Tao; Wang, Kun-Peng; Tan, Han-Dong

2017-12-01

Tensor controlled-source audio-frequency magnetotellurics (CSAMT) can yield information about electric and magnetic fields owing to its multi-transmitter configuration compared with the common scalar CSAMT. The most current theories, numerical simulations, and inversion of tensor CSAMT are based on far-field measurements and the assumption that underground media have isotropic resistivity. We adopt a three-dimensional (3D) staggered-grid finite difference numerical simulation method to analyze the resistivity in axial anisotropic and isotropic media. We further adopt the limited-memory Broyden-Fletcher-Goldfarb-Shanno (LBFGS) method to perform 3D tensor CSAMT axial anisotropic inversion. The inversion results suggest that when the underground structure is anisotropic, the isotropic inversion will introduce errors to the interpretation.

Analytical solutions for avalanche-breakdown voltages of single-diffused Gaussian junctions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shenai, K.; Lin, H. C.

1983-03-01

Closed-form solutions of the potential difference between the two edges of the depletion layer of a single diffused Gaussian p-n junction are obtained by integrating Poisson's equation and equating the magnitudes of the positive and negative charges in the depletion layer. By using the closed form solution of the static Poisson's equation and Fulop's average ionization coefficient, the ionization integral in the depletion layer is computed, which yields the correct values of avalanche breakdown voltage, depletion layer thickness at breakdown, and the peak electric field as a function of junction depth. Newton's method is used for rapid convergence. A flowchart to perform the calculations with a programmable hand-held calculator, such as the TI-59, is shown.

Ignition and monitoring technique for plasma processing of multicell superconducting radio-frequency cavities

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

Doleans, Marc

In this study, an in-situ plasma processing technique has been developed at the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) to improve the performance of the superconducting radio-frequency (SRF) cavities in operation. The technique uses a low-density reactive neon-oxygen plasma at room-temperature to improve the surface work function, to help remove adsorbed gases on the RF surface and to reduce its secondary emission yield. SNS SRF cavities are six-cell elliptical cavities and the plasma typically ignites in the cell where the electric field is the highest. This article will detail a technique that was developed to ignite and monitor the plasma in eachmore » cell of the SNS cavities.« less

Precise Morphology Control and Continuous Fabrication of Perovskite Solar Cells Using Droplet-Controllable Electrospray Coating System.

PubMed

Hong, Seung Chan; Lee, Gunhee; Ha, Kyungyeon; Yoon, Jungjin; Ahn, Namyoung; Cho, Woohyung; Park, Mincheol; Choi, Mansoo

2017-03-08

Herein, we developed a novel electrospray coating system for continuous fabrication of perovskite solar cells with high performance. Our system can systemically control the size of CH 3 NH 3 PbI 3 precursor droplets by modulating the applied electrical potential, shown to be a crucial factor for the formation of perovskite films. As a result, we have obtained pinhole-free and large grain-sized perovskite solar cells, yielding the best PCE of 13.27% with little photocurrent hysteresis. Furthermore, the average PCE through the continuous coating process was 11.56 ± 0.52%. Our system demonstrates not only the high reproducibility but also a new way to commercialize high-quality perovskite solar cells.

The 1-kW solar Stirling experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Giandomenico, A.

1981-01-01

The objective of this experiment was to demonstrate electrical power generation using a small free-piston Stirling engine and linear alternator in conjunction with a parabolic solar collector. A test bed collector, formerly used at the JPL Table Mountain Observatory, was renovated and used to obtain practical experience and to determine test receiver performance. The collector was mounted on a two-axis tracker, with a cold water calorimeter mounted on the collector to measure its efficiency, while a separate, independently tracking radiometer was used to measure solar insolation. The solar receiver was designed to absorb energy from the collector, then transfer the resulting thermal energy to the Stirling engine. Successful testing of receiver/collector assembly yielded valuable inputs for design of the Stirling engine heater head.

Ignition and monitoring technique for plasma processing of multicell superconducting radio-frequency cavities

DOE PAGES

Doleans, Marc

2016-12-27

In this study, an in-situ plasma processing technique has been developed at the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) to improve the performance of the superconducting radio-frequency (SRF) cavities in operation. The technique uses a low-density reactive neon-oxygen plasma at room-temperature to improve the surface work function, to help remove adsorbed gases on the RF surface and to reduce its secondary emission yield. SNS SRF cavities are six-cell elliptical cavities and the plasma typically ignites in the cell where the electric field is the highest. This article will detail a technique that was developed to ignite and monitor the plasma in eachmore » cell of the SNS cavities.« less

Curvilinear electronics formed using silicon membrane circuits and elastomeric transfer elements.

PubMed

Ko, Heung Cho; Shin, Gunchul; Wang, Shuodao; Stoykovich, Mark P; Lee, Jeong Won; Kim, Dong-Hun; Ha, Jeong Sook; Huang, Yonggang; Hwang, Keh-Chih; Rogers, John A

2009-12-01

Materials and methods to achieve electronics intimately integrated on the surfaces of substrates with complex, curvilinear shapes are described. The approach exploits silicon membranes in circuit mesh structures that can be deformed in controlled ways using thin, elastomeric films. Experimental and theoretical studies of the micromechanics of such curvilinear electronics demonstrate the underlying concepts. Electrical measurements illustrate the high yields that can be obtained. The results represent significant experimental and theoretical advances over recently reported concepts for creating hemispherical photodetectors in electronic eye cameras and for using printable silicon nanoribbons/membranes in flexible electronics. The results might provide practical routes to the integration of high performance electronics with biological tissues and other systems of interest for new applications.

Program for the development of high temperature electrical materials and components

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Neff, W. S.; Lowry, L. R.

1972-01-01

Evaluation of high temperature, space-vacuum performance of selected electrical materials and components, high temperature capacitor development, and evaluation, construction, and endurance testing of compression sealed pyrolytic boron nitride slot insulation are described. The first subject above covered the aging evaluation of electrical devices constructed from selected electrical materials. Individual materials performances were also evaluated and reported. The second subject included study of methods of improving electrical performance of pyrolytic boron nitride capacitors. The third portion was conducted to evaluate the thermal and electrical performance of pyrolytic boron nitride as stator slot liner material under varied temperature and compressive loading. Conclusions and recommendations are presented.

Geonic black holes and remnants in Eddington-inspired Born-Infeld gravity.

PubMed

Olmo, Gonzalo J; Rubiera-Garcia, D; Sanchis-Alepuz, Helios

We show that electrically charged solutions within the Eddington-inspired Born-Infeld theory of gravity replace the central singularity by a wormhole supported by the electric field. As a result, the total energy associated with the electric field is finite and similar to that found in the Born-Infeld electromagnetic theory. When a certain charge-to-mass ratio is satisfied, in the lowest part of the mass and charge spectrum the event horizon disappears, yielding stable remnants. We argue that quantum effects in the matter sector can lower the mass of these remnants from the Planck scale down to the TeV scale.

Electrical failure debug using interlayer profiling method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Thomas; Shen, Yang; Zhang, Yifan; Sweis, Jason; Lai, Ya-Chieh

2017-03-01

It is very well known that as technology nodes move to smaller sizes, the number of design rules increases while design structures become more regular and the process manufacturing steps have increased as well. Normal inspection tools can only monitor hard failures on a single layer. For electrical failures that happen due to inter layers misalignments, we can only detect them through testing. This paper will present a working flow for using pattern analysis interlayer profiling techniques to turn multiple layer physical info into group linked parameter values. Using this data analysis flow combined with an electrical model allows us to find critical regions on a layout for yield learning.

Tables of branching ratios for electric dipole transitions between arbitrary levels of hydrogen-like atoms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Omidvar, K.

1977-01-01

The branching ratios in hydrogen-like atoms due to the electric-dipole transitions are tabulated for the initial principal and azimuthal quantum numbers n prime l prime, and final principal and azimuthal quantum numbers n l. Average values with respect to l prime are given. The branching ratios not tabulated, including the initial states n prime yields infinity l prime corresponding to the threshold of the continuum, could be obtained by extrapolation.

Electrophoretically active sol-gel processes to backfill, seal, and/or densify porous, flawed, and/or cracked coatings on electrically conductive material

DOEpatents

Panitz, J.K.; Reed, S.T.; Ashley, C.S.; Neiser, R.A.; Moffatt, W.C.

1999-07-20

Electrophoretically active sol-gel processes to fill, seal, and/or density porous, flawed, and/or cracked coatings on electrically conductive substrates. Such coatings may be dielectrics, ceramics, or semiconductors and, by the present invention, may have deposited onto and into them sol-gel ceramic precursor compounds which are subsequently converted to sol-gel ceramics to yield composite materials with various tailored properties. 6 figs.

Assessing risk of thyroid cancer using resonance-frequency based electrical impedance measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Bin; Tublin, Mitchell E.; Lederman, Dror; Klym, Amy H.; Brown, Erica D.; Gur, David

2011-03-01

The incidence of thyroid cancer has risen faster than many malignancies and has nearly doubled in the USA over the past 30 years. Palpable nodules and subclinical nodules detected by imaging are found in a large percentage of the USA population. Most of these (.>95%) are fortunately benign. This vast reservoir of nodules makes the detection and diagnosis of thyroid cancer a diagnostic dilemma. Ultrasound guided Fine Needle Aspiration Biopsy (FNAB) is excellent for triaging patients but up to 25% of FNABs are inconclusive. As a result, definitive diagnosis is often only possible with a diagnostic lobectomy; many thousands of these are performed in the USA annually for ultimately benign disease. It would be extremely beneficial if we could develop a non-invasive procedure that could assist the diagnostician in reliably predicting the likelihood of malignancy of otherwise indeterminate thyroid nodules, thereby reducing the number of these "exploratory/diagnostic" lobectomies performed under general anesthesia. Electrical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) was considered as a possible approach to address this problem. However, the diagnostic accuracy of EIS is too low for routine clinical use to date. In our group, we developed a substantially modified technology termed Resonance-frequency Electrical Impedance Spectroscopy (REIS), which yields usable information for classifying risk of having breast abnormalities. We preliminarily applied REIS to measure signals on participants having thyroid nodules aiming to assess whether we can assist in improving diagnosis of indeterminate thyroid nodules. In this study we present a new multi-probe based REIS device specifically designed for the assessment of indeterminate thyroid nodules. Our preliminary assessment presented here demonstrates the feasibility of using this proposed REIS device in a busy tertiary care center.

Excited-state dynamics of acetylene excited to individual rotational level of the V04K01 subband

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Makarov, Vladimir I.; Kochubei, Sergei A.; Khmelinskii, Igor V.

2006-01-01

Dynamics of the IR emission induced by excitation of the acetylene molecule using the (32Ka0,1,2,ÃAu1←41la1,X˜Σg+1) transition was investigated. The observed IR emission was assigned to transitions between the ground-state vibrational levels. Acetylene fluorescence quenching induced by external electric and magnetic fields acting upon the system prepared using the (34Ka1,ÃAu1←00la0,X˜Σg+1) excitation was also studied. External electric field creates an additional radiationless pathway to the ground-state levels, coupling levels of the ÃAu1 excited state to the quasiresonant levels of the X˜Σg+1 ground state. The level density of the ground state in the vicinity of the excited state is very high, thus the electric-field-induced transition is irreversible, with the rate constant described by the Fermi rule. Magnetic field alters the decay profile without changing the fluorescence quantum yield in collisionless conditions. IR emission from the CCH transient was detected, and was also affected by the external electric and magnetic fields. Acetylene predissociation was demonstrated to proceed by the direct S1→S0 mechanism. The results were explained using the previously developed theoretical approach, yielding values of the relevant model parameters.

Unified Numerical Solver for Device Metastabilities in CdTe Thin-Film PV

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

Vasileska, Dragica

Thin-film modules of all technologies often suffer from performance degradation over time. Some of the performance changes are reversible and some are not, which makes deployment, testing, and energy-yield prediction more challenging. Manufacturers de-vote significant empirical efforts to study these phenomena and to improve semiconduc-tor device stability. Still, understanding the underlying reasons of these instabilities re-mains clouded due to the lack of ability to characterize materials at atomistic levels and the lack of interpretation from the most fundamental material science. The most com-monly alleged causes of metastability in CdTe device, such as “migration of Cu,” have been investigated rigorously overmore » the past fifteen years. Still, the discussion often ended prematurely with stating observed correlations between stress conditions and changes in atomic profiles of impurities or CV doping concentration. Multiple hypotheses sug-gesting degradation of CdTe solar cell devices due to interaction and evolution of point defects and complexes were proposed, and none of them received strong theoretical or experimental confirmation. It should be noted that atomic impurity profiles in CdTe pro-vide very little intelligence on active doping concentrations. The same elements could form different energy states, which could be either donors or acceptors, depending on their position in crystalline lattice. Defects interact with other extrinsic and intrinsic de-fects; for example, changing the state of an impurity from an interstitial donor to a sub-stitutional acceptor often is accompanied by generation of a compensating intrinsic in-terstitial donor defect. Moreover, all defects, intrinsic and extrinsic, interact with the elec-trical potential and free carriers so that charged defects may drift in the electric field and the local electrical potential affects the formation energy of the point defects. Such complexity of interactions in CdTe makes understanding of temporal changes in device performance even more challenging and a closed solution that can treat the entire sys-tem and its interactions is required.« less

Metastability and reliability of CdTe solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Da; Brinkman, Daniel; Shaik, Abdul R.; Ringhofer, Christian; Vasileska, Dragica

2018-04-01

Thin-film modules of all technologies often suffer from performance degradation over time. Some of the performance changes are reversible and some are not, which makes deployment, testing, and energy-yield prediction more challenging. Manufacturers devote significant empirical efforts to study these phenomena and to improve semiconductor device stability. Still, understanding the underlying reasons of these instabilities remains clouded due to the lack of ability to characterize materials at atomistic levels and the lack of interpretation from the most fundamental material science. The most commonly alleged causes of metastability in CdTe devices, such as ‘migration of Cu’, have been investigated rigorously over the past fifteen years. Still, the discussion often ended prematurely with stating observed correlations between stress conditions and changes in atomic profiles of impurities or CV doping concentration. Multiple hypotheses suggesting degradation of CdTe solar cell devices due to interaction and evolution of point defects and complexes were proposed, and none of them received strong theoretical or experimental confirmation. It should be noted that atomic impurity profiles in CdTe provide very little intelligence on active doping concentrations. The same elements could form different energy states, which could be either donors or acceptors, depending on their position in crystalline lattice. Defects interact with other extrinsic and intrinsic defects; for example, changing the state of an impurity from an interstitial donor to a substitutional acceptor often is accompanied by generation of a compensating intrinsic interstitial donor defect. Moreover, all defects, intrinsic and extrinsic, interact with the electrical potential and free carriers so that charged defects may drift in the electric field and the local electrical potential affects the formation energy of the point defects. Such complexity of interactions in CdTe makes understanding of temporal changes in device performance even more challenging and a closed solution that can treat the entire system and its interactions is required.

Solution pH change in non-uniform alternating current electric fields at frequencies above the electrode charging frequency

PubMed Central

An, Ran; Massa, Katherine

2014-01-01

AC Faradaic reactions have been reported as a mechanism inducing non-ideal phenomena such as flow reversal and cell deformation in electrokinetic microfluidic systems. Prior published work described experiments in parallel electrode arrays below the electrode charging frequency (fc), the frequency for electrical double layer charging at the electrode. However, 2D spatially non-uniform AC electric fields are required for applications such as in plane AC electroosmosis, AC electrothermal pumps, and dielectrophoresis. Many microscale experimental applications utilize AC frequencies around or above fc. In this work, a pH sensitive fluorescein sodium salt dye was used to detect [H+] as an indicator of Faradaic reactions in aqueous solutions within non-uniform AC electric fields. Comparison experiments with (a) parallel (2D uniform fields) electrodes and (b) organic media were employed to deduce the electrode charging mechanism at 5 kHz (1.5fc). Time dependency analysis illustrated that Faradaic reactions exist above the theoretically predicted electrode charging frequency. Spatial analysis showed [H+] varied spatially due to electric field non-uniformities and local pH changed at length scales greater than 50 μm away from the electrode surface. Thus, non-uniform AC fields yielded spatially varied pH gradients as a direct consequence of ion path length differences while uniform fields did not yield pH gradients; the latter is consistent with prior published data. Frequency dependence was examined from 5 kHz to 12 kHz at 5.5 Vpp potential, and voltage dependency was explored from 3.5 to 7.5 Vpp at 5 kHz. Results suggest that Faradaic reactions can still proceed within electrochemical systems in the absence of well-established electrical double layers. This work also illustrates that in microfluidic systems, spatial medium variations must be considered as a function of experiment time, initial medium conditions, electric signal potential, frequency, and spatial position. PMID:25553200

Influence of direct and alternating current electric fields on efficiency promotion and leaching risk alleviation of chelator assisted phytoremediation.

PubMed

Luo, Jie; Cai, Limei; Qi, Shihua; Wu, Jian; Sophie Gu, Xiaowen

2018-03-01

Direct and alternating current electric fields with various voltages were used to improve the decontamination efficiency of chelator assisted phytoremediation for multi-metal polluted soil. The alleviation effect of electric field on leaching risk caused by chelator application during phytoremediation process was also evaluated. Biomass yield, pollutant uptake and metal leaching retardation under alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC) electric fields were compared. The biomass yield of Eucalyptus globulus under AC fields with various voltages (2, 4 and 10 V) were 3.91, 4.16 and 3.67kg, respectively, significantly higher than the chelator treatment without electric field (2.71kg). Besides growth stimulation, AC fields increased the metal concentrations of plant tissues especially in aerial parts manifested by the raised translocation factor of different metals. Direct current electric fields with low and moderate voltages increased the biomass production of the species to 3.45 and 3.12kg, respectively, while high voltage on the contrary suppressed the growth of the plants (2.66kg). Under DC fields, metal concentrations elevated obviously with increasing voltages and the metal translocation factors were similar under all voltages. Metal extraction per plant achieved the maximum value under moderate voltage due to the greatest biomass production. DC field with high voltage (10V) decreased the volume of leachate from the chelator treatment without electric field from 1224 to 56mL, while the leachate gathered from AC field treatments raised from 512 to 670mL. DC field can retard the downward movement of metals caused by chelator application more effectively relative to AC field due to the constant water flow and electroosmosis direction. Alternating current field had more promotive effect on chelator assisted phytoremediation efficiency than DC field illustrated by more metal accumulation in the species. However, with the consideration of leaching risk, DC field with moderate voltage was the optimal supplementary technique for phytoremediation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The calculation of neutron capture gamma-ray yields for space shielding applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yost, K. J.

1972-01-01

The application of nuclear models to the calculation of neutron capture and inelastic scattering gamma yields is discussed. The gamma ray cascade model describes the cascade process in terms of parameters which either: (1) embody statistical assumptions regarding electric and magnetic multipole transition strengths, level densities, and spin and parity distributions or (2) are fixed by experiment such as measured energies, spin and parity values, and transition probabilities for low lying states.

Electric-Field Instrument With Ac-Biased Corona Point

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Markson, R.; Anderson, B.; Govaert, J.

1993-01-01

Measurements indicative of incipient lightning yield additional information. New instrument gives reliable readings. High-voltage ac bias applied to needle point through high-resistance capacitance network provides corona discharge at all times, enabling more-slowly-varying component of electrostatic potential of needle to come to equilibrium with surrounding air. High resistance of high-voltage coupling makes instrument insensitive to wind. Improved corona-point instrument expected to yield additional information assisting in safety-oriented forecasting of lighting.

The electrical heart axis and ST events in fetal monitoring: A post-hoc analysis following a multicentre randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Vullings, Rik; Verdurmen, Kim M J; Hulsenboom, Alexandra D J; Scheffer, Stephanie; de Lau, Hinke; Kwee, Anneke; Wijn, Pieter F F; Amer-Wåhlin, Isis; van Laar, Judith O E H; Oei, S Guid

2017-01-01

Reducing perinatal morbidity and mortality is one of the major challenges in modern health care. Analysing the ST segment of the fetal electrocardiogram was thought to be the breakthrough in fetal monitoring during labour. However, its implementation in clinical practice yields many false alarms and ST monitoring is highly dependent on cardiotocogram assessment, limiting its value for the prediction of fetal distress during labour. This study aims to evaluate the relation between physiological variations in the orientation of the fetal electrical heart axis and the occurrence of ST events. A post-hoc analysis was performed following a multicentre randomised controlled trial, including 1097 patients from two participating centres. All women were monitored with ST analysis during labour. Cases of fetal metabolic acidosis, poor signal quality, missing blood gas analysis, and congenital heart disease were excluded. The orientation of the fetal electrical heart axis affects the height of the initial T/QRS baseline, and therefore the incidence of ST events. We grouped tracings with the same initial baseline T/QRS value. We depicted the number of ST events as a function of the initial baseline T/QRS value with a linear regression model. A significant increment of ST events was observed with increasing height of the initial T/QRS baseline, irrespective of the fetal condition; correlation coefficient 0.63, p<0.001. The most frequent T/QRS baseline is 0.12. The orientation of the fetal electrical heart axis and accordingly the height of the initial T/QRS baseline should be taken into account in fetal monitoring with ST analysis.

Current-induced alternating reversed dual-echo-steady-state for joint estimation of tissue relaxation and electrical properties.

PubMed

Lee, Hyunyeol; Sohn, Chul-Ho; Park, Jaeseok

2017-07-01

To develop a current-induced, alternating reversed dual-echo-steady-state-based magnetic resonance electrical impedance tomography for joint estimation of tissue relaxation and electrical properties. The proposed method reverses the readout gradient configuration of conventional, in which steady-state-free-precession (SSFP)-ECHO is produced earlier than SSFP-free-induction-decay (FID) while alternating current pulses are applied in between the two SSFPs to secure high sensitivity of SSFP-FID to injection current. Additionally, alternating reversed dual-echo-steady-state signals are modulated by employing variable flip angles over two orthogonal injections of current pulses. Ratiometric signal models are analytically constructed, from which T 1 , T 2 , and current-induced B z are jointly estimated by solving a nonlinear inverse problem for conductivity reconstruction. Numerical simulations and experimental studies are performed to investigate the feasibility of the proposed method in estimating relaxation parameters and conductivity. The proposed method, if compared with conventional magnetic resonance electrical impedance tomography, enables rapid data acquisition and simultaneous estimation of T 1 , T 2 , and current-induced B z , yielding a comparable level of signal-to-noise ratio in the parameter estimates while retaining a relative conductivity contrast. We successfully demonstrated the feasibility of the proposed method in jointly estimating tissue relaxation parameters as well as conductivity distributions. It can be a promising, rapid imaging strategy for quantitative conductivity estimation. Magn Reson Med 78:107-120, 2017. © 2016 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. © 2016 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

Electric field-based technologies for valorization of bioresources.

PubMed

Rocha, Cristina M R; Genisheva, Zlatina; Ferreira-Santos, Pedro; Rodrigues, Rui; Vicente, António A; Teixeira, José A; Pereira, Ricardo N

2018-04-01

This review provides an overview of recent research on electrotechnologies applied to the valorization of bioresources. Following a comprehensive summary of the current status of the application of well-known electric-based processing technologies, such as pulsed electric fields (PEF) and high voltage electrical discharges (HVED), the application of moderate electric fields (MEF) as an extraction or valorization technology will be considered in detail. MEF, known by its improved energy efficiency and claimed electroporation effects (allowing enhanced extraction yields), may also originate high heating rates - ohmic heating (OH) effect - allowing thermal stabilization of waste stream for other added-value applications. MEF is a simple technology that mostly makes use of green solvents (mainly water) and that can be used on functionalization of compounds of biological origin broadening their application range. The substantial increase of MEF-based plants installed in industries worldwide suggests its straightforward application for waste recovery. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Electrical and thermal transport properties of the electron-doped cuprate Sm2-x Ce x CuO4-y system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scanderbeg, D. J.; Taylor, B. J.; Baumbach, R. E.; Paglione, J.; Maple, M. B.

2016-12-01

Electrical and thermal transport measurements were performed on thin films of the electron-doped superconductor Sm2-x Ce x CuO4-y (x  =  0.13  -  0.19) in order to study the evolving nature of the charge carriers from the under-doped to over-doped regime. A temperature versus cerium content (T  -  x) phase diagram has been constructed from the electrical transport measurements, yielding a superconducting region similar to that found for other electron-doped superconductors. Thermopower measurements show a dramatic change from the underdoped region (x  <  0.15) to the overdoped region (x  >  0.15). Application of the Fisher-Fisher-Huse (FFH) vortex glass scaling model to the magnetoresistance data was found to be insufficient to describe the data in the region of the vortex-solid to vortex-liquid transition. It was found instead that the modified vortex glass scaling model of Rydh, Rapp, and Anderson provided a good description of the data, indicating the importance of the applied field on the pinning landscape. A magnetic field versus temperature (H  -  T) phase diagram has also been constructed for the films with x≥slant 0.14 , displaying the evolution of the vortex glass melting lines H g (T) across the superconducting regime.

Emissions Associated with Electric Vehicle Charging: Impact of Electricity Generation Mix, Charging Infrastructure Availability, and Vehicle Type

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

McLaren, Joyce; Miller, John; O'Shaughnessy, Eric

With the aim of reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with the transportation sector, policy-makers are supporting a multitude of measures to increase electric vehicle adoption. The actual level of emission reduction associated with the electrification of the transport sector is dependent on the contexts that determine when and where drivers charge electric vehicles. This analysis contributes to our understanding of the degree to which a particular electricity grid profile, vehicle type, and charging patterns impact CO2 emissions from light-duty, plug-in electric vehicles. We present an analysis of emissions resulting from both battery electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles for fourmore » charging scenarios and five electricity grid profiles. A scenario that allows drivers to charge electric vehicles at the workplace yields the lowest level of emissions for the majority of electricity grid profiles. However, vehicle emissions are shown to be highly dependent on the percentage of fossil fuels in the grid mix, with different vehicle types and charging scenarios resulting in fewer emissions when the carbon intensity of the grid is above a defined level. Restricting charging to off-peak hours results in higher total emissions for all vehicle types, as compared to other charging scenarios.« less

High performing solution-coated electrolyte-gated organic field-effect transistors for aqueous media operation.

