Energy consumption performance analysis of electrical mitad at ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The Injera baking electrical mitad is the most energy-consuming device in every household in Ethiopia. This research presents a detail engineering study on the energy-consumption performance of existing electrical mitad in Mekelle city. The research work considered thirty-one electrical mitad from different workshops in ...

Microbial Electrolysis Cells for High Yield Hydrogen Gas Production from Organic Matter

KAUST Repository

Logan, Bruce E.

2008-12-01

The use of electrochemically active bacteria to break down organic matter, combined with the addition of a small voltage (>0.2 V in practice) in specially designed microbial electrolysis cells (MECs), can result in a high yield of hydrogen gas. While microbial electrolysis was invented only a few years ago, rapid developments have led to hydrogen yields approaching 100%, energy yields based on electrical energy input many times greater than that possible by water electrolysis, and increased gas production rates. MECs used to make hydrogen gas are similar in design to microbial fuel cells (MFCs) that produce electricity, but there are important differences in architecture and analytical methods used to evaluate performance. We review here the materials, architectures, performance, and energy efficiencies of these MEC systems that show promise as a method for renewable and sustainable energy production, and wastewater treatment. © 2008 American Chemical Society.

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

Science.gov (United States)

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.

Personal Rotorcraft Design and Performance with Electric Hybridization

Science.gov (United States)

Snyder, Christopher A.

2017-01-01

Recent and projected improvements for more or all-electric aviation propulsion systems can enable greater personal mobility, while also reducing environmental impact (noise and emissions). However, all-electric energy storage capability is significantly less than present, hydrocarbon-fueled systems. A system study was performed exploring design and performance assuming hybrid propulsion ranging from traditional hydrocarbon-fueled cycles (gasoline Otto and diesel) to all-electric systems using electric motors generators, with batteries for energy storage and load leveling. Study vehicles were a conventional, single-main rotor (SMR) helicopter and an advanced vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft. Vehicle capability was limited to two or three people (including pilot or crew); the design range for the VTOL aircraft was set to 150 miles (about one hour total flight). Search and rescue (SAR), loiter, and cruise-dominated missions were chosen to illustrate each vehicle and degree of hybrid propulsion strengths and weaknesses. The traditional, SMR helicopter is a hover-optimized design; electric hybridization was performed assuming a parallel hybrid approach by varying degree of hybridization. Many of the helicopter hybrid propulsion combinations have some mission capabilities that might be effective for short range or on-demand mobility missions. However, even for 30 year technology electrical components, all hybrid propulsion systems studied result in less available fuel, lower maximum range, and reduced hover and loiter duration than the baseline vehicle. Results for the VTOL aircraft were more encouraging. Series hybrid combinations reflective of near-term systems could improve range and loiter duration by 30. Advanced, higher performing series hybrid combinations could double or almost triple the VTOL aircrafts range and loiter duration. Additional details on the study assumptions and work performed are given, as well as suggestions for future study effort.

A comparative study of quantum yield and electrical energy per order (E(Eo)) for advanced oxidative decolourisation of reactive azo dyes by UV light.

Science.gov (United States)

Muruganandham, M; Selvam, K; Swaminathan, M

2007-06-01

This paper evaluates the quantum yield and electrical energy per order (E(Eo)) efficiency of Reactive Orange 4 (RO4) and Reactive Yellow 14 (RY14) azo dyes by three advanced oxidation processes (AOPs). Both dyes were completely decolourised by all these processes. The relative decolourisation efficiencies of these processes were in the following order: Fe(2+)/H(2)O(2)/UV>UV/TiO(2)>UV/H(2)O(2). The low efficiency of UV/H(2)O(2) process is mainly due to low UV absorption by hydrogen peroxide at the 365nm. The figure of merit E(Eo) values showed that UV/H(2)O(2) process consumes more electrical energy than the other two processes. The electrical energy consumption is in the following order: UV/H(2)O(2)>UV/TiO(2)>Fe(2+)/H(2)O(2)/UV. At low initial dye concentration higher quantum yield was observed in UV/TiO(2) process, whereas in photo-Fenton process higher quantum yield was observed at high initial dye concentration. The structure of dye molecule also influences the quantum yield and E(Eo) value.

A comparative study of quantum yield and electrical energy per order (E Eo) for advanced oxidative decolourisation of reactive azo dyes by UV light

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muruganandham, M.; Selvam, K.; Swaminathan, M.

2007-01-01

This paper evaluates the quantum yield and electrical energy per order (E Eo ) efficiency of Reactive Orange 4 (RO4) and Reactive Yellow 14 (RY14) azo dyes by three advanced oxidation processes (AOPs). Both dyes were completely decolourised by all these processes. The relative decolourisation efficiencies of these processes were in the following order: Fe 2+ /H 2 O 2 /UV > UV/TiO 2 > UV/H 2 O 2 . The low efficiency of UV/H 2 O 2 process is mainly due to low UV absorption by hydrogen peroxide at the 365 nm. The figure of merit E Eo values showed that UV/H 2 O 2 process consumes more electrical energy than the other two processes. The electrical energy consumption is in the following order: UV/H 2 O 2 > UV/TiO 2 > Fe 2+ /H 2 O 2 /UV. At low initial dye concentration higher quantum yield was observed in UV/TiO 2 process, whereas in photo-Fenton process higher quantum yield was observed at high initial dye concentration. The structure of dye molecule also influences the quantum yield and E Eo value

Influence of electrical resistivity and machining parameters on electrical discharge machining performance of engineering ceramics.

Science.gov (United States)

Ji, Renjie; Liu, Yonghong; Diao, Ruiqiang; Xu, Chenchen; Li, Xiaopeng; Cai, Baoping; Zhang, Yanzhen

2014-01-01

Engineering ceramics have been widely used in modern industry for their excellent physical and mechanical properties, and they are difficult to machine owing to their high hardness and brittleness. Electrical discharge machining (EDM) is the appropriate process for machining engineering ceramics provided they are electrically conducting. However, the electrical resistivity of the popular engineering ceramics is higher, and there has been no research on the relationship between the EDM parameters and the electrical resistivity of the engineering ceramics. This paper investigates the effects of the electrical resistivity and EDM parameters such as tool polarity, pulse interval, and electrode material, on the ZnO/Al2O3 ceramic's EDM performance, in terms of the material removal rate (MRR), electrode wear ratio (EWR), and surface roughness (SR). The results show that the electrical resistivity and the EDM parameters have the great influence on the EDM performance. The ZnO/Al2O3 ceramic with the electrical resistivity up to 3410 Ω·cm can be effectively machined by EDM with the copper electrode, the negative tool polarity, and the shorter pulse interval. Under most machining conditions, the MRR increases, and the SR decreases with the decrease of electrical resistivity. Moreover, the tool polarity, and pulse interval affect the EWR, respectively, and the electrical resistivity and electrode material have a combined effect on the EWR. Furthermore, the EDM performance of ZnO/Al2O3 ceramic with the electrical resistivity higher than 687 Ω·cm is obviously different from that with the electrical resistivity lower than 687 Ω·cm, when the electrode material changes. The microstructure character analysis of the machined ZnO/Al2O3 ceramic surface shows that the ZnO/Al2O3 ceramic is removed by melting, evaporation and thermal spalling, and the material from the working fluid and the graphite electrode can transfer to the workpiece surface during electrical discharge

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

Science.gov (United States)

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.

Performance and Carcass Yield of Sexed Broiler Chickens Reared ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

In spite of availability of specially formulated feeds and other aids to intensive poultry production, the provision of appropriate housing remains the most basic requirement for successful poultry production. This study thereby determined the performance, carcass yield and meat composition of 300 sexed Arbor Acre broiler ...

Performance parameters of electric power distribution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schilling, M.Th.; Lima, J.W.M.

1992-01-01

The aspects referring to the evaluation of distribution system reliability are presented: consumers, companies and regulator institutes. The different strategies for fixing of probabilistic criterions of performance are mentioned, including the economic valorization of continuity restriction of electric supply. (C.G.C.)

Monitoring and analyzing features of electrical power quality system performance

OpenAIRE

Genci Sharko; Nike Shanku

2010-01-01

Power quality is a set of boundaries that allows electrical systems to function in their intended manner without significant loss of performance or life. The term is used to describe electric power that drives an electrical load and the load's ability to function properly with that electric power. Without the proper quality of the power, an electrical device may malfunction, fail prematurely or not operate at all. There are many reasons why the electric power can be of poor quality and many m...

New evidence on the impact of structural reforms on electricity sector performance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Polemis, Michael L.

2016-01-01

The evolution of electricity industry over the last decades has shown substantial differences between OECD countries. This paper empirically investigates to what extent different structural forms of regulation, competition and privatisation explain these international differences. It distinguishes three modes of electricity performance: a) net generation per capita, b) installed capacity and c) labour productivity. The empirical model spans the period 1975–2011 and uses panel data econometric techniques. Our analysis reveals that there is a strongly significant interaction impact on the level of electricity performance between regulation and competition. The empirical findings do confirm that a robust independent regulatory scheme must be implemented in order to achieve a competitive electricity market. - Highlights: •We assess the impact of structural reforms on OECD electricity sector performance. •Regulation has stronger impact on performance when interaction terms are present. •Privatisation has unambiguous effect on the elements of performance. •The combined effect of reforms on performance is more aggressive in the long run.

On the sub-maximal yield and photo-electric stimulation of chlorophyll a fluorescence in single turnover excitations in plant cells

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vredenberg, W.J.; Rensen, van J.J.S.; Rodrigues, G.C.

2006-01-01

A set of expressions is derived which quantifies the chlorophyll fluorescence yield in terms of rate constants of primary light reactions of PSII, the fraction of open and semi-open RCs and of the electric field sensed by the RC in the thylakoid membrane. The decay kinetics of the chlorophyll

Characteristic Evaluation on the Cooling Performance of an Electrical Air Conditioning System Using R744 for a Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Moo-Yeon Lee

2012-05-01

Full Text Available The objective of this study was to investigate the cooling performance characteristics of an electrical air conditioning system using R744 as an alternative of R-134a for a fuel cell electric vehicle. In order to analyze the cooling performance characteristics of the air conditioning system using R744 for a fuel cell electric vehicle, an electrical air conditioning system using R744 was developed and tested under various operating conditions according to both inlet air conditions of the gas cooler and evaporator and compressor speed. The cooling capacity and coefficient of performance (COP forcooling of the tested air conditioning system were up to 6.4 kW and 2.5, respectively. In addition, the electrical air conditioning system with R744 using an inverter driven compressor showed better performance than the conventional air conditioning system with R-134a under the same operating conditions. The observed cooling performance of the developed electrical air conditioning system was found to be sufficient for cooling loads under various real driving conditions for a fuel cell electric vehicle.

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

Science.gov (United States)

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.

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

Science.gov (United States)

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;

Energy efficiency and performance indicators of European electricity market

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Constantin DUGULEANĂ

2015-06-01

Full Text Available The electric power system plays a vital role in the development of every country, ensuring the “fuel” which feeds its economic motor. The efficient functioning of this motor is essential for economy. The efficiency and the performances of electric power systems are reflected on the living level of population, through the money spent and the satisfaction level of their needs. The continuity of power distribution process, the good communication between the suppliers and consumers, the promptitude of interventions, the environment protection - all these are aspects characterizing the performance level of power distribution systems. The paper analyzes the evolution of quality indicators of power distribution systems both for countries’ level and for population on European market of electricity.

STUDY ON THE PERFORMANCE OF GROUNDNUT (ARACHIS HYPOGEA L. GENOTYPES FOR SEED YIELD AND QUALITY TRAITS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chaitanya R. KOKKIRIPATI

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The present investigation was carried out at Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Sam Higginbottom Institute of Agriculture, Technology & Sciences (SHIATS, Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh during kharif 2014. The experimental material consisted of 11 Groundnut genotypes along with one check (IND-156. The genotypes were sown at Field Experimentation Centre in three replications adopting randomized block design to evaluate seed yield and quality traits. Analysis of variance revealed that the presence of considerable variation among the genotypes for all the characters studied. On the basis of mean performance, genotype ICG 14127 revealed better performance in primary branches/ plant, pods per plant, pod yield/plant, seed yield/plant and ICG 14482 showed better performance in kernel yield q/ha, oil content, oil yield while ICG 188 showed higher protein content.

Decision making in the electricity sector using performance indicators

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Domingues, Nuno [ISEL-ADESPA, Lisbon (Portugal); FCT-UNL, Caparica (Portugal); Neves-Silva, Rui; Melo, Joao Joanaz de [FCT-UNL, Caparica (Portugal)

2017-02-15

The studies on the electricity sector are usually focused on the supply side, considering consumers as price-takers, i.e. assuming no demand elasticity. The present paper highlights the role of consumers on the electricity sector, assuming that consumers react to electricity prices and make decisions. Many studies focused on the demand side disaggregate consumers by activities, leading to a highly complex analyse. In the present paper, consumers are divided by three main types. In the present paper, the Government makes decisions on the measures to implement to influence the production and the consumption. To study the impact of the Government decisions, the present paper studies and implements a tool: a decision support system. This tool is based on a conceptual model and assists the task of test and analyse the electricity sector using scenarios to obtain a set of performance indicators that would allow to make quantitative balance and to eliminate unfeasible measures. The performance indicators quantify the technical, environmental, social and economical aspects of the electricity sector and help to understand the effect of consumer practices, production technology and Government measures on the electricity sector. Based on the scenarios produced, it is possible to conclude that the price signal is important for consumers and it is a way to guide their behaviour. It is also possible to conclude that is preferable to apply incentives on supporting energy-efficiency measures implementation than on reduce the price of electricity sold to consumers. (orig.)