PubMed

Zhang, Qiaoming; Leonardi, Francesca; Casalini, Stefano; Temiño, Inés; Mas-Torrent, Marta

2016-12-22

Since the first demonstration, the electrolyte-gated organic field-effect transistors (EGOFETs) have immediately gained much attention for the development of cutting-edge technology and they are expected to have a strong impact in the field of (bio-)sensors. However EGOFETs directly expose their active material towards the aqueous media, hence a limited library of organic semiconductors is actually suitable. By using two mostly unexplored strategies in EGOFETs such as blended materials together with a printing technique, we have successfully widened this library. Our benchmarks were 6,13-bis(triisopropylsilylethynyl)pentacene and 2,8-difluoro-5,11-bis(triethylsilylethynyl)anthradithiophene (diF-TES-ADT), which have been firstly blended with polystyrene and secondly deposited by means of the bar-assisted meniscus shearing (BAMS) technique. Our approach yielded thin films (i.e. no thicker than 30 nm) suitable for organic electronics and stable in liquid environment. Up to date, these EGOFETs show unprecedented performances. Furthermore, an extremely harsh environment, like NaCl 1M, has been used in order to test the limit of operability of these electronic devices. Albeit an electrical worsening is observed, our devices can operate under different electrical stresses within the time frame of hours up to a week. In conclusion, our approach turns out to be a powerful tool for the EGOFET manufacturing.

Effects of plasma pretreatment on the process of self-forming Cu-Mn alloy barriers for Cu interconnects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Jae-Hyung; Han, Dong-Suk; Kim, Kyoung-Deok; Park, Jong-Wan

2018-02-01

This study investigated the effect of plasma pretreatment on the process of a self-forming Cu-Mn alloy barrier on porous low-k dielectrics. To study the effects of plasma on the performance of a self-formed Mn-based barrier, low-k dielectrics were pretreated with H2 plasma or NH3 plasma. Cu-Mn alloy materials on low-k substrates that were subject to pretreatment with H2 plasma exhibited lower electrical resistivity values and the formation of thicker Mn-based interlayers than those on low-k substrates that were subject to pretreatment with NH3 plasma. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS), and thermal stability analyses demonstrated the exceptional performance of the Mn-based interlayer on plasma-pretreated low-k substrates with regard to thickness, chemical composition, and reliability. Plasma treating with H2 gas formed hydrophilic Si-OH bonds on the surface of the low-k layer, resulting in Mn-based interlayers with greater thickness after annealing. However, additional moisture uptake was induced on the surface of the low-k dielectric, degrading electrical reliability. By contrast, plasma treating with NH3 gas was less effective with regard to forming a Mn-based interlayer, but produced a Si-N/C-N layer on the low-k surface, yielding improved barrier characteristics.

High performing solution-coated electrolyte-gated organic field-effect transistors for aqueous media operation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Qiaoming; Leonardi, Francesca; Casalini, Stefano; Temiño, Inés; Mas-Torrent, Marta

2016-12-01

Since the first demonstration, the electrolyte-gated organic field-effect transistors (EGOFETs) have immediately gained much attention for the development of cutting-edge technology and they are expected to have a strong impact in the field of (bio-)sensors. However EGOFETs directly expose their active material towards the aqueous media, hence a limited library of organic semiconductors is actually suitable. By using two mostly unexplored strategies in EGOFETs such as blended materials together with a printing technique, we have successfully widened this library. Our benchmarks were 6,13-bis(triisopropylsilylethynyl)pentacene and 2,8-difluoro-5,11-bis(triethylsilylethynyl)anthradithiophene (diF-TES-ADT), which have been firstly blended with polystyrene and secondly deposited by means of the bar-assisted meniscus shearing (BAMS) technique. Our approach yielded thin films (i.e. no thicker than 30 nm) suitable for organic electronics and stable in liquid environment. Up to date, these EGOFETs show unprecedented performances. Furthermore, an extremely harsh environment, like NaCl 1M, has been used in order to test the limit of operability of these electronic devices. Albeit an electrical worsening is observed, our devices can operate under different electrical stresses within the time frame of hours up to a week. In conclusion, our approach turns out to be a powerful tool for the EGOFET manufacturing.

Facile synthesis of hybrid nanorods with the Sb2Se3/AgSbSe2 heterojunction structure for high performance photodetectors.

PubMed

Chen, Shuo; Qiao, Xvsheng; Wang, Fengxia; Luo, Qun; Zhang, Xianghua; Wan, Xia; Xu, Yang; Fan, Xianping

2016-01-28

An effective colloidal process involving the hot-injection method is developed to synthesize uniform single-crystalline Sb2Se3 nanorods in high yields. The photoconductive characteristics of the as-synthesized Sb2Se3 nanorods are investigated by developing a film-based photodetector and this device displays a remarkable response to visible light with an "ON/OFF" ratio as high as 50 (with an incident light density of 12.05 mW cm(-2)), short response/recovery times and long-term durability. To overcome the challenge of the intrinsic low electrical conductivity of Sb2Se3, hybrid nanorods with the Sb2Se3/AgSbSe2 heterojunction structure having a type-II band alignment are firstly prepared. The electric current of the photodetector based on the Sb2Se3/AgSbSe2 hybrid nanorod film has been significantly increased both in the dark and under light illumination. The responsivity of the photodetector based on the Sb2Se3/AgSbSe2 hybrid nanorod film is about 4.2 times as much as that of the photodetector based on the Sb2Se3 nanorod film. This improvement can be considered as an important step to promote Sb2Se3 based semiconductors for applications in high performance photodetectors.

Effect of deposition pressure on the microstructure and thermoelectric properties of epitaxial ScN(001) thin films sputtered onto MgO(001) substrates

DOE PAGES

Burmistrova, Polina V.; Zakharov, Dmitri N.; Favaloro, Tela; ...

2015-03-14

Four epitaxial ScN(001) thin films were successfully deposited on MgO(001) substrates by dc reactive magnetron sputtering at 2, 5, 10, and 20 mTorr in an Ar/N2 ambient atmosphere at 650 °C. The microstructure of the resultant films was analyzed by x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. Electrical resistivity, electron mobility and concentration were measured using the room temperature Hall technique, and temperature dependent in-plain measurements of the thermoelectric properties of the ScN thin films were performed. The surface morphology and film crystallinity significantly degrade with increasing deposition pressure. The ScN thin film deposited at 20 mTorr exhibitsmore » the presence of <221> oriented secondary grains resulting in decreased electric properties and a low thermoelectric power factor of 0.5 W/m-K² at 800 K. ScN thin films grown at 5 and 10 mTorr are single crystalline, yielding the power factor of approximately 2.5 W/m-K² at 800 K. The deposition performed at 2 mTorr produces the highest quality ScN thin film with the electron mobility of 98 cm² V⁻¹ s⁻¹ and the power factor of 3.3 W/m-K² at 800 K.« less

High performing solution-coated electrolyte-gated organic field-effect transistors for aqueous media operation

PubMed Central

Zhang, Qiaoming; Leonardi, Francesca; Casalini, Stefano; Temiño, Inés; Mas-Torrent, Marta

2016-01-01

Since the first demonstration, the electrolyte-gated organic field-effect transistors (EGOFETs) have immediately gained much attention for the development of cutting-edge technology and they are expected to have a strong impact in the field of (bio-)sensors. However EGOFETs directly expose their active material towards the aqueous media, hence a limited library of organic semiconductors is actually suitable. By using two mostly unexplored strategies in EGOFETs such as blended materials together with a printing technique, we have successfully widened this library. Our benchmarks were 6,13-bis(triisopropylsilylethynyl)pentacene and 2,8-difluoro-5,11-bis(triethylsilylethynyl)anthradithiophene (diF-TES-ADT), which have been firstly blended with polystyrene and secondly deposited by means of the bar-assisted meniscus shearing (BAMS) technique. Our approach yielded thin films (i.e. no thicker than 30 nm) suitable for organic electronics and stable in liquid environment. Up to date, these EGOFETs show unprecedented performances. Furthermore, an extremely harsh environment, like NaCl 1M, has been used in order to test the limit of operability of these electronic devices. Albeit an electrical worsening is observed, our devices can operate under different electrical stresses within the time frame of hours up to a week. In conclusion, our approach turns out to be a powerful tool for the EGOFET manufacturing. PMID:28004824

Electric potential calculation in molecular simulation of electric double layer capacitors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Zhenxing; Olmsted, David L.; Asta, Mark; Laird, Brian B.

2016-11-01

For the molecular simulation of electric double layer capacitors (EDLCs), a number of methods have been proposed and implemented to determine the one-dimensional electric potential profile between the two electrodes at a fixed potential difference. In this work, we compare several of these methods for a model LiClO4-acetonitrile/graphite EDLC simulated using both the traditional fixed-charged method (FCM), in which a fixed charge is assigned a priori to the electrode atoms, or the recently developed constant potential method (CPM) (2007 J. Chem. Phys. 126 084704), where the electrode charges are allowed to fluctuate to keep the potential fixed. Based on an analysis of the full three-dimensional electric potential field, we suggest a method for determining the averaged one-dimensional electric potential profile that can be applied to both the FCM and CPM simulations. Compared to traditional methods based on numerically solving the one-dimensional Poisson’s equation, this method yields better accuracy and no supplemental assumptions.

A grey box model of glucose fermentation and syntrophic oxidation in microbial fuel cells.

PubMed

de Los Ángeles Fernandez, Maria; de Los Ángeles Sanromán, Maria; Marks, Stanislaw; Makinia, Jacek; Gonzalez Del Campo, Araceli; Rodrigo, Manuel; Fernandez, Francisco Jesus

2016-01-01

In this work, the fermentative and oxidative processes taking place in a microbial fuel cell (MFC) fed with glucose were studied and modeled. The model accounting for the bioelectrochemical processes was based on ordinary, Monod-type differential equations. The model parameters were estimated using experimental results obtained from three H-type MFCs operated at open or closed circuits and fed with glucose or ethanol. The experimental results demonstrate that similar fermentation processes were carried out under open and closed circuit operation, with the most important fermentation products being ethanol (with a yield of 1.81molmol(-1) glucose) and lactic acid (with a yield of 1.36molmol(-1) glucose). A peak in the electricity generation was obtained when glucose and fermentation products coexisted in the liquid bulk. However, almost 90% of the electricity produced came from the oxidation of ethanol. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Advanced control for airbreathing engines, volume 2: General Electric aircraft engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bansal, Indar

1993-01-01

The application of advanced control concepts to air breathing engines may yield significant improvements in aircraft/engine performance and operability. Screening studies of advanced control concepts for air breathing engines were conducted by three major domestic aircraft engine manufacturers to determine the potential impact of concepts on turbine engine performance and operability. The purpose of the studies was to identify concepts which offered high potential yet may incur high research and development risk. A target suite of proposed advanced control concepts was formulated and evaluated in a two phase study to quantify each concept's impact on desired engine characteristics. To aid in the evaluation specific aircraft/engine combinations were considered: a Military High Performance Fighter mission, a High Speed Civil Transport mission, and a Civil Tiltrotor mission. Each of the advanced control concepts considered in the study are defined and described. The concept potential impact on engine performance was determined. Relevant figures of merit on which to evaluate the concepts are determined. Finally, the concepts are ranked with respect to the target aircraft/engine missions. A final report describing the screening studies was prepared by each engine manufacturer. Volume 2 of these reports describes the studies performed by GE Aircraft Engines.

Scattering of electromagnetic plane wave from a perfect electric conducting strip placed at interface of topological insulator-chiral medium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shoukat, Sobia; Naqvi, Qaisar A.

2016-12-01

In this manuscript, scattering from a perfect electric conducting strip located at planar interface of topological insulator (TI)-chiral medium is investigated using the Kobayashi Potential method. Longitudinal components of electric and magnetic vector potential in terms of unknown weighting function are considered. Use of related set of boundary conditions yields two algebraic equations and four dual integral equations (DIEs). Integrand of two DIEs are expanded in terms of the characteristic functions with expansion coefficients which must satisfy, simultaneously, the discontinuous property of the Weber-Schafheitlin integrals, required edge and boundary conditions. The resulting expressions are then combined with algebraic equations to express the weighting function in terms of expansion coefficients, these expansion coefficients are then substituted in remaining DIEs. The projection is applied using the Jacobi polynomials. This treatment yields matrix equation for expansion coefficients which is solved numerically. These unknown expansion coefficients are used to find the scattered field. The far zone scattering width is investigated with respect to different parameters of the geometry, i.e, chirality of chiral medium, angle of incidence, size of the strip. Significant effects of different parameters including TI parameter on the scattering width are noted.

Molecular wires acting as quantum heat ratchets.

PubMed

Zhan, Fei; Li, Nianbei; Kohler, Sigmund; Hänggi, Peter

2009-12-01

We explore heat transfer in molecular junctions between two leads in the absence of a finite net thermal bias. The application of an unbiased time-periodic temperature modulation of the leads entails a dynamical breaking of reflection symmetry, such that a directed heat current may emerge (ratchet effect). In particular, we consider two cases of adiabatically slow driving, namely, (i) periodic temperature modulation of only one lead and (ii) temperature modulation of both leads with an ac driving that contains a second harmonic, thus, generating harmonic mixing. Both scenarios yield sizable directed heat currents, which should be detectable with present techniques. Adding a static thermal bias allows one to compute the heat current-thermal load characteristics, which includes the ratchet effect of negative thermal bias with positive-valued heat flow against the thermal bias, up to the thermal stop load. The ratchet heat flow in turn generates also an electric current. An applied electric stop voltage, yielding effective zero electric current flow, then mimics a solely heat-ratchet-induced thermopower ("ratchet Seebeck effect"), although no net thermal bias is acting. Moreover, we find that the relative phase between the two harmonics in scenario (ii) enables steering the net heat current into a direction of choice.

Bright conjugated polymer nanoparticles containing a biodegradable shell produced at high yields and with tuneable optical properties by a scalable microfluidic device.

PubMed

Abelha, T F; Phillips, T W; Bannock, J H; Nightingale, A M; Dreiss, C A; Kemal, E; Urbano, L; deMello, J C; Green, M; Dailey, L A

2017-02-02

This study compares the performance of a microfluidic technique and a conventional bulk method to manufacture conjugated polymer nanoparticles (CPNs) embedded within a biodegradable poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether-block-poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PEG 5K -PLGA 55K ) matrix. The influence of PEG 5K -PLGA 55K and conjugated polymers cyano-substituted poly(p-phenylene vinylene) (CN-PPV) and poly(9,9-dioctylfluorene-2,1,3-benzothiadiazole) (F8BT) on the physicochemical properties of the CPNs was also evaluated. Both techniques enabled CPN production with high end product yields (∼70-95%). However, while the bulk technique (solvent displacement) under optimal conditions generated small nanoparticles (∼70-100 nm) with similar optical properties (quantum yields ∼35%), the microfluidic approach produced larger CPNs (140-260 nm) with significantly superior quantum yields (49-55%) and tailored emission spectra. CPNs containing CN-PPV showed smaller size distributions and tuneable emission spectra compared to F8BT systems prepared under the same conditions. The presence of PEG 5K -PLGA 55K did not affect the size or optical properties of the CPNs and provided a neutral net electric charge as is often required for biomedical applications. The microfluidics flow-based device was successfully used for the continuous preparation of CPNs over a 24 hour period. On the basis of the results presented here, it can be concluded that the microfluidic device used in this study can be used to optimize the production of bright CPNs with tailored properties with good reproducibility.

77 FR 45967 - National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants From Coal- and Oil-Fired Electric...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-08-02

... Electric Utility Steam Generating Units and Standards of Performance for Fossil-Fuel-Fired Electric Utility...-fired Electric Utility Steam Generating Units and Standards of Performance for Fossil-Fuel-Fired...

Forecasting electricity usage using univariate time series models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hock-Eam, Lim; Chee-Yin, Yip

2014-12-01

Electricity is one of the important energy sources. A sufficient supply of electricity is vital to support a country's development and growth. Due to the changing of socio-economic characteristics, increasing competition and deregulation of electricity supply industry, the electricity demand forecasting is even more important than before. It is imperative to evaluate and compare the predictive performance of various forecasting methods. This will provide further insights on the weakness and strengths of each method. In literature, there are mixed evidences on the best forecasting methods of electricity demand. This paper aims to compare the predictive performance of univariate time series models for forecasting the electricity demand using a monthly data of maximum electricity load in Malaysia from January 2003 to December 2013. Results reveal that the Box-Jenkins method produces the best out-of-sample predictive performance. On the other hand, Holt-Winters exponential smoothing method is a good forecasting method for in-sample predictive performance.

Simplify to survive: prescriptive layouts ensure profitable scaling to 32nm and beyond

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liebmann, Lars; Pileggi, Larry; Hibbeler, Jason; Rovner, Vyacheslav; Jhaveri, Tejas; Northrop, Greg

2009-03-01

The time-to-market driven need to maintain concurrent process-design co-development, even in spite of discontinuous patterning, process, and device innovation is reiterated. The escalating design rule complexity resulting from increasing layout sensitivities in physical and electrical yield and the resulting risk to profitable technology scaling is reviewed. Shortcomings in traditional Design for Manufacturability (DfM) solutions are identified and contrasted to the highly successful integrated design-technology co-optimization used for SRAM and other memory arrays. The feasibility of extending memory-style design-technology co-optimization, based on a highly simplified layout environment, to logic chips is demonstrated. Layout density benefits, modeled patterning and electrical yield improvements, as well as substantially improved layout simplicity are quantified in a conventional versus template-based design comparison on a 65nm IBM PowerPC 405 microprocessor core. The adaptability of this highly regularized template-based design solution to different yield concerns and design styles is shown in the extension of this work to 32nm with an increased focus on interconnect redundancy. In closing, the work not covered in this paper, focused on the process side of the integrated process-design co-optimization, is introduced.

Performance experiments with alternative advanced teleoperator control modes for a simulated solar maximum satellite repair

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Das, H.; Zak, H.; Kim, W. S.; Bejczy, A. K.; Schenker, P. S.

1992-01-01

Experiments are described which were conducted at the JPL Advanced Teleoperator Lab to demonstrate and evaluate the effectiveness of various teleoperator control modes in the performance of a simulated Solar Max Satellite Repair (SMSR) task. THe SMSR was selected as a test because it is very rich in performance capability requirements and it actually has been performed by two EVA astronauts in the Space Shuttle Bay in 1984. The main subtasks are: thermal blanket removal; installation of a hinge attachment for electrical panel opening; opening of electrical panel; removal of electrical connectors; relining of cable bundles; replacement of electrical panel; securing parts and cables; re-mate electrical connectors; closing of electrical panel; and reinstating thermal blanket. The current performance experiments are limited to thermal blanket cutting, electrical panel unbolting and handling electrical bundles and connectors. In one formal experiment even different control modes were applied to the unbolting and reinsertion of electrical panel screws subtasks. The seven control modes are alternative combinations of manual position and rate control with force feedback and remote compliance referenced to force-torque sensor information. Force-torque sensor and end effector position data and task completion times were recorded for analysis and quantification of operator performance.

Parameterization and Validation of an Integrated Electro-Thermal LFP Battery Model

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-01-01

integrated electro- thermal model for an A123 26650 LiFePO4 battery is presented. The electrical dynamics of the cell are described by an equivalent...the parameterization of an integrated electro-thermal model for an A123 26650 LiFePO4 battery is presented. The electrical dynamics of the cell are...the average of the charge and discharge curves taken at very low current (C/20), since the LiFePO4 cell chemistry is known to yield a hysteresis effect

Epitaxial Growth, Surface, and Electronic Properties of Unconventional Semiconductors: RE-V/III-V Nanocomposites and Semiconducting Half Heusler Alloys

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-09-01

with approximately 5 × 1018 Si atoms/cm3 to yield a conductive buffer for STM and photoemsission spectroscopy measurements. On some samples a 3 nm ErAs...where S is the Seebeck coefficient, σ is the electrical conductivity , and κ is the thermal conductivity . Here the electronic information is contained... conductivities (κ = κe + κlat). While the electronic component of thermal conductivity κe is inherently tied to electrical conductivity σ via Wiedemann

The formation of ozone and UV radiation from high-power pulsed electric discharges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Piskarev, I. M.; Ushkanov, V. A.; Selemir, V. D.; Spirov, G. M.; Malevannaya Pikar', I. A.; Zuimach, E. A.

2008-09-01

High-power electric discharges with pulse energies of from 0.15 J to 4 kJ were studied. The yields of UV photons and ozone were found to be approximately equal, which led us to conclude that discharge conditions under which UV radiation and ozone fully destroyed each other were possible. If ozone formation was suppressed, as when a negative volume charge was created in the spark gap region, the flux of UV photons reached 3 × 1023 photons/(cm2 s).

From 1D to 3D: Tunable Sub-10 nm Gaps in Large Area Devices.

PubMed

Zhou, Ziwei; Zhao, Zhiyuan; Yu, Ye; Ai, Bin; Möhwald, Helmuth; Chiechi, Ryan C; Yang, Joel K W; Zhang, Gang

2016-04-20

Tunable sub-10 nm 1D nanogaps are fabricated based on nanoskiving. The electric field in different sized nanogaps is investigated theoretically and experimentally, yielding nonmonotonic dependence and an optimized gap-width (5 nm). 2D nanogap arrays are fabricated to pack denser gaps combining surface patterning techniques. Innovatively, 3D multistory nanogaps are built via a stacking procedure, processing higher integration, and much improved electric field. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

30 CFR 75.523-2 - Deenergization of self-propelled electric face equipment; performance requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Deenergization of self-propelled electric face... Electrical Equipment-General § 75.523-2 Deenergization of self-propelled electric face equipment; performance requirements. (a) Deenergization of the tramming motors of self-propelled electric face equipment, required by...

30 CFR 75.523-2 - Deenergization of self-propelled electric face equipment; performance requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Deenergization of self-propelled electric face... Electrical Equipment-General § 75.523-2 Deenergization of self-propelled electric face equipment; performance requirements. (a) Deenergization of the tramming motors of self-propelled electric face equipment, required by...

30 CFR 75.523-2 - Deenergization of self-propelled electric face equipment; performance requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Deenergization of self-propelled electric face... Electrical Equipment-General § 75.523-2 Deenergization of self-propelled electric face equipment; performance requirements. (a) Deenergization of the tramming motors of self-propelled electric face equipment, required by...

30 CFR 75.523-2 - Deenergization of self-propelled electric face equipment; performance requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Deenergization of self-propelled electric face... Electrical Equipment-General § 75.523-2 Deenergization of self-propelled electric face equipment; performance requirements. (a) Deenergization of the tramming motors of self-propelled electric face equipment, required by...

30 CFR 75.523-2 - Deenergization of self-propelled electric face equipment; performance requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Deenergization of self-propelled electric face... Electrical Equipment-General § 75.523-2 Deenergization of self-propelled electric face equipment; performance requirements. (a) Deenergization of the tramming motors of self-propelled electric face equipment, required by...

The greenhouse gas emissions performance of cellulosic ethanol supply chains in Europe

PubMed Central

Slade, Raphael; Bauen, Ausilio; Shah, Nilay

2009-01-01

Background Calculating the greenhouse gas savings that may be attributed to biofuels is problematic because production systems are inherently complex and methods used to quantify savings are subjective. Differing approaches and interpretations have fuelled a debate about the environmental merit of biofuels, and consequently about the level of policy support that can be justified. This paper estimates and compares emissions from plausible supply chains for lignocellulosic ethanol production, exemplified using data specific to the UK and Sweden. The common elements that give rise to the greatest greenhouse gas emissions are identified and the sensitivity of total emissions to variations in these elements is estimated. The implications of including consequential impacts including indirect land-use change, and the effects of selecting alternative allocation methods on the interpretation of results are discussed. Results We find that the most important factors affecting supply chain emissions are the emissions embodied in biomass production, the use of electricity in the conversion process and potentially consequential impacts: indirect land-use change and fertiliser replacement. The large quantity of electricity consumed during enzyme manufacture suggests that enzymatic conversion processes may give rise to greater greenhouse gas emissions than the dilute acid conversion process, even though the dilute acid process has a somewhat lower ethanol yield. Conclusion The lignocellulosic ethanol supply chains considered here all lead to greenhouse gas savings relative to gasoline An important caveat to this is that if lignocellulosic ethanol production uses feedstocks that lead to indirect land-use change, or other significant consequential impacts, the benefit may be greatly reduced. Co-locating ethanol, electricity generation and enzyme production in a single facility may improve performance, particularly if this allows the number of energy intensive steps in enzyme production to be reduced, or if other process synergies are available. If biofuels policy in the EU remains contingent on favourable environmental performance then the multi-scale nature of bioenergy supply chains presents a genuine challenge. Lignocellulosic ethanol holds promise for emission reductions, but maximising greenhouse gas savings will not only require efficient supply chain design but also a better understanding of the spatial and temporal factors which affect overall performance. PMID:19682352

Influence of local topography on precision irrigation management

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Precision irrigation management is currently accomplished using spatial information about soil properties through soil series maps or electrical conductivity (EC measurements. Crop yield, however, is consistently influenced by local topography, both in rain-fed and irrigated environments. Utilizing ...