Decision making in the electricity sector using performance indicators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Domingues, Nuno; Neves-Silva, Rui; Melo, Joao Joanaz de

2017-01-01

The studies on the electricity sector are usually focused on the supply side, considering consumers as price-takers, i.e. assuming no demand elasticity. The present paper highlights the role of consumers on the electricity sector, assuming that consumers react to electricity prices and make decisions. Many studies focused on the demand side disaggregate consumers by activities, leading to a highly complex analyse. In the present paper, consumers are divided by three main types. In the present paper, the Government makes decisions on the measures to implement to influence the production and the consumption. To study the impact of the Government decisions, the present paper studies and implements a tool: a decision support system. This tool is based on a conceptual model and assists the task of test and analyse the electricity sector using scenarios to obtain a set of performance indicators that would allow to make quantitative balance and to eliminate unfeasible measures. The performance indicators quantify the technical, environmental, social and economical aspects of the electricity sector and help to understand the effect of consumer practices, production technology and Government measures on the electricity sector. Based on the scenarios produced, it is possible to conclude that the price signal is important for consumers and it is a way to guide their behaviour. It is also possible to conclude that is preferable to apply incentives on supporting energy-efficiency measures implementation than on reduce the price of electricity sold to consumers. (orig.)

Comparison of HSPF and SWAT models performance for runoff and sediment yield prediction.

Science.gov (United States)

Im, Sangjun; Brannan, Kevin M; Mostaghimi, Saied; Kim, Sang Min

2007-09-01

A watershed model can be used to better understand the relationship between land use activities and hydrologic/water quality processes that occur within a watershed. The physically based, distributed parameter model (SWAT) and a conceptual, lumped parameter model (HSPF), were selected and their performance were compared in simulating runoff and sediment yields from the Polecat Creek watershed in Virginia, which is 12,048 ha in size. A monitoring project was conducted in Polecat Creek watershed during the period of October 1994 to June 2000. The observed data (stream flow and sediment yield) from the monitoring project was used in the calibration/validations of the models. The period of September 1996 to June 2000 was used for the calibration and October 1994 to December 1995 was used for the validation of the models. The outputs from the models were compared to the observed data at several sub-watershed outlets and at the watershed outlet of the Polecat Creek watershed. The results indicated that both models were generally able to simulate stream flow and sediment yields well during both the calibration/validation periods. For annual and monthly loads, HSPF simulated hydrologic and sediment yield more accurately than SWAT at all monitoring sites within the watershed. The results of this study indicate that both the SWAT and HSPF watershed models performed sufficiently well in the simulation of stream flow and sediment yield with HSPF performing moderately better than SWAT for simulation time-steps greater than a month.

NREL Evaluates Advanced Solar Inverter Performance for Hawaiian Electric

Science.gov (United States)

Companies | Energy Systems Integration Facility | NREL NREL Evaluates Advanced Solar Inverter Performance for Hawaiian Electric Companies NREL Evaluates Advanced Solar Inverter Performance for Hawaiian performance and impacts of today's advanced solar inverters, as well as proprietary feedback to the inverter

The performance of residential micro-cogeneration coupled with thermal and electrical storage

Science.gov (United States)

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

NREL Evaluates Performance of Fast-Charge Electric Buses

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

2016-09-16

This real-world performance evaluation is designed to enhance understanding of the overall usage and effectiveness of electric buses in transit operation and to provide unbiased technical information to other agencies interested in adding such vehicles to their fleets. Initial results indicate that the electric buses under study offer significant fuel and emissions savings. The final results will help Foothill Transit optimize the energy-saving potential of its transit fleet. NREL's performance evaluations help vehicle manufacturers fine-tune their designs and help fleet managers select fuel-efficient, low-emission vehicles that meet their bottom line and operational goals. help Foothill Transit optimize the energy-saving potential of its transit fleet. NREL's performance evaluations help vehicle manufacturers fine-tune their designs and help fleet managers select fuel-efficient, low-emission vehicles that meet their bottom line and operational goals.

Electric treatment for hydrophilic ink deinking.

Science.gov (United States)

Du, Xiaotang; Hsieh, Jeffery S

2017-09-01

Hydrophilic inks have been widely used due to higher printing speed, competitive cost and being healthy non-organic solvents. However, they cause problems in both product quality and process runnability due to their hydrophilic surface wettability, strong negative surface charge and sub-micron size. Electric treatment was shown to be able to increase the ink sizes from 60 nm to 700 nm through electrocoagulation and electrophoresis. In addition, electric treatment assisted flotation could reduce effective residual ink concentration (ERIC) by 90 ppm, compared with only 20 ppm by traditional flotation. Furthermore, the effect of electric treatment alone on ink separation was investigated by two anode materials, graphite and stainless steel. Both of them could remove hydrophilic inks with less than 1% yield loss via electroflotation and electrophoresis. But graphite is a better material as the anode because graphite reduced ERIC by an additional 100 ppm. The yield loss of flotation following electric treatment was also lower by 17% if graphite was the anode material. The difference between the two electrode materials resulted from electrocoagulation and ink redeposition during electric treatment. An electric pretreatment-flotation-hyperwashing process was conducted to understand the deinking performance in conditions similar to a paper mill, and the ERIC was reduced from 950 ppm to less than 400 ppm.

Thrust Stand for Vertically Oriented Electric Propulsion Performance Evaluation

Science.gov (United States)

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

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Moeller, Trevor [University of Tennessee Space Institute, Tullahoma, Tennessee 37388 (United States); Polzin, Kurt A. [NASA, Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Alabama 35812 (United States)

2010-11-15

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 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 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.

Thrust stand for vertically oriented electric propulsion performance evaluation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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 noncontact 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 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.

Performance of fuzzy approach in Malaysia short-term electricity load forecasting

Science.gov (United States)

Mansor, Rosnalini; Zulkifli, Malina; Yusof, Muhammad Mat; Ismail, Mohd Isfahani; Ismail, Suzilah; Yin, Yip Chee

2014-12-01

Many activities such as economic, education and manafucturing would paralyse with limited supply of electricity but surplus contribute to high operating cost. Therefore electricity load forecasting is important in order to avoid shortage or excess. Previous finding showed festive celebration has effect on short-term electricity load forecasting. Being a multi culture country Malaysia has many major festive celebrations such as Eidul Fitri, Chinese New Year and Deepavali but they are moving holidays due to non-fixed dates on the Gregorian calendar. This study emphasis on the performance of fuzzy approach in forecasting electricity load when considering the presence of moving holidays. Autoregressive Distributed Lag model was estimated using simulated data by including model simplification concept (manual or automatic), day types (weekdays or weekend), public holidays and lags of electricity load. The result indicated that day types, public holidays and several lags of electricity load were significant in the model. Overall, model simplification improves fuzzy performance due to less variables and rules.

Performance evaluation of selected crop yield-water use models for wheat crop

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H. E. Igbadun

2001-10-01

Full Text Available Crop yield-water use models that provide useful information about the exact form of crop response to different amounts of water used by the crop throughout its growth stages and those that provide adequate information for decisions on optimal use of water in the farm were evaluated. Three crop yield models: Jensen (1968, Minhas et al., (1974 and Bras and Cordova (1981 additive type models were studied. Wheat (Triticum aestivum was planted at the Institute for Agricultural Research Farm during the 1995/96 and 1996/97 irrigation seasons of November to March. The data collected from the field experiments during the 1995/96 planting season were used to calibrate the models and their stress sensitivity factors estimated for four selected growth stages of the wheat crop. The ability of the model to predict grain yield of wheat with the estimated stress sensitivity factors was evaluated by comparing predicted grain yields by each model with those obtained in the field during the 1996/97 season. The three models performed fairly well in predicting grain yields, as the predicted results were not significantly different from the field measured grain yield at 5% level of significance.

Seismic Performances of Replaceable Steel Connection with Low Yield Point Metal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Haoxiang He

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Compared with the traditional steel rigid connection, the beam-column connections with weakened beam end have better ductility, but the local buckling in the weakened zone and the overall lateral deformation may occur in strong earthquake. The replaceable steel connection with low yield point metal is proposed based on the concept of earthquake resilient structure. In this connection, the weakened parts in the flange slab and web plate are filled with low yield point metal, and the metal firstly yields and dissipates energy sufficiently in earthquake; hence, the main parts are intact and the yield point metal can be replaced. The seismic performances of the three types of connections which include traditional connection, beam end weakened connection, and replaceable connection with low yield point steel under low cycle reciprocating load are studied. In addition, the energy dissipation capacity and damage characteristics of different connections are compared. The multiscale finite element models for the steel frames with different connections are analyzed by time-history method; both the computational efficiency and the accuracy are assured. The analysis results approve that the replaceable connection can confine the major damage in the replacement material and have better energy dissipation ability, safety reserves, and resilient ability.

Performance measurement of electricity suppliers using PROMETHEE and balance scorecard

OpenAIRE

Mona Osati; Manouchehr Omidvari

2016-01-01

Performance measurement in energy industry plays an important role on increasing the productivity. Electricity is also among the most essential components of energy in mega cities like Tehran. The lack of a good service in this city may result unpleasant consequences on most civilians who live in this city. This paper presents an empirical investigation to measure the performance of six major electricity contractors in city of Tehran, Iran. The study implements grey numbers to handle any unce...

PERFORMANCE OF YIELD AND YIELD CONTRIBUTING CHARACTERISTICS OF BC2F3 POPULATION WITH ADDITION OF BLAST RESISTANT GENE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Muhammad Mahmudul Hasan

2015-10-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACTThe study was carried out in the University Putra Malaysia (UPM Rice Research Centre to evaluate the yield performance of newly developed selected blast resistant plants of BC2F3 generations derived from a cross between MR263, a high yielding rice variety but blast susceptible and Pongsu Seribu 1, donor with blast resistant (Pi-7(tand Pi-d (t1, Pir2-3(tgenes and qLN2 QTL, Malaysian local variety. On the basis of assessed traits, the plants 12, 6, 7, 5, 21, 22, 5, 26, 11, 8, 10, 13 and 15 had the higher yield, blast resistant and good morphological traits. More than 70% heritability was found in days to maturity, plant height, tiller numbers per hill, and panicle per hill, 80% heritability was found in filled grain and yield per hill and more than 90% heritability was found in grain length, grain width and seed weight. Cluster analysis based on the traits grouped 30 plants along with MR263 into seven clusters. According to PCA, the first four principal components account for about 69.3% total variation for all measured traits and exhibited high correlation among the characteristics analyzed.

SLIFER measurement for explosive yield

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bass, R.C.; Benjamin, B.C.; Miller, H.M.; Breding, D.R.

1976-04-01

This report describes the shorted location indicator by frequency of electrical resonance (SLIFER) system used at Sandia Laboratories for determination of explosive yield of under ground nuclear tests

Exclusion of solar UV radiation improves photosynthetic performance and yield of wheat varieties.

Science.gov (United States)

Kataria, Sunita; Guruprasad, K N

2015-12-01

Field studies were conducted to determine the potential for alterations in photosynthetic performance and grain yield of four wheat (Triticum aestivum) varieties of India- Vidisha, Purna, Swarna and Naveen Chandausi by ambient ultraviolet radiation (UV). The plants were grown in specially designed UV exclusion chambers, wrapped with filters that excluded UV-B (solar UV exclusion increased the leaf mass per area ratio, leaf weight ratio and chlorophylls per unit area of flag leaves in all the four varieties of wheat. Polyphasic chlorophyll a fluorescence transients from the flag leaves of UV excluded wheat plants gave a higher fluorescence yield. Exclusion of solar UV significantly enhanced photosynthetic performance as a consequence of increased efficiency of PS II, performance index (PIABS) and rate of photosynthesis in the flag leaves of wheat varieties along with a remarkable increase in carbonic anhydrase, Rubisco and nitrate reductase activities. This additional fixation of carbon and nitrogen by exclusion of UV was channelized towards the improvement in grain yield of wheat varieties as there was a decrease in the UV-B absorbing substances and an increase in soluble protein content in flag leaves of all the four varieties of wheat. The magnitude of response for UV exclusion for all the measured parameters was higher in two varieties of wheat Vidisha and Purna as compared to Swarna and Naveen Chandausi. Cumulative stress response index (CSRI) for each variety was developed from the cumulative sum of physiological and yield parameters such as leaf mass area ratio of flag leaf, total chlorophyll content, performance index at absorption basis, rate of photosynthesis and grain yield. All the varieties had a negative CSRI, demonstrating a negative impact of ambient UV radiation. Naveen Chandausi and Swarna are less sensitive to ambient UV radiation; Vidisha is more sensitive to both UV-A and UV-B and Purna is more sensitive to ambient UV-B radiation. Copyright �

EHV AC undergrounding electrical power performance and planning

CERN Document Server

Benato, Roberto

2014-01-01

Analytical methods of cable performance in EHV AC electrical power are discussed in this comprehensive reference. Descriptions of energization, power quality, cable safety constraints and more, guide readers in cable planning and power network operations.

Performance enhancement using power beaming for electric propulsion earth orbital transporters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dagle, J.E.