Lessons Learned "Establishing an Electrically Safe Work Condition" Specifically related to Racking Electrical Breakers

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

Martinez, Tommy Robert; Romero, Philbert Roland; Garcia, Samuel Anthony

During low voltage electrical equipment maintenance, a bad breaker was identified. The breaker was racked out from the substation cubicle without following the hazardous energy control process identified in the Integrated Work Document (IWD). The IWD required the substation to be in an electrically safe work condition prior to racking the breaker. Per NFPA 70E requirements, electrical equipment shall be put into an electrically safe work condition before an employee performs work on or interacts with equipment in a manner that increases the likelihood of creating an arc flash. Racking in or out a breaker on an energized bus maymore » increase the likelihood of creating an arc flash dependent on equipment conditions. A thorough risk assessment must be performed prior to performing such a task. The risk assessment determines the risk control measures to be put in place prior to performing the work. Electrical Safety Officers (ESO) can assist in performing risk assessments and incorporating risk control measures.« less

Integrated micro thermoelectric cooler: Theory, fabrication and characterization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

da Silva, Luciana Wasnievski

The flows of heat and electricity in a column-type micro thermoelectric (TE) cooler that uses telluride compounds for the n- and p-type elements, are analyzed by modeling the various interfacial resistances. Electron (barrier tunneling) and phonon (diffuse mismatch) boundary resistances at the TE/metal interface, and thermal non-equilibrium between electrons and phonons adjacent to this interface (cooling length), increase the thermal conduction resistance and decrease the Seebeck coefficient of the TE elements. These in turn reduce the device cooling performance, which is also affected by the thermal and electrical contact resistances at the TE/metal and the metal/electrical-insulator interfaces. From the device optimization, it is predicted (for an available voltage of 3 V) that a micro TE cooler with 50 TE pairs (Bi2Te3 and Sb2Te3 high performance TE films), column thickness of 4 mum (limited by the current fabrication process), and column cross-section area of 7 mum x 7 mum, should produce a temperature drop of 10 K with a cooling load of 10 mW. This device will operate with a current of 11 mA and will require a power of 34 mW. The coefficient of performance is 0.3. Co-evaporated Bi-Te and Sb-Te films were fabricated at various deposition conditions (evaporation rate of individual species and substrate temperature), and their TE properties (Seebeck coefficient, electrical resistivity, and carrier concentration) were measured, in search of optimal TE performance. The deposition rates were controlled such that the tellurium atomic composition changed from 48 to 74%, and the substrate temperature ranged from 130 to 300°C. The chemical composition and crystal structure of the films were recorded (using a microprobe and a X-ray diffractomer, respectively), analyzed, and compared with standard Bi2Te3 and Sb2Te 3 single crystal samples. High performance TE films had a tellurium atomic concentration around 60% and were deposited at a substrate temperature between 260 and 270°C. Due to degradation of the photoresist used for patterning the TE films, in the first-generation device, they were deposited with a maximum substrate temperature of 130°C. The TE columns were connected using Cr/Au/Ti/Pt layers at the hot junctions, and Cr/Au layers at the cold junctions. A device with 60 TE pairs and column width of 40 mum (finer device structures had limited yield) was tested using infrared thermometry. The average cooling achieved was about 1 K, which was close to the predicted value. A future-generation device is proposed, where high performance TE films can be patterned with optimized geometries (high density micro TE coolers), allowing these devices to fulfill the requirements for a wireless environmental monitor application.

40 CFR 60.47Da - Commercial demonstration permit.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... may not exceed the following equivalent MW electrical generation capacity for any one technology... plants may not exceed 15,000 MW. Technology Pollutant Equivalent electrical capacity(MW electrical output... (CONTINUED) STANDARDS OF PERFORMANCE FOR NEW STATIONARY SOURCES Standards of Performance for Electric Utility...

40 CFR 60.47Da - Commercial demonstration permit.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... may not exceed the following equivalent MW electrical generation capacity for any one technology... plants may not exceed 15,000 MW. Technology Pollutant Equivalent electrical capacity(MW electrical output... (CONTINUED) STANDARDS OF PERFORMANCE FOR NEW STATIONARY SOURCES Standards of Performance for Electric Utility...

Life-cycle analysis of greenhouse gas emissions from renewable jet fuel production.

PubMed

de Jong, Sierk; Antonissen, Kay; Hoefnagels, Ric; Lonza, Laura; Wang, Michael; Faaij, André; Junginger, Martin

2017-01-01

The introduction of renewable jet fuel (RJF) is considered an important emission mitigation measure for the aviation industry. This study compares the well-to-wake (WtWa) greenhouse gas (GHG) emission performance of multiple RJF conversion pathways and explores the impact of different co-product allocation methods. The insights obtained in this study are of particular importance if RJF is included as an emission mitigation instrument in the global Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA). Fischer-Tropsch pathways yield the highest GHG emission reduction compared to fossil jet fuel (86-104%) of the pathways in scope, followed by Hydrothermal Liquefaction (77-80%) and sugarcane- (71-75%) and corn stover-based Alcohol-to-Jet (60-75%). Feedstock cultivation, hydrogen and conversion inputs were shown to be major contributors to the overall WtWa GHG emission performance. The choice of allocation method mainly affects pathways yielding high shares of co-products or producing co-products which effectively displace carbon intensive products (e.g., electricity). Renewable jet fuel can contribute to significant reduction of aviation-related GHG emissions, provided the right feedstock and conversion technology are used. The GHG emission performance of RJF may be further improved by using sustainable hydrogen sources or applying carbon capture and storage. Based on the character and impact of different co-product allocation methods, we recommend using energy and economic allocation (for non-energy co-products) at a global level, as it leverages the universal character of energy allocation while adequately valuing non-energy co-products.

Electric analog studies of flow to wells in the Punjab aquifer of West Pakistan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mundorff, Maurice John; Bennett, G.D.; Ahmad, Masood

1972-01-01

A series of experiments was performed with a steady-state electric analog simulating a cylindrical segment of the aquifer underlying the plains of the Punjab region of West Pakistan. In most of the experiments recharge was assumed to be from the surface, within a specified radius of influence, and distributed uniformly over the area within this radius. Experiments were made with different anisotropies (ratios of lateral to vertical resistance) so that various possible combinations of aquifer thickness and effective radius or radius of influence and combinations .of lateral and vertical permeability could be included in the models. Flow nets were constructed to show distribution of potential in the vertical section and intersections of stream surfaces with the vertical plane. The series of experiments in which the screened interval is in the upper part of the aquifer shows that flow decreases and stream tubes shift progressively toward the upper part of the aquifer as anisotropy increases. Another series illustrates that total yield increases and yield per foot of screen decreases as screen length increases. The experiments indicate that, under conditions prevalent in the Punjab, the Distance-drawdown method for determining permeability gives results with an error of 10 percent or less provided that at least one piezometer or observation well is within a few feet of the pumped well and that no observation well or piezometer used is more than 100 feet from the pumped well. Relative traveltime for each of 10 stream tubes is given for three models. Relative traveltimes for one-fourth and one-half the effective radius are given for selected stream tubes. By substituting values for the aquifer parameters, actual traveltimes are computed from the relative-traveltime data.

Innervation of the cricothyroid muscle by extralaryngeal branches of the recurrent laryngeal nerve.

PubMed

Miyauchi, Akira; Masuoka, Hiroo; Nakayama, Ayako; Higashiyama, Takuya

2016-05-01

A major concern in thyroid surgery is possible changes in the patient's voice due to dysfunction of the laryngeal muscles. The classical understanding of the anatomy is that the cricothyroid muscle (CTM) is innervated solely by the external branch of the superior laryngeal nerve (EBSLN), and the endolaryngeal muscles are covered only by the recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN). Meticulous anatomical studies found communication between these nerves. Recent neurophysiological studies revealed cross-innervations among these nerve-muscle sets. Here, we report innervation of the CTM by extralaryngeal branches of the RLN. Clinical observation during thyroid surgery at a hospital center for thyroid diseases. During thyroid cancer surgeries, we encountered four adult Japanese patients who had an extralaryngeal branch of the RLN, the electrical stimulation of which showed contraction of the CTM. The EBSLN and RLN were electrically stimulated. Responses were evaluated by visual observation of contraction of the CTM and palpable laryngeal twitch of the endolaryngeal muscles. Electromyographic studies were also performed in two patients. Five of the seven RLNs examined showed contraction of the CTM on stimulation. Four of these five RLNs had an extralaryngeal branch that showed contraction of the CTM on stimulation. Stimulation of the RLN proximal to the branch yielded contraction of the CTM and laryngeal twitch, whereas stimulation of the RLN distal to the branch yielded only laryngeal twitch. Extralaryngeal branches of the RLN innervated the CTM in four patients. This phenomenon might influence voice changes following thyroid surgery. 4. Laryngoscope, 126:1157-1162, 2016. Laryngoscope published by Wiley on behalf of the American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc, “The Triological Society” and American Laryngological Association (the “Owner”).

Effect of Electric Field on CO2 Photoreduction by TiO2 Film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Zhengfeng; Cheng, Xudong; Dong, Peimei; Zhang, Xiwen

2017-02-01

To mitigate the greenhouse effect, many studies have been carried out to improve the CO2 conversion efficiency of TiO2. Modification of TiO2 has been intensively investigated, but the influence of an electric field on photoreduction by this material remains largely unknown. Accordingly, in this study, we explored the effect of an electric field on the photoreduction process using a porous TiO2-Ti material. The results indicated that the CO yield improved 85-fold (equivalent to 4772 μmol/g h) when a 30-kV voltage was applied during the reduction process. To make the electric field effect fully functional, we also explored the effect of water on the photoreduction process, finding that TiO2 showed the highest conversion rate when the humidity was controlled at 50% relative humidity (RH).

Estimation of electric fields and current from ground-based magnetometer data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kamide, Y.; Richmond, A. D.

1984-01-01

Recent advances in numerical algorithms for estimating ionospheric electric fields and currents from groundbased magnetometer data are reviewed and evaluated. Tests of the adequacy of one such algorithm in reproducing large-scale patterns of electrodynamic parameters in the high-latitude ionosphere have yielded generally positive results, at least for some simple cases. Some encouraging advances in producing realistic conductivity models, which are a critical input, are pointed out. When the algorithms are applied to extensive data sets, such as the ones from meridian chain magnetometer networks during the IMS, together with refined conductivity models, unique information on instantaneous electric field and current patterns can be obtained. Examples of electric potentials, ionospheric currents, field-aligned currents, and Joule heating distributions derived from ground magnetic data are presented. Possible directions for future improvements are also pointed out.

Partially Turboelectric Aircraft Drive Key Performance Parameters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jansen, Ralph H.; Duffy, Kirsten P.; Brown, Gerald V.

2017-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to propose electric drive specific power, electric drive efficiency, and electrical propulsion fraction as the key performance parameters for a partially turboelectric aircraft power system and to investigate their impact on the overall aircraft performance. Breguet range equations for a base conventional turbofan aircraft and a partially turboelectric aircraft are found. The benefits and costs that may result from the partially turboelectric system are enumerated. A break even analysis is conducted to find the minimum allowable electric drive specific power and efficiency, for a given electrical propulsion fraction, that can preserve the range, fuel weight, operating empty weight, and payload weight of the conventional aircraft. Current and future power system performance is compared to the required performance to determine the potential benefit.

A Common Initiation Criterion for CL-20 EBW Detonators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valancius, Cole; Garasi, Christopher; O'Malley, Patrick

2014-11-01

In an effort to better understand the initiation mechanisms of hexanitrohexaazaisowurtzitane (CL-20) based Exploding Bridgewire (EBW) detonators, a series of studies were performed comparing electrical input parameters and detonator performance. Traditional methods of analysis, such as burst current and action, do not allow performance to be compared across multiple firesets. A new metric, electrical burst energy density (Eρ) , allows an explosive train to be characterized across all possible electrical configurations (different firesets, different sized gold bridges, different cables and cable lengths); by testing one electrical configuration, performance across all others is understood. This discovery has implications for design and surveillance, and for the first time, presents a link between modeling of electrical circuits (such as in ALEGRA) and explosive performance.

Vehicle test report: Electric Vehicle Associates electric conversion of an AMC Pacer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Price, T. W.; Wirth, V. A., Jr.; Pampa, M. F.

1981-01-01

The change of pace, an electric vehicle was tested. These tests were performed to characterize certain parameters of the electric vehicle pacer and to provide baseline data that can be used for the comparison of improved batteries that may be incorporated into the vehicle at a later time. The vehicle tests were concentrated on the electrical drive subsystem, the batteries, controller and motor. Coastdowns to characterize the road load, and range evaluations for both cyclic and constant speed conditions were performed. The vehicle's performance was evaluated by comparing its constant speed range performance with described vehicles. It is found that the pacer performance is approximately equal to the majority of the vehicles tested in the 1977 assessment.

Photon transitions in {psi}(2S) decays to {chi}{sub cJ}(1P) and {eta}{sub c}(1S)

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

Athar, S.B.; Avery, P.; Breva-Newell, L.

2004-12-01

We have studied the inclusive photon spectrum in {psi}(2S) decays using the CLEO III detector. We present the most precise measurements of electric dipole (E1) photon transition rates for {psi}(2S){yields}{gamma}{chi}{sub cJ}(1P) (J=0,1,2). We also confirm the hindered magnetic dipole (M1) transition, {psi}(2S){yields}{gamma}{eta}{sub c}(1S). However, the direct M1 transition {psi}(2S){yields}{gamma}{eta}{sub c}(2S) observed by the Crystal Ball as a narrow peak at a photon energy of 91 MeV is not found in our data.

High speed reaction wheels for satellite attitude control and energy storage

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Studer, P.; Rodriguez, E.

1985-01-01

The combination of spacecraft attitude control and energy storage (ACES) functions in common hardware, to synergistically maintain three-axis attitude control while supplying electrical power during earth orbital eclipses, allows the generation of control torques by high rotating speed wheels that react against the spacecraft structure via a high efficiency bidirectional energy conversion motor/generator. An ACES system encompasses a minimum of four wheels, controlling power and the three torque vectors. Attention is given to the realization of such a system with composite flywheel rotors that yield high energy density, magnetic suspension technology yielding low losses at high rotational speeds, and an ironless armature permanent magnet motor/generator yielding high energy conversion efficiency.

Electric/Hybrid Vehicle Simulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Slusser, R. A.; Chapman, C. P.; Brennand, J. P.

1985-01-01

ELVEC computer program provides vehicle designer with simulation tool for detailed studies of electric and hybrid vehicle performance and cost. ELVEC simulates performance of user-specified electric or hybrid vehicle under user specified driving schedule profile or operating schedule. ELVEC performs vehicle design and life cycle cost analysis.

Modeling of a carbon nanotube ultracapacitor.

PubMed

Orphanou, Antonis; Yamada, Toshishige; Yang, Cary Y

2012-03-09

The modeling of carbon nanotube ultracapacitor (CNU) performance based on the simulation of electrolyte ion motion between the cathode and the anode is described. Using a molecular dynamics (MD) approach, the equilibrium positions of the electrode charges interacting through the Coulomb potential are determined, which in turn yield the equipotential surface and electric field associated with the capacitor. With an applied ac voltage, the current is computed based on the nanotube and electrolyte particle distribution and interaction, resulting in the frequency-dependent impedance Z(ω). From the current and impedance profiles, the Nyquist and cyclic voltammetry (CV) plots are then extracted. The results of these calculations compare well with existing experimental data. A lumped-element equivalent circuit for the CNU is proposed and the impedance computed from this circuit correlates well with the simulated and measured impedances.

Dynamically assisted Schwinger effect beyond the spatially-uniform-field approximation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aleksandrov, I. A.; Plunien, G.; Shabaev, V. M.

2018-06-01

We investigate the phenomenon of electron-positron pair production from vacuum in the presence of a strong electric field superimposed by a weak but fast varying pulse which substantially increases the total particle yield. We employ a nonperturbative numerical technique and perform the calculations beyond the spatially-uniform-field approximation, i.e., dipole approximation, taking into account the coordinate dependence of the fast component. The analysis of the main characteristics of the pair-production process (momentum spectra of particles and total amount of pairs) reveals a number of important features which are absent within the previously used approximation. In particular, the structure of the momentum distribution is modified both qualitatively and quantitatively, and the total number of pairs created as well as the enhancement factor due to dynamical assistance become significantly smaller.

High quantum efficiency photocathode simulation for the investigation of novel structured designs

DOE PAGES

MacPhee, A. G.; Nagel, S. R.; Bell, P. M.; ...

2014-09-02

A computer model in CST Studio Suite has been developed to evaluate several novel geometrically enhanced photocathode designs. This work was aimed at identifying a structure that would increase the total electron yield by a factor of two or greater in the 1–30 keV range. The modeling software was used to simulate the electric field and generate particle tracking for several potential structures. The final photocathode structure has been tailored to meet a set of detector performance requirements, namely, a spatial resolution of <40 μm and a temporal spread of 1–10 ps. As a result, we present the details ofmore » the geometrically enhanced photocathode model and resulting static field and electron emission characteristics.« less

The composing process of technical writers: A preliminary study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mair, D.; Roundy, N.

1981-01-01

The assumption that technical writers compose as do other writers is tested. The literature on the composing process, not limited to the pure or applied sciences, was reviewed, yielding three areas of general agreement. The composing process (1) consists of several stages, (2) is reflexive, and (3) may be mastered by means of strategies. Data on the ways technical writers compose were collected, and findings were related to the three areas of agreement. Questionnaires and interviews surveying 70 writers were used. The disciplines represented by these writers included civil, chemical, agricultural, geological, mechanical, electrical, and petroleum engineering, chemistry, hydrology, geology, and biology. Those providing consulting services, or performing research. No technical editors or professional writers were surveyed, only technicians, engineers, and researchers whose jobs involved composing reports. Three pedagogical implications are included.

76 FR 3587 - Standards of Performance for Fossil-Fuel-Fired, Electric Utility, Industrial-Commercial...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-01-20

... Standards of Performance for Fossil-Fuel-Fired, Electric Utility, Industrial-Commercial-Institutional, and... Fossil fuel-fired electric utility steam generating units. Federal Government 22112 Fossil fuel-fired... 22112 Fossil fuel-fired electric utility steam generating units owned by municipalities. 921150 Fossil...

76 FR 3517 - Standards of Performance for Fossil-Fuel-Fired, Electric Utility, Industrial-Commercial...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-01-20

... Standards of Performance for Fossil-Fuel-Fired, Electric Utility, Industrial-Commercial-Institutional, and... following: Category NAICS \\1\\ Examples of regulated entities Industry 221112 Fossil fuel-fired electric utility steam generating units. Federal Government 22112 Fossil fuel-fired electric utility steam...

ThermoYield actuators: nano-adjustable set-and-forget optics mounts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

DeTienne, Michael D.; Bruccoleri, Alexander R.; Chalifoux, Brandon; Heilmann, Ralf K.; Tedesco, Ross E.; Schattenburg, Mark L.

2017-08-01

The X-ray optics community has been developing technology for high angular resolution, large collecting area X-ray telescopes such as the Lynx X-ray telescope concept. To meet the high collecting area requirements of such telescope concepts, research is being conducted on thin, segmented optics. The mounts that fixture and align segmented optics must be the correct length to sub-micron accuracy to satisfy the angular resolution goals of such a concept. Set-andforget adjustable length optical mounting posts have been developed to meet this need. The actuator consists of a cylinder made of metal. Halfway up the height of the metal cylinder, a reduced diameter cylindrical neck is cut. To change the length of this actuator, an axial compressive or tensile force is applied to the actuator. A high-current electrical pulse is sent through the actuator, and this electrical current resistively heats the neck of the actuator. This heating temporarily reduces the yield strength of the neck, so that the applied force plastically deforms the neck. Once the current stops and the neck cools, the neck will regain yield strength, and the plastic deformation will stop. All of the plastic deformation that occurred during heating is now permanent. Both compression and expansion of these actuators has been demonstrated in steps ranging from 6 nanometers to several microns. This paper will explain the concept of ThermoYield actuation, explore X-ray telescope applications, describe an experimental setup, show and discuss data, and propose future ideas.

Computing the biomass potentials for maize and two alternative energy crops, triticale and cup plant (Silphium perfoliatum L.), with the crop model BioSTAR in the region of Hannover (Germany).

PubMed

Bauböck, Roland; Karpenstein-Machan, Marianne; Kappas, Martin

2014-01-01

Lower Saxony (Germany) has the highest installed electric capacity from biogas in Germany. Most of this electricity is generated with maize. Reasons for this are the high yields and the economic incentive. In parts of Lower Saxony, an expansion of maize cultivation has led to ecological problems and a negative image of bioenergy as such. Winter triticale and cup plant have both shown their suitability as alternative energy crops for biogas production and could help to reduce maize cultivation. The model Biomass Simulation Tool for Agricultural Resources (BioSTAR) has been validated with observed yield data from the region of Hannover for the cultures maize and winter wheat. Predicted yields for the cultures show satisfactory error values of 9.36% (maize) and 11.5% (winter wheat). Correlations with observed data are significant ( P  < 0.01) with R  = 0.75 for maize and 0.6 for winter wheat. Biomass potential calculations for triticale and cup plant have shown both crops to be high yielding and a promising alternative to maize in the region of Hanover and other places in Lower Saxony. The model BioSTAR simulated yields for maize and winter wheat in the region of Hannover at a good overall level of accuracy (combined error 10.4%). Due to input data aggregation, individual years show high errors though (up to 30%). Nevertheless, the BioSTAR crop model has proven to be a functioning tool for the prediction of agricultural biomass potentials under varying environmental and crop management frame conditions.

Utility of Post-Mortem Genetic Testing in Cases of Sudden Arrhythmic Death Syndrome.

PubMed

Lahrouchi, Najim; Raju, Hariharan; Lodder, Elisabeth M; Papatheodorou, Efstathios; Ware, James S; Papadakis, Michael; Tadros, Rafik; Cole, Della; Skinner, Jonathan R; Crawford, Jackie; Love, Donald R; Pua, Chee J; Soh, Bee Y; Bhalshankar, Jaydutt D; Govind, Risha; Tfelt-Hansen, Jacob; Winkel, Bo G; van der Werf, Christian; Wijeyeratne, Yanushi D; Mellor, Greg; Till, Jan; Cohen, Marta C; Tome-Esteban, Maria; Sharma, Sanjay; Wilde, Arthur A M; Cook, Stuart A; Bezzina, Connie R; Sheppard, Mary N; Behr, Elijah R

2017-05-02

Sudden arrhythmic death syndrome (SADS) describes a sudden death with negative autopsy and toxicological analysis. Cardiac genetic disease is a likely etiology. This study investigated the clinical utility and combined yield of post-mortem genetic testing (molecular autopsy) in cases of SADS and comprehensive clinical evaluation of surviving relatives. We evaluated 302 expertly validated SADS cases with suitable DNA (median age: 24 years; 65% males) who underwent next-generation sequencing using an extended panel of 77 primary electrical disorder and cardiomyopathy genes. Pathogenic and likely pathogenic variants were classified using American College of Medical Genetics (ACMG) consensus guidelines. The yield of combined molecular autopsy and clinical evaluation in 82 surviving families was evaluated. A gene-level rare variant association analysis was conducted in SADS cases versus controls. A clinically actionable pathogenic or likely pathogenic variant was identified in 40 of 302 cases (13%). The main etiologies established were catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia and long QT syndrome (17 [6%] and 11 [4%], respectively). Gene-based rare variants association analysis showed enrichment of rare predicted deleterious variants in RYR2 (p = 5 × 10 -5 ). Combining molecular autopsy with clinical evaluation in surviving families increased diagnostic yield from 26% to 39%. Molecular autopsy for electrical disorder and cardiomyopathy genes, using ACMG guidelines for variant classification, identified a modest but realistic yield in SADS. Our data highlighted the predominant role of catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia and long QT syndrome, especially the RYR2 gene, as well as the minimal yield from other genes. Furthermore, we showed the enhanced utility of combined clinical and genetic evaluation. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Vermicompost Improves Tomato Yield and Quality and the Biochemical Properties of Soils with Different Tomato Planting History in a Greenhouse Study

PubMed Central

Wang, Xin-Xin; Zhao, Fengyan; Zhang, Guoxian; Zhang, Yongyong; Yang, Lijuan

2017-01-01

A greenhouse pot test was conducted to study the impacts of replacing mineral fertilizer with organic fertilizers for one full growing period on soil fertility, tomato yield and quality using soils with different tomato planting history. Four types of fertilization regimes were compared: (1) conventional fertilizer with urea, (2) chicken manure compost, (3) vermicompost, and (4) no fertilizer. The effects on plant growth, yield and fruit quality and soil properties (including microbial biomass carbon and nitrogen, NH4+-N, NO3--N, soil water-soluble organic carbon, soil pH and electrical conductivity) were investigated in samples collected from the experimental soils at different tomato growth stages. The main results showed that: (1) vermicompost and chicken manure compost more effectively promoted plant growth, including stem diameter and plant height compared with other fertilizer treatments, in all three types of soil; (2) vermicompost improved fruit quality in each type of soil, and increased the sugar/acid ratio, and decreased nitrate concentration in fresh fruit compared with the CK treatment; (3) vermicompost led to greater improvements in fruit yield (74%), vitamin C (47%), and soluble sugar (71%) in soils with no tomato planting history compared with those in soils with long tomato planting history; and (4) vermicompost led to greater improvements in soil quality than chicken manure compost, including higher pH (averaged 7.37 vs. averaged 7.23) and lower soil electrical conductivity (averaged 204.1 vs. averaged 234.6 μS/cm) at the end of experiment in each type of soil. We conclude that vermicompost can be recommended as a fertilizer to improve tomato fruit quality and yield and soil quality, particularly for soils with no tomato planting history. PMID:29209343

Yield impact for wafer shape misregistration-based binning for overlay APC diagnostic enhancement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jayez, David; Jock, Kevin; Zhou, Yue; Govindarajulu, Venugopal; Zhang, Zhen; Anis, Fatima; Tijiwa-Birk, Felipe; Agarwal, Shivam

2018-03-01

The importance of traditionally acceptable sources of variation has started to become more critical as semiconductor technologies continue to push into smaller technology nodes. New metrology techniques are needed to pursue the process uniformity requirements needed for controllable lithography. Process control for lithography has the advantage of being able to adjust for cross-wafer variability, but this requires that all processes are close in matching between process tools/chambers for each process. When this is not the case, the cumulative line variability creates identifiable groups of wafers1 . This cumulative shape based effect is described as impacting overlay measurements and alignment by creating misregistration of the overlay marks. It is necessary to understand what requirements might go into developing a high volume manufacturing approach which leverages this grouping methodology, the key inputs and outputs, and what can be extracted from such an approach. It will be shown that this line variability can be quantified into a loss of electrical yield primarily at the edge of the wafer and proposes a methodology for root cause identification and improvement. This paper will cover the concept of wafer shape based grouping as a diagnostic tool for overlay control and containment, the challenges in implementing this in a manufacturing setting, and the limitations of this approach. This will be accomplished by showing that there are identifiable wafer shape based signatures. These shape based wafer signatures will be shown to be correlated to overlay misregistration, primarily at the edge. It will also be shown that by adjusting for this wafer shape signal, improvements can be made to both overlay as well as electrical yield. These improvements show an increase in edge yield, and a reduction in yield variability.

Vermicompost Improves Tomato Yield and Quality and the Biochemical Properties of Soils with Different Tomato Planting History in a Greenhouse Study.

PubMed

Wang, Xin-Xin; Zhao, Fengyan; Zhang, Guoxian; Zhang, Yongyong; Yang, Lijuan

2017-01-01

A greenhouse pot test was conducted to study the impacts of replacing mineral fertilizer with organic fertilizers for one full growing period on soil fertility, tomato yield and quality using soils with different tomato planting history. Four types of fertilization regimes were compared: (1) conventional fertilizer with urea, (2) chicken manure compost, (3) vermicompost, and (4) no fertilizer. The effects on plant growth, yield and fruit quality and soil properties (including microbial biomass carbon and nitrogen, [Formula: see text]-N, [Formula: see text]-N, soil water-soluble organic carbon, soil pH and electrical conductivity) were investigated in samples collected from the experimental soils at different tomato growth stages. The main results showed that: (1) vermicompost and chicken manure compost more effectively promoted plant growth, including stem diameter and plant height compared with other fertilizer treatments, in all three types of soil; (2) vermicompost improved fruit quality in each type of soil, and increased the sugar/acid ratio, and decreased nitrate concentration in fresh fruit compared with the CK treatment; (3) vermicompost led to greater improvements in fruit yield (74%), vitamin C (47%), and soluble sugar (71%) in soils with no tomato planting history compared with those in soils with long tomato planting history; and (4) vermicompost led to greater improvements in soil quality than chicken manure compost, including higher pH (averaged 7.37 vs. averaged 7.23) and lower soil electrical conductivity (averaged 204.1 vs. averaged 234.6 μS/cm) at the end of experiment in each type of soil. We conclude that vermicompost can be recommended as a fertilizer to improve tomato fruit quality and yield and soil quality, particularly for soils with no tomato planting history.

21 CFR 884.4120 - Gynecologic electrocautery and accessories.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... electrically heated probe. It is used to excise cervical lesions, perform biopsies, or treat chronic cervicitis... electrical generator, a probe, and electrical cables. (b) Classification. Class II (performance standards). ...

21 CFR 884.4120 - Gynecologic electrocautery and accessories.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... electrically heated probe. It is used to excise cervical lesions, perform biopsies, or treat chronic cervicitis... electrical generator, a probe, and electrical cables. (b) Classification. Class II (performance standards). ...

21 CFR 884.4120 - Gynecologic electrocautery and accessories.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... electrically heated probe. It is used to excise cervical lesions, perform biopsies, or treat chronic cervicitis... electrical generator, a probe, and electrical cables. (b) Classification. Class II (performance standards). ...

21 CFR 884.4120 - Gynecologic electrocautery and accessories.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... electrically heated probe. It is used to excise cervical lesions, perform biopsies, or treat chronic cervicitis... electrical generator, a probe, and electrical cables. (b) Classification. Class II (performance standards). ...

In-Situ through-Plane Measurements of Ionic Potential Distributions in Non-Precious Metal Catalyst Electrode for PEFC

DOE PAGES

Komini Babu, S.; Chung, H. T.; Zelenay, P.; ...

2015-09-14

This manuscript presents micro-scale experimental diagnostics and nano-scale resolution X-ray imaging applied to the study of proton conduction in non-precious metal catalyst (NPMC) fuel cell cathodes. NPMC’s have the potential to reduce the cost of the fuel cell for multiple applications. But, NPMC electrodes are inherently thick compared to the convention Pt/C electrode due to the lower volumetric activity. Thus, the electric potential drop through the Nafion across the electrode thickness can yield significant performance loss. Ionomer distributions in the NPMC electrodes with different ionomer loading are extracted from morphological data using nanoscale X-ray computed tomography (nano-XCT) imaging of themore » cathode. Microstructured electrode scaffold (MES) diagnostics are used to measure the electrolyte potential at discrete points across the thickness of the catalyst layer. When using that apparatus, the electrolyte potential drop, the through-thickness reaction distribution, and the proton conductivity are measured and correlated with the corresponding Nafion morphology and cell performance.« less

Amine-free reversible hydrogen storage in formate salts catalyzed by ruthenium pincer complex without pH control or solvent change.

PubMed

Kothandaraman, Jotheeswari; Czaun, Miklos; Goeppert, Alain; Haiges, Ralf; Jones, John-Paul; May, Robert B; Prakash, G K Surya; Olah, George A

2015-04-24

Due to the intermittent nature of most renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind, energy storage is increasingly required. Since electricity is difficult to store, hydrogen obtained by electrochemical water splitting has been proposed as an energy carrier. However, the handling and transportation of hydrogen in large quantities is in itself a challenge. We therefore present here a method for hydrogen storage based on a CO2 (HCO3 (-) )/H2 and formate equilibrium. This amine-free and efficient reversible system (>90 % yield in both directions) is catalyzed by well-defined and commercially available Ru pincer complexes. The formate dehydrogenation was triggered by simple pressure swing without requiring external pH control or the change of either the solvent or the catalyst. Up to six hydrogenation-dehydrogenation cycles were performed and the catalyst performance remained steady with high selectivity (CO free H2 /CO2 mixture was produced). © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Performance of carbon material derived from starch mixed with flame retardant as electrochemical capacitor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsubota, Toshiki; Morita, Masaki; Murakami, Naoya; Ohno, Teruhisa

2014-12-01

Carbon materials derived from starch with an added flame retardant, such as melamine polyphosphate, melamine sulfate, guanylurea phosphate, or guanidine phosphate, were synthesized for investigating the performance as the electrode of an electrochemical capacitor. The yield after the heat treatment of the carbonization reaction increased by the addition of these flame retardants up to 800 °C. Although both the specific surface area and electrical resistivity are almost independent of the addition of the flame retardants, the capacitance values are improved with the addition of the flame retardants. The nitrogen atoms derived from the flame retardants are introduced to some extent into the synthesized carbon material. Moreover, the phosphorous atoms or the sulfur atoms derived from the flame retardants are doped into the synthesized carbon material. The method applied in this study, that is, the addition of flame retardants before the carbonization process can be used for the doping of the hetero atom such as N, P and S into the carbon material.

Designing scalable product families by the radial basis function-high-dimensional model representation metamodelling technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pirmoradi, Zhila; Haji Hajikolaei, Kambiz; Wang, G. Gary

2015-10-01

Product family design is cost-efficient for achieving the best trade-off between commonalization and diversification. However, for computationally intensive design functions which are viewed as black boxes, the family design would be challenging. A two-stage platform configuration method with generalized commonality is proposed for a scale-based family with unknown platform configuration. Unconventional sensitivity analysis and information on variation in the individual variants' optimal design are used for platform configuration design. Metamodelling is employed to provide the sensitivity and variable correlation information, leading to significant savings in function calls. A family of universal electric motors is designed for product performance and the efficiency of this method is studied. The impact of the employed parameters is also analysed. Then, the proposed method is modified for obtaining higher commonality. The proposed method is shown to yield design solutions with better objective function values, allowable performance loss and higher commonality than the previously developed methods in the literature.

A novel architecture of non-volatile magnetic arithmetic logic unit using magnetic tunnel junctions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Wei; Prenat, Guillaume; Dieny, Bernard

2014-04-01

Complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) technology is facing increasingly difficult obstacles such as power consumption and interconnection delay. Novel hybrid technologies and architectures are being investigated with the aim to circumvent some of these limits. In particular, hybrid CMOS/magnetic technology based on magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) is considered as a very promising approach thanks to the full compatibility of MTJs with CMOS technology. By tightly merging the conventional electronics with magnetism, both logic and memory functions can be implemented in the same device. As a result, non-volatility is directly brought into logic circuits, yielding significant improvement of device performances and new functionalities as well. We have conceived an innovative methodology to construct non-volatile magnetic arithmetic logic units (MALUs) combining spin-transfer torque MTJs with MOS transistors. The present 4-bit MALU utilizes 4 MTJ pairs to store its operation code (opcode). Its operations and performances have been confirmed and evaluated through electrical simulations.

A pipelined architecture for real time correction of non-uniformity in infrared focal plane arrays imaging system using multiprocessors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zou, Liang; Fu, Zhuang; Zhao, YanZheng; Yang, JunYan

2010-07-01

This paper proposes a kind of pipelined electric circuit architecture implemented in FPGA, a very large scale integrated circuit (VLSI), which efficiently deals with the real time non-uniformity correction (NUC) algorithm for infrared focal plane arrays (IRFPA). Dual Nios II soft-core processors and a DSP with a 64+ core together constitute this image system. Each processor undertakes own systematic task, coordinating its work with each other's. The system on programmable chip (SOPC) in FPGA works steadily under the global clock frequency of 96Mhz. Adequate time allowance makes FPGA perform NUC image pre-processing algorithm with ease, which has offered favorable guarantee for the work of post image processing in DSP. And at the meantime, this paper presents a hardware (HW) and software (SW) co-design in FPGA. Thus, this systematic architecture yields an image processing system with multiprocessor, and a smart solution to the satisfaction with the performance of the system.

A graphene/single GaAs nanowire Schottky junction photovoltaic device.

PubMed

Luo, Yanbin; Yan, Xin; Zhang, Jinnan; Li, Bang; Wu, Yao; Lu, Qichao; Jin, Chenxiaoshuai; Zhang, Xia; Ren, Xiaomin

2018-05-17

A graphene/nanowire Schottky junction is a promising structure for low-cost high-performance optoelectronic devices. Here we demonstrate a graphene/single GaAs nanowire Schottky junction photovoltaic device. The Schottky junction is fabricated by covering a single layer graphene onto an n-doped GaAs nanowire. Under 532 nm laser excitation, the device exhibits a high responsivity of 231 mA W-1 and a short response/recover time of 85/118 μs at zero bias. Under AM 1.5 G solar illumination, the device has an open-circuit voltage of 75.0 mV and a short-circuit current density of 425 mA cm-2, yielding a remarkable conversion efficiency of 8.8%. The excellent photovoltaic performance of the device is attributed to the strong built-in electric field in the Schottky junction as well as the transparent property of graphene. The device is promising for self-powered high-speed photodetectors and low-cost high-efficiency solar cells.

Ultrasensitive Kilo-Pixel Imaging Array of Photon Noise-Limited Kinetic Inductance Detectors Over an Octave of Bandwidth for THz Astronomy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bueno, J.; Murugesan, V.; Karatsu, K.; Thoen, D. J.; Baselmans, J. J. A.

2018-05-01

We present the development of a background-limited kilo-pixel imaging array of ultrawide bandwidth kinetic inductance detectors (KIDs) suitable for space-based THz astronomy applications. The array consists of 989 KIDs, in which the radiation is coupled to each KID via a leaky lens antenna, covering the frequency range between 1.4 and 2.8 THz. The single pixel performance is fully characterised using a representative small array in terms of sensitivity, optical efficiency, beam pattern and frequency response, matching very well its expected performance. The kilo-pixel array is characterised electrically, finding a yield larger than 90% and an averaged noise-equivalent power lower than 3 × 10^{-19} W/Hz^{1/2} . The interaction between the kilo-pixel array and cosmic rays is studied, with an expected dead time lower than 0.6% when operated in an L2 or a similar far-Earth orbit.

Reuse of EAF Slag as Reinforcing Filler for Polypropylene Matrix Composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cornacchia, G.; Agnelli, S.; Gelfi, M.; Ramorino, G.; Roberti, R.

2015-06-01

Electric-arc furnace (EAF) slag, the by-product of steel fabricated at the EAF, is in most cases still sent to dumps, with serious environmental consequences. This work shows an innovative, economically convenient application for EAF slag: its use as reinforcing filler for polypropylene. Composites based on polypropylene containing 10-40 wt.% of EAF slag particles were prepared by melt compounding followed by injection molding. A physical-chemical analysis of the EAF slag was performed to determine microstructural features and main component phases. Leaching tests demonstrated that, although EAF slag can release small amounts of toxic elements, such as heavy metals, incorporating such material into the polymeric matrix immobilizes the heavy metals inside that matrix. The mechanical characterization of the polymer-based composites was performed. Incorporating EAF slag particles raises the Young's modulus and the tensile strength at yield, whereas elongation at break and the impact strength of the polymer-based composite are significantly reduced only when large amounts of filler are added, i.e., 30% or more.

Salinity and Conductivity Amendment of Soil Enhanced the Bioelectrochemical Degradation of Petroleum Hydrocarbons.

PubMed

Li, Xiaojing; Wang, Xin; Zhang, Yueyong; Zhao, Qian; Yu, Binbin; Li, Yongtao; Zhou, Qixing

2016-09-06

The extreme salinity and high internal resistance of saline-alkali soil contaminated by petroleum hydrocarbons were two key limitations for using the bioelectrochemical remediation. In order to solve two problems, we simply rinsed soil, added carbon fiber to polluted soil. The charge output was enhanced by 110% with increase of the maximum current densities from 81 to 304 mA·m(-2) while hydrocarbons degradation rate enhanced by 484%, especially the high molecular weight fractions (C28-C36 of n-alkanes and 4-6 rings of PAHs). These effects were possibly due to the selective enrichment of species belonged to δ-Proteobacteria (Proteobacteria), Flavobacteriia (Bacteroidetes) or Clostridia (Firmicutes), the activities of biological electron transfer and enzymes. As we know, oxygenase gene that directly decided the process of degradation, was surveyed for the first time in soil bioelectrochemical remediation system. The results confirmed that the bio-current stimulated the activities of naphthalene dioxygenase and xylene monooxygenase and thus the hydrocarbons degradation and the electricity generation. Given that electricity generation and the remediation performance are governed by multiple factors, understanding of microbial community and enzyme gene is crucial to promote the power yield and the bioelectrochemical remediation applicability.

Salinity and Conductivity Amendment of Soil Enhanced the Bioelectrochemical Degradation of Petroleum Hydrocarbons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Xiaojing; Wang, Xin; Zhang, Yueyong; Zhao, Qian; Yu, Binbin; Li, Yongtao; Zhou, Qixing

2016-09-01

The extreme salinity and high internal resistance of saline-alkali soil contaminated by petroleum hydrocarbons were two key limitations for using the bioelectrochemical remediation. In order to solve two problems, we simply rinsed soil, added carbon fiber to polluted soil. The charge output was enhanced by 110% with increase of the maximum current densities from 81 to 304 mA·m-2 while hydrocarbons degradation rate enhanced by 484%, especially the high molecular weight fractions (C28-C36 of n-alkanes and 4-6 rings of PAHs). These effects were possibly due to the selective enrichment of species belonged to δ-Proteobacteria (Proteobacteria), Flavobacteriia (Bacteroidetes) or Clostridia (Firmicutes), the activities of biological electron transfer and enzymes. As we know, oxygenase gene that directly decided the process of degradation, was surveyed for the first time in soil bioelectrochemical remediation system. The results confirmed that the bio-current stimulated the activities of naphthalene dioxygenase and xylene monooxygenase and thus the hydrocarbons degradation and the electricity generation. Given that electricity generation and the remediation performance are governed by multiple factors, understanding of microbial community and enzyme gene is crucial to promote the power yield and the bioelectrochemical remediation applicability.

Salinity and Conductivity Amendment of Soil Enhanced the Bioelectrochemical Degradation of Petroleum Hydrocarbons

PubMed Central

Li, Xiaojing; Wang, Xin; Zhang, Yueyong; Zhao, Qian; Yu, Binbin; Li, Yongtao; Zhou, Qixing

2016-01-01

The extreme salinity and high internal resistance of saline-alkali soil contaminated by petroleum hydrocarbons were two key limitations for using the bioelectrochemical remediation. In order to solve two problems, we simply rinsed soil, added carbon fiber to polluted soil. The charge output was enhanced by 110% with increase of the maximum current densities from 81 to 304 mA·m−2 while hydrocarbons degradation rate enhanced by 484%, especially the high molecular weight fractions (C28–C36 of n-alkanes and 4–6 rings of PAHs). These effects were possibly due to the selective enrichment of species belonged to δ-Proteobacteria (Proteobacteria), Flavobacteriia (Bacteroidetes) or Clostridia (Firmicutes), the activities of biological electron transfer and enzymes. As we know, oxygenase gene that directly decided the process of degradation, was surveyed for the first time in soil bioelectrochemical remediation system. The results confirmed that the bio-current stimulated the activities of naphthalene dioxygenase and xylene monooxygenase and thus the hydrocarbons degradation and the electricity generation. Given that electricity generation and the remediation performance are governed by multiple factors, understanding of microbial community and enzyme gene is crucial to promote the power yield and the bioelectrochemical remediation applicability. PMID:27597387

Efficient synthesis of ammonia from N2 and H2 alone in a ferroelectric packed-bed DBD reactor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gómez-Ramírez, A.; Cotrino, J.; Lambert, R. M.; González-Elipe, A. R.

2015-12-01

A detailed study of ammonia synthesis from hydrogen and nitrogen in a planar dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) reactor was carried out. Electrical parameters were systematically varied, including applied voltage and frequency, electrode gap, and type of ferroelectric material (BaTiO3 versus PZT). For selected operating conditions, power consumption and plasma electron density were estimated from Lissajous diagrams and by application of the Bolsig  +  model, respectively. Optical emission spectroscopy was used to follow the evolution of plasma species (\\text{N}{{\\text{H}}*},{{\\text{N}}*},~{N}2+~\\text{and} ~{N}2* ) as a function of applied voltage with both types of ferroelectric material. PZT gave both greater energy efficiency and higher ammonia yield than BaTiO3: 0.9 g NH3 kWh-1 and 2.7% single pass N2 conversion, respectively. This performance is substantially superior to previously published findings on DBD synthesis of NH3 from N2 and H2 alone. The influence of electrical working parameters, the beneficial effect of PZT and the importance of controlling reactant residence time are rationalized in a reaction model that takes account of the principal process variables

Thin-Film Nanowire Networks for Transparent Conductor Applications: Simulations of Sheet Resistance and Percolation Thresholds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Winey, Karen I.; Mutiso, Rose M.; Sherrott, Michelle C.; Rathmell, Aaron R.; Wiley, Benjamin J.

2013-03-01

Thin-film metal nanowire networks are being pursued as a viable alternative to the expensive and brittle indium tin oxide (ITO) for transparent conductors. For high performance applications, nanowire networks must exhibit high transmittance at low sheet resistance. Previously, we have used complimentary experimental, simulation and theoretical techniques to explore the effects of filler aspect ratio (L/D), orientation, and size-dispersity on the electrical conductivity of three-dimensional rod-networks in bulk polymer nanocomposites. We adapted our 3D simulation approach and analytical percolation model to study the electrical properties of thin-film rod-networks. By fitting our simulation results to experimental results, we determined the average effective contact resistance between silver nanowires. This contact resistance was then used to quantify how the sheet resistance depends on the aspect ratio of the rods and to show that networks made of nanowires with L/D greater than 100 yield sheet resistances lower than the required 100 Ohm/sq. We also report the critical area fraction of rods required to form a percolated network in thin-film networks and provide an analytical expression for the critical area fraction as a function of L/D.

Electrokinetic Analysis of Energy Harvest from Natural Salt Gradients in Nanochannels.

PubMed

He, Yuhui; Huang, Zhuo; Chen, Bowei; Tsutsui, Makusu; Shui Miao, Xiang; Taniguchi, Masateru

2017-10-13

The Gibbs free energy released during the mixing of river and sea water has been illustrated as a promising source of clean and renewable energy. Reverse electrodialysis (RED) is one major strategy to gain electrical power from this natural salinity, and recently by utilizing nanochannels a novel mode of this approach has shown improved power density and energy converting efficiency. In this work, we carry out an electrokinetic analysis of the work extracted from RED in the nanochannels. First, we outline the exclusion potential effect induced by the inhomogeneous distribution of extra-counterions along the channel axis. This effect is unique in nanochannel RED and how to optimize it for energy harvesting is the central topic of this work. We then discuss two important indexes of performance, which are the output power density and the energy converting efficiency, and their dependence on the nanochannel parameters such as channel material and geometry. In order to yield maximized output electrical power, we propose a device design by stepwise usage of the saline bias, and the lengths of the nanochannels are optimized to achieve the best trade-off between the input thermal power and the energy converting efficiency.

Agricultural and Food Processing Applications of Pulsed Power and Plasma Technologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takaki, Koichi

Agricultural and food processing applications of pulsed power and plasma technologies are described in this paper. Repetitively operated compact pulsed power generators with a moderate peak power are developed for the agricultural and the food processing applications. These applications are mainly based on biological effects and can be categorized as germination control of plants such as Basidiomycota and arabidopsis inactivation of bacteria in soil and liquid medium of hydroponics; extraction of juice from fruits and vegetables; decontamination of air and liquid, etc. Types of pulsed power that have biological effects are caused with gas discharges, water discharges, and electromagnetic fields. The discharges yield free radicals, UV radiation, intense electric field, and shock waves. Biologically based applications of pulsed power and plasma are performed by selecting the type that gives the target objects the adequate result from among these agents or byproducts. For instance, intense electric fields form pores on the cell membrane, which is called electroporation, or influence the nuclei. This paper mainly describes the application of the pulsed power for the germination control of Basidiomycota i.e. mushroom, inactivation of fungi in the soil and the liquid medium in hydroponics, and extraction of polyphenol from skins of grape.

Synthesis and Characterization of Reduced Graphene Oxide/Rhodamine 101 (rGO-Rh101) Nanocomposites and Their Heterojunction Performance in rGO-Rh101/ p-Si Device Configuration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Batır, G. Güven; Arık, Mustafa; Caldıran, Zakir; Turut, Abdulmecit; Aydogan, Sakir

2018-01-01

Reduced graphene oxide (rGO)-rhodamine 101 (Rh101) nanocomposites with different ratios of rGO have been synthesized in aqueous medium by ultrasonic homogenization. The fluorescence of Rh101 as measured using a laser dye with high fluorescence quantum yield was substantially quenched with increasing amount of rGO in the nanocomposite. Formation of rGO-Rh101 nanocomposites was confirmed by x-ray diffraction analysis, scanning electron microscopy, ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy, and fluorescence microscopy. Furthermore, rGO-Rh101 nanocomposite/ p-Si heterojunctions were synthesized, all of which showed good rectifying behavior. The electrical characteristics of these devices were analyzed using current-voltage ( I- V) measurements to determine the ideality factor and barrier height. The experimental results confirmed the presence of lateral inhomogeneity in the effective barrier height of the rGO-Rh101 nanocomposite/ p-Si heterojunctions. In addition to I- V measurements, one device was analyzed in more detail using frequency-dependent capacitance-voltage measurements. All electrical measurements were carried out at room temperature and in the dark.

Minnesota agripower project. Quarterly report, April--June 1997

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

Baloun, J.

The Minnesota Valley Alfalfa Producers (MnVAP) propose to build an alfalfa processing plant integrated with an advanced power plant system at the Granite Falls, Minnesota Industrial Park to provide 75 MW of base load electric power and a competitively priced source of value added alfalfa based products. This project will utilize air blown fluidized bed gasification technology to process alfalfa stems and another biomass to produce a hot, clean, low heating value gas that will be used in a gas turbine. Exhaust heat from the gas turbine will be used to generate steam to power a steam turbine and providemore » steam for the processing of the alfalfa leaf into a wide range of products including alfalfa leaf meal, a protein source for livestock. The plant will demonstrate high efficiency and environmentally compatible electric power production, as well as increased economic yield from farm operations in the region. The initial phase of the Minnesota Agripower Project (MAP) will be to perform alfalfa feedstock testing, prepare preliminary designs, and develop detailed plans with estimated costs for project implementation. The second phase of MAP will include detailed engineering, construction, and startup. Full commercial operation will start in 2001.« less

Tailoring the chirality of light emission with spherical Si-based antennas.

PubMed

Zambrana-Puyalto, Xavier; Bonod, Nicolas

2016-05-21

Chirality of light is of fundamental importance in several enabling technologies with growing applications in life sciences, chemistry and photodetection. Recently, some attention has been focused on chiral quantum emitters. Consequently, optical antennas which are able to tailor the chirality of light emission are needed. Spherical nanoresonators such as colloids are of particular interest to design optical antennas since they can be synthesized at a large scale and they exhibit good optical properties. Here, we show that these colloids can be used to tailor the chirality of a chiral emitter. To this purpose, we derive an analytic formalism to model the interaction between a chiral emitter and a spherical resonator. We then compare the performances of metallic and dielectric spherical antennas to tailor the chirality of light emission. It is seen that, due to their strong electric dipolar response, metallic spherical nanoparticles spoil the chirality of light emission by yielding achiral fields. In contrast, thanks to the combined excitation of electric and magnetic modes, dielectric Si-based particles feature the ability to inhibit or to boost the chirality of light emission. Finally, it is shown that dual modes in dielectric antennas preserve the chirality of light emission.

Solar tower power plant using a particle-heated steam generator: Modeling and parametric study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krüger, Michael; Bartsch, Philipp; Pointner, Harald; Zunft, Stefan

2016-05-01

Within the framework of the project HiTExStor II, a system model for the entire power plant consisting of volumetric air receiver, air-sand heat exchanger, sand storage system, steam generator and water-steam cycle was implemented in software "Ebsilon Professional". As a steam generator, the two technologies fluidized bed cooler and moving bed heat exchangers were considered. Physical models for the non-conventional power plant components as air- sand heat exchanger, fluidized bed coolers and moving bed heat exchanger had to be created and implemented in the simulation environment. Using the simulation model for the power plant, the individual components and subassemblies have been designed and the operating parameters were optimized in extensive parametric studies in terms of the essential degrees of freedom. The annual net electricity output for different systems was determined in annual performance calculations at a selected location (Huelva, Spain) using the optimized values for the studied parameters. The solution with moderate regenerative feed water heating has been found the most advantageous. Furthermore, the system with moving bed heat exchanger prevails over the system with fluidized bed cooler due to a 6 % higher net electricity yield.