1991-01-01

An electric propulsion Earth orbital transport vehicle (EOTV) can effectively deliver large payloads using much less propellant than chemical transfer methods. By using an EOTV instead of a chemical upper stage, either a smaller launch vehicle can be used for the same satellite mass or a larger satellite can be deployed using the same launch vehicle. However, the propellant mass savings from using the higher specific impulse of electric propulsion may not be enough to overcome the disadvantage of the added mass and cost of the electric propulsion power source. Power system limitations have been a major factor delaying the acceptance and use of electric propulsion. This paper outlines the power requirements of electric propulsion technology being developed today, including arcjets, magnetoplasmadynamic (MPD) thrusters, and ion engines. Power supply characteristics are discussed for nuclear, solar, and power-beaming systems. Operational characteristics are given for each, as are the impacts of the power supply alternative on the overall craft performance. Because of its modular nature, the power-beaming approach is able to meet the power requirements of all three electric propulsion types. Also, commonality of approach allows different electric propulsion approaches to be powered by a single power supply approach. Power beaming exhibits better flexibility and performance than on-board nuclear or solar power systems

Analyzing the performance index for a hybrid electric vehicle

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ngo, D. V.; Hofman, T.; Steinbuch, M.; Serrarens, A. F A

2011-01-01

The definition of a performance index for the optimization design and optimal control problem of a Hybrid Electric Vehicle is not often considered and analyzed explicitly. In literature, there is no study about proposing a method of building or evaluating whether a performance index is appropriate.

The circular electrical mobility spectrometer; theory, performances and applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mesbah, Boualem

1995-04-01

A new type of electrical mobility spectrometer (S.M.E.C.) has been designed in the Service d'Etudes et de Recherches en Aerocontamination et en Confinement (CEA) laboratories. It differs from classical electrical mobility spectrometers in its plan circular geometry and its radial flow. This gives some advantages and the possibility of new applications. The theories that we derive for the different versions of this device are confirmed by experimental results obtained using aerosol particles with known electrical mobility. The S.M.E.C's performances are tested for several applications: - controlled surface contamination, - monodisperse aerosol production, - fine and ultrafine aerosol sizing. (author) [fr

Performance of a Fuel-Cell-Powered, Small Electric Airplane Assessed

Science.gov (United States)

Berton, Jeffrey J.

2004-01-01

Rapidly emerging fuel-cell-power technologies may be used to launch a new revolution of electric propulsion systems for light aircraft. Future small electric airplanes using fuel cell technologies hold the promise of high reliability, low maintenance, low noise, and - with the exception of water vapor - zero emissions. An analytical feasibility and performance assessment was conducted by NASA Glenn Research Center's Airbreathing Systems Analysis Office of a fuel-cell-powered, propeller-driven, small electric airplane based on a model of the MCR-01 two-place kitplane (Dyn'Aero, Darois, France). This assessment was conducted in parallel with an ongoing effort by the Advanced Technology Products Corporation and the Foundation for Advancing Science and Technology Education. Their project - partially funded by a NASA grant - is to design, build, and fly the first manned, continuously propelled, nongliding electric airplane. In our study, an analytical performance model of a proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell propulsion system was developed and applied to a notional, two-place light airplane modeled after the MCR-01 kitplane. The PEM fuel cell stack was fed pure hydrogen fuel and humidified ambient air via a small automotive centrifugal supercharger. The fuel cell performance models were based on chemical reaction analyses calibrated with published data from the fledgling U.S. automotive fuel cell industry. Electric propeller motors, rated at two shaft power levels in separate assessments, were used to directly drive a two-bladed, variable-pitch propeller. Fuel sources considered were compressed hydrogen gas and cryogenic liquid hydrogen. Both of these fuel sources provided pure, contaminant-free hydrogen for the PEM cells.

Field weakening performance of flux-switching machines for hybrid/electric vehicles

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tang, Y.; Paulides, J.J.H.; Lomonova, E.A.

2015-01-01

Flux-switching machines (FSMs) are a viable candidate for electric propulsion of hybrid/electric vehicles. This paper investigates the field weakening performance of FSMs. The investigation starts with general torque and voltage expressions, which reveal the relationships between certain parameters

High-performance, polymer-based direct cellular interfaces for electrical stimulation and recording

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Seong-Min; Kim, Nara; Kim, Youngseok; Baik, Min-Seo; Yoo, Minsu; Kim, Dongyoon; Lee, Won-June; Kang, Dong-Hee; Kim, Sohee; Lee, Kwanghee; Yoon, Myung-Han

2018-04-01

Due to the trade-off between their electrical/electrochemical performance and underwater stability, realizing polymer-based, high-performance direct cellular interfaces for electrical stimulation and recording has been very challenging. Herein, we developed transparent and conductive direct cellular interfaces based on a water-stable, high-performance poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) film via solvent-assisted crystallization. The crystallized PEDOT:PSS on a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate exhibited excellent electrical/electrochemical/optical characteristics, long-term underwater stability without film dissolution/delamination, and good viability for primarily cultured cardiomyocytes and neurons over several weeks. Furthermore, the highly crystallized, nanofibrillar PEDOT:PSS networks enabled dramatically enlarged surface areas and electrochemical activities, which were successfully employed to modulate cardiomyocyte beating via direct electrical stimulation. Finally, the high-performance PEDOT:PSS layer was seamlessly incorporated into transparent microelectrode arrays for efficient, real-time recording of cardiomyocyte action potentials with a high signal fidelity. All these results demonstrate the strong potential of crystallized PEDOT:PSS as a crucial component for a variety of versatile bioelectronic interfaces.

Improved Yield, Performance and Reliability of High-Actuator-Count Deformable Mirrors, Phase I

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — The project team will conduct processing and design research aimed at improving yield, performance, and reliability of high-actuator-count micro-electro-mechanical...

Electric terminal performance and characterization of solid oxide fuel cells and systems

Science.gov (United States)

Lindahl, Peter Allan

Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFCs) are electrochemical devices which can effect efficient, clean, and quiet conversion of chemical to electrical energy. In contrast to conventional electricity generation systems which feature multiple discrete energy conversion processes, SOFCs are direct energy conversion devices. That is, they feature a fully integrated chemical to electrical energy conversion process where the electric load demanded of the cell intrinsically drives the electrochemical reactions and associated processes internal to the cell. As a result, the cell's electric terminals provide a path for interaction between load side electric demand and the conversion side processes. The implication of this is twofold. First, the magnitude and dynamic characteristics of the electric load demanded of the cell can directly impact the long-term efficacy of the cell's chemical to electrical energy conversion. Second, the electric terminal response to dynamic loads can be exploited for monitoring the cell's conversion side processes and used in diagnostic analysis and degradation-mitigating control schemes. This dissertation presents a multi-tier investigation into this electric terminal based performance characterization of SOFCs through the development of novel test systems, analysis techniques and control schemes. First, a reference-based simulation system is introduced. This system scales up the electric terminal performance of a prototype SOFC system, e.g. a single fuel cell, to that of a full power-level stack. This allows realistic stack/load interaction studies while maintaining explicit ability for post-test analysis of the prototype system. Next, a time-domain least squares fitting method for electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) is developed for reduced-time monitoring of the electrochemical and physicochemical mechanics of the fuel cell through its electric terminals. The utility of the reference-based simulator and the EIS technique are demonstrated

Evaluation of the Impact of Outsourcing on the Performance of Lithuanian Electricity Industry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ligita Gasparėnienė

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The article is aimed at evaluation of the impact of outsourcing on the performance of Lithuanian electricity industry. Research methods include systematic analysis of the scientific literature and expert evaluation. Theoretical analysis of the literature has enabled to identify the most significant outsourcing determinants, which have the impact on the performance of electricity industry, and the main outsourcing-related risks for the companies operating in this industry. The results of the empirical research have revealed the effects of various outsourcing determinants on the performance of Lithuanian electricity industry as well as negative outcomes of outsourcing application in the researched industry.

Development of high-performance ER gel produced by electric-field assisted molding

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kakinuma, Y; Aoyama, T; Anzai, H

2009-01-01

Electro-rheological gel (ERG) is a novel functional elastomer whose surface frictional and adhesive property varies according to the intensity of applied electric field. This peculiar phenomenon is named as Electro-adhesive effect. A generated shear stress of ERG under applied electric field is approximately 30∼40 times higher than that of ERF because of high adhesive strength. However, the performances of ERG vary widely due to its surface condition, especially density and distribution of ER particles at the surface. In order to stabilize and improve the performance of ERG, the electric- filed assisted molding process is proposed as the producing method of ERG. In this study, first, the principle of electro-adhesive effect is theoretically investigated. Second, a high-performance ERG produced by the proposed process, in which ER particles are aligned densely at the surface, is developed and its performance is evaluated experimentally. As the experimental result, the high-performance ERG shows twice higher shear stress than the conventional ERG.

Development of high-performance ER gel produced by electric-field assisted molding

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kakinuma, Y; Aoyama, T [Department of System Design Engineering, Keio University, 3-14-1 Hiyoshi Kouhoku-ku Yokohama (Japan); Anzai, H [Fujikura kasei Co., Ltd. 2-6-15 Shibakouen, Minato-ku, Tokyo (Japan)], E-mail: kakinuma@sd.keio.ac.jp

2009-02-01

Electro-rheological gel (ERG) is a novel functional elastomer whose surface frictional and adhesive property varies according to the intensity of applied electric field. This peculiar phenomenon is named as Electro-adhesive effect. A generated shear stress of ERG under applied electric field is approximately 30{approx}40 times higher than that of ERF because of high adhesive strength. However, the performances of ERG vary widely due to its surface condition, especially density and distribution of ER particles at the surface. In order to stabilize and improve the performance of ERG, the electric- filed assisted molding process is proposed as the producing method of ERG. In this study, first, the principle of electro-adhesive effect is theoretically investigated. Second, a high-performance ERG produced by the proposed process, in which ER particles are aligned densely at the surface, is developed and its performance is evaluated experimentally. As the experimental result, the high-performance ERG shows twice higher shear stress than the conventional ERG.

Electric-field enhanced performance in catalysis and solid-state devices involving gases

Science.gov (United States)

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.

A novel approach for modeling deregulated electricity markets

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rubin, Ofir D., E-mail: rubino@agri.huji.ac.i [Department of Agricultural Economics and Management, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, P.O. Box 12, Rehovot 76100 (Israel); Babcock, Bruce A., E-mail: babcock@iastate.ed [Department of Economics, Iowa State University, 578F Heady Hall, Ames, IA 50011-1070 (United States); Center for Agricultural and Rural Development (CARD), Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011-1070 (United States)

2011-05-15

The theoretical framework developed in this study allows development of a model of deregulated electricity markets that explains two familiar empirical findings; the existence of forward premiums and price-cost markups in the spot market. This is a significant contribution because electricity forward premiums have been previously explained exclusively by the assumptions of perfect competition and risk-averse behavior while spot markups are generally the outcome of a body of literature assuming oligopolistic competition. Our theoretical framework indicates that a certain premium for forward contracting is required for efficient allocation of generation capacity. However, due to the uniqueness of electricity and the design of deregulated electricity markets this premium might be substantially higher than its optimal level. - Research highlights: {yields} The state of knowledge regarding modeling electricity markets is incomplete. {yields} Electricity forward premiums are not necessarily driven by risk aversion. {yields} Efficiency in production requires a certain premium for forward contracting. {yields} It is likely that market premiums are substantially higher than their optimal level. {yields} Policy regulation should not seek to eliminate forward premium entirely.

Harmonizing electricity markets with physics : real time performance monitoring using grid-3PTM

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Budhraja, V.S.

2003-01-01

The Electric Power Group, LLC provides management and strategic consulting services for the electric power industry, with special emphasis on industry restructuring, competitive electricity markets, grid operations and reliability, power technologies, venture investments and start-ups. The Consortium for Electric Reliability Technology Solutions involves national laboratories, universities, and industry partners in researching, developing, and commercializing electric reliability technology solutions to protect and enhance the reliability of the American electric power system under the emerging competitive electricity market structure. Physics differentiate electric markets from other markets: there is real-time balancing, no storage, interconnected network, and power flows governed by physics. Some issues affecting both grid reliability and market issues are difficult to separate, such as security and congestion management, voltage management, reserves, frequency volatility, and others. The author examined the following investment challenges facing the electricity market: grid solutions, market solutions, and technology solutions. The real time performance monitoring and prediction platform, grid-3P was described and applications discussed, such as ACE-frequency monitoring, performance monitoring for automatic generation control (AGC) and frequency response, voltage/VAR monitoring, stability monitoring using phasor technology, and market monitoring. figs

Electricity saving in households-A social cognitive approach

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thogersen, John, E-mail: jbt@asb.d [Aarhus University, School of Business and Social Sciences, Department of Marketing, Haslegaardsvej 10, DK-8210 Aarhus (Denmark); Gronhoj, Alice, E-mail: alg@asb.d [Aarhus University, School of Business and Social Sciences, Department of Marketing, Haslegaardsvej 10, DK-8210 Aarhus (Denmark)

2010-12-15

We propose a conceptual framework for understanding the (lack of) energy saving efforts of private households based on Bandura's (1986) social cognitive theory. Results from applying this framework on a sample of Danish private electricity consumers are presented and it is concluded (a) that households' electricity consumption depends on both structural and motivational factors, (b) that their electricity saving effort depends on the strength of their internalized norms or self-expectations and on self-efficacy related factors, and (c) that there are predictable patterns of interaction among household members that influence their electricity consumption. The results suggest two approaches to promote electricity saving in households: (1) to change the socio-structural environment to be more facilitating for energy saving and empower householders to be more effective in their striving towards this goal through improved feedback about their household's electricity consumption and (2) social norms marketing, communicating social expectations and others' successful electricity saving achievements. - Research highlights: {yields}A combination of survey and meter reading data is used to analyze energy saving in households. {yields}Up to two adults from each household answered the questionnaire. {yields}Dyadic data analysis is used to investigate interactions between household members. {yields}Both structural and motivational factors account for households' electricity consumption. {yields}Electricity saving efforts depends on internalized norms, self-efficacy and social interaction.