Thermal Profiling of Residential Energy Use

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

Albert, A; Rajagopal, R

This work describes a methodology for informing targeted demand-response (DR) and marketing programs that focus on the temperature-sensitive part of residential electricity demand. Our methodology uses data that is becoming readily available at utility companies-hourly energy consumption readings collected from "smart" electricity meters, as well as hourly temperature readings. To decompose individual consumption into a thermal-sensitive part and a base load (non-thermally-sensitive), we propose a model of temperature response that is based on thermal regimes, i.e., unobserved decisions of consumers to use their heating or cooling appliances. We use this model to extract useful benchmarks that compose thermal profiles ofmore » individual users, i.e., terse characterizations of the statistics of these users' temperature-sensitive consumption. We present example profiles generated using our model on real consumers, and show its performance on a large sample of residential users. This knowledge may, in turn, inform the DR program by allowing scarce operational and marketing budgets to be spent on the right users-those whose influencing will yield highest energy reductions-at the right time. We show that such segmentation and targeting of users may offer savings exceeding 100% of a random strategy.« less

Nanowire-Assembled Hierarchical ZnCo2O4 Microstructure Integrated with a Low-Power Microheater for Highly Sensitive Formaldehyde Detection.

PubMed

Long, Hu; Harley-Trochimczyk, Anna; Cheng, Siyi; Hu, Hao; Chi, Won Seok; Rao, Ameya; Carraro, Carlo; Shi, Tielin; Tang, Zirong; Maboudian, Roya

2016-11-23

Nanowire-assembled 3D hierarchical ZnCo 2 O 4 microstructure is synthesized by a facile hydrothermal route and a subsequent annealing process. In comparison to simple nanowires, the resulting dandelion-like structure yields more open spaces between nanowires, which allow for better gas diffusion and provide more active sites for gas adsorption while maintaining good electrical conductivity. The hierarchical ZnCo 2 O 4 microstructure is integrated on a low-power microheater platform without using binders or conductive additives. The hierarchical structure of the ZnCo 2 O 4 sensing material provides reliable electrical connection across the sensing electrodes. The resulting sensor exhibits an ultralow detection limit of 3 ppb toward formaldehyde with fast response and recovery as well as good selectivity to CO, H 2 , and hydrocarbons such as n-pentane, propane, and CH 4 . The sensor only consumes ∼5.7 mW for continuous operation at 300 °C with good long-term stability. The excellent sensing performance of this hierarchical structure based sensor suggests the advantages of combining such structures with microfabricated heaters for practical low-power sensing applications.

Room-temperature, solution-processable organic electron extraction layer for high-performance planar heterojunction perovskite solar cells

DOE PAGES

Kim, Jong H.; Chueh, Chu-Chen; Williams, Spencer T.; ...

2015-09-24

Here in this work, we describe a room-temperature, solution-processable organic electron extraction layer (EEL) for high-performance planar heterojunction perovskite solar cells (PHJ PVSCs). This EEL is composed of a bilayered fulleropyrrolidinium iodide (FPI)-polyethyleneimine (PEIE) and PC 61BM, which yields a promising power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 15.7% with insignificant hysteresis. We reveal that PC 61BM can serve as a surface modifier of FPI-PEIE to simultaneously facilitate the crystallization of perovskite and the charge extraction at FPI-PEIE/CH 3NH 3PbI 3 interface. Furthermore, the FPI-PEIE can also tune the work function of ITO and dope PC 61BM to promote the efficient electronmore » transport between ITO and PC 61BM. Based on the advantages of room-temperature processability and decent electrical property of FPI-PEIE/PC 61BM EEL, a high-performance flexible PVSC with a PCE ~10% is eventually demonstrated. Lastly, this study shows the potential of low-temperature processed organic EEL to replace transition metal oxide-based interlayers for highly printing compatible PVSCs with high-performance.« less

Entropy as a Gene-Like Performance Indicator Promoting Thermoelectric Materials.

PubMed

Liu, Ruiheng; Chen, Hongyi; Zhao, Kunpeng; Qin, Yuting; Jiang, Binbin; Zhang, Tiansong; Sha, Gang; Shi, Xun; Uher, Ctirad; Zhang, Wenqing; Chen, Lidong

2017-10-01

High-throughput explorations of novel thermoelectric materials based on the Materials Genome Initiative paradigm only focus on digging into the structure-property space using nonglobal indicators to design materials with tunable electrical and thermal transport properties. As the genomic units, following the biogene tradition, such indicators include localized crystal structural blocks in real space or band degeneracy at certain points in reciprocal space. However, this nonglobal approach does not consider how real materials differentiate from others. Here, this study successfully develops a strategy of using entropy as the global gene-like performance indicator that shows how multicomponent thermoelectric materials with high entropy can be designed via a high-throughput screening method. Optimizing entropy works as an effective guide to greatly improve the thermoelectric performance through either a significantly depressed lattice thermal conductivity down to its theoretical minimum value and/or via enhancing the crystal structure symmetry to yield large Seebeck coefficients. The entropy engineering using multicomponent crystal structures or other possible techniques provides a new avenue for an improvement of the thermoelectric performance beyond the current methods and approaches. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

77 FR 26476 - Standards of Performance for Greenhouse Gas Emissions for New Stationary Sources: Electric...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-05-04

... Performance for Greenhouse Gas Emissions for New Stationary Sources: Electric Utility Generating Units AGENCY... Greenhouse Gas Emissions for New Stationary Sources: Electric Utility Generating Units.'' The EPA is making... for Greenhouse Gas Emissions for New Stationary Sources: Electric Utility Generating Units, and...

Electric and Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle Publications | Transportation

Science.gov Websites

, Kandler Smith, and Kevin Walkowicz. (2016) Medium-Duty Plug-in Electric Delivery Truck Fleet Evaluation . (2014) Smith Newton Electric Delivery Trucks Smith Newton Vehicle Performance Evaluation (Gen 1 ), Cumulative Report: November 2011-June 2014. Adam Ragatz. (2014) Smith Newton Vehicle Performance Evaluation

NREL, San Diego Gas & Electric Are Advancing Utility Microgrid Performance

Science.gov Websites

in Borrego Springs, California | Energy Systems Integration Facility | NREL NREL, San Diego Gas & Electric Models Utility Microgrid in Borrego Springs NREL, San Diego Gas & Electric Are Advancing Utility Microgrid Performance in Borrego Springs, California San Diego Gas & Electric Company

Efficient solar-to-fuels production from a hybrid microbial-water-splitting catalyst system.

PubMed

Torella, Joseph P; Gagliardi, Christopher J; Chen, Janice S; Bediako, D Kwabena; Colón, Brendan; Way, Jeffery C; Silver, Pamela A; Nocera, Daniel G

2015-02-24

Photovoltaic cells have considerable potential to satisfy future renewable-energy needs, but efficient and scalable methods of storing the intermittent electricity they produce are required for the large-scale implementation of solar energy. Current solar-to-fuels storage cycles based on water splitting produce hydrogen and oxygen, which are attractive fuels in principle but confront practical limitations from the current energy infrastructure that is based on liquid fuels. In this work, we report the development of a scalable, integrated bioelectrochemical system in which the bacterium Ralstonia eutropha is used to efficiently convert CO2, along with H2 and O2 produced from water splitting, into biomass and fusel alcohols. Water-splitting catalysis was performed using catalysts that are made of earth-abundant metals and enable low overpotential water splitting. In this integrated setup, equivalent solar-to-biomass yields of up to 3.2% of the thermodynamic maximum exceed that of most terrestrial plants. Moreover, engineering of R. eutropha enabled production of the fusel alcohol isopropanol at up to 216 mg/L, the highest bioelectrochemical fuel yield yet reported by >300%. This work demonstrates that catalysts of biotic and abiotic origin can be interfaced to achieve challenging chemical energy-to-fuels transformations.

Semiconductor Seeded Nanorods with Graded Composition Exhibiting High Quantum-Yield, High Polarization, and Minimal Blinking.

PubMed

Hadar, Ido; Philbin, John P; Panfil, Yossef E; Neyshtadt, Shany; Lieberman, Itai; Eshet, Hagai; Lazar, Sorin; Rabani, Eran; Banin, Uri

2017-04-12

Seeded semiconductor nanorods represent a unique family of quantum confined materials that manifest characteristics of mixed dimensionality. They show polarized emission with high quantum yield and fluorescence switching under an electric field, features that are desirable for use in display technologies and other optical applications. So far, their robust synthesis has been limited mainly to CdSe/CdS heterostructures, thereby constraining the spectral tunability to the red region of the visible spectrum. Herein we present a novel synthesis of CdSe/Cd 1-x Zn x S seeded nanorods with a radially graded composition that show bright and highly polarized green emission with minimal intermittency, as confirmed by ensemble and single nanorods optical measurements. Atomistic pseudopotential simulations elucidate the importance of the Zn atoms within the nanorod structure, in particular the effect of the graded composition. Thus, the controlled addition of Zn influences and improves the nanorods' optoelectronic performance by providing an additional handle to manipulate the degree confinement beyond the common size control approach. These nanorods may be utilized in applications that require the generation of a full, rich spectrum such as energy-efficient displays and lighting.

The Mars Hopper: Development, Simulation and Experimental Validation of a Radioisotope Exploration Probe for the Martian Surface

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

Nathan D. Jerred; Spencer Cooley; Robert C. O'Brien

An advanced exploration probe has been proposed by the Center for Space Nuclear Research (CSNR) to acquire detailed data from the Martian surface and subsurface, ‘hop’ large distances to multiple sites in short periods of time and perform this task repeatedly. Although several similar flying vehicles have been proposed utilizing various power sources and complex designs, e.g. solar-electric and chemical-based, the CSNR’s Mars Hopper is based on a radioisotope thermal rocket (RTR) concept. The Mars Hopper’s design relies on the high specific energies [J/kg] of radioisotopes and enhances their low specific power [W/kg] through the use of a thermal capacitancemore » material to store thermal energy over time. During operation, the RTR transfers the stored thermal energy to a flowing gas, which is then expanded through a converging-diverging nozzle, producing thrust. Between flights, the platform will have ample time to perform in-depth science at each location while the propellant tanks and thermal capacitor recharge. Recharging the propellant tanks is accomplished by sublimation freezing of the ambient CO2 atmosphere with a cryocooler, followed by heating and pressurization to yield a liquid storage state. The proposed Mars Hopper will undergo a ballistic flight, consuming the propellant in both ascent and descent, and by using multiple hopper platforms, information can be gathered on a global scale, enabling better resource resolution and providing valuable information for a possible Mars sample-return mission. The CSNR, collaborating with the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) and three universities (University of Idaho, Utah State University and Oregon State University), has identified key components and sub-systems necessary for the proposed hopper. Current project activities include the development of a lab-scale prototypic Mars Hopper and test facility, along with computational fluid dynamics (CFD)/thermal-hydraulic models to yield a better understanding of the heat transfer process and complex nature of turbulent CO2 flow. Laboratory experimentation will aid design iterations and the development of both tethered and free-flying terrestrial hoppers that utilize an electrically heated core. The knowledge base acquired from these activities will refine the Mars Hopper’s future performance and optimize the RTR core components prior to constructing the final design.« less

77 FR 73968 - Reconsideration of Certain New Source and Startup/Shutdown Issues: National Emission Standards...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-12-12

... Units and Standards of Performance for Fossil-Fuel-Fired Electric Utility, Industrial-Commercial...- and Oil-fired Electric Utility Steam Generating Units and Standards of Performance for Fossil-Fuel... Units and Standards of Performance for Fossil-Fuel-Fired Electric Utility, Industrial-Commercial...

Electric-Drive Vehicle Thermal Performance Benchmarking | Transportation

Science.gov Websites

studies are as follows: Characterize the thermal resistance and conductivity of various layers in the Research | NREL Electric-Drive Vehicle Thermal Performance Benchmarking Electric-Drive Vehicle Thermal Performance Benchmarking A photo of the internal components of an automotive inverter. NREL

Investigation of the Optimum Farming Temperature for Grifola frondosa and Growth Promotion using the Bio-Electric Potential as an Index

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yanagibashi, Hideyuki; Hirama, Junji; Matsuda, Masato; Miyamoto, Toshio

The purpose of this study was to investigate the optimum farming conditions for mushrooms from the view point of engineering field. As the bio-electric potential of mushrooms is considered to be closely related to the activation of mushroom cells, this relationship has been used to analyze the dependence of the morphogenetic characteristics of Grifola frondosa on farming temperatures (from 16 to 22 degree C). The experimental results indicated that a maximum response was exhibited, with correspondingly favorable morphogenesis obtained at 18 degree C. Based on the experimental results, including those in a previous study, it was assumed that the larger the bio-electric potential becomes, the higher the growth yield reaches. In order to support this assumption, growth promotion was conducted by intentionally activating the bio-electric potential within the mushrooms by stimulating them with short bursts of illumination. The resulting observation of growth promotion permitted the conclusion that the bio-electric potential can, indeed, be regarded as an index of growth.

A Sinusoidal Applied Electric Potential can Induce a Long-Range, Steady Electrophoretic Force

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amrei, Seyyed Hashemi; Ristenpart, William D.; Miller, Greg R.

2017-11-01

We use the standard electrokinetic model to numerically investigate the electric field in aqueous solutions between parallel electrodes under AC polarization. In contrast to prior work, we invoke no simplifying assumptions regarding the applied voltage, frequency, or mismatch in ionic mobilities. We find that the nonlinear electromigration terms significantly contribute to the overall shape of the electric potential vs. time, which at sufficiently high applied potentials develops multi-modal peaks. More surprisingly, we find that electrolytes with non-equal mobilities yield an electric field with non-zero time average at large distances from the electrodes. Our calculations indicate this long-range electric field suffices to levitate colloidal particles many microns away from the electrode against the gravitational field, in accord with experimental observations of such behavior (Woehl et al., PRX, 2015). Moreover, the results indicate that particles will aggregate laterally near electrodes in some electrolytes but separate in others, helping explain a longstanding but not well understood phenomenon.

Comparison between electric dipole and magnetic loop antennas for emitting whistler modes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stenzel, R.; Urrutia, J. M.

2016-12-01

In a large uniform and unbounded laboratory plasma low frequency whistler modes are excited from an electric dipole and a magnetic loop. The excited waves are measured with a magnetic probe which resolves the three field components in 3D space and time. This yields the group velocity and energy density, from which one obtains the emitted power. The same rf generator is used for both antennas and the radiated power is measured under identical plasma conditions. The magnetic loop radiates 8000 times more power than the electric dipole. The reason is that the loop antenna carries a large conduction current while the electric dipole current is a much smaller displacement current through the sheath. The current, hence magnetic field excites whistlers, not the dipole electric field. Incidentally, a dipole antenna does not launch plane waves but m = 1 helicon modes. The findings suggest that active wave injections into the magnetosphere should be done with magnetic antennas. Two parallel dipoles connected at the free end could serve as an elongated loop.

Optimized extraction of polysaccharides from corn silk by pulsed electric field and response surface quadratic design.

PubMed

Zhao, Wenzhu; Yu, Zhipeng; Liu, Jingbo; Yu, Yiding; Yin, Yongguang; Lin, Songyi; Chen, Feng

2011-09-01

Corn silk is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine, which has been widely used for treatment of some diseases. In this study the effects of pulsed electric field on the extraction of polysaccharides from corn silk were investigated. Polysaccharides in corn silk were extracted by pulsed electric field and optimized by response surface methodology (RSM), based on a Box-Behnken design (BBD). Three independent variables, including electric field intensity (kV cm(-1) ), ratio of liquid to raw material and pulse duration (µs), were investigated. The experimental data were fitted to a second-order polynomial equation and also profiled into the corresponding 3-D contour plots. Optimal extraction conditions were as follows: electric field intensity 30 kV cm(-1) , ratio of liquid to raw material 50, and pulse duration 6 µs. Under these condition, the experimental yield of extracted polysaccharides was 7.31% ± 0.15%, matching well with the predicted value. The results showed that a pulsed electric field could be applied to extract value-added products from foods and/or agricultural matrix. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry.

Multimodal vibration damping of a plate by piezoelectric coupling to its analogous electrical network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lossouarn, B.; Deü, J.-F.; Aucejo, M.; Cunefare, K. A.

2016-11-01

Multimodal damping can be achieved by coupling a mechanical structure to an electrical network exhibiting similar modal properties. Focusing on a plate, a new topology for such an electrical analogue is found from a finite difference approximation of the Kirchhoff-Love theory and the use of the direct electromechanical analogy. Discrete models based on element dynamic stiffness matrices are proposed to simulate square plate unit cells coupled to their electrical analogues through two-dimensional piezoelectric transducers. A setup made of a clamped plate covered with an array of piezoelectric patches is built in order to validate the control strategy and the numerical models. The analogous electrical network is implemented with passive components as inductors, transformers and the inherent capacitance of the piezoelectric patches. The effect of the piezoelectric coupling on the dynamics of the clamped plate is significant as it creates the equivalent of a multimodal tuned mass damping. An adequate tuning of the network then yields a broadband vibration reduction. In the end, the use of an analogous electrical network appears as an efficient solution for the multimodal control of a plate.

Stimulation of the hydrolytic stage for biogas production from cattle manure in an electrochemical bioreactor.

PubMed

Samani, Saeed; Abdoli, Mohammad Ali; Karbassi, Abdolreza; Amin, Mohammad Mehdi

Electrical current in the hydrolytic phase of the biogas process might affect biogas yield. In this study, four 1,150 mL single membrane-less chamber electrochemical bioreactors, containing two parallel titanium plates were connected to the electrical source with voltages of 0, -0.5, -1 and -1.5 V, respectively. Reactor 1 with 0 V was considered as a control reactor. The trend of biogas production was precisely checked against pH, oxidation reduction potential and electrical power at a temperature of 37 ± 0.5°C amid cattle manure as substrate for 120 days. Biogas production increased by voltage applied to Reactors 2 and 3 when compared with the control reactor. In addition, the electricity in Reactors 2 and 3 caused more biogas production than Reactor 4. Acetogenic phase occurred more quickly in Reactor 3 than in the other reactors. The obtained results from Reactor 4 were indicative of acidogenic domination and its continuous behavior under electrical stimulation. The results of the present investigation clearly revealed that phasic electrical current could enhance the efficiency of biogas production.

Identifying target processes for microbial electrosynthesis by elementary mode analysis.

PubMed

Kracke, Frauke; Krömer, Jens O

2014-12-30

Microbial electrosynthesis and electro fermentation are techniques that aim to optimize microbial production of chemicals and fuels by regulating the cellular redox balance via interaction with electrodes. While the concept is known for decades major knowledge gaps remain, which make it hard to evaluate its biotechnological potential. Here we present an in silico approach to identify beneficial production processes for electro fermentation by elementary mode analysis. Since the fundamentals of electron transport between electrodes and microbes have not been fully uncovered yet, we propose different options and discuss their impact on biomass and product yields. For the first time 20 different valuable products were screened for their potential to show increased yields during anaerobic electrically enhanced fermentation. Surprisingly we found that an increase in product formation by electrical enhancement is not necessarily dependent on the degree of reduction of the product but rather the metabolic pathway it is derived from. We present a variety of beneficial processes with product yield increases of maximal 36% in reductive and 84% in oxidative fermentations and final theoretical product yields up to 100%. This includes compounds that are already produced at industrial scale such as succinic acid, lysine and diaminopentane as well as potential novel bio-commodities such as isoprene, para-hydroxybenzoic acid and para-aminobenzoic acid. Furthermore, it is shown that the way of electron transport has major impact on achievable biomass and product yields. The coupling of electron transport to energy conservation could be identified as crucial for most processes. This study introduces a powerful tool to determine beneficial substrate and product combinations for electro-fermentation. It also highlights that the maximal yield achievable by bio electrochemical techniques depends strongly on the actual electron transport mechanisms. Therefore it is of great importance to reveal the involved fundamental processes to be able to optimize and advance electro fermentations beyond the level of lab-scale studies.

Restrictive loads powered by separate or by common electrical sources

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Appelbaum, J.

1989-01-01

In designing a multiple load electrical system, the designer may wish to compare the performance of two setups: a common electrical source powering all loads, or separate electrical sources powering individual loads. Three types of electrical sources: an ideal voltage source, an ideal current source, and solar cell source powering resistive loads were analyzed for their performances in separate and common source systems. A mathematical proof is given, for each case, indicating the merit of the separate or common source system. The main conclusions are: (1) identical resistive loads powered by ideal voltage sources perform the same in both system setups, (2) nonidentical resistive loads powered by ideal voltage sources perform the same in both system setups, (3) nonidentical resistive loads powered by ideal current sources have higher performance in separate source systems, and (4) nonidentical resistive loads powered by solar cells have higher performance in a common source system for a wide range of load resistances.

The morphology of flare phenomena, magnetic fields, and electric currents in active regions. I - Introduction and methods

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Canfield, Richard C.; De La Beaujardiere, J.-F.; Fan, Yuhong; Leka, K. D.; Mcclymont, A. N.; Metcalf, Thomas R.; Mickey, Donald L.; Wuelser, Jean-Pierre; Lites, Bruce W.

1993-01-01

Electric current systems in solar active regions and their spatial relationship to sites of electron precipitation and high-pressure in flares were studied with the purpose of providing observational evidence for or against the flare models commonly discussed in the literature. The paper describes the instrumentation, the data used, and the data analysis methods, as well as improvements made upon earlier studies. Several flare models are overviewed, and the predictions yielded by each model for the relationships of flares to the vertical current systems are discussed.

Thermo-electric transport in gauge/gravity models with momentum dissipation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amoretti, Andrea; Braggio, Alessandro; Maggiore, Nicola; Magnoli, Nicodemo; Musso, Daniele

2014-09-01

We present a systematic definition and analysis of the thermo-electric linear response in gauge/gravity systems focusing especially on models with massive gravity in the bulk and therefore momentum dissipation in the dual field theory. A precise treatment of finite counter-terms proves to be essential to yield a consistent physical picture whose hydrodynamic and beyond-hydrodynamics behaviors noticeably match with field theoretical expectations. The model furnishes a possible gauge/gravity description of the crossover from the quantum-critical to the disorder-dominated Fermi-liquid behaviors, as expected in graphene.

Automating security monitoring and analysis for Space Station Freedom's electric power system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dolce, James L.; Sobajic, Dejan J.; Pao, Yoh-Han

1990-01-01

Operating a large, space power system requires classifying the system's status and analyzing its security. Conventional algorithms are used by terrestrial electric utilities to provide such information to their dispatchers, but their application aboard Space Station Freedom will consume too much processing time. A new approach for monitoring and analysis using adaptive pattern techniques is presented. This approach yields an on-line security monitoring and analysis algorithm that is accurate and fast; and thus, it can free the Space Station Freedom's power control computers for other tasks.

Automating security monitoring and analysis for Space Station Freedom's electric power system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dolce, James L.; Sobajic, Dejan J.; Pao, Yoh-Han

1990-01-01

Operating a large, space power system requires classifying the system's status and analyzing its security. Conventional algorithms are used by terrestrial electric utilities to provide such information to their dispatchers, but their application aboard Space Station Freedom will consume too much processing time. A novel approach for monitoring and analysis using adaptive pattern techniques is presented. This approach yields an on-line security monitoring and analysis algorithm that is accurate and fast; and thus, it can free the Space Station Freedom's power control computers for other tasks.

The QED engine spectrum - Fusion-electric propulsion for air-breathing to interstellar flight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bussard, Robert W.; Jameson, Lorin W.

1993-01-01

A new inertial-electrostatic-fusion direct electric power source can be used to drive a relativistic e-beam to heat propellant. The resulting system is shown to yield specific impulse and thrust/mass ratio 2-3 orders of magnitude larger than from other advanced propulsion concepts. This QED system can be applied to aerospace vehicles from air-breathing to near-interstellar flight. Examples are given for Earth/Mars flight missions, that show transit times of 40 d with 20 percent payload in single-stage vehicles.

Robustness of a multimodal piezoelectric damping involving the electrical analogue of a plate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lossouarn, Boris; Cunefare, Kenneth A.; Aucejo, Mathieu; Deü, Jean-François

2016-04-01

Multimodal passive damping of a mechanical structure can be implemented by a coupling to a secondary structure exhibiting similar modal properties. When considering a piezoelectric coupling, the secondary structure is an electrical network. A suitable topology for such a network can be obtained by a finite difference formulation of the mechanical equations, followed by a direct electromechanical analogy. This procedure is applied to the Kirchhoff-Love theory in order to find the electrical analogue of a clamped plate. The passive electrical network is implemented with inductors, transformers and the inherent capacitance of the piezoelectric patches. The electrical resonances are tuned to approach those of several mechanical modes simultaneously. This yields a broadband reduction of the plate vibrations through the array of interconnected piezoelectric patches. The robustness of the control strategy is evaluated by introducing perturbations in the mechanical or electrical designs. A non-optimal tuning is considered by way of a uniform variation of the network inductance. Then, the effect of local or boundary modifications of the electromechanical system is observed experimentally. In the end, the use of an analogous electrical network appears as an efficient and robust solution for the multimodal control of a plate.

Improving our understanding of hydraulic-electrical relations: A case study of the surficial aquifer in Emirate Abu Dhabi

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ikard, Scott; Kress, Wade

2016-01-01

Transmissivity is a bulk hydraulic property that can be correlated with bulk electrical properties of an aquifer. In aquifers that are electrically-resistive relative to adjacent layers in a horizontally stratified sequence, transmissivity has been shown to correlate with bulk transverse resistance. Conversely, in aquifers that are electrically-conductive relative to adjacent layers, transmissivity has been shown to correlate with bulk longitudinal conductance. In both cases, previous investigations have relied on small datasets (on average less than eight observations) that have yielded coefficients of determination (R2) that are typically in the range of 0.6 to 0.7 to substantiate these relations. Compared to previous investigations, this paper explores hydraulic-electrical relations using a much larger dataset. Geophysical data collected from 26 boreholes in Emirate Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, are used to correlate transmissivity modeled from neutron porosity logs to the bulk electrical properties of the surficial aquifer that are computed from deep-induction logs. Transmissivity is found to be highly correlated with longitudinal conductance. An R2 value of 0.853 is obtained when electrical effects caused by variations in pore-fluid salinity are taken into consideration.

Effects of internal electrode cooling on irreversible electroporation using a perfused organ model.

PubMed

O'Brien, Timothy J; Bonakdar, Mohammad; Bhonsle, Suyashree; Neal, Robert E; Aardema, Charles H; Robertson, John L; Goldberg, S Nahum; Davalos, Rafael V

2018-05-28

This study evaluates the effects of active electrode cooling, via internal fluid circulation, on the irreversible electroporation (IRE) lesion, deployed electric current and temperature changes using a perfused porcine liver model. A bipolar electrode delivered IRE electric pulses with or without activation of internal cooling to nine porcine mechanically perfused livers. Pulse schemes included a constant voltage, and a preconditioned delivery combined with an arc-mitigation algorithm. After treatment, organs were dissected, and treatment zones were stained using triphenyl-tetrazolium chloride (TTC) to demonstrate viability. Thirty-nine treatments were performed with an internally cooled applicator and 21 with a non-cooled applicator. For the constant voltage scenario, the average final electrical current measured was 26.37 and 29.20 A for the cooled and uncooled electrodes respectively ([Formula: see text]). The average final temperature measured was 33.01 and 42.43 °C for the cooled and uncooled electrodes respectively ([Formula: see text]). The average measured ablations (fixed lesion) were 3.88-by-2.08 cm and 3.86-by-2.12 cm for the cooled and uncooled electrode respectively ([Formula: see text], [Formula: see text]). Similarly, the preconditioned/arc-mitigation scenario yielded an average final electrical current measurement of a 41.07 and 47.20 A for the cooled and uncooled electrodes respectively ([Formula: see text]). The average final temperature measured was 34.93 and 44.90 °C for the cooled and uncooled electrodes respectively ([Formula: see text]). The average measured ablations (fixed lesion) were 3.67-by-2.27 cm and 3.58-by-2.09 cm for the cooled and uncooled applicators ([Formula: see text]). The internally-cooled bipolar applicator offers advantages that could improve clinical outcomes. Thermally mitigating internal perfusion technology reduced tissue temperatures and electric current while maintaining similar lesion sizes.

Dependence of shear wave seismoelectrics on soil textures: a numerical study in the vadose zone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zyserman, F. I.; Monachesi, L. B.; Jouniaux, L.

2017-02-01

In this work, we study seismoelectric conversions generated in the vadose zone, when this region is traversed by a pure SH wave. We assume that the soil is a 1-D partially saturated lossy porous medium and we use the van Genuchten's constitutive model to describe the water saturation profile. Correspondingly, we extend Pride's formulation to deal with partially saturated media. In order to evaluate the influence of different soil textures we perform a numerical analysis considering, among other relevant properties, the electrokinetic coupling, coseismic responses and interface responses (IRs). We propose new analytical transfer functions for the electric and magnetic field as a function of the water saturation, modifying those of Bordes et al. and Garambois & Dietrich, respectively. Further, we introduce two substantially different saturation-dependent functions into the electrokinetic (EK) coupling linking the poroelastic and the electromagnetic wave equations. The numerical results show that the electric field IRs markedly depend on the soil texture and the chosen EK coupling model, and are several orders of magnitude stronger than the electric field coseismic ones. We also found that the IRs of the water table for the silty and clayey soils are stronger than those for the sandy soils, assuming a non-monotonous saturation dependence of the EK coupling, which takes into account the charged air-water interface. These IRs have been interpreted as the result of the jump in the viscous electric current density at the water table. The amplitude of the IR is obtained using a plane SH wave, neglecting both the spherical spreading and the restriction of its origin to the first Fresnel zone, effects that could lower the predicted values. However, we made an estimation of the expected electric field IR amplitudes detectable in the field by means of the analytical transfer functions, accounting for spherical spreading of the SH seismic waves. This prediction yields a value of 15 μV m-1, which is compatible with reported values.

Energy analysis of electric vehicles using batteries or fuel cells through well-to-wheel driving cycle simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Campanari, Stefano; Manzolini, Giampaolo; Garcia de la Iglesia, Fernando

This work presents a study of the energy and environmental balances for electric vehicles using batteries or fuel cells, through the methodology of the well to wheel (WTW) analysis, applied to ECE-EUDC driving cycle simulations. Well to wheel balances are carried out considering different scenarios for the primary energy supply. The fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEV) are based on the polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) technology, and it is discussed the possibility to feed the fuel cell with (i) hydrogen directly stored onboard and generated separately by water hydrolysis (using renewable energy sources) or by conversion processes using coal or natural gas as primary energy source (through gasification or reforming), (ii) hydrogen generated onboard with a fuel processor fed by natural gas, ethanol, methanol or gasoline. The battery electric vehicles (BEV) are based on Li-ion batteries charged with electricity generated by central power stations, either based on renewable energy, coal, natural gas or reflecting the average EU power generation feedstock. A further alternative is considered: the integration of a small battery to FCEV, exploiting a hybrid solution that allows recovering energy during decelerations and substantially improves the system energy efficiency. After a preliminary WTW analysis carried out under nominal operating conditions, the work discusses the simulation of the vehicles energy consumption when following standardized ECE-EUDC driving cycle. The analysis is carried out considering different hypothesis about the vehicle driving range, the maximum speed requirements and the possibility to sustain more aggressive driving cycles. The analysis shows interesting conclusions, with best results achieved by BEVs only for very limited driving range requirements, while the fuel cell solutions yield best performances for more extended driving ranges where the battery weight becomes too high. Results are finally compared to those of conventional internal combustion engine vehicles, showing the potential advantages of the different solutions considered in the paper and indicating the possibility to reach the target of zero-emission vehicles (ZEV).

Onset of 2D magnetic reconnection in the solar photosphere, chromosphere, and corona

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Snow, B.; Botha, G. J. J.; McLaughlin, J. A.; Hillier, A.

2018-01-01

Aims: We aim to investigate the onset of 2D time-dependent magnetic reconnection that is triggered using an external (non-local) velocity driver located away from, and perpendicular to, an equilibrium Harris current sheet. Previous studies have typically utilised an internal trigger to initiate reconnection, for example initial conditions centred on the current sheet. Here, an external driver allows for a more naturalistic trigger as well as the study of the earlier stages of the reconnection start-up process. Methods: Numerical simulations solving the compressible, resistive magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) equations were performed to investigate the reconnection onset within different atmospheric layers of the Sun, namely the corona, chromosphere and photosphere. Results: A reconnecting state is reached for all atmospheric heights considered, with the dominant physics being highly dependent on atmospheric conditions. The coronal case achieves a sharp rise in electric field (indicative of reconnection) for a range of velocity drivers. For the chromosphere, we find a larger velocity amplitude is required to trigger reconnection (compared to the corona). For the photospheric environment, the electric field is highly dependent on the inflow speed; a sharp increase in electric field is obtained only as the velocity entering the reconnection region approaches the Alfvén speed. Additionally, the role of ambipolar diffusion is investigated for the chromospheric case and we find that the ambipolar diffusion alters the structure of the current density in the inflow region. Conclusions: The rate at which flux enters the reconnection region is controlled by the inflow velocity. This determines all aspects of the reconnection start-up process, that is, the early onset of reconnection is dominated by the advection term in Ohm's law in all atmospheric layers. A lower plasma-β enhances reconnection and creates a large change in the electric field. A high plasma-β hinders the reconnection, yielding a sharp rise in the electric field only when the velocity flowing into the reconnection region approaches the local Alfvén speed.

Electrical Properties of MWCNT/HDPE Composite-Based MSM Structure Under Neutron Irradiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kasani, H.; Khodabakhsh, R.; Taghi Ahmadi, M.; Rezaei Ochbelagh, D.; Ismail, Razali

2017-04-01

Because of their low cost, low energy consumption, high performance, and exceptional electrical properties, nanocomposites containing carbon nanotubes are suitable for use in many applications such as sensing systems. In this research work, a metal-semiconductor-metal (MSM) structure based on a multiwall carbon nanotube/high-density polyethylene (MWCNT/HDPE) nanocomposite is introduced as a neutron sensor. Scanning electron microscopy, Fourier-transform infrared, and infrared spectroscopy techniques were used to characterize the morphology and structure of the fabricated device. Current-voltage ( I- V) characteristic modeling showed that the device can be assumed to be a reversed-biased Schottky diode, if the voltage is high enough. To estimate the depletion layer length of the Schottky contact, impedance spectroscopy was employed. Therefore, the real and imaginary parts of the impedance of the MSM system were used to obtain electrical parameters such as the carrier mobility and dielectric constant. Experimental observations of the MSM structure under irradiation from an americium-beryllium (Am-Be) neutron source showed that the current level in the device decreased significantly. Subsequently, current pulses appeared in situ I- V and current-time ( I- t) curve measurements when increasing voltage was applied to the MSM system. The experimentally determined depletion region length as well as the space-charge-limited current mechanism for carrier transport were compared with the range for protons calculated using Monte Carlo n-particle extended (MCNPX) code, yielding the maximum energy of recoiled protons detectable by the device.

Water vacuum suction curettage (WVSC): one year's experience.

PubMed

Woods, J R; Herrick, C N; White, R M

1973-05-01

At Tripler Army Medical Center in Honolulu abortion patients underwent suction curettage using either an electric pump unit (21, group A) or a simple water vacuum pump (WVSC) (28, group B). In both groups the use of the flexible 6 mm uterine curette and method of curettage were the same. For groups A and B the average blood losses were 40 ml and 39 ml. Average tissue volumes removed were 26 ml and 39 ml (greater yield reflects more patients at gestation of 9-10 weeks). From September 1971 to August 1972 400 patients of gestation of 10 weeks or less were curettaged using WVSC. Most of the operations were performed by first-year residents. Complications requiring readmission were not skewed towards largest gestations but distributed throughout the groups suggesting importance of individual technique in equipment use. The complications included retained products of conception (6), endometritis (2), endometritis with retained products of conception (3), and hermorrhage (1). Advantages of the WVSC unit are 1) quiet sound of running water rather than harsh sound of electric pump, 2) requirement of only a standard waterhead making method available to impoverished areas where electricity may be precious, 3) failsafe, unidirectional suction, 4) easy storage, transport, and assemblage, and 5) lack of need for safety pop-off valve because of intrinsic lag time from close of system to development of maximum suction. With its simplicity, safety, and flexibility WVSC is best suited for outpatients.

Natural gas price uncertainty and the cost-effectiveness of hedging against low hydropower revenues caused by drought

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kern, Jordan D.; Characklis, Gregory W.; Foster, Benjamin T.

2015-04-01

Prolonged periods of low reservoir inflows (droughts) significantly reduce a hydropower producer's ability to generate both electricity and revenues. Given the capital intensive nature of the electric power industry, this can impact hydropower producers' ability to pay down outstanding debt, leading to credit rating downgrades, higher interests rates on new debt, and ultimately, greater infrastructure costs. One potential tool for reducing the financial exposure of hydropower producers to drought is hydrologic index insurance, in particular, contracts structured to payout when streamflows drop below a specified level. An ongoing challenge in developing this type of insurance, however, is minimizing contracts' "basis risk," that is, the degree to which contract payouts deviate in timing and/or amount from actual damages experienced by policyholders. In this paper, we show that consideration of year-to-year changes in the value of hydropower (i.e., the cost of replacing it with an alternative energy source during droughts) is critical to reducing contract basis risk. In particular, we find that volatility in the price of natural gas, a key driver of peak electricity prices, can significantly degrade the performance of index insurance unless contracts are designed to explicitly consider natural gas prices when determining payouts. Results show that a combined index whose value is derived from both seasonal streamflows and the spot price of natural gas yields contracts that exhibit both lower basis risk and greater effectiveness in terms of reducing financial exposure.

Tables of Transition Probabilities and Branching Ratios for Electric Dipole Transitions Between Arbitrary Levels of Hydrogen-Like Atoms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Omidvar, K.

1980-01-01

Branching ratios in hydrogen-like atoms due to electric-dipole transitions are tabulated for the initial principal and angular momentum quantum number n, lambda, and final principal and angular momentum quantum numbers n, lambda. In table 1, transition probabilities are given for transitions n, lambda, yields n, where sums have been made with respect to lambda. In this table, 2 or = n' or = 10, o or = lambda' or = n'-1, and 1 or = n or = n'-1. In addition, averages with respect to lambda' and sums with respect to n, and lifetimes are given. In table 2, branching ratios are given for transitions n' lambda' yields ni, where sums have been made with respect to lambda. In these tables, 2 or = n' or = 10, 0 or = lambda', n'-1, and 1 or = n or = n'-1. Averages with respect to lambda' are also given. In table 3, branching ratios are given for transitions n' lambda' yields in lambda, where 1 or = n or = 5, 0 or = lambda or = n-1, n n' or = 15, and 0 or = lambda' or = n(s), where n(s), is the smaller of the two numbers n'-1 and 6. Averages with respect to lambda' are given.

Synthesis and thermoelectric property of Ca and In-doped n-type Bi85Sb15 alloy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kadel, Kamal; Li, Wenzhi; Joshi, Giri; Ren, Zhifeng

2014-03-01

In the present work we investigated the thermo-electric properties of undoped Bi85Sb15 and different Ca-doped Bi85Sb15Cax (x =0.5, 2, and 5) and In-doped Bi85Sb15Inx(x =0.5, 2) alloys synthesized via arc-melting first and followed by ball milling and hot pressing. Effect of different Ca and In doping levels on transport properties of Bi85Sb15 alloys has been investigated. It is found that thermal conductivity decreases with increasing Ca and decreasing In. Electrical transport measurements show that power factor increases with doping level of Ca up to Bi85Sb15Ca2 and then decreases yielding the maximum power factor of 3.8 × 10-3 Wm-1K-2 and zT of 0.39 at room temperature for Bi85Sb15Ca2. For indium doping, power factor decreases with doping level from 0.5 to 2, yielding the maximum zT value of 0.37 at room temperature for Bi85Sb15In0.5. In this work, calcium doping in Bi85Sb15 alloy is found to yield better thermoelectric property than indium doping.

Yield performance and stability of CMS-based triticale hybrids.

PubMed

Mühleisen, Jonathan; Piepho, Hans-Peter; Maurer, Hans Peter; Reif, Jochen Christoph

2015-02-01

CMS-based triticale hybrids showed only marginal midparent heterosis for grain yield and lower dynamic yield stability compared to inbred lines. Hybrids of triticale (×Triticosecale Wittmack) are expected to possess outstanding yield performance and increased dynamic yield stability. The objectives of the present study were to (1) examine the optimum choice of the biometrical model to compare yield stability of hybrids versus lines, (2) investigate whether hybrids exhibit a more pronounced grain yield performance and yield stability, and (3) study optimal strategies to predict yield stability of hybrids. Thirteen female and seven male parental lines and their 91 factorial hybrids as well as 30 commercial lines were evaluated for grain yield in up to 20 environments. Hybrids were produced using a cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS)-inducing cytoplasm that originated from Triticumtimopheevii Zhuk. We found that the choice of the biometrical model can cause contrasting results and concluded that a group-by-environment interaction term should be added to the model when estimating stability variance of hybrids and lines. midparent heterosis for grain yield was on average 3 % with a range from -15.0 to 11.5 %. No hybrid outperformed the best inbred line. Hybrids had, on average, lower dynamic yield stability compared to the inbred lines. Grain yield performance of hybrids could be predicted based on midparent values and general combining ability (GCA)-predicted values. In contrast, stability variance of hybrids could be predicted only based on GCA-predicted values. We speculated that negative effects of the used CMS cytoplasm might be the reason for the low performance and yield stability of the hybrids. For this purpose a detailed study on the reasons for the drawback of the currently existing CMS system in triticale is urgently required comprising also the search of potentially alternative hybridization systems.

Yield strength measurement of shock-loaded metal by flyer-impact perturbation method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Xiaojuan; Shi, Zhan

2018-06-01

Yield strength is one of the most important physical properties of a solid material, especially far from its melting line. The flyer-impact perturbation method measures material yield strength on the basis of correlation between the yield strength under shock compression and the damping of oscillatory perturbations in the shape of a shock front passing through the material. We used flyer-impact experiments on targets with machined grooves on the impact surface of shock 6061-T6 aluminum to between 32 and 61 GPa and recorded the evolution of the shock front perturbation amplitude in the sample with electric pins. Simulations using the elastic-plastic model can be matched to the experiments, explaining well the form of the perturbation decay and constraining the yield strength of 6061-T6 aluminum to be 1.31-1.75 GPa. These results are in agreement with values obtained from reshock and release wave profiles. We conclude that the flyer-impact perturbation method is indeed a new means to measure material strength.

Prereduction and melting of domestic titaniferous materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nafziger, R. H.; Jordan, R. R.

1983-03-01

Two domestic ilmenites and one titaniferous magnetite were prereduced by the United States Department of the Interior, Bureau of Mines, in a batch rotary kiln with coal char to assess the feasibility of this technique in improving melting operations and subsequent electric furnace processing. All three prereduced titaniferous materials were melted satisfactorily in an electric arc furnace to produce iron as a metal suitable for further refining to steel; metallizations ranging from 63 to 83 pct of the iron oxides were achieved. The ilmenites yielded titanium enriched slags that were amenable to further processing by conventional methods. Prereduction decreased electrode consumption during furnace operation and also conserved expensive electrical energy that otherwise must be used to reduce and melt totally the entire titaniferous materials charge.

Graphene based terahertz phase modulators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kakenov, N.; Ergoktas, M. S.; Balci, O.; Kocabas, C.

2018-07-01

Electrical control of amplitude and phase of terahertz radiation (THz) is the key technological challenge for high resolution and noninvasive THz imaging. The lack of active materials and devices hinders the realization of these imaging systems. Here, we demonstrate an efficient terahertz phase and amplitude modulation using electrically tunable graphene devices. Our device structure consists of electrolyte-gated graphene placed at quarter wavelength distance from a reflecting metallic surface. In this geometry, graphene operates as a tunable impedance surface which yields electrically controlled reflection phase. Terahertz time domain reflection spectroscopy reveals the voltage controlled phase modulation of π and the reflection modulation of 50 dB. To show the promises of our approach, we demonstrate a multipixel phase modulator array which operates as a gradient impedance surface.

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

Damtie, Fikeraddis A., E-mail: Fikeraddis.Damtie@teorfys.lu.se; Wacker, Andreas, E-mail: Andreas.Wacker@fysik.lu.se; Karki, Khadga J., E-mail: Khadga.Karki@chemphys.lu.se

Multiple exciton generation (MEG) is a process in which more than one electron hole pair is generated per absorbed photon. It allows us to increase the efficiency of solar energy harvesting. Experimental studies have shown the multiple exciton generation yield of 1.2 in isolated colloidal quantum dots. However real photoelectric devices require the extraction of electron hole pairs to electric contacts. We provide a systematic study of the corresponding quantum coherent processes including extraction and injection and show that a proper design of extraction and injection rates enhances the yield significantly up to values around 1.6.

Electrokinetic transport of aerobic microorganisms under low-strength electric fields.

PubMed

Maillacheruvu, Krishnanand Y; Chinchoud, Preethi R

2011-01-01

To investigate the feasibility of utilizing low strength electric fields to transport commonly available mixed cultures such as those from an activated sludge process, bench scale batch reactor studies were conducted in sand and sandy loam soils. A readily biodegradable substrate, dextrose, was used to test the activity of the transported microorganisms. Electric field strengths of 7V, 10.5V, and 14V were used. Results from this investigation showed that an electric field strength of 0.46 Volts per cm was sufficient to transport activated sludge microorganisms across a sandy loam soil across a distance of about 8 cm in 72 h. More importantly, the electrokinetically transported microbial culture remained active and viable after the transport process and was biodegrade 44% of the dextrose in the soil medium. Electrokinetic treatment without microorganisms resulted in removal of 37% and the absence of any treatment yielded a removal of about 15%.

High-sensitivity visualization of localized electric fields using low-energy electron beam deflection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jeong, Samuel; Ito, Yoshikazu; Edwards, Gary; Fujita, Jun-ichi

2018-06-01

The visualization of localized electronic charges on nanocatalysts is expected to yield fundamental information about catalytic reaction mechanisms. We have developed a high-sensitivity detection technique for the visualization of localized charges on a catalyst and their corresponding electric field distribution, using a low-energy beam of 1 to 5 keV electrons and a high-sensitivity scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) detector. The highest sensitivity for visualizing a localized electric field was ∼0.08 V/µm at a distance of ∼17 µm from a localized charge at 1 keV of the primary electron energy, and a weak local electric field produced by 200 electrons accumulated on the carbon nanotube (CNT) apex can be visualized. We also observed that Au nanoparticles distributed on a CNT forest tended to accumulate a certain amount of charges, about 150 electrons, at a ‑2 V bias.

Electrical current nanogeneration driven by spontaneous nanofluidic oscillations.

PubMed

Gimenez, R; Mercuri, M; Berli, C L A; Bellino, M G

2018-02-15

Exploiting natural phenomena is a central route for providing electricity to sustainably drive wearable electronics. Here we report a nano-scale water-driven energy generator that produces tiny electrical currents from spontaneous wetting-drying oscillations in mesoporous thin films. The system was fabricated with a wormlike mesoporous silica film, which was packed in between Cu and silicon contacts. The nanogenerator runs autonomously when a water droplet is laid over the film close to the Cu electrode, as water infiltration into the film under the electrode produces a direct-current. Wetting-drying cycles, which are spontaneously triggered by water evaporation, are perfectly correlated to the generated electrical current. The autonomous water displacement through the film yields a sustained energy conversion until the droplet reservoir vanishes. This novel water-driven nanogenerator opens new alternatives for versatile, mobile and cost-effective self-powering of nanosystems and nanodevices.

Modeling of skin cooling, blood flow, and optical properties in wounds created by electrical shock

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nguyen, Thu T. A.; Shupp, Jeffrey W.; Moffatt, Lauren T.; Jordan, Marion H.; Jeng, James C.; Ramella-Roman, Jessica C.

2012-02-01

High voltage electrical injuries may lead to irreversible tissue damage or even death. Research on tissue injury following high voltage shock is needed and may yield stage-appropriate therapy to reduce amputation rate. One of the mechanisms by which electricity damages tissue is through Joule heating, with subsequent protein denaturation. Previous studies have shown that blood flow had a significant effect on the cooling rate of heated subcutaneous tissue. To assess the thermal damage in tissue, this study focused on monitoring changes of temperature and optical properties of skin next to high voltage wounds. The burns were created between left fore limb and right hind limb extremities of adult male Sprague-Dawley rats by a 1000VDC delivery shock system. A thermal camera was utilized to record temperature variation during the exposure. The experimental results were then validated using a thermal-electric finite element model (FEM).

A genuinely discontinuous approach for multiphase EHD problems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Natarajan, Mahesh; Desjardins, Olivier

2017-11-01

Electrohydrodynamics (EHD) involves solving the Poisson equation for the electric field potential. For multiphase flows, although the electric field potential is a continuous quantity, due to the discontinuity in the electric permittivity between the phases, additional jump conditions at the interface, for the normal and tangential components of the electric field need to be satisfied. All approaches till date either ignore the jump conditions, or involve simplifying assumptions, and hence yield unconvincing results even for simple test problems. In the present work, we develop a genuinely discontinuous approach for the Poisson equation for multiphase flows using a Finite Volume Unsplit Volume of Fluid method. The governing equation and the jump conditions without assumptions are used to develop the method, and its efficiency is demonstrated by comparison of the numerical results with canonical test problems having exact solutions. Postdoctoral Associate, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering.

Growth of CdZnTe Crystals for Radiation Detector Applications by Directional Solidification

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Su, Ching-Hua

2014-01-01

Advances in Cadmium Zinc Telluride (Cd(sub 1-x)Zn(sub x)Te) growth techniques are needed for the production of large-scale arrays of gamma and x-ray astronomy. The research objective is to develop crystal growth recipes and techniques to obtain large, high quality CdZnTe single crystal with reduced defects, such as charge trapping, twinning, and tellurium precipitates, which degrade the performance of CdZnTe and, at the same time, to increase the yield of usable material from the CdZnTe ingot. A low gravity material experiment, "Crystal Growth of Ternary Compound Semiconductors in Low Gravity Environment", will be performed in the Material Science Research Rack (MSRR) on International Space Station (ISS). One section of the flight experiment is the melt growth of CdZnTe ternary compounds. This talk will focus on the ground-based studies on the growth of Cd(sub 0.80)Zn(sub 0.20)Te crystals for radiation detector applications by directional solidification. In this investigation, we have improved the properties that are most critical for the detector applications (electrical properties and crystalline quality): a) Electrical resistivity: use high purity starting materials (with reproducible impurity levels) and controlled Cd over pressure during growth to reproducibly balance the impurity levels and Cd vacancy concentration b) Crystalline quality: use ultra-clean growth ampoule (no wetting after growth), optimized thermal profile and ampoule design, as well as a technique for supercool reduction to growth large single crystal with high crystalline quality

Nanoporous Ca3Co4O9 Thin Films for Transferable Thermoelectrics

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

The development of high-performance and transferable thin-film thermoelectric materials is important for low-power applications, e.g., to power wearable electronics, and for on-chip cooling. Nanoporous films offer an opportunity to improve thermoelectric performance by selectively scattering phonons without affecting electronic transport. Here, we report the growth of nanoporous Ca3Co4O9 thin films by a sequential sputtering-annealing method. Ca3Co4O9 is promising for its high Seebeck coefficient and good electrical conductivity and important for its nontoxicity, low cost, and abundance of its constituent raw materials. To grow nanoporous films, multilayered CaO/CoO films were deposited on sapphire and mica substrates by rf-magnetron reactive sputtering from elemental Ca and Co targets, followed by annealing at 700 °C to form the final phase of Ca3Co4O9. This phase transformation is accompanied by a volume contraction causing formation of nanopores in the film. The thermoelectric propoperties of the nanoporous Ca3Co4O9 films can be altered by controlling the porosity. The lowest electrical resistivity is ∼7 mΩ cm, yielding a power factor of 2.32 × 10–4 Wm–1K–2 near room temperature. Furthermore, the films are transferable from the primary mica substrates to other arbitrary polymer platforms by simple dry transfer, which opens an opportunity of low-temperature use these materials. PMID:29905306

Structural and electrical characteristics of CoGe(2) alloy films deposited heteroepitaxially on GaAs(100) using partially ionized beam deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mello, Kevin Edward

The partially ionized beam deposition system was utilized to deposit CoGesb2 thin films heteroepitaxially on GaAs(100) substrates in a conventional vacuum. The CoGesb2 films were structurally characterized using conventional 2theta diffraction, reflection X-ray pole figure analysis, and alpha particle channeling techniques. Three distinct crystallographic relationships of the CoGesb2 films to the GaAs(100) substrates were observed, dependent upon the substrate temperature and Gesp+ ion energy used during deposition. The CoGesb2(001) (100)sp°GaAs(100) (001) orientation, which has the smallest lattice mismatch to GaAs(100), was found to occur for depositions performed at a substrate temperature during deposition near 280sp°C with approximately 1160 eV Gesp+ ions. Lowering the substrate temperature or reducing the Gesp+ ion energy results in CoGesb2(100) orientation domination with CoGe2(100) (010)sp°GaAs(100) (001) and CoGesb2(100) (001)sp°GaAs(100) (001). Substrate temperature alone was seen to produce only the CoGesb2(100) orientation. For CoGesb2(001) films, additional energy was required from Gesp+ ions in the evaporant stream. Angular yield profiles for axial Hesp{++} ion channeling yielded values for the minimum yield, Ysb{min}, of 25% for the CoGesb2(001) orientation and 34% for the CoGesb2(100) orientation. The critical angle for channeling, Psisb{c}, was measured to be 1.0sp° for both orientations. Channeling theory was used to predict the minimum yield and critical angle for each orientation. The theoretical values agreed qualitatively with the experimentally measured values, and the theory correctly predicted the lower minimum yield for the CoGesb2(001) orientation. Annealing the films to allow for epitaxial grain growth resulted in orientation selection of CoGesb2(001) at the expense of CoGesb2(100), exposing CoGesb2(100) as a metastable orientation. The CoGesb2(001) films were stable up to 500sp°C, 30 minute anneals, showing no orientation changes and enhanced thermal stability over the CoGesb2(100) films. Current-voltage measurements of CoGesb2 contacts deposited on n-type GaAs(100) were used to determine the electrical nature of the different CoGesb2 orientations. The CoGesb2 (001) (100)sp°GaAs (100) (001) heterostructure deposited at a substrate temperature of 280sp°C with 1160 eV Gesp+ ions was found to exhibit Ohmic behavior, while contacts deposited at lower or higher substrate temperatures displayed non-Ohmic behavior.