Performance measurement of electricity suppliers using PROMETHEE and balance scorecard

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mona Osati

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Performance measurement in energy industry plays an important role on increasing the productivity. Electricity is also among the most essential components of energy in mega cities like Tehran. The lack of a good service in this city may result unpleasant consequences on most civilians who live in this city. This paper presents an empirical investigation to measure the performance of six major electricity contractors in city of Tehran, Iran. The study implements grey numbers to handle any uncertainty associated with numbers. The study has also adopted four main perspectives used in balanced scorecard as part of PROMETHEE method to rank different contractors.

An electric vehicle propulsion system's impact on battery performance: An overview

Science.gov (United States)

Bozek, J. M.; Smithrick, J. J.; Cataldo, R. C.; Ewashinka, J. G.

1980-01-01

The performance of two types of batteries, lead-acid and nickel-zinc, was measured as a function of the charging and discharging demands anticipated from electric vehicle propulsion systems. The benefits of rapid high current charging were mixed: although it allowed quick charges, the energy efficiency was reduced. For low power (overnight) charging the current wave shapes delivered by the charger to the battery tended to have no effect on the battery cycle life. The use of chopper speed controllers with series traction motors resulted in a significant reduction in the energy available from a battery whenever the motor operates at part load. The demand placed on a battery by an electric vehicle propulsion system containing electrical regenerative braking confirmed significant improvment in short term performance of the battery.

Performance assessment of a hybrid electric-powered long-range commercial airliner

OpenAIRE

Zöld, Thomas

2012-01-01

Despite the recent increase in the amount of smaller electric general aviation aircrafts, a fully electric airliner is not likely to fly in the near future. Partially inspired by the automotive industry’s success with the hybrid car, this thesis investigated the feasibility of an electric-hybrid propulsion system for an Airbus A340-600 on a long-haul flight and its effect on the aircraft’s performance. First, an analysis was done of the reference aircraft, A340-600, using conventional propuls...

Performance analysis of a solar-powered solid state heat engine for electricity generation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Long, Rui; Li, Baode; Liu, Zhichun; Liu, Wei

2015-01-01

A hybrid system consisting of a CPC (compound parabolic collector) system, a SOE (solid oxide electrolyzer) system and a PEMFC (proton exchange membrane fuel cell) system was proposed to harvest solar energy. And a sensitivity analysis was conducted to evaluate the system performance. The impacts of operating temperatures of the SOE and PEMFC system, and the direct irradiation intensity of the sun on the performance characteristics were systematically analyzed. Results revealed that there exists an optimal SOE operating temperature leading to the maximum power output and maximum electrical efficiency simultaneously. Larger operating temperature of the PEMFC resulted in larger power output and higher efficiency. There also existed optimal direct irradiation intensities leading to the maximum power output and maximum electrical efficiency. Furthermore, the performance of the proposed solar energy harvesting system for practical use in real-life was also simulated. This may serve a clean technology for electricity generation. - Highlights: • A hybrid system consisting of CPC, SOE and PEMFC is proposed to harvest solar energy. • A sensitivity analysis was conducted to evaluate the system performance. • Power output and electrical efficiency have maximum values. • Performance of the proposed hybrid system for practical use was simulated.

Electrical and Magnetic Performance of the LHC Short Straight Sections

CERN Document Server

Sanfilippo, S; Bottura, L; Buzio, M; Coccoli, M; García-Pérez, J; Pugnat, P; Sammut, N; Siemko, A; Smirnov, N; Stafiniak, A; Wildner, E

2006-01-01

The Short Straight Section (SSS) for the Large Hadron Collider arcs, containing in a common cryostat the lattice quadrupoles and correction magnets, have now entered series production. The foremost features of the lattice quadrupole magnets are a two-in-one structure containing two 56 mm aperture, two-layers coils wound from 15.1 mm wide NbTi cables, enclosed by the stainless steel collars and ferromagnetic yoke, and inserted into the inertia tube. Systematic cryogenic tests are performed at CERN in order to qualify these magnets with respect to their cryogenic and electrical integrity, the quench performance and the field quality in all operating conditions. This paper reports the main results obtained during tests and measurements in superfluid helium. The electrical characteristics, the insulation measurements and the quench performance are compared to the specifications and expected performances for these magnets. The field in the main quadrupole is measured using three independent systems: 10-m lon...

Yield stress of alumina-zirconia suspensions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ramakrishnan, V.; Pradip; Malghan, S.G.

1996-01-01

The yield stress of concentrated suspensions of alumina, zirconia, and mixed alumina-zirconia powders was measured by the vane technique as a function of solids loading, relative amounts of alumina and zirconia, and pH. At the isoelectric point (IEP), the yield stress varied as the fourth power of the solids loading. The relative ratio of alumina and zirconia particles was important in determining the yield stress of the suspension at the IEP. The yield stress of single and mixed suspensions showed a marked variation with pH. The maximum value occurred at or near the IEP of the suspension. The effect of electrical double-layer forces on the yield stress can be described on the basis of the Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (DLVO) theory. A normalized yield stress--that is, the ratio of the yield stress at a given pH to the yield stress at the IEP predicted by this model--showed good correlation with experimental data

Design of a 200kW electric powertrain for a high performance electric vehicle

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wilmar Martinez

2016-09-01

Full Text Available With the purpose of designing the electric powertrain of a high performance electric vehicle capable of running a quarter mile in 10 seconds, firstly it is necessary to calculate the required energy, torque, and power in order to size and select the suitable storage components and electric motors. Secondly, an assessment of the powertrain arrangement is needed to choose the best internal configuration of the vehicle and guarantee the highest efficiency possible. Finally, a design of the power conversion stages, specifically the DC-DC converter that interfaces the storage unit with the electric motors, is required as well. This paper shows the energy calculation procedure based on a longitudinal dynamic model of the vehicle and the selection method of the storage components and motors needed for this application, as well as the design of two 100kW interleaved boost converters with coupled inductors. In addition, a novel operation of the interleaved boost converter is proposed in order to increase the efficiency of the converter. As a result, the designed converter achieved a power density of 24,2kW/kg with an efficiency of 98 %, which was validated by experimental tests of a low power prototype.

Low cost, high yield IFE reactors: Revisiting Velikhov's vaporizing blankets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Logan, B.G.

1992-01-01

The performance (efficiency and cost) of IFE reactors using MHD conversion is explored for target blanket shells of various materials vaporized and ionized by high fusion yields (5 to 500 GJ). A magnetized, prestressed reactor chamber concept is modeled together with previously developed models for the Compact Fusion Advanced Rankine II (CFARII) MHD Balance-of-Plant (BoP). Using conservative 1-D neutronics models, high fusion yields (20 to 80 GJ) are found necessary to heat Flibe, lithium, and lead-lithium blankets to MHD plasma temperatures, at initial solid thicknesses sufficient to capture most of the fusion yield. Advanced drivers/targets would need to be developed to achieve a ''Bang per Buck'' figure-of-merit approx-gt 20 to 40 joules yield per driver $ for this scheme to be competitive with these blanket materials. Alternatively, more realistic neutronics models and better materials such as lithium hydride may lower the minimum required yields substantially. The very low CFARII BoP costs (contributing only 3 mills/kWehr to CoE) allows this type of reactor, given sufficient advances that non-driver costs dominate, to ultimately produce electricity at a much lower cost than any current nuclear plant

Performance results of a solar greenhouse combining electrical and thermal energy production

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sonneveld, P.J.; Swinkels, G.L.A.M.; Campen, J.B.; Tuijl, van B.A.J.; Janssen, H.J.J.; Bot, G.P.A.

2010-01-01

Performance results are given of a new type of greenhouse, which combines reflection of near infrared radiation (NIR) with electrical power generation using hybrid photovoltaic cell/thermal collector modules. Besides the generation of electrical and thermal energy, the reflection of the NIR will

PID temperature controller in pig nursery: improvements in performance, thermal comfort, and electricity use.

Science.gov (United States)

de Souza Granja Barros, Juliana; Rossi, Luiz Antonio; Sartor, Karina

2016-08-01

The use of smarter temperature control technologies in heating systems can optimize the use of electric power and performance of piglets. Two control technologies of a resistive heating system were assessed in a pig nursery: a PID (proportional, integral, and derivative) controller and a thermostat. The systems were evaluated regarding thermal environment, piglet performance, and use of electric power for 99 days. The heating system with PID controller improved the thermal environment conditions and was significantly (P PID-controlled heating system is more efficient in electricity use and provides better conditions for thermal comfort and animal performance than heating with thermostat.

Electrical equipment performance under severe accident conditions (BWR/Mark 1 plant analysis): Summary report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bennett, P.R.; Kolaczkowski, A.M.; Medford, G.T.

1986-09-01

The purpose of the Performance Evaluation of Electrical Equipment during Severe Accident States Program is to determine the performance of electrical equipment, important to safety, under severe accident conditions. In FY85, a method was devised to identify important electrical equipment and the severe accident environments in which the equipment was likely to fail. This method was used to evaluate the equipment and severe accident environments for Browns Ferry Unit 1, a BWR/Mark I. Following this work, a test plan was written in FY86 to experimentally determine the performance of one selected component to two severe accident environments

76 FR 3517 - Standards of Performance for Fossil-Fuel-Fired, Electric Utility, Industrial-Commercial...

Science.gov (United States)

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...

PERFORMANCE, CARCASS YIELD AND LITTER QUALITY OF BROILERS RAISED ON LITTERS TREATED WITH MICRO-ORGANISMS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dayane Prado da Cruz

2013-03-01

Full Text Available The present paper aimed at evaluating the effect of adding beneficial micro-organisms to the litters on litter quality, performance and carcass yield for broilers. A total of 240 one-day chicks were used, and randomly distributed in blocks with four treatments and four replications. The following treatments were carried out in the housing: Treatment 1 – Control with weekly spraying of water on the litters; Treatment 2 – Litter treated with a mixture of inoculated and fermented meal by micro-organisms and weekly spraying of water; Treatment 3 – Litter treated by weekly spraying of micro-organisms; Treatment 4 – Litter treated with the same mixture of meals from treatment two and weekly spraying of micro-organisms. Performance was evaluated by the feed consumption, weight gain, feed conversion, viability and carcass, breast and leg yield. From litter samples, pH, dry matter, ashes and nitrogen were evaluated. No differences were found among the treatments. In the conditions the animals were raised, it can be concluded that the treatment on the litter does not affect performance, carcass yield and quality of the litter for broilers.

Yield Performance of six lychee cultivars grown at two locations in Puerto Rico

Science.gov (United States)

The globalization of the economy, increased ethnic diversity, and a greater demand for healthy and more diverse food production have increased the demand for tropical fruits. There is a lack of formal experimentation to determine yield performance and fruit quality traits of lychee (Litchi chinensi...

Pulsed electron-beam-sustained discharge in oxygen-containing gas mixtures: electrical characteristics, spectroscopy,and singlet oxygen yield

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vagin, Nikolai P; Ionin, Andrei A; Klimachev, Yu M; Kotkov, A A; Podmar'kov, Yu P; Seleznev, L V; Sinitsyn, D V; Frolov, M P; Yuryshev, Nikolai N; Kochetov, Igor' V; Napartovich, A P; Hager, G D

2004-01-01

The electrical and spectroscopic characteristics of electron-beam-sustained discharge (EBSD) in oxygen and oxygen-containing gas mixtures are studied experimentally under gas pressures up to 100 Torr in a large excitation volume (∼18 L). It is shown that the EBSD in pure oxygen and its mixtures with inert gases is unstable and is characterised by a small specific energy contribution. The addition of small amounts (∼1%-10%) of carbon monoxide or hydrogen to oxygen or its mixtures with inert gases considerably improves the stability of the discharge, while the specific energy contribution W increases by more then an order of magnitude, achieving ∼6.5 kJ L -1 atm -1 per molecular component of the gas mixture. A part of the energy supplied to the EBSD is spent to excite vibrational levels of molecular additives. This was demonstrated experimentally by the initiation of a CO laser based on the O 2 : Ar : CO = 1 : 1 : 0.1 mixture. Experimental results on spectroscopy of the excited electronic states O 2 (a 1 Δ g ) and O 2 (b 1 Σ g + ), of oxygen formed in the EBSD are presented. A technique was worked out for measuring the concentration of singlet oxygen in the O 2 (a 1 Δ g ) state in the afterglow of the pulsed EBSD by comparing with the radiation intensity of singlet oxygen of a given concentration produced in a chemical generator. Preliminary measurements of the singlet-oxygen yield in the EBSD show that its value ∼3% for W ∼ 1.0 kJ L -1 atm -1 is in agreement with the theoretical estimate. Theoretical calculations performed for W ∼ 6.5 kJ L -1 atm -1 at a fixed temperature show that the singlet-oxygen yield may be ∼20%, which is higher than the value required to achieve the lasing threshold in an oxygen-iodine laser at room temperature. (laser applications and other topics in quantum electronics)

Performance and energy management of a novel full hybrid electric powertrain system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chung, Cheng-Ta; Hung, Yi-Hsuan

2015-01-01

This study compared the performance and energy management between a novel full hybrid electric powertrain and a traditional power-split hybrid system. The developed planetary gearset and dual clutch configuration provides five operation modes. Equations for the torque and speed of power sources for the planetary gearset and dual clutch system and the Toyota Hybrid System are firstly derived. By giving vehicle performance of gradability, maximal speeds in hybrid and pure electric modes, the power sources of the 210 kg target vehicle are: a 125 cc engine and two 1.8 kW motor and generator. The optimal tank-to-wheel efficiencies, ratios of circulating power, and operation points at specific vehicle speeds and out loads are calculated. Simulation results show that the dual-motor electric vehicle mode offers superior performance regarding electric drive; the low capacity of the battery is conducive to reducing manufacturing and maintenance costs; the tank-to-wheel efficiency is mainly operated above 20% while the power split electronic-continuously-variable-transmission mode is the major operation mode, and a maximum of 17% fuel economy improvement is achieved compared with the Toyota Hybrid System in most of the vehicle speed ranges. The outstanding performance warrants further real-system development, especially regarding the implementation in plug-in and sport hybrid powertrain designs. - Highlights: • An innovative power split hybrid powertrain was designed. • Dual-motor electric-vehicle mode highlighted for plug-in function. • Power circulation ratios and five driving modes were analyzed. • Global search method utilized for optimal energy management. • Maximal 17+% fuel improvement compared to Toyota Hybrid System

Synergetic mechanism of methanol–steam reforming reaction in a catalytic reactor with electric discharges

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Taegyu; Jo, Sungkwon; Song, Young-Hoon; Lee, Dae Hoon

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Methanol–steam reforming was performed on Cu catalysts under an electric discharge. • Discharge had a synergetic effect on the catalytic reaction for methanol conversion. • Discharge lowered the temperature for catalyst activation or light off. • Discharge controlled the yield and selectivity of species in a reforming process. • Adsorption triggered by a discharge was a possible mechanism for a synergetic effect. - Abstract: Methanol–steam reforming was performed on Cu/ZnO/Al 2 O 3 catalysts under an electric discharge. The discharge occurred between the electrodes where the catalysts were packed. The electric discharge was characterized by the discharge voltage and electric power to generate the discharge. The existence of a discharge had a synergetic effect on the catalytic reaction for methanol conversion. The electric discharge provided modified reaction paths resulting in a lower temperature for catalyst activation or light off. The discharge partially controlled the yield and selectivity of species in a reforming process. The aspect of control was examined in view of the reaction kinetics. The possible mechanisms for the synergetic effect between the catalytic reaction and electric discharge on methanol–steam reforming were addressed. A discrete reaction path, particularly adsorption triggered by an electric discharge, was suggested to be the most likely mechanism for the synergetic effect. These results are expected to provide a guide for understanding the plasma–catalyst hybrid reaction

Performance of sorghum cultivars for biomass quality and biomethane yield grown in semi-arid area of Pakistan.