Development of Cellulose/PVDF-HFP Composite Membranes for Advanced Battery Separators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Castillo, Alejandro; Agubra, Victor; Alcoutlabi, Mataz; Mao, Yuanbing

Improvements in battery technology are necessary as Li-ion batteries transition from consumer electronic to vehicular and industrial uses. An important bottle-neck in battery efficiency and safety is the quality of the separators, which prevent electric short-circuits between cathode and anode, while allowing an easy flow of ions between them. In this study, cellulose acetate was dissolved in a mixed solvent with poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP), and the mixture was forcespun in a peudo paper making process to yield nanofibrillated nonwoven mats. The mats were soaked in NaOH/Ethanol to strip PVP and regenerate cellulose from its acetate precursor. The cellulose mats were then dipped in poly(vinylidenefluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF-HFP) to yield the cellulose/PVDF-HFP composte membranes. These membranes were characterized chemically through FTIR spectroscopy and solvent-stability tests, thermally through DSC, physically by stress/strain measurements along with weight-based electrolyte uptake, and electrically by AC-impedance spectroscopy combined with capacitative cycling.

An analytical expression for ion velocities at the wall including the sheath electric field and surface biasing for erosion modeling at JET ILW

DOE PAGES

Borodkina, I.; Borodin, D.; Brezinsek, S.; ...

2017-04-12

For simulation of plasma-facing component erosion in fusion experiments, an analytical expression for the ion velocity just before the surface impact including the local electric field and an optional surface biasing effect is suggested. Energy and angular impact distributions and the resulting effective sputtering yields were produced for several experimental scenarios at JET ILW mostly involving PFCs exposed to an oblique magnetic field. The analytic solution has been applied as an improvement to earlier ERO modelling of localized, Be outer limiter, RF-enhanced erosion, modulated by toggling of a remote, however magnetically connected ICRH antenna. The effective W sputtering yields duemore » to D and Be ion impact in Type-I and Type-III ELMs and inter-ELM conditions were also estimated using the analytical approach and benchmarked by spectroscopy. The intra-ELM W sputtering flux increases almost 10 times in comparison to the inter-ELM flux.« less

A new structural approach for uniform sub-micrometer anode metallization of planar THz Schottky components

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cojocari, O.; Mottet, B.; Rodriguez-Girones, M.; Biber, S.; Marchand, L.; Schmidt, L.-P.; Hartnagel, H. L.

2004-03-01

This paper presents the evaluation of a Schottky contact technology based on electrochemical metal deposition. The results of a long-term systematic investigation and optimization of the anode formation process to improve the yield and performance of Schottky-based GaAs mixer diodes are detailed. Surface preparation prior to the Schottky-metal deposition and anode metallization as previously optimized for whisker-contacted diodes are successfully transferred to the fabrication of planar structures. This uses an auxiliary honeycomb array of anode-like structures called 'dummy anodes', which are processed simultaneously with the real anodes and then removed in the later technological processes. Consequently, the scattering of planar diodes electrical parameters is significantly reduced and the yield of the fabrication process increases from about 5% up to about 50%. Very good dc characteristics such as series resistance (Rs) below 8 OHgr, ideality factor (eegr) below 1.2 and saturation current (Isat) of the order of 10-17A are achieved for the anode diameter as small as 1 µm. An excellent IF-noise figure of 250 K at 4.8 GHz up to 280 K at 2.1 GHz with current bias up to 3 mA is obtained for non-cooled THz mixer planar diodes. The use of this technological approach has enabled the extraction of statistically significant data which have been used to characterize the criticality of each step of the fabrication process on the device performance.

Unity quantum yield of photogenerated charges and band-like transport in quantum-dot solids.

PubMed

Talgorn, Elise; Gao, Yunan; Aerts, Michiel; Kunneman, Lucas T; Schins, Juleon M; Savenije, T J; van Huis, Marijn A; van der Zant, Herre S J; Houtepen, Arjan J; Siebbeles, Laurens D A

2011-09-25

Solid films of colloidal quantum dots show promise in the manufacture of photodetectors and solar cells. These devices require high yields of photogenerated charges and high carrier mobilities, which are difficult to achieve in quantum-dot films owing to a strong electron-hole interaction and quantum confinement. Here, we show that the quantum yield of photogenerated charges in strongly coupled PbSe quantum-dot films is unity over a large temperature range. At high photoexcitation density, a transition takes place from hopping between localized states to band-like transport. These strongly coupled quantum-dot films have electrical properties that approach those of crystalline bulk semiconductors, while retaining the size tunability and cheap processing properties of colloidal quantum dots.

Integration options for high energy efficiency and improved economics in a wood-to-ethanol process

PubMed Central

Sassner, Per; Zacchi, Guido

2008-01-01

Background There is currently a steady increase in the use of wood-based fuels for heat and power production in Sweden. A major proportion of these fuels could serve as feedstock for ethanol production. In this study various options for the utilization of the solid residue formed during ethanol production from spruce, such as the production of pellets, electricity and heat for district heating, were compared in terms of overall energy efficiency and production cost. The effects of changes in the process performance, such as variations in the ethanol yield and/or the energy demand, were also studied. The process was based on SO2-catalysed steam pretreatment, which was followed by simultaneous saccharification and fermentation. A model including all the major process steps was implemented in the commercial flow-sheeting program Aspen Plus, the model input was based on data recently obtained on lab scale or in a process development unit. Results For the five base case scenarios presented in the paper the overall energy efficiency ranged from 53 to 92%, based on the lower heating values, and a minimum ethanol selling price from 3.87 to 4.73 Swedish kronor per litre (0.41–0.50 EUR/L); however, ethanol production was performed in essentially the same way in each base case scenario. (Highly realistic) improvements in the ethanol yield and reductions in the energy demand resulted in significantly lower production costs for all scenarios. Conclusion Although ethanol was shown to be the main product, i.e. yielding the major part of the income, the co-product revenue had a considerable effect on the process economics and the importance of good utilization of the entire feedstock was clearly shown. With the assumed prices of the co-products, utilization of the excess solid residue for heat and power production was highly economically favourable. The study also showed that improvements in the ethanol yield and reductions in the energy demand resulted in significant production cost reductions almost independently of each other. PMID:18471311

Surface studies of solids using integral x-ray-induced photoemission yield

DOE PAGES

Stoupin, Stanislav; Zhernenkov, Mikhail; Shi, Bing

2016-11-22

X-ray induced photoemission yield contains structural information complementary to that provided by X-ray Fresnel reflectivity, which presents an advantage to a wide variety of surface studies if this information is made easily accessible. Photoemission in materials research is commonly acknowledged as a method with a probing depth limited by the escape depth of the photoelectrons. Here we show that the integral hard-X-ray-induced photoemission yield is modulated by the Fresnel reflectivity of a multilayer structure and carries structural information that extends well beyond the photoelectron escape depth. A simple electric self-detection of the integral photoemission yield and Fourier data analysis permitmore » extraction of thicknesses of individual layers. The approach does not require detection of the reflected radiation and can be considered as a framework for non-invasive evaluation of buried layers with hard X-rays under grazing incidence.« less

Surface studies of solids using integral X-ray-induced photoemission yield

PubMed Central

Stoupin, Stanislav; Zhernenkov, Mikhail; Shi, Bing

2016-01-01

X-ray induced photoemission yield contains structural information complementary to that provided by X-ray Fresnel reflectivity, which presents an advantage to a wide variety of surface studies if this information is made easily accessible. Photoemission in materials research is commonly acknowledged as a method with a probing depth limited by the escape depth of the photoelectrons. Here we show that the integral hard-X-ray-induced photoemission yield is modulated by the Fresnel reflectivity of a multilayer structure and carries structural information that extends well beyond the photoelectron escape depth. A simple electric self-detection of the integral photoemission yield and Fourier data analysis permit extraction of thicknesses of individual layers. The approach does not require detection of the reflected radiation and can be considered as a framework for non-invasive evaluation of buried layers with hard X-rays under grazing incidence. PMID:27874041

Electric and hybrid vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1979-01-01

Report characterizes state-of-the-art electric and hybrid (combined electric and heat engine) vehicles. Performance data for representative number of these vehicles were obtained from track and dynamometer tests. User experience information was obtained from fleet operators and individual owners of electric vehicles. Data on performance and physical characteristics of large number of vehicles were obtained from manufacturers and available literature.

Articulated, Performance-Based Instruction Objectives Guide for Electricity/Industrial Electricity. Development Period, July, 1983--June, 1984. Edition I.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henderson, Wm. Edward, Jr., Ed.

This curriculum guide is designed to assist vocational educators in presenting an articulated, performance-based course in electricity and industrial electricity. Addressed in the individual units of the course (included in 11 modules) are the following topics: safety, leadership, communication skills, career preparation, good work habits and…

Electrocatalytic processing of renewable biomass-derived compounds for production of chemicals, fuels and electricity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xin, Le

The dual problems of sustaining the fast growth of human society and preserving the environment for future generations urge us to shift our focus from exploiting fossil oils to researching and developing more affordable, reliable and clean energy sources. Human beings had a long history that depended on meeting our energy demands with plant biomass, and the modern biorefinery technologies realize the effective conversion of biomass to production of transportation fuels, bulk and fine chemicals so to alleviate our reliance on fossil fuel resources of declining supply. With the aim of replacing as much non-renewable carbon from fossil oils with renewable carbon from biomass as possible, innovative R&D activities must strive to enhance the current biorefinery process and secure our energy future. Much of my Ph.D. research effort is centered on the study of electrocatalytic conversion of biomass-derived compounds to produce value-added chemicals, biofuels and electrical energy on model electrocatalysts in AEM/PEM-based continuous flow electrolysis cell and fuel cell reactors. High electricity generation performance was obtained when glycerol or crude glycerol was employed as fuels in AEMFCs. The study on selective electrocatalytic oxidation of glycerol shows an electrode potential-regulated product distribution where tartronate and mesoxalate can be selectively produced with electrode potential switch. This finding then led to the development of AEMFCs with selective production of valuable tartronate or mesoxalate with high selectivity and yield and cogeneration of electricity. Reaction mechanisms of electrocatalytic oxidation of ethylene glycol and 1,2-propanediol were further elucidated by means of an on-line sample collection technique and DFT modeling. Besides electro-oxidation of biorenewable alcohols to chemicals and electricity, electrocatalytic reduction of keto acids (e.g. levulinic acid) was also studied for upgrading biomass-based feedstock to biofuels while achieving renewable electricity storage. Meanwhile, ORR that is often coupled in AEMFCs on the cathode was investigated on non-PGM electrocatalyst with comparable activity to commercial Pt/C. The electro-biorefinery process could be coupled with traditional biorefinery operation and will play a significant role in our energy and chemical landscape.

Promising Electric Aircraft Drive Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dudley, Michael R.

2010-01-01

An overview of electric aircraft propulsion technology performance thresholds for key power system components is presented. A weight comparison of electric drive systems with equivalent total delivered energy is made to help identify component performance requirements, and promising research and development opportunities.

Modeling of electric field distribution in tissues during electroporation

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Electroporation based therapies and treatments (e.g. electrochemotherapy, gene electrotransfer for gene therapy and DNA vaccination, tissue ablation with irreversible electroporation and transdermal drug delivery) require a precise prediction of the therapy or treatment outcome by a personalized treatment planning procedure. Numerical modeling of local electric field distribution within electroporated tissues has become an important tool in treatment planning procedure in both clinical and experimental settings. Recent studies have reported that the uncertainties in electrical properties (i.e. electric conductivity of the treated tissues and the rate of increase in electric conductivity due to electroporation) predefined in numerical models have large effect on electroporation based therapy and treatment effectiveness. The aim of our study was to investigate whether the increase in electric conductivity of tissues needs to be taken into account when modeling tissue response to the electroporation pulses and how it affects the local electric distribution within electroporated tissues. Methods We built 3D numerical models for single tissue (one type of tissue, e.g. liver) and composite tissue (several types of tissues, e.g. subcutaneous tumor). Our computer simulations were performed by using three different modeling approaches that are based on finite element method: inverse analysis, nonlinear parametric and sequential analysis. We compared linear (i.e. tissue conductivity is constant) model and non-linear (i.e. tissue conductivity is electric field dependent) model. By calculating goodness of fit measure we compared the results of our numerical simulations to the results of in vivo measurements. Results The results of our study show that the nonlinear models (i.e. tissue conductivity is electric field dependent: σ(E)) fit experimental data better than linear models (i.e. tissue conductivity is constant). This was found for both single tissue and composite tissue. Our results of electric field distribution modeling in linear model of composite tissue (i.e. in the subcutaneous tumor model that do not take into account the relationship σ(E)) showed that a very high electric field (above irreversible threshold value) was concentrated only in the stratum corneum while the target tumor tissue was not successfully treated. Furthermore, the calculated volume of the target tumor tissue exposed to the electric field above reversible threshold in the subcutaneous model was zero assuming constant conductivities of each tissue. Our results also show that the inverse analysis allows for identification of both baseline tissue conductivity (i.e. conductivity of non-electroporated tissue) and tissue conductivity vs. electric field (σ(E)) of electroporated tissue. Conclusion Our results of modeling of electric field distribution in tissues during electroporation show that the changes in electrical conductivity due to electroporation need to be taken into account when an electroporation based treatment is planned or investigated. We concluded that the model of electric field distribution that takes into account the increase in electric conductivity due to electroporation yields more precise prediction of successfully electroporated target tissue volume. The findings of our study can significantly contribute to the current development of individualized patient-specific electroporation based treatment planning. PMID:23433433

Analysis of GaAs and Si solar energy hybrid systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heinbockel, J. H.; Roberts, A. S., Jr.

1977-01-01

Various silicon hybrid systems are modeled and compared with a gallium arsenide hybrid system. The hybrid systems modeled produce electric power and also thermal power which can be used for heating or air conditioning. Various performance indices are defined and used to compare the system performance: capital cost per electric power out; capital cost per total power out; capital cost per electric power plus mechanical power; annual cost per annual electric energy; and annual cost per annual electric energy plus annual mechanical work. These performance indices indicate that concentrator hybrid systems can be cost effective when compared with present day energy costs.

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.

[Survival elongation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa improves power output of microbial fuel cells].

PubMed

You, Ting; Liu, Jihua; Liang, Rubing; Liu, Jianhua

2017-04-25

The secondary metabolites, phenazine products, produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa can mediate the electrons transfer in microbial fuel cells (MFCs). How increase the total electricity production in MFCs by improving the characteristics of Pseudomonas aeruginosa is one of research hot spots and problems. In this study, P. aeruginosa strain SJTD-1 and its knockout mutant strain SJTD-1 (ΔmvaT) were used to construct MFCs, and the discharge processes of the two MFCs were analyzed to determine the key factors to electricity yields. Results indicated that not only phenazine but also the viable cells in the fermentation broth were essential for the discharge of MFCs. The mutant strain SJTD-1 (ΔmvaT) could produce more phenazine products and continue discharging over 160 hours in MFCs, more than that of the wild-type SJTD-1 strain (90 hours discharging time). The total electricity generated by SJTD-1 (ΔmvaT) strain could achieve 2.32 J in the fermentation process, much higher than the total 1.30 J electricity of the wild-type SJTD-1 strain. Further cell growth analysis showed that the mutant strain SJTD-1 (ΔmvaT) could keep a longer stationary period, survive much longer in MFCs and therefore, discharge more electron than those of the wild-type SJTD-1 strain. Therefore, the cell survival elongation of P. aeruginosa in MFCs could enhance its discharging time and improve the overall energy yield. This work could give a clue to improve the characteristics of MFCs using genetic engineering strain, and could promote related application studies on MFCs.

Greenhouse gas impacts of natural gas: Influence of deployment choice, methane leak rate, and methane GWP

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cohan, D. S.

2015-12-01

Growing supplies of natural gas have heightened interest in the net impacts of natural gas on climate. Although its production and consumption result in greenhouse gas emissions, natural gas most often substitutes for other fossil fuels whose emission rates may be higher. Because natural gas can be used throughout the sectors of the energy economy, its net impacts on greenhouse gas emissions will depend not only on the leak rates of production and distribution, but also on the use for which natural gas is substituted. Here, we present our estimates of the net greenhouse gas emissions impacts of substituting natural gas for other fossil fuels for five purposes: light-duty vehicles, transit buses, residential heating, electricity generation, and export for electricity generation overseas. Emissions are evaluated on a fuel cycle basis, from production and transport of each fuel through end use combustion, based on recent conditions in the United States. We show that displacement of existing coal-fired electricity and heating oil furnaces yield the largest reductions in emissions. The impact of compressed natural gas replacing petroleum-based vehicles is highly uncertain, with the sign of impact depending on multiple assumptions. Export of liquefied natural gas for electricity yields a moderate amount of emissions reductions. We further show how uncertainties in upstream emission rates for natural gas and in the global warming potential of methane influence the net greenhouse gas impacts. Our presentation will make the case that how natural gas is deployed is crucial to determining how it will impact climate.

Classroom Applications of Top-Down and Bottom-Up Processing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lovrich, Deborah

2007-01-01

Recent research in cognitive neuroscience has yielded a more comprehensive understanding of brain function. Some of these diagnostic techniques include the event-related potential, which depicts brain electrical activity, and magnetic resonance imaging and positron emission tomography, which are particularly sensitive to the delineation of brain…

Discrimination Learning in Paramecia (P. Caudatum)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Armus, Harvard L.; Montgomery, Amber R.; Jellison, Jenny L.

2006-01-01

Previous attempts to condition a 1-celled organism, paramecium, by either classical or instrumental procedures, have yielded equivocal results. The present experiments were designed to determine whether the use of positive reinforcement provided by DC electrical stimulation at the cathode, which had previously been shown to be attractive to…

"METHOD": A tool for mechanical, electrical, thermal, and optical characterization of single lens module design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Besson, Pierre; Dominguez, Cesar; Voarino, Philippe; Garcia-Linares, Pablo; Weick, Clement; Lemiti, Mustapha; Baudrit, Mathieu

2015-09-01

The optical characterization and electrical performance evaluation are essential in the design and optimization of a concentrator photovoltaic system. The geometry, materials, and size of concentrator optics are diverse and different environmental conditions impact their performance. CEA has developed a new concentrator photovoltaic system characterization bench, METHOD, which enables multi-physics optimization studies. The lens and cell temperatures are controlled independently with the METHOD to study their isolated effects on the electrical and optical performance of the system. These influences can be studied in terms of their effect on optical efficiency, focal distance, spectral sensitivity, electrical efficiency, or cell current matching. Furthermore, the irradiance map of a concentrator optic can be mapped to study its variations versus the focal length or the lens temperature. The present work shows this application to analyze the performance of a Fresnel lens linking temperature to optical and electrical performance.

Study on the CO2 electric driven fixed swash plate type compressor for eco-friendly vehicles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nam, Donglim; Kim, Kitae; Lee, Jehie; Kwon, Yunki; Lee, Geonho

2017-08-01

The purpose of this study is to experiment and to performance analysis about the electric-driven fixed swash plate compressor using alternate refrigerant(R744). Comprehensive simulation model for an electric driven compressor using CO2 for eco-friendly vehicle is presented. This model consists of compression model and dynamic model. The compression model included valve dynamics, leakage, and heat transfer models. And the dynamic model included frictional loss between piston ring and cylinder wall, frictional loss between shoe and swash plate, frictional loss of bearings, and electric efficiency. Especially, because the efficiency of an electric parts(motor and inverter) in the compressor affects the loss of the compressor, the dynamo test was performed. We made the designed compressor, and tested the performance of the compressor about the variety pressure conditions. Also we compared the performance analysis result and performance test result.

Performance testing of EVs in the EPRI/TVA EV program

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

Driggans, R.L.

1983-01-01

Performance testing has been completed on four electric vehicles: the Grumman-Olson Kubvan, SCT Electric (VW) Pickup, Jet Industries Electrica, and VW Electrotransporter Bus. The tests performed included vehicle dc energy consumption and driving range at constant speeds and on the SAE J227a C cycle, on-road driving range, hill climbing, maximum acceleration, top speed, and braking performance. Descriptions of the vehicles tested and comparisons of major performance parameters on all four vehicles are presented. This testing was performed at the TVA Electric Vehicle Test Facility.

The performance of residential micro-cogeneration coupled with thermal and electrical storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kopf, John

Over 80% of residential secondary energy consumption in Canada and Ontario is used for space and water heating. The peak electricity demands resulting from residential energy consumption increase the reliance on fossil-fuel generation stations. Distributed energy resources can help to decrease the reliance on central generation stations. Presently, distributed energy resources such as solar photovoltaic, wind and bio-mass generation are subsidized in Ontario. Micro-cogeneration is an emerging technology that can be implemented as a distributed energy resource within residential or commercial buildings. Micro-cogeneration has the potential to reduce a building's energy consumption by simultaneously generating thermal and electrical power on-site. The coupling of a micro-cogeneration device with electrical storage can improve the system's ability to reduce peak electricity demands. The performance potential of micro-cogeneration devices has yet to be fully realized. This research addresses the performance of a residential micro-cogeneration device and it's ability to meet peak occupant electrical loads when coupled with electrical storage. An integrated building energy model was developed of a residential micro-cogeneration system: the house, the micro-cogeneration device, all balance of plant and space heating components, a thermal storage device, an electrical storage device, as well as the occupant electrical and hot water demands. This model simulated the performance of a micro-cogeneration device coupled to an electrical storage system within a Canadian household. A customized controller was created in ESP-r to examine the impact of various system control strategies. The economic performance of the system was assessed from the perspective of a local energy distribution company and an end-user under hypothetical electricity export purchase price scenarios. It was found that with certain control strategies the micro-cogeneration system was able to improve the economic performance for both the end user and local distribution company.

Farm-level feasibility of bioenergy depends on variations across multiple sectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Myhre, Mitchell; Barford, Carol

2013-03-01

The potential supply of bioenergy from farm-grown biomass is uncertain due to several poorly understood or volatile factors, including land availability, yield variability, and energy prices. Although biomass production for liquid fuel has received more attention, here we present a case study of biomass production for renewable heat and power in the state of Wisconsin (US), where heating constitutes at least 30% of total energy demand. Using three bioenergy systems (50 kW, 8.8 MW and 50 MW) and Wisconsin farm-level data, we determined the net farm income effect of producing switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) as a feedstock, either for on-farm use (50 kW system) or for sale to an off-farm energy system operator (8.8 and 50 MW systems). In southern counties, where switchgrass yields approach 10 Mg ha-1 yr-1, the main determinants of economic feasibility were the available land area per farm, the ability to utilize bioheat, and opportunity cost assumptions. Switchgrass yield temporal variability was less important. For the state median farm size and switchgrass yield, at least 25% (50 kW system) or 50% (8.8 MW system) bioheat utilization was required to economically offset propane or natural gas heat, respectively, and purchased electricity. Offsetting electricity only (50 MW system) did not generate enough revenue to meet switchgrass production expenses. Although the opportunity cost of small-scale (50 kW) on-farm bioenergy generation was higher, it also held greater opportunity for increasing farm net income, especially by replacing propane-based heat.

Purification of Carbon Nanotubes: Alternative Methods

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Files, Bradley; Scott, Carl; Gorelik, Olga; Nikolaev, Pasha; Hulse, Lou; Arepalli, Sivaram

2000-01-01

Traditional carbon nanotube purification process involves nitric acid refluxing and cross flow filtration using surfactant TritonX. This is believed to result in damage to nanotubes and surfactant residue on nanotube surface. Alternative purification procedures involving solvent extraction, thermal zone refining and nitric acid refiuxing are used in the current study. The effect of duration and type of solvent to dissolve impurities including fullerenes and P ACs (polyaromatic compounds) are monitored by nuclear magnetic reasonance, high performance liquid chromatography, and thermogravimetric analysis. Thermal zone refining yielded sample areas rich in nanotubes as seen by scanning electric microscopy. Refluxing in boiling nitric acid seem to improve the nanotube content. Different procedural steps are needed to purify samples produced by laser process compared to arc process. These alternative methods of nanotube purification will be presented along with results from supporting analytical techniques.

Parabolic dish collectors - A solar option

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Truscello, V. C.

1981-05-01

A description is given of several parabolic-dish high temperature solar thermal systems currently undergoing performance trials. A single parabolic dish has the potential for generating 20 to 30 kW of electricity with fluid temperatures from 300 to 1650 C. Each dish is a complete power-producing unit, and may function either independently or as part of a group of linked modules. The two dish designs under consideration are of 11 and 12 meter diameters, yielding receiver operating temperatures of 925 and 815 C, respectively. The receiver designs described include (1) an organic working fluid (toluene) Rankine cycle engine; (2) a Brayton open cycle unit incorporating a hybrid combustion chamber and nozzle and a shaft-coupled permanent magnet alternator; and (3) a modified Stirling cycle device originally designed for automotive use. Also considered are thermal buffer energy storage and thermochemical transport and storage.

Capacity enhancement of indigenous expansion engine based helium liquefier

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Doohan, R. S.; Kush, P. K.; Maheshwari, G.

2017-02-01

Development of technology and understanding for large capacity helium refrigeration and liquefaction at helium temperature is indispensable for coming-up projects. A new version of helium liquefier designed and built to provide approximately 35 liters of liquid helium per hour. The refrigeration capacity of this reciprocating type expansion engine machine has been increased from its predecessor version with continuous improvement and deficiency debugging. The helium liquefier has been built using components by local industries including cryogenic Aluminum plate fin heat exchangers. Two compressors with nearly identical capacity have been deployed for the operation of system. Together they consume about 110 kW of electric power. The system employs liquid Nitrogen precooling to enhance liquid Helium yield. This paper describes details of the cryogenic expander design improvements, reconfiguration of heat exchangers, performance simulation and their experimental validation.

Exhaust-Gas Pressure and Temperature Survey of F404-GE-400 Turbofan Engine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Walton, James T.; Burcham, Frank W., Jr.

1986-01-01

An exhaust-gas pressure and temperature survey of the General Electric F404-GE-400 turbofan engine was conducted in the altitude test facility of the NASA Lewis Propulsion System Laboratory. Traversals by a survey rake were made across the exhaust-nozzle exit to measure the pitot pressure and total temperature. Tests were performed at Mach 0.87 and a 24,000-ft altitude and at Mach 0.30 and a 30,000-ft altitude with various power settings from intermediate to maximum afterburning. Data yielded smooth pressure and temperature profiles with maximum jet temperatures approximately 1.4 in. inside the nozzle edge and maximum jet temperatures from 1 to 3 in. inside the edge. A low-pressure region located exactly at engine center was noted. The maximum temperature encountered was 3800 R.

Sensorless Estimation and Nonlinear Control of a Rotational Energy Harvester

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nunna, Kameswarie; Toh, Tzern T.; Mitcheson, Paul D.; Astolfi, Alessandro

2013-12-01

It is important to perform sensorless monitoring of parameters in energy harvesting devices in order to determine the operating states of the system. However, physical measurements of these parameters is often a challenging task due to the unavailability of access points. This paper presents, as an example application, the design of a nonlinear observer and a nonlinear feedback controller for a rotational energy harvester. A dynamic model of a rotational energy harvester with its power electronic interface is derived and validated. This model is then used to design a nonlinear observer and a nonlinear feedback controller which yield a sensorless closed-loop system. The observer estimates the mechancial quantities from the measured electrical quantities while the control law sustains power generation across a range of source rotation speeds. The proposed scheme is assessed through simulations and experiments.

A magnetic-bottle multi-electron-ion coincidence spectrometer

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

Matsuda, Akitaka; Hishikawa, Akiyoshi; Department of Chemistry, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8602

2011-10-15

A novel multi-electron-ion coincidence spectrometer developed on the basis of a 1.5 m-long magnetic-bottle electron spectrometer is presented. Electrons are guided by an inhomogeneous magnetic field to a detector at the end of the flight tube, while a set of optics is used to extract counterpart ions to the same detector, by a pulsed inhomogeneous electric field. This setup allows ion detection with high mass resolution, without impairing the high collection efficiency for electrons. The performance of the coincidence spectrometer was tested with double ionization of carbon disulfide, CS{sub 2} {yields} CS{sub 2}{sup 2+} + e{sup -} + e{sup -},more » in ultrashort intense laser fields (2.8 x 10{sup 13} W/cm{sup 2}, 280 fs, 1030 nm) to clarify the electron correlation below the rescattering threshold.« less

Electric Motor Thermal Management R&D. Annual Report

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

Bennion, Kevin

With the push to reduce component volumes, lower costs, and reduce weight without sacrificing performance or reliability, the challenges associated with thermal management increase for power electronics and electric motors. Thermal management for electric motors will become more important as the automotive industry continues the transition to more electrically dominant vehicle propulsion systems. The transition to more electrically dominant propulsion systems leads to higher-power duty cycles for electric drive systems. Thermal constraints place significant limitations on how electric motors ultimately perform, and as thermal management improves, there will be a direct trade-off between motor performance, efficiency, cost, and the sizingmore » of electric motors to operate within the thermal constraints. The goal of this research project is to support broad industry demand for data, analysis methods, and experimental techniques to improve and better understand motor thermal management. Work in FY15 focused on two areas related to motor thermal management: passive thermal performance and active convective cooling. Passive thermal performance emphasized the thermal impact of materials and thermal interfaces among materials within an assembled motor. The research tasks supported the publication of test methods and data for thermal contact resistances and direction-dependent thermal conductivity within an electric motor. Active convective cooling focused on measuring convective heat-transfer coefficients using automatic transmission fluid (ATF). Data for average convective heat transfer coefficients for direct impingement of ATF jets was published. Also, experimental hardware for mapping local-scale and stator-scale convective heat transfer coefficients for ATF jet impingement were developed.« less

Electric Propulsion Performance from Geo-transfer to Geosynchronous Orbits

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dankanich, John W.; Carpenter, Christian B.

2007-01-01

For near-Earth application, solar electric propulsion advocates have focused on Low Earth Orbit (LEO) to Geosynchronous (GEO) low-thrust transfers because of the significant improvement in capability over chemical alternatives. While the performance gain attained from starting with a lower orbit is large, there are also increased transfer times and radiation exposure risk that has hindered the commercial advocacy for electric propulsion stages. An incremental step towards electric propulsion stages is the use of integrated solar electric propulsion systems (SEPS) for GTO to GEO transfer. Thorough analyses of electric propulsion systems options and performance are presented. Results are based on existing or near-term capabilities of Arcjets, Hall thrusters, and Gridded Ion engines. Parametric analyses based on "rubber" thruster and launch site metrics are also provided.

Electron Emission Properties of Insulator Materials Pertinent to the International Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thomson, C. D.; Zavyalov, V.; Dennison, J. R.; Corbridge, Jodie

2004-01-01

We present the results of our measurements of the electron emission properties of selected insulating and conducting materials used on the International Space Station (ISS). Utah State University (USU) has performed measurements of the electron-, ion-, and photon-induced electron emission properties of conductors for a few years, and has recently extended our capabilities to measure electron yields of insulators, allowing us to significantly expand current spacecraft material charging databases. These ISS materials data are used here to illustrate our various insulator measurement techniques that include: i) Studies of electron-induced secondary and backscattered electron yield curves using pulsed, low current electron beams to minimize deleterious affects of insulator charging. ii) Comparison of several methods used to determine the insulator 1st and 2nd crossover energies. These incident electron energies induce unity total yield at the transition between yields greater than and less than one with either negative or positive charging, respectively. The crossover energies are very important in determining both the polarity and magnitude of spacecraft surface potentials. iii) Evolution of electron emission energy spectra as a function of insulator charging used to determine the surface potential of insulators. iv) Surface potential evolution as a function of pulsed-electron fluence to determine how quickly insulators charge, and how this can affect subsequent electron yields. v) Critical incident electron energies resulting in electrical breakdown of insulator materials and the effect of breakdown on subsequent emission, charging and conduction. vi) Charge-neutralization techniques such as low-energy electron flooding and UV light irradiation to dissipate both positive and negative surface potentials during yield measurements. Specific ISS materials being tested at USU include chromic and sulfuric anodized aluminum, RTV-silicone solar array adhesives, solar cell cover glasses, Kapton, and gold. Further details of the USU testing facilities, the instrumentation used for insulator measurements, and the NASA/SEE Charge Collector materials database are provided in other Spacecraft Charging Conference presentations (Dennison, 2003b). The work presented was supported in part by the NASA Space Environments and Effects (SEE) Program, the Boeing Corporation, and a NASA Graduate Fellowship. Samples were supplied by Boeing, the Environmental Effects Group at Marshall Space Flight Center, and Sheldahl, Inc.

Hybrid ARIMAX quantile regression method for forecasting short term electricity consumption in east java

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prastuti, M.; Suhartono; Salehah, NA

2018-04-01

The need for energy supply, especially for electricity in Indonesia has been increasing in the last past years. Furthermore, the high electricity usage by people at different times leads to the occurrence of heteroscedasticity issue. Estimate the electricity supply that could fulfilled the community’s need is very important, but the heteroscedasticity issue often made electricity forecasting hard to be done. An accurate forecast of electricity consumptions is one of the key challenges for energy provider to make better resources and service planning and also take control actions in order to balance the electricity supply and demand for community. In this paper, hybrid ARIMAX Quantile Regression (ARIMAX-QR) approach was proposed to predict the short-term electricity consumption in East Java. This method will also be compared to time series regression using RMSE, MAPE, and MdAPE criteria. The data used in this research was the electricity consumption per half-an-hour data during the period of September 2015 to April 2016. The results show that the proposed approach can be a competitive alternative to forecast short-term electricity in East Java. ARIMAX-QR using lag values and dummy variables as predictors yield more accurate prediction in both in-sample and out-sample data. Moreover, both time series regression and ARIMAX-QR methods with addition of lag values as predictor could capture accurately the patterns in the data. Hence, it produces better predictions compared to the models that not use additional lag variables.

Partners | Energy Systems Integration Facility | NREL

Science.gov Websites

Renewable Electricity to Grid Integration Evaluation of New Technology IGBT Industry Asetek High Performance Energy Commission High Performance Computing & Visualization Real-Time Data Collection for Institute/Schneider Electric Renewable Electricity to Grid Integration End-to-End Communication and Control

40 CFR 60.47Da - Commercial demonstration permit.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... electrical generation capacity for any one technology category, and the total equivalent MW electrical... (CONTINUED) STANDARDS OF PERFORMANCE FOR NEW STATIONARY SOURCES Standards of Performance for Electric Utility... affected facility proposing to demonstrate an emerging technology may apply to the Administrator for a...

40 CFR 60.47Da - Commercial demonstration permit.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... electrical generation capacity for any one technology category, and the total equivalent MW electrical... (CONTINUED) STANDARDS OF PERFORMANCE FOR NEW STATIONARY SOURCES Standards of Performance for Electric Utility... affected facility proposing to demonstrate an emerging technology may apply to the Administrator for a...

40 CFR 60.47Da - Commercial demonstration permit.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... electrical generation capacity for any one technology category, and the total equivalent MW electrical... (CONTINUED) STANDARDS OF PERFORMANCE FOR NEW STATIONARY SOURCES Standards of Performance for Electric Utility... affected facility proposing to demonstrate an emerging technology may apply to the Administrator for a...

Thermographic inspection and quality assurance of energy conservation procedures for electric buses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fennell, Henri C.

1998-03-01

Electric buses are one of the solutions for improving air quality in our cities. Many states are adopting 'no new diesel bus' policies, thus increasing the pressure to develop alternative vehicles. The fledgling electric vehicle technology suffers from acceptance problems by major transit authorities due primarily to limited travel range from each battery charge. Utilizing electric buses in the Northeast has the added problem of maintaining an adequate cabin temperature without the availability of heat from a diesel motor. Heating the passenger cabin with an electric heater which draws from the batteries' stored energy significantly reduces the already modest range of these vehicles; therefore, energy conservation measures play an important role in allowing electric vehicles to provide practical transit services. IR thermography, in conjunction with air leakage pressurization diagnostics, has proven to be an excellent tool for developing energy-efficient bus designs as well as a valuable in-service performance testing method. This paper is based on tests performed on several Advanced Vehicle Systems, Inc. electric buses during research performed under Northeast Alternative Vehicle Consortium and Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency grants. The work demonstrates the thermographic methods used and the real- world increased performance of retrofitted and newly designed buses resulting from this initial Portland Transit retrofit project and in a follow-up project to develop a cold weather specification for a new generation of electric buses. Early diagnostic and new-technology follow-up thermographic performance testing was paralleled by energy modeling of early baseline and re-designed vehicles. Modeling and performance data are included. As a result of this research, thermography, air-leakage/pressurization testing, and fog analysis techniques are now being used regularly in research and development and quality assurance procedures by electric bus manufacturers.

A National Energy-Water System Assessment Framework (NEWS): Synopsis of Stage 1 Research Strategy and Results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vorosmarty, C. J.; Miara, A.; Macknick, J.; Newmark, R. L.; Cohen, S.; Sun, Y.; Tidwell, V. C.; Corsi, F.; Melillo, J. M.; Fekete, B. M.; Proussevitch, A. A.; Glidden, S.; Suh, S.

2017-12-01

The focus of this talk is on climate adaptation and the reliability of power supply infrastructure when viewed through the lens of strategic water issues. Power supply is critically dependent upon water resources, particularly to cool thermoelectric plants, making the sector particularly sensitive to any shifts in the geography or seasonality of water supply. We report on results from an NSF-Funded Water Sustainability and Climate effort aimed at uncovering key energy and economic system vulnerabilities. We have developed the National Energy-Water System assessment framework (NEWS) to systematically evaluate: a) the performance of the nation's electricity sector under multiple climate scenarios; b) the feasibility of alternative pathways to improve climate adaptation; and, c) the impacts of energy technology and investment tradeoffs on the economic productivity, water availability and aquatic ecosystem condition. Our project combines core engineering and geophysical models (ReEDS [Regional Energy Deployment System], TP2M [Thermoelectric Power and Thermal Pollution], and WBM [Water Balance]) through unique digital "handshake" protocols that operate across different institutions and modeling platforms. Combined system outputs are fed into a regional-to-national scale economic input/output model to evaluate economic consequences of climate constraints, technology choices, and environmental regulation. The impact assessments in NEWS are carried out through a series of climate/energy policy scenario studies to 2050. We find that despite significant climate-water impacts on individual plants, the current US power supply infrastructure shows potential for adaptation to future climates by capitalizing on the size of regional power systems, grid configuration and improvements in thermal efficiencies. However, the magnitude and implications of climate-water impacts vary depending on the configuration of the future power sector. To evaluate future power supply performance, we model alternative electricity sector pathways in combination with varying climate-water conditions. Further, water-linked disruptions in electricity supply yield substantial impacts on regional economies yet system-level shocks can be attenuated through different technology mixes and infrastructure.

Salinity: Electrical conductivity and total dissolved solids

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The measurement of soil salinity is a quantification of the total salts present in the liquid portion of the soil. Soil salinity is important in agriculture because salinity reduces crop yields by reducing the osmotic potential making it more difficult for the plant to extract water, by causing spe...

Dynamic prescription maps for site-specific variable rate irrigation of cotton

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A prescription map is a set of instructions that controls a variable rate irrigation (VRI) system. These maps, which may be based on prior yield, soil texture, topography, or soil electrical conductivity data, are often manually applied at the beginning of an irrigation season and remain static. The...

Photodetectors using III-V nitrides

DOEpatents

Moustakas, Theodore D.

1998-01-01

A bandpass photodetector using a III-V nitride and having predetermined electrical properties. The bandpass photodetector detects electromagnetic radiation between a lower transition wavelength and an upper transition wavelength. That detector comprises two low pass photodetectors. The response of the two low pass photodetectors is subtracted to yield a response signal.

Perovskite photonic sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sutherland, Brandon R.; Sargent, Edward H.

2016-05-01

The field of solution-processed semiconductors has made great strides; however, it has yet to enable electrically driven lasers. To achieve this goal, improved materials are required that combine efficient (>50% quantum yield) radiative recombination under high injection, large and balanced charge-carrier mobilities in excess of 10 cm2 V-1 s-1, free-carrier densities greater than 1017 cm-3 and gain coefficients exceeding 104 cm-1. Solid-state perovskites are -- in addition to galvanizing the field of solar electricity -- showing great promise in photonic sources, and may be the answer to realizing solution-cast laser diodes. Here, we discuss the properties of perovskites that benefit light emission, review recent progress in perovskite electroluminescent diodes and optically pumped lasers, and examine the remaining challenges in achieving continuous-wave and electrically driven lasing.

A new experimental limit on the electric dipole moment of the electron

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

Carlberg, C.; Gould, H.; Abdullah, K.

1990-12-01

We describe a search for the electric dipole moment d{sub e} of the electron, carried out with {sup 205}Tl atoms in the ground state. The experiment makes use of the separated-oscillating-field magnetic-resonance method, laser state selection, fluorescence detection, and two counter-propagating atomic beams. Very careful attention is paid to systematic effects. The result for the atomic electric dipole moment is d{sub a} = (1.6 {plus minus} 5.0) {times} 10{sup {minus}24} e cm. If we assume the theoretical ratio d{sub a}/d{sub e} = {minus}600, this yields d{sub e} = ({minus}2.7 {plus minus} 8.3) {times} 10{sup {minus}27} e cm. 17 refs., 7more » figs., 1 tab.« less

Magnetocardiography with sensors based on giant magnetoresistance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pannetier-Lecoeur, M.; Parkkonen, L.; Sergeeva-Chollet, N.; Polovy, H.; Fermon, C.; Fowley, C.

2011-04-01

Biomagnetic signals, mostly due to the electrical activity in the body, are very weak and they can only be detected by the most sensitive magnetometers, such as Superconducting Quantum Interference Devices (SQUIDs). We report here biomagnetic recordings with hybrid sensors based on Giant MagnetoResistance (GMR). We recorded magnetic signatures of the electric activity of the human heart (magnetocardiography) in healthy volunteers. The P-wave and QRS complex, known from the corresponding electric recordings, are clearly visible in the recordings after an averaging time of about 1 min. Multiple recordings at different locations over the chest yielded a dipolar magnetic field map and allowed localizing the underlying current sources. The sensitivity of the GMR-based sensors is now approaching that of SQUIDs and paves way for spin electronics devices for functional imaging of the body.

Nonthermal plasma processor utilizing additive-gas injection and/or gas extraction

DOEpatents

Rosocha, Louis A.

2006-06-20

A device for processing gases includes a cylindrical housing in which an electrically grounded, metal injection/extraction gas supply tube is disposed. A dielectric tube surrounds the injection/extraction gas supply tube to establish a gas modification passage therearound. Additionally, a metal high voltage electrode circumscribes the dielectric tube. The high voltage electrode is energizable to create nonthermal electrical microdischarges between the high voltage electrode and the injection/extraction gas supply tube across the dielectric tube within the gas modification passage. An injection/extraction gas and a process gas flow through the nonthermal electrical microdischarges within the gas modification passage and a modified process gas results. Using the device contaminants that are entrained in the process gas can be destroyed to yield a cleaner, modified process gas.

Socially optimal electric driving range of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles

DOE PAGES

Kontou, Eleftheria; Yin, Yafeng; Lin, Zhenhong

2015-07-25

Our study determines the optimal electric driving range of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) that minimizes the daily cost borne by the society when using this technology. An optimization framework is developed and applied to datasets representing the US market. Results indicate that the optimal range is 16 miles with an average social cost of 3.19 per day when exclusively charging at home, compared to 3.27 per day of driving a conventional vehicle. The optimal range is found to be sensitive to the cost of battery packs and the price of gasoline. Moreover, when workplace charging is available, the optimalmore » electric driving range surprisingly increases from 16 to 22 miles, as larger batteries would allow drivers to better take advantage of the charging opportunities to achieve longer electrified travel distances, yielding social cost savings. If workplace charging is available, the optimal density is to deploy a workplace charger for every 3.66 vehicles. Finally, the diversification of the battery size, i.e., introducing a pair and triple of electric driving ranges to the market, could further decrease the average societal cost per PHEV by 7.45% and 11.5% respectively.« less

Enhancement of plasma generation in catalyst pores with different shapes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yu-Ru; Neyts, Erik C.; Bogaerts, Annemie

2018-05-01

Plasma generation inside catalyst pores is of utmost importance for plasma catalysis, as the existence of plasma species inside the pores affects the active surface area of the catalyst available to the plasma species for catalytic reactions. In this paper, the electric field enhancement, and thus the plasma production inside catalyst pores with different pore shapes is studied with a two-dimensional fluid model. The results indicate that the electric field will be significantly enhanced near tip-like structures. In a conical pore with small opening, the strongest electric field appears at the opening and bottom corners of the pore, giving rise to a prominent ionization rate throughout the pore. For a cylindrical pore, the electric field is only enhanced at the bottom corners of the pore, with lower absolute value, and thus the ionization rate inside the pore is only slightly enhanced. Finally, in a conical pore with large opening, the electric field is characterized by a maximum at the bottom of the pore, yielding a similar behavior for the ionization rate. These results demonstrate that the shape of the pore has a significantly influence on the electric field enhancement, and thus modifies the plasma properties.

Electric-field enhanced performance in catalysis and solid-state devices involving gases

DOEpatents

Blackburn, Bryan M.; Wachsman, Eric D.; Van Assche, IV, Frederick Martin

2015-05-19

Electrode configurations for electric-field enhanced performance in catalysis and solid-state devices involving gases are provided. According to an embodiment, electric-field electrodes can be incorporated in devices such as gas sensors and fuel cells to shape an electric field provided with respect to sensing electrodes for the gas sensors and surfaces of the fuel cells. The shaped electric fields can alter surface dynamics, system thermodynamics, reaction kinetics, and adsorption/desorption processes. In one embodiment, ring-shaped electric-field electrodes can be provided around sensing electrodes of a planar gas sensor.

Development of biological platform for the autotrophic production of biofuels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khan, Nymul

The research described herein is aimed at developing an advanced biofuel platform that has the potential to surpass the natural rate of solar energy capture and CO2 fixation. The underlying concept is to use the electricity from a renewable source, such as wind or solar, to capture CO 2 via a biological agent, such as a microbe, into liquid fuels that can be used for the transportation sector. In addition to being renewable, the higher rate of energy capture by photovoltaic cells than natural photosynthesis is expected to facilitate higher rate of liquid fuel production than traditional biofuel processes. The envisioned platform is part of ARPA-E's (Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy) Electrofuels initiative which aims at supplementing the country's petroleum based fuel production with renewable liquid fuels that can integrate easily with the existing refining and distribution infrastructure (http://arpae. energy.gov/ProgramsProjects/Electrofuels.aspx). The Electrofuels initiative aimed to develop liquid biofuels that avoid the issues encountered in the current generation of biofuels: (1) the reliance of biomass-derived technologies on the inefficient process of photosynthesis, (2) the relatively energy- and resource-intensive nature of agronomic processes, and (3) the occupation of large areas of arable land for feedstock production. The process proceeds by the capture of solar energy into electrical energy via photovoltaic cells, using the generated electricity to split water into molecular hydrogen (H2) and oxygen (O2), and feeding these gases, along with carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted from point sources such as a biomass or coal-fired power plant, to a microbial bioprocessing platform. The proposed microbial bioprocessing platform leverages a chemolithoautotrophic microorganism (Rhodobacter capsulatus or Ralstonia eutropha) naturally able to utilize these gases as growth substrates, and genetically modified to produce a triterpene hydrocarbon fuel molecule (C30+ botryococcenes) native to the alga Botryococcus braunii . In addition to the genetic modification and bioreactor performance studies of these organisms for the production of botryococcene or squalene, the research examined the potential economic feasibility of the proposed platform through the use of bioreactor, microbial energetic models and experimentally measured growth yield and maintenance coefficients. In order to carry out an economic analysis, a process model was created in Aspen with the bioreactor at the center. This is presented in Chapter 2. The model looked at the effects of growth yield and maintenance coefficients of R. capsulatus and R. eutropha, reactor residence time, gas-liquid mass-transfer coefficients, gas composition and specific fuel productivity on the volumetric productivity and fuel yield on H2. It was found that the organism with the lowest maintenance coefficient performed better under very low growth rates evaluated in the model (based on residence time through the reactor) performed the best. The optimum parameter values were then used to determine the capital and operating costs for a 5000 bbl-fuel/day plant and the final fuel cost based on the Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE). It was found that under the assumptions used in this analysis and crude oil prices, the LCOE required for economic feasibility must be less than 2¢/kWh. While not feasible under current market prices and costs, this work identifies key variables impacting process cost and discusses potential alternative paths toward economic feasibility. This was the best case scenario of the two organisms evaluated, and an optimally suited organism with high growth yield and low maintenance coefficient should obviously improve the economics. This economic constraint will improve with the rise of fossil fuel prices, which should occur if the environmentally detrimental effects of their use are factored into the price, through higher taxation, for example. A review of the current status of metabolic engineering of chemolithoautotrophs is carried out in order to identify the challenges and likely routes to overcome them. This is presented in Chapter 3 of this dissertation. The initial metabolic engineering and bioreactor studies was carried out using a number of gene-constructs on R. capsulatus and R. eutropha. The gene-constructs consisted of Plac promoter followed by the triterpene synthase genes (SS or BS) and other upstream genes. A comparison of the production of triterpenes were done in the different growth modes that R. capsulatus was capable of growing---aerobic heterotrophic, anaerobic photoheterotrophic and aerobic chemoautotrophic. Autotrophic productivity could likely be improved much further by increasing the available mass-transfer of the reactor. These efforts are presented in Chapter 4 of this dissertation. (Abstract shortened by UMI.).

Electric Motor Thermal Management R&D; NREL (National Renewable Energy Laboratory)

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

Bennion, Kevin

2015-06-09

Thermal constraints place significant limitations on how electric motors ultimately perform. Without the ability to remove heat, the motor cannot operate without sacrificing performance, efficiency, and reliability. Finite element analysis and computational fluid dynamics modeling approaches are being increasingly utilized in the design and analysis of electric motors. As the models become more sophisticated, it is important to have detailed and accurate knowledge of both the passive thermal performance and the active cooling performance. In this work, we provide an overview of research characterizing both passive and active thermal elements related to electric motor thermal management. To better characterize themore » passive thermal performance, work is being performed to measure motor material thermal properties and thermal contact resistances. The active cooling performance of automatic transmission fluid (ATF) jets is also being measured to better understand the heat transfer coefficients of ATF impinging on motor copper windings.« less