Science.gov (United States)

Hassan, Muhammad Umair; Chattha, Muhammad Umer; Mahmood, Athar; Sahi, Shahbaz Talib

2018-05-01

Biomass is a promising renewable energy source and its significance is escalating in the context of climate change and depletion of fossil foils. This study was conducted for two consecutive years 2016 and 2017, using five sorghum cultivars, i.e., JS-263, Jawar-2011, Hagari, JS-2002, and YS-2016, in order to determine the best cultivars in terms of dry matter yield, chemical composition, and biomethane yield grown under semi-arid conditions in Pakistan. The results revealed that sorghum cultivars responded differently in terms of growth, biomass yield, chemical composition, and methane yield. Cultivars Jawar-2011 produced maximum leaf area index, leaf area duration, crop growth rate, plant height, and leaves per plant, however, they were comparable with Sorghum-2016, whereas cultivar JS-2002 performed poorly among the tested cultivars. Similarly, cultivar Jawar-2011 produced maximum dry matter yield (16.37 t ha -1 ) similar to that of YS-2016, further cultivar JS-2002 performed poorly and gave lower dry matter yield (12.87 t ha -1 ). The maximum protein concentration (10.95), neutral detergent fibers (61.20), and lignin contents (5.55) found in Jawar-2011 were comparable with those in YS-2016, while the lowest neutral detergent fiber and lignin contents were found in JS-2002. Although JS-2002 produced the highest specific methane yield per kilogram of volatile solids, it was overcompensated by Jawar-2011 owing to higher dry matter yield per hectare. These results suggested that cultivar Jawar-2011 can be grown successfully in semi-arid conditions of Pakistan in order to get good biomass yield along with higher methane yield.

High-performance electrically conductive silver paste prepared by silver-containing precursor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, Jianguo; Cao, Yu; Li, Xiangyou; Wang, Xiaoye; Zeng, Xiaoyan [Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, College of Optoelectronics Science and Engineering, Wuhan (China)

2010-09-15

A high-performance electrically conductive silver paste with no solid particles before drying and/or sintering is developed, in which silver-containing precursor is employed as conductive functional phase. Thermogravimetry analysis, volume electrical resistivity tests and sintering experiments show that the paste with about 14 wt.% silver pristine content is able to achieve the volume electrical resistivity of (2-3) x 10{sup -5} {omega} cm after it is sintered at 220 C. A micro-pen direct-writing process indicates that it is very suitable for the fabrication of high-resolution (25 {mu}m) and high-integration devices and apparatus. (orig.)

Performance study of thermo-electric generator

Science.gov (United States)

Rohit, G.; Manaswini, D.; Kotebavi, Vinod; R, Nagaraja S.

2017-07-01

Devices like automobiles, stoves, ovens, boilers, kilns and heaters dissipate large amount of waste heat. Since most of this waste heat goes unused, the efficiency of these devices is drastically reduced. A lot of research is being conducted on the recovery of the waste heat, among which Thermoelectric Generators (TEG) is one of the popular method. TEG is a semiconductor device that produces electric potential difference when a thermal gradient develops on it. This paper deals with the study of performance of a TEG module for different hot surface temperatures. Performance characteristics used here are voltage, current and power developed by the TEG. One side of the TEG was kept on a hot plate where uniform heat flux was supplied to that. And the other side was cooled by supplying cold water. The results show that the output power increases significantly with increase in the temperature of the hot surface.

Silicon Photomultiplier Performance in High ELectric Field

Science.gov (United States)

Montoya, J.; Morad, J.

2016-12-01

Roughly 27% of the universe is thought to be composed of dark matter. The Large Underground Xenon (LUX) relies on the emission of light from xenon atoms after a collision with a dark matter particle. After a particle interaction in the detector, two things can happen: the xenon will emit light and charge. The charge (electrons), in the liquid xenon needs to be pulled into the gas section so that it can interact with gas and emit light. This allows LUX to convert a single electron into many photons. This is done by applying a high voltage across the liquid and gas regions, effectively ripping electrons out of the liquid xenon and into the gas. The current device used to detect photons is the photomultiplier tube (PMT). These devices are large and costly. In recent years, a new technology that is capable of detecting single photons has emerged, the silicon photomultiplier (SiPM). These devices are cheaper and smaller than PMTs. Their performance in a high electric fields, such as those found in LUX, are unknown. It is possible that a large electric field could introduce noise on the SiPM signal, drowning the single photon detection capability. My hypothesis is that SiPMs will not observe a significant increase is noise at an electric field of roughly 10kV/cm (an electric field within the range used in detectors like LUX). I plan to test this hypothesis by first rotating the SiPMs with no applied electric field between two metal plates roughly 2 cm apart, providing a control data set. Then using the same angles test the dark counts with the constant electric field applied. Possibly the most important aspect of LUX, is the photon detector because it's what detects the signals. Dark matter is detected in the experiment by looking at the ratio of photons to electrons emitted for a given interaction in the detector. Interactions with a low electron to photon ratio are more like to be dark matter events than those with a high electron to photon ratio. The ability to

Performance of an active electric bearing for rotary micromotors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Han, F T; Wang, L; Wu, Q P; Liu, Y F

2011-01-01

An electric bearing used to support a micromachined rotor of variable-capacitance motors was designed and tested in order to study the characteristics of this frictionless bearing. Electrostatic suspension of a ring-shaped rotor in five degrees of freedom is required to eliminate the mechanical bearing and thus the friction and wear between the rotor and the substrate. Bulk microfabrication-based glass/silicon/glass bonding is chosen for this device, allowing the fabrication of large area sense capacitors and rotor, which make the device potentially suitable for the development of an electrostatically suspended micromachined gyroscope. The device and its basic operating principle are described, as well as the dynamics of the rotor and basic design considerations of the electric bearing system. A theoretical relationship to relate the characteristics of a classical lag–lead compensator to the stiffness properties of the electric bearing is developed to explain the experimental bearing measurements. The experimental results of closed-loop frequency response, suspension stiffness and drive voltage effects are presented and discussed for the bearing operated initially in the atmospheric environment. The performance of a tri-axial electrostatic accelerometer has also been experimentally investigated on the prototype of the electric bearing system

High Performance Electrical Modeling and Simulation Verification Test Suite - Tier I; TOPICAL

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

SCHELLS, REGINA L.; BOGDAN, CAROLYN W.; WIX, STEVEN D.

2001-01-01

This document describes the High Performance Electrical Modeling and Simulation (HPEMS) Global Verification Test Suite (VERTS). The VERTS is a regression test suite used for verification of the electrical circuit simulation codes currently being developed by the HPEMS code development team. This document contains descriptions of the Tier I test cases

Local Electric Field Facilitates High-Performance Li-Ion Batteries.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Youwen; Zhou, Tengfei; Zheng, Yang; He, Zhihai; Xiao, Chong; Pang, Wei Kong; Tong, Wei; Zou, Youming; Pan, Bicai; Guo, Zaiping; Xie, Yi

2017-08-22

By scrutinizing the energy storage process in Li-ion batteries, tuning Li-ion migration behavior by atomic level tailoring will unlock great potential for pursuing higher electrochemical performance. Vacancy, which can effectively modulate the electrical ordering on the nanoscale, even in tiny concentrations, will provide tempting opportunities for manipulating Li-ion migratory behavior. Herein, taking CuGeO 3 as a model, oxygen vacancies obtained by reducing the thickness dimension down to the atomic scale are introduced in this work. As the Li-ion storage progresses, the imbalanced charge distribution emerging around the oxygen vacancies could induce a local built-in electric field, which will accelerate the ions' migration rate by Coulomb forces and thus have benefits for high-rate performance. Furthermore, the thus-obtained CuGeO 3 ultrathin nanosheets (CGOUNs)/graphene van der Waals heterojunctions are used as anodes in Li-ion batteries, which deliver a reversible specific capacity of 1295 mAh g -1 at 100 mA g -1 , with improved rate capability and cycling performance compared to their bulk counterpart. Our findings build a clear connection between the atomic/defect/electronic structure and intrinsic properties for designing high-efficiency electrode materials.

A novel graphene nanoribbon FET with an extra peak electric field (EFP-GNRFET) for enhancing the electrical performances

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Akbari Eshkalak, Maedeh [Young Researchers and Elite Club, Lahijan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Lahijan (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Anvarifard, Mohammad K., E-mail: m.anvarifard@guilan.ac.ir [Department of Engineering Sciences, Faculty of Technology and Engineering, East of Guilan, University of Guilan, Rudsar-Vajargah (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2017-04-25

This work has provided an efficient technique to improve the electrical performance for the Graphene Nanoribbon Field Effect Transistors (GNRFETs) successfully. The physical gate length is divided into two gates named as the original gate and the other one as the virtual gate. We have applied a voltage source between these gates to control the channel of the GNRFETs. This technique has created an extra peak electric field in the middle of the channel resulting in the redistribution of surface potential profile. The proposed structure named as EFP-GNRFET has been compared with a simple GNRFET and has shown many improvements in terms of the critical parameters such as short channel effects, leakage current, subthreshold swing, ON-state to OFF-state current ratio, transconductance, output conductance and voltage gain. The structures under the study in this paper benefits from the Non-Equilibrium Green Function (NEGF) approach for solving Schrödinger equation coupled with the two-dimensional (2D) Poisson equation in a self-consistent manner. - Highlights: • Proposal of a novel graphene nanoribbon FET. • Creation of an extra peak in electric field. • Modification of the channel potential with the help of virtual gate. • Considerable improvement on electrical performances.

A theoretical analysis of the impact of atmospheric parameters on the spectral, electrical and thermal performance of a concentrating III–V triple-junction solar cell

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Theristis, Marios; Fernández, Eduardo F.; Stark, Cameron; O’Donovan, Tadhg S.

2016-01-01

Highlights: • An integrated spectral dependent electrical–thermal model has been developed. • The effect of atmospheric parameters on system’s performance is evaluated. • The HCPV cooling requirements under “hot & dry” conditions are quantified. • Case studies show the impact of heat transfer coefficient on annual energy yield. • The integrated modelling allows the system’s optimisation. - Abstract: The spectral sensitivity of a concentrating triple-junction (3J) solar cell has been investigated. The atmospheric parameters such as the air mass (AM), aerosol optical depth (AOD) and precipitable water (PW) change the distribution of the solar spectrum in a way that the spectral, electrical and thermal performance of a 3J solar cell is affected. In this paper, the influence of the spectral changes on the performance of each subcell and whole cell has been analysed. It has been shown that increasing the AM and AOD have a negative impact on the spectral and electrical performance of 3J solar cells while increasing the PW has a positive effect, although, to a lesser degree. A three-dimensional finite element analysis model is used to quantify the effect of each atmospheric parameter on the thermal performance for a range of heat transfer coefficients from the back-plate to the ambient air and also ambient temperature. It is shown that a heat transfer coefficient greater than 1300 W/(m"2 K) is required to keep the solar cell under 100 °C at all times. In order to get a more realistic assessment and also to investigate the effect of heat transfer coefficient on the annual energy yield, the methodology is applied for four US locations using data from a typical meteorological year (TMY3).

Joining and Performance of Alkali Metal Thermal-to-electric Converter (AMTEC)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Suh, Min-Soo; Lee, Wook-Hyun; Woo, Sang-Kuk [Korea Institute of Energy Research, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2017-07-15

The alkali-Metal Thermal-to-electric Converter (AMTEC) is one of the promising static energy conversion technologies for the direct conversion of thermal energy to electrical energy. The advantages over a conventional energy converter are its high theoretical conversion efficiency of 40% and power density of 500 W/kg. The working principle of an AMTEC battery is the electrochemical reaction of the sodium through an ion conducting electrolyte. Sodium ion pass through the hot side of the beta”-alumina solid electrolyte (BASE) primarily as a result of the pressure difference. This pressure difference across the BASE has a significant effect on the overall performance of the AMTEC system. In order to build the high pressure difference across the BASE, hermeticity is required for each joined components for high temperature range of 900°C. The AMTEC battery was manufactured by utilizing robust joining technology of BASE/insulator/metal flange interfaces of the system for both structural and electrical stability. The electrical potential difference between the anode and cathode sides, where the electrons emitted from sodium ionization and recombined into sodium, was characterized as the open-circuit voltage. The efforts of technological improvement were concentrated on a high-power output and conversion efficiency. This paper discusses about the joining and performance of the AMTEC systems.

Performance of electric and hybrid vehicles at the 1995 American Tour de Sol

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Quong, S.; LeBlanc, N.; Buitrago, C.; Duoba, M.; Larsen, R.

1995-12-31

Energy consumption and performance data were collected on more than 40 electric and hybrid vehicles during the 1995 American Tour de Sol. At this competition, one electric vehicle drove 229 miles on one charge using nickel metalhydride batteries. The results obtained from the data show that electric vehicle efficiencies reached 9.07 mi./kWh or 70 equivalent mpg of gasoline when compared to the total energy cycle efficiency of electricity and gasoline. A gasoline-fueled 1995 Geo Metro that drove the same route attained 36.4 mpg.

Design and performance of low-wattage electrical heater probe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Biddle, R.; Wetzel, J.R.; Cech, R.

1997-01-01

A mound electrical calibration heater (MECH) has been used in several EG and G Mound developed calorimeters as a calibration tool. They are very useful over the wattage range of a few to 500 W. At the lower end of the range, a bias develops between the MECH probe and calibrated heat standards. A low-wattage electrical calibration heater (L WECH) probe is being developed by the Safeguards Science and Technology group (NIS-5) of Los Alamos National Laboratory based upon a concept proposed by EG and G Mound personnel. The probe combines electrical resistive heating and laser-light powered heating. The LWECH probe is being developed for use with power settings up to 2W. The electrical heater will be used at the high end of the range, and laser-light power will be used low end of the wattage range. The system consists of two components: the heater probe and a control unit. The probe is inserted into the measuring cavity through an opening in the insulating baffle, and a sleeve is required to adapt to the measuring chamber. The probe is powered and controlled using electronics modules located separately. This paper will report on the design of the LWECH probe, initial tests, and expected performance

Environmental performance of electricity storage systems for grid applications, a life cycle approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oliveira, L.; Messagie, M.; Mertens, J.; Laget, H.; Coosemans, T.; Van Mierlo, J.

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Large energy storage systems: environmental performance under different scenarios. • ReCiPe midpoint and endpoint impact assessment results are analyzed. • Energy storage systems can replace peak power generation units. • Energy storage systems and renewable energy have the best environmental scores. • Environmental performance of storage systems is application dependent. - Abstract: In this paper, the environmental performance of electricity storage technologies for grid applications is assessed. Using a life cycle assessment methodology we analyze the impacts of the construction, disposal/end of life, and usage of each of the systems. Pumped hydro and compressed air storage are studied as mechanical storage, and advanced lead acid, sodium sulfur, lithium-ion and nickel–sodium-chloride batteries are addressed as electrochemical storage systems. Hydrogen production from electrolysis and subsequent usage in a proton exchange membrane fuel cell are also analyzed. The selected electricity storage systems mimic real world installations in terms of capacity, power rating, life time, technology and application. The functional unit is one kW h of energy delivered back to the grid, from the storage system. The environmental impacts assessed are climate change, human toxicity, particulate matter formation, and fossil resource depletion. Different electricity mixes are used in order to exemplify scenarios where the selected technologies meet specific applications. Results indicate that the performance of the storage systems is tied to the electricity feedstocks used during use stage. Renewable energy sources have lower impacts throughout the use stage of the storage technologies. Using the Belgium electricity mix of 2011 as benchmark, the sodium sulfur battery is shown to be the best performer for all the impacts analyzed. Pumped hydro storage follows in second place. Regarding infrastructure and end of life, results indicate that battery systems

Performance of a procedure for yield estimation in fruit orchards

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Aravena Zamora, Felipe; Potin, Camila; Wulfsohn, Dvora-Laio

Early estimation of expected fruit tree yield is important for the market planning and for growers and exporters to plan for labour and boxes. Large variations in tree yield may be found, posing a challenge for accurate yield estimation. We evaluated a multilevel systematic sampling procedure...

Innovation performance of the US American and European electricity supply industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burger, Christoph; Weinmann, Jens

2015-01-01

Using a production function approach based on Cobb–Douglas, this analysis relates R&D efforts of 32 electric utilities on both sides of the Atlantic to their performance in terms of labour productivity. We find that higher R&D levels generally have a positive impact on revenues. However, only in the sub-sample of 16 electricity suppliers in Europe this effect is significant. Knowledge spill-over effects can be estimated for the US American sub-sample, since US utilities have bundled their R&D efforts in a centralized research institution and have to report that data. Our analysis reveals, though, that collaborative research efforts do not lead to positive spill-overs at the assumption of a time delay of one year. - Highlights: • R&D expenditures and their impact on performance of 32 electric utilities are analyzed. • Extended Cobb–Douglas production function approach. • Positive and significant effect of R&D expenditures on revenues. • Effect is less pronounced in the USA than in Europe. • External knowledge spillovers of 16 US American utilities turn out to be negative.

Root-yield performance of pre-release sweet potato genotypes in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

SARAH

2013-05-29

May 29, 2013 ... consideration all yield components which affect the total root yield. Such a focused approach with well- defined selection objectives ensures positive progress early in the breeding program. Interrelationships among yield components have been investigated by Grüneberg et al. (2005) in. Peru and Çalişkan ...

Performance of a 10 kilowatt wind-electric water pumping system for irrigating crops

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vick, B.D.; Clark, R.N. [Conservation and Production Research Lab., Bushland, TX (United States); Molla, S. [Texas A& M Univ., College Station, TX (United States)

1997-12-31

A 10 kW wind-electric water pumping system was tested for field crop irrigation at pumping depths from 50 to 120 m. The wind turbine for this system used a permanent magnet alternator that powered off-the-shelf submersible motors and pumps without the use of an inverter. Pumping performance was determined at the USDA-Agricultural Research Service (ARS), Wind Energy Laboratory in Bushland, TX for the 10 kW wind turbine using a pressure valve and a pressure tank to simulate different pumping depths. Pumping performance was measured for two 10 kW wind turbines of the same type at farms near the cities of Garden City, TX and Stiles, TX. The pumping performance data collected at these actual wells compared favorably with the data collected at the USDA-ARS, Wind Energy Laboratory. If utility generated electricity was accessible, payback on the wind turbine depended on the cost of utility generated electricity and the transmission line extension cost.

Synthesis and characterization of poly (dihydroxybiphenyl borate) with high char yield for high-performance thermosetting resins

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Shujuan; Xing, Xiaolong; Li, Jian; Jing, Xinli

2018-01-01

The objective of the current work is to synthesize novel boron-containing polymers with excellent thermal resistance, and reveal the structure and the reason for the high char yield. Thus, poly (dihydroxybiphenyl borate) (PDDB) with a more rigid molecular chain, was successfully synthesized using 4,4‧-dihydroxybiphenyl and boric acid. Structural characterizations of the prepared PDDB were performed via NMR, FTIR, XPS, and XRD analyses. The results reveal that PDDB consists of aromatic, Phsbnd Osbnd B and Bsbnd Osbnd B structures as well as a small number of boron hydroxyl and phenolic hydroxyl groups. PDDB shows good solubility in strong polar solvents, which is of great importance for the modification of thermosetting resins. TGA combined with DSC were employed to evaluate the thermal properties of PDDB, and increases in the glass transition temperature (Tg) and char yield were observed with increased boron content. Tg and char yield of PDDB (800 °C, nitrogen atmosphere) reached up to 219 °C and 66.5%, respectively. PDDB was extensively characterized during pyrolysis to reveal the high char yield of PDDB. As briefly discussed, the boron oxide and boron carbide that formed during pyrolysis play a crucial role in the high char yield of PDDB, which reduces the release of volatile carbon dioxide and carbon. This research suggests that PDDB has great potential as a novel modified agent for the improvement of the comprehensive performance of thermosetting resins to broaden their applicability in the field of advanced composites.

Global evaluation of a semiempirical model for yield anomalies and application to within-season yield forecasting.

Science.gov (United States)

Schauberger, Bernhard; Gornott, Christoph; Wechsung, Frank

2017-11-01

Quantifying the influence of weather on yield variability is decisive for agricultural management under current and future climate anomalies. We extended an existing semiempirical modeling scheme that allows for such quantification. Yield anomalies, measured as interannual differences, were modeled for maize, soybeans, and wheat in the United States and 32 other main producer countries. We used two yield data sets, one derived from reported yields and the other from a global yield data set deduced from remote sensing. We assessed the capacity of the model to forecast yields within the growing season. In the United States, our model can explain at least two-thirds (63%-81%) of observed yield anomalies. Its out-of-sample performance (34%-55%) suggests a robust yield projection capacity when applied to unknown weather. Out-of-sample performance is lower when using remote sensing-derived yield data. The share of weather-driven yield fluctuation varies spatially, and estimated coefficients agree with expectations. Globally, the explained variance in yield anomalies based on the remote sensing data set is similar to the United States (71%-84%). But the out-of-sample performance is lower (15%-42%). The performance discrepancy is likely due to shortcomings of the remote sensing yield data as it diminishes when using reported yield anomalies instead. Our model allows for robust forecasting of yields up to 2 months before harvest for several main producer countries. An additional experiment suggests moderate yield losses under mean warming, assuming no major changes in temperature extremes. We conclude that our model can detect weather influences on yield anomalies and project yields with unknown weather. It requires only monthly input data and has a low computational demand. Its within-season yield forecasting capacity provides a basis for practical applications like local adaptation planning. Our study underlines high-quality yield monitoring and statistics as critical

Secondary electron emission yield on poled silica based thick films

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Braga, D.; Poumellec, B.; Cannas, V.

2004-01-01

Studies on the distribution of the electric field produced by a thermal poling process in a layer of Ge-doped silica on silicon substrate, by using secondary electron emission yield (SEEY) measurements () are presented. Comparing 0 between poled and unpoled areas, the SEEY at the origin of electr...

Electrochemical modeling and performance evaluation of a new ammonia-based battery thermal management system for electric and hybrid electric vehicles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Al-Zareer, Maan; Dincer, Ibrahim; Rosen, Marc A.

2017-01-01

The operating temperatures of lithium ion battery packs in electrical vehicles and hybrid electrical vehicles need to be maintained in an optimum range for better performance and longer battery life. This paper proposes a new battery pack cooling system that utilizes the low saturation temperature of the fuel in ammonia based future hybrid electric vehicles. In the proposed cooling system, the batteries are partially submerged in to the liquid ammonia, and the liquid ammonia cools the battery by absorbing the heat and evaporating and the ammonia vapor cools the part of the battery not covered by liquid ammonia. The relationships between the performance of the battery cooling system and the maximum temperature (and the temperature distribution) in the battery are investigated for practical applications. The effect of the length of the battery that is submerged in to the liquid ammonia on the thermal performance of battery is studied and evaluated. The present results show that the proposed ammonia based cooling system offers a unique opportunity to maintain the operating temperature of the battery in an optimum range for consecutive charging and discharging phases at a high rate of 7.5C.

Parameters Analysis of Hydraulic-Electrical Energy Regenerative Absorber on Suspension Performance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Han Zhang

2014-05-01

Full Text Available To recycle the vibration energy of vehicles over rough roads, a hydraulic-electricity energy regenerative suspension (HEERS was designed in the present work, and simulations were performed with focus on its performance. On the basis of the system principle, the mathematical model of hydraulic-electrical energy regenerative absorber (HEERA and two degrees of freedom (DOF suspension dynamic model were constructed. Using the model of HEERA, simulations on force-displacement and force-velocity characteristics were performed with a 1.67 Hz frequency and a sinusoidal input adopted. And then in combination with HEERA model and two DOF suspension models, simulations on the performance of HEERS also were carried out. Finally, the influences of charging pressure and volume of the accumulator, hydraulic motor displacement, orifice area of check valve, and inner diameter of hydraulic pipelines on the performance of HEERA and HEERS were investigated in depth. The simulation results indicated that (i the damping characteristic of HEERA was coincident with the damping characteristics of traditional absorber; (ii the most remarkable influencing factor on the performance of HEERS was the hydraulic motor displacement, followed by orifice area of check valve, inner diameter of pipelines, and charging pressure of accumulator, while the effects of charging volume of accumulator were quite limited.

Performance of monolayer graphene nanomechanical resonators with electrical readout.

Science.gov (United States)

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.

Performance degradation of integrated optical modulators due to electrical crosstalk

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Yao, W.; Gilardi, G.; Smit, M.K.; Wale, M.J.

2016-01-01

In this paper, we investigate electrical crosstalk in integrated Mach-Zehnder modulator arrays based on n-doped InP substrate and show that it can be the cause for transmitter performance degradations. In particular, a common ground return path between adjacent modulators can cause high coupling

A study on the performance valuation of small size water storage electric boiler

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mo, Joung Gun; Shin, Jae Ho; Bae, Chul Whan; Suh, Jeong Se; Chung, Han Shik; Jeong, Hyo Min

2003-01-01

We was made 150L a water storage electric boiler and obtained various performances of the storage, radiant and keeping by experimentation. The storage performance is that the heat were off about 50 minutes after heating start. Then the temperature of outlet was arrived the stead state at 91 deg. C and the storage performance was appeared 93.64%. In the radiant performance, the water temperature was decreased from 90 .deg. C to 44.8 deg. C after 960 minutes. Then the calorific value changed from 675kcal/h to 72kcal/h and the temperature decreased about 50%. The keeping performance showed mean temperature, 67.06 .deg. C according to progress 800 minutes and the maximum temperature drop were 0.2 .deg. C. By the results of the performance valuation, the water storage electric boiler was verified fitted quality on the test prescription of KERI (Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute.)

Electrical and Quench Performance of the First MICE Coupling Coil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tartaglia, M. A.; Carcagno, R.; Makulski, A.; Nogiec, Jerzy; Orris, D.; Pilipenko, R.; Sylvester, C.; Caspi, S.; Pan, H.; Prestemon, S.; Virostek, S.

2014-01-01

The first MICE Coupling Coil has been tested in a conduction-cooled environment in the new Solenoid Test Facility at Fermilab. We present an overview of the power and quench protection scheme, and report on the electrical and quench performance results obtained during cold power tests of the magnet

Extended performance electric propulsion power processor design study. Volume 2: Technical summary

Science.gov (United States)

Biess, J. J.; Inouye, L. Y.; Schoenfeld, A. D.

1977-01-01

Electric propulsion power processor technology has processed during the past decade to the point that it is considered ready for application. Several power processor design concepts were evaluated and compared. Emphasis was placed on a 30 cm ion thruster power processor with a beam power rating supply of 2.2KW to 10KW for the main propulsion power stage. Extension in power processor performance were defined and were designed in sufficient detail to determine efficiency, component weight, part count, reliability and thermal control. A detail design was performed on a microprocessor as the thyristor power processor controller. A reliability analysis was performed to evaluate the effect of the control electronics redesign. Preliminary electrical design, mechanical design and thermal analysis were performed on a 6KW power transformer for the beam supply. Bi-Mod mechanical, structural and thermal control configurations were evaluated for the power processor and preliminary estimates of mechanical weight were determined.

Yield performance of dwarf bean ( Phaseolus vulgaris L.) lines ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Entries SDDT-54-C5, PC490-D8 and DOR 715 were stable across all sites and between the two seasons. DOR 715 was also high yielding entry in Thondwe and Ntchenachena sites followed by BCMV B2 though the latter was unstable. Among sites, Thondwe was the best because yields of most of the bean entries were ...

Electrical actuators applications and performance

CERN Document Server

De Fornel, Bernard

2013-01-01

This helpful resource covers a large range of information regarding electrical actuators. In particular, robustness, a very problematic issue, is fully explored in a dedicated chapter. The text also deals with he estimate of non-measurable mechanical variables by examining the estimate of load moment, then observation of the positioning of a command without mechanical sensor. Finally, it examines the conditions needed to measure variables and real implementation of numerical algorithms. This is a key working resource for electrical engineers.

Influence of Inter and Intra-rows Spacing on Yield and Yield ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Abyssinia

yield and yield components of fresh market(Bishola) and processing (Cochoro) tomato cultivars. ... row spacing had a significant effect on plan canopy width, above ground dry biomass, ... Poor varietal performance and management practices that includeinter and intra-row spacing ..... of assimilate export from the leaves.

Yield and properties of ethanol biofuel produced from different whole cassava flours.

Science.gov (United States)

Ademiluyi, F T; Mepba, H D

2013-01-01

The yield and properties of ethanol biofuel produced from five different whole cassava flours were investigated. Ethanol was produced from five different whole cassava flours. The effect of quantity of yeast on ethanol yield, effect of whole cassava flour to acid and mineralized media ratio on the yield of ethanol produced, and the physical properties of ethanol produced from different cassava were investigated. Physical properties such as distillation range, density, viscosity, and flash point of ethanol produced differ slightly for different cultivars, while the yield of ethanol and electrical conductivity of ethanol from the different cassava cultivars varies significantly. The variation in mineral composition of the different whole cassava flours could also lead to variation in the electrical conductivity of ethanol produced from the different cassava cultivars. The differences in ethanol yield are attributed to differences in starch content, protein content, and dry matter of cassava cultivars. High yield of ethanol from whole cassava flour is best produced from cultivars with high starch content, low protein content, and low fiber.

Calculation of Bremsstrahlung yield for thin target

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Demir, N.; Akkurt, I.; Tekin, H. O.; Cakirli, R. B.; Akkus, B.; Kupa, I.

2010-01-01

The Bremsstrahlung photon is created by de-accelerating electron beam in an electric field which is usually a thin material so-called radiator. The obtained Bremsstrahlung yield depends on some parameter such as incoming electron beam energy, the thickness and also Z number of the radiator. The main aim of this work is to obtain optimum radiator to be used at Bremsstrahlung photon beam facility at TAC. For this purposes the Bremsstrahlung photon yield has been obtained using FLUKA code for different types materials.

Electricity consumers under the state and the private sector: comparing the price performance of the French and UK electricity industries 1990-2000

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Percebois, Jacques; Wright, Philip

2001-01-01

Particularly because a preoccupation with process has tended to dominate the debate about electricity privatisation and liberalisation, this paper focuses on price outcomes by comparing the relative price performance of the French and UK electricity industries between 1990 and 2000. The main conclusion is that in 1990 the state-owned French electricity industry was performing better for most consumers than the state-owned UK industry, and a decade later it was still doing so with respect to the privately-owned UK industry. While this conclusion could be qualified by saying that, heavily prompted or assisted by the Regulator, the UK privately-owned industry has shown itself capable of achieving faster reductions in prices to close the gap between itself and the French, this achievement has been concentrated in the industrial market and even there the very significant gains were mainly restricted to the very largest consumers. In the context of the European Union the UK is shown to have performed relatively poorly for the smallest domestic consumers and, while both countries did much better in the rankings of industrial prices, they were still a long way behind the top performers. (Author)

Improving the performance of a hybrid electric vehicle by utilization regenerative braking energy of vehicle

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mourad, Mohamed [Automotive and Tractors Department, Faculty of Engineering, Minia University (Egypt)

2011-07-01

Environmentally friendly vehicles with range and performance capabilities surpassing those of conventional ones require a careful balance among competing goals for fuel efficiency, performance and emissions. It can be recuperated the energy of deceleration case of the vehicle to reuse it to recharge the storage energy of hybrid electric vehicle and increase the state of charge of batteries under the new conditions of vehicle operating in braking phase. Hybrid electric vehicle has energy storage which allows decreasing required peak value of power from prime mover, which is the internal combustion engine. The paper investigates the relationships between the driving cycle phases and the recuperation energy to the batteries system of hybrid electric vehicle. This work describes also a methodology for integrating this type of hybrid electric vehicle in a simulation program. A design optimization framework is then used to find the best position that we can utilize the recuperation energy to recharge the storage batteries of hybrid electric vehicle.

Performance analysis of the electric vehicle air conditioner by replacing hydrocarbon refrigerant

Science.gov (United States)

Santoso, Budi; Tjahjana, D. D. D. P.

2017-01-01

The thermal comfort in passenger cabins needs an automotive air-conditioning system. The electric vehicle air conditioner system is driven by an electric compressor which includes a compressor and an electric motor. Almost air-conditioning system uses CFC-12, CFC-22 and HFC-134a as refrigerant. However, CFC-12 and CFC-22 will damage the ozone layer. The extreme huge global warming potentials (GWP) values of CFC-12, CFC-22, and HFC-134a represent the serious greenhouse effect of Earth. This article shows new experimental measurements and analysis by using a mixture of HC-134 to replace HFC-134a. The result is a refrigerating effect, the coefficient of performance and energy factor increase along with cooling capacity, both for HFC-134a and HC-134. The refrigerating effect of HC-134 is almost twice higher than HFC-134a. The coefficient of performance value of HC-134 is also 36.42% greater than HFC-134a. Then, the energy factor value of HC-134 is 3.78% greater than HFC-134a.

Enhanced Regenerative Braking Strategies for Electric Vehicles: Dynamic Performance and Potential Analysis

OpenAIRE

Boyi Xiao; Huazhong Lu; Hailin Wang; Jiageng Ruan; Nong Zhang

2017-01-01

A regenerative braking system and hydraulic braking system are used in conjunction in the majority of electric vehicles worldwide. We propose a new regenerative braking distribution strategy that is based on multi-input fuzzy control logic while considering the influences of the battery’s state of charge, the brake strength and the motor speed. To verify the braking performance and recovery economy, this strategy was applied to a battery electric vehicle model and compared with two other impr...

Operational synergy in the US electric utility industry under an influence of deregulation policy: A linkage to financial performance and corporate value

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sueyoshi, Toshiyuki; Goto, Mika

2011-01-01

have examined a synergy effect between electricity and gas services in the US electric utility industry. They have compared electricity-specialized firms with diversified utility firms in their financial performance and corporate value. A problem of their study is that it has not empirically measured the operational performance of the electric utility firms. As an extension of the preceding study, this research investigates the operational performance of 104 US electric utility firms (1990-2004) by fully utilizing DEA (Data Envelopment Analysis). This study finds the three new policy implications. First, the synergy effect has not existed in the operational performance of diversified utility firms before and after the deregulation on the US electricity markets. Thus, core business concentration is more effective for electric utility firms than corporate diversification to enhance their operational performance under the current US deregulation policy. Second, the operational performance has had an increasing trend until 1996 and a decreasing trend after 1996. Thus, the US deregulation policy has been influential on their operational performance. Third, the enhancement in operational performance of electric utility firms has improved their financial performance. The improvement in financial performance has increased their corporate value. Thus, this study finds the business causality among operational performance, financial performance and corporate value in the US electric utility industry. - Research Highlights: →The synergy effect has not existed in the operational performance of diversified utility firms before and after the deregulation on the US electricity markets. →Core business concentration is more effective for electric utility firms than corporate diversification to enhance their operational performance under the current US deregulation policy. →The operational performance has had an increasing trend until 1996 and a decreasing trend after 1996. �

Electrical circuit models for performance modeling of Lithium-Sulfur batteries

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Knap, Vaclav; Stroe, Daniel Ioan; Teodorescu, Remus

2015-01-01

emerging technology for various applications, there is a need for Li-S battery performance model; however, developing such models represents a challenging task due to batteries' complex ongoing chemical reactions. Therefore, the literature review was performed to summarize electrical circuit models (ECMs......) used for modeling the performance behavior of Li-S batteries. The studied Li-S pouch cell was tested in the laboratory in order to parametrize four basic ECM topologies. These topologies were compared by analyzing their voltage estimation accuracy values, which were obtained for different battery...... current profiles. Based on these results, the 3 R-C ECM was chosen and the Li-S battery cell discharging performance model with current dependent parameters was derived and validated....

Challenges and Opportunities of Very Light High-Performance Electric Drives for Aviation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Markus Henke

2018-02-01

Full Text Available The demand for alternative fueling methods to reduce the need for fossil fuels is not limited to the electrification of ground vehicles. More-electric and all-electric aircraft pose challenges, with extensive requirements in terms of power density, efficiency, safety, and environmental sustainability. This paper focuses on electrical machines and their components, especially for high-power applications like the main propulsion. The electrical machine is evaluated from different aspects, followed by a closer look at the components and materials to determine the suitability of the current standard materials and advanced technologies. Furthermore, the mechanical and thermal aspects are reviewed, including new and innovative concepts for the cooling of windings and for the use of additive manufacturing. Aircraft have special demands regarding weight and installation space. Following recent developments and looking ahead to the future, the need and the possibilities for light and efficient electrical machines are addressed. All of the approaches and developments presented lead to a better understanding of the challenges to be expected and highlight the upcoming opportunities in electrical machine design for the use of electric motors and generators in future aircraft. Several prototypes of electrical machines for smaller aircraft already exist, such as the electric drive of the Siemens powered Extra 330LE. The focus of this paper is to provide an overview of current technical possibilities and technical interrelations of high performance electric drives for aviation. A 1 MW drive is exemplified to present the possibilities for future drives for airplanes carrying a larger number of passengers. All presented techniques can also be applied to other drive power classes.

The performance analysis of the Trough Concentrating Solar Photovoltaic/Thermal system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, M., E-mail: liming@ynnu.edu.c [Solar Energy Research Institute, Yunnan Normal University, 650092 Kunming (China); Li, G.L. [School of Physics and Electronic Information, Yunnan Normal University, Kunming 650092 (China); Ji, X.; Yin, F.; Xu, L. [Solar Energy Research Institute, Yunnan Normal University, 650092 Kunming (China)

2011-06-15

Research highlights: {yields} A 2 m{sup 2} Trough Concentrating Photovoltaic/Thermal (TCPV/T) system is built, a single crystalline silicon solar cell array, a polycrystalline silicon cell array, a Super cell array and a GaAs cell array are respectively used in the experiments. {yields} Another 10 m{sup 2} TCPV/T system using the GaAs cell array and a concentrating silicon cell array are also constructed and characterized. {yields} The economic performance analysis show the electricity generating cost of the TCPV/T system with the concentrating silicon cell array can catch up with flat-plate PV system. -- Abstract: The electrical and thermal performance of a 2 m{sup 2} Trough Concentrating Photovoltaic/Thermal (TCPV/T) system with an energy flux ratio 10.27 are characterized by experiments. A single crystalline silicon solar cell array, a polycrystalline silicon cell array, a Super cell array and a GaAs cell array are respectively used in the experiments. The experimental results show that the electrical performance of the system with the GaAs cell array is better than that of crystal silicon solar cell arrays. The superior output performance of the GaAs cell array mainly benefits from its lower series resistance. But the thermal performances of the system using the single crystal silicon solar cell array and the polycrystalline silicon solar cell array are better. It results from the widths of the two types of cells in the system close to that of the focal line. Another 10 m{sup 2} TCPV/T system with an energy flux ratio of 20 using the GaAs cell array and a concentrating silicon cell array are also constructed and characterized. The experimental results indicate that the photoelectric efficiency of the GaAs cell array is 23.83%, and the instantaneous electrical efficiency and thermal efficiency of the system are 9.88% and 49.84% respectively. While the instantaneous electrical efficiency and thermal efficiency of the system using the low-cost concentrating

Performance monitoring of electric shovels digging oil sands

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Patnayak, S. [Alberta Univ., Edmonton, AB (Canada). Natural Resources Engineering Facility; Tannant, D.D. [Alberta Univ., Edmonton, AB (Canada). School of Mining and Petroleum Engineering; Parsons, I. [Syncrude Canada Ltd., Edmonton, AB (Canada). Edmonton Research Centre; Del Valle, V. [Syncrude Canada Ltd., Fort McMurray, AB (Canada)

2005-07-01

Some of the largest available mining equipment is used for oil sand mining operations. However, the performance of electric cable shovels varies with the diggability characteristics of the ground. In particular, oil sands diggability with cable shovels depends on structural geology, the depositional environment and geotechnical parameters. This paper described some of the key shovel performance indicators such as dig cycle time, digging energy and digging power. In winter, frost penetration can also affect oil sands diggability. The challenge of hard digging in oil sands is often addressed by blasting or ripping, which increases the cost of production and impedes productivity. The shovel performance is also influenced by other parameters such as operator skills, bucket and tooth design and shovel dipper trajectory. This paper demonstrated that hoist and crowd motor voltages and currents are useful in identifying the beginning and end of dig cycles. Performance indicators such as dig cycle time, hoist motor energy and power, and crowd motor energy and power were considered to assess material diggability. It was suggested that hoist power represents the ground diggability better than other performance indicators. 5 refs., 1 tab., 10 figs.

NEST: a comprehensive model for scintillation yield in liquid xenon

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Szydagis, M; Barry, N; Mock, J; Stolp, D; Sweany, M; Tripathi, M; Uvarov, S; Walsh, N; Woods, M [University of California, Davis, One Shields Ave., Davis, CA 95616 (United States); Kazkaz, K, E-mail: mmszydagis@ucdavis.edu [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, 7000 East Ave., Livermore, CA 94550 (United States)

2011-10-15

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 be 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).

NEST: a comprehensive model for scintillation yield in liquid xenon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Szydagis, M; Barry, N; Mock, J; Stolp, D; Sweany, M; Tripathi, M; Uvarov, S; Walsh, N; Woods, M; Kazkaz, K

2011-01-01

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 be 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).

Impact of Physical Deformation on Electrical Performance of Paper-Based Sensors

KAUST Repository

Nassar, Joanna M.

2017-01-23

We report on investigation of the mechanical properties of paper electronics (printed and made out of paper). One key objective of such paper electronics is to achieve ultraflexibility. Therefore, it is important to understand electrical functionality and reliability of paper electronics under various physical (mechanical) deformations. Here, we show the general mechanical properties of the cellulose paper used and its electrical behavior under applied strain, tackling the main effects that need to be identified when building paper-based systems, from product performance and stability perspective. An overview of the stress-strain behavior of silver ink on paper is discussed, and then, we tackle a more specific analysis of the performance variations of paper sensors made with recyclable household materials when exposed to various mechanical conditions of tensile and compressive bending. This paper is important for developing stable wearable sensors for incorporation into Internet of Everything applications.

Enhanced Regenerative Braking Strategies for Electric Vehicles: Dynamic Performance and Potential Analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Boyi Xiao

2017-11-01

Full Text Available A regenerative braking system and hydraulic braking system are used in conjunction in the majority of electric vehicles worldwide. We propose a new regenerative braking distribution strategy that is based on multi-input fuzzy control logic while considering the influences of the battery’s state of charge, the brake strength and the motor speed. To verify the braking performance and recovery economy, this strategy was applied to a battery electric vehicle model and compared with two other improved regenerative braking strategies. The performance simulation was performed using standard driving cycles (NEDC, LA92, and JP1015 and a real-world-based urban cycle in China. The tested braking strategies satisfied the general safety requirements of Europe (as specified in ECE-13H, and the emergency braking scenario and economic potential were tested. The simulation results demonstrated the differences in the braking force distribution performance of these three regenerative braking strategies, the feasibility of the braking methods for the proposed driving cycles and the energy economic potential of the three strategies.

The Effect of Electric Load Profiles on the Performance of Off-Grid Residential Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stephen Treado

2015-10-01

Full Text Available This paper investigates the energy performance of off-grid residential hybrid renewable electric power systems, particularly the effect of electric load profiles on the ability to harvest available solar energy and avoid the consumption of auxiliary energy in the form of propane. The concepts are illustrated by an analysis of the energy performance of electric and propane-fired refrigerators. Off-grid electric power systems frequently incorporate a renewable source, such as wind or solar photovoltaic (PV, with a back-up power provided by a propane fueled motor/generator. Among other design decisions, residential consumers face the choice of employing an electric refrigerator with a conventional vapor compression refrigeration system, or a fuel-fired refrigerator operating as an absorption refrigeration system. One interesting question is whether it is more advantageous from an energy perspective to use electricity to run the refrigerator, which might be provided by some combination of the PV and propane motor/generator, thereby taking advantage of the relatively higher electric refrigerator Coefficient of Performance (COP and free solar energy but having to accept a low electrical conversion efficiency of the motor/generator, or use thermal energy from the combustion of propane to produce the refrigeration effect via an absorption system, albeit with a much lower COP. The analysis is complicated by the fact that most off-grid renewable electrical power systems utilize a battery bank to provide electrical power when it is not available from the wind turbine or PV system, so the state of charge of the battery bank will have a noticeable impact on what energy source is available at any moment in time. Daily electric load profiles combined with variable solar energy input determine the state of charge of the battery bank, with the degree of synchronization between the two being a critical factor in determining performance. The annual energy usage

Epoxy/α-alumina nanocomposite with high electrical insulation performance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yun Chen

2017-10-01

Full Text Available An experimental study was conducted to improve the electrical insulation of epoxy resin. The effects of boehmite, γ-alumina and α-alumina nanoparticles on the volume resistivity, dielectric strength and glass transition temperature of epoxy nanocomposites were investigated. The results showed that α-alumina nanoparticles displayed obvious advantages in enhancing electrical insulation performance of epoxy nanocomposites, compared to boehmite and γ-alumina nanoparticles. The direct current volume resistivity and breakdown strength of epoxy nanocomposite with 2.0 wt% α-alumina nanoparticles was improved to 2.2 × 1018 Ω cm and 76.1 kV mm−1 respectively. And these improved values of electrical insulation properties are much higher than these of epoxy nanocomposites reported in previous studies. The main reason of these improvements may be that the epoxy/α-alumina interaction zone was enhanced by crosslink. Keywords: Nanocomposite, Epoxy resin, Insulation, α-alumina

Performance of batteries for electric vehicles on short and longer term

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gerssen - Gondelach, Sarah|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/355262436; Faaij, André P C|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/10685903X

2012-01-01

In this work, the prospects of available and new battery technologies for battery electric vehicles (BEVs) are examined. Five selected battery technologies are assessed on battery performance and cost in the short, medium and long term. Driving cycle simulations are carried out to assess the

Performance of Batteries for electric vehicles on shorter and longer term

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gerssen-Gondelach, S.J.; Faaij, A.P.C.

2012-01-01

In this work, the prospects of available and new battery technologies for battery electric vehicles (BEVs) are examined. Five selected battery technologies are assessed on battery performance and cost in the short, medium and long term. Driving cycle simulations are carried out to assess the

Performance tests of communal electric-powered vehicles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nagel, J.

1993-01-01

The use of electric vehicles within the service industry (such as the town's sanitation, its trash collection and horticultural authority) can lead to a visible environmental relief, particularly in the inner city. The RWE in Essen has been supporting the development and use of electric vehicles for over 20 years and introduced a program in 1990 for the communities(ProKom) which provides 5 million DM for over 5 years for the support of electric vehicles. In this article the communities' requirements for electric vehicles are discussed, the types of vehicles which are mediated by ProKom are introduced and the first practical experiences made are also reported. (BWI) [de

Modeling and prediction of Turkey's electricity consumption using Support Vector Regression

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kavaklioglu, Kadir

2011-01-01

Support Vector Regression (SVR) methodology is used to model and predict Turkey's electricity consumption. Among various SVR formalisms, ε-SVR method was used since the training pattern set was relatively small. Electricity consumption is modeled as a function of socio-economic indicators such as population, Gross National Product, imports and exports. In order to facilitate future predictions of electricity consumption, a separate SVR model was created for each of the input variables using their current and past values; and these models were combined to yield consumption prediction values. A grid search for the model parameters was performed to find the best ε-SVR model for each variable based on Root Mean Square Error. Electricity consumption of Turkey is predicted until 2026 using data from 1975 to 2006. The results show that electricity consumption can be modeled using Support Vector Regression and the models can be used to predict future electricity consumption. (author)

Electricity system performance in Brazil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pires Rodrigues, A.; Souza Dias, D. De

1992-01-01

Nowadays, there is great uncertainty and concern about the capacity of the electric sector to go ahead with the programme of investments which was planned to keep pace with the growth in electricity demand. The sector is in an important financial crisis caused by the progressive reduction in its ability to generate resources either through self-financing or through external sources. The Brazilian electric sector is mostly public. Moreover, it is marked by a high degree of integration, which makes the whole system vulnerable to problem in each of its parts. First, the financial health of the Electrobras system which is at the top of the pyramidal sectoral structure depends on the capacity of the state-level utilities (operating mainly on the distribution side) to pay for the bulk supplies which they buy from Electrobras-controlled utilities. Second, tariffs are equal in the country as a whole regardless of differences in costs. Differences must be covered by the transfers between state utilities. Thus, there is also a significant horizontal financial inter-dependence in the sector. These institutional characteristics have been very important in the context of the present financial crisis

Electric Field Guided Assembly of One-Dimensional Nanostructures for High Performance Sensors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wing Kam Liu

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Various nanowire or nanotube-based devices have been demonstrated to fulfill the anticipated future demands on sensors. To fabricate such devices, electric field-based methods have demonstrated a great potential to integrate one-dimensional nanostructures into various forms. This review paper discusses theoretical and experimental aspects of the working principles, the assembled structures, and the unique functions associated with electric field-based assembly. The challenges and opportunities of the assembly methods are addressed in conjunction with future directions toward high performance sensors.

Energy Yield Potential Estimation Using Marine Current Turbine Simulations for the Bosphorus

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Yazicioglu, Hasan; Tunc, K. M. Murat; Ozbek, Muammer

2017-01-01

. The differences in elevation and salinity ratios between these two seas cause strong underwater currents. Depending on the morphology of the canal the speed of the flow varies and at some specific locations the energy intensity reaches to sufficient levels where electricity generation by marine current turbines...... becomes economically feasible. In this study, several simulations are performed for a 10 MW marine turbine farm/ cluster whose location is selected by taking into account several factors such as the canal morphology, current speed and passage of vessels. 360 different simulations are performed for 15...... within the selected region, the analyses are performed for three different flow speeds corresponding to 10 % increase and decrease in the average value. For each simulation the annual energy yield and cluster efficiency are calculated....

Assessing the performance of renewable electricity support instruments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Verbruggen, Aviel; Lauber, Volkmar

2012-01-01

The performance of feed-in tariffs and tradable certificates is assessed on criteria of efficacy, efficiency, equity and institutional feasibility. In the early stage of transition to an energy system based entirely on renewable energy supplies, renewable electricity can only thrive if support takes into account the specific technical, economic and political problems which result from embedding this electricity in conventional power systems whose technology, organizational structure, environmental responsibility and general mission differ profoundly from the emerging, renewable-based system. Support schemes need to capture the diversity of power supplies, the variable nature of some renewable supplies, and their different attributes for the purposes of public policy. They must take into account the variety of generators – including small, decentralized generation – emerging in a renewable-based system, and the new relationships between generators and customers. Renewable energy policies need a clear point of reference: because the incumbent power systems are not sustainable they must adapt to the requirements of the renewable ones, not the other way round. Incumbent systems carry the responsibility of paying the transition, something that corresponds best with the polluter pays principle. - Highlights: ► Present power systems must adapt to the requirements of growing renewable ones, not the opposite. ► Well performing support systems capture the diversity of renewable sources and technologies. ► Feed-in Tariffs are superior in addressing the renewables' diversity and in promoting innovation. ► Feed-in Tariffs put transition burdens on incumbents and stimulate independent producers.

Performance assessment of the PNM Prosperity electricity storage project

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Roberson, Dakota [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Ellison, James F. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Bhatnagar, Dhruv [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Schoenwald, David A. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

2014-05-01

The purpose of this study is to characterize the technical performance of the PNM Prosperity electricity storage project, and to identify lessons learned that can be used to improve similar projects in the future. The PNM Prosperity electricity storage project consists of a 500 kW/350 kWh advanced lead-acid battery with integrated supercapacitor (for energy smoothing) and a 250 kW/1 MWh advanced lead-acid battery (for energy shifting), and is co-located with a 500 kW solar photovoltaic (PV) resource. The project received American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA) funding. The smoothing system is e ective in smoothing intermittent PV output. The shifting system exhibits good round-trip efficiencies, though the AC-to-AC annual average efficiency is lower than one might hope. Given the current utilization of the smoothing system, there is an opportunity to incorporate additional control algorithms in order to increase the value of the energy storage system.

Electrical performance of ATLAS-SCT KB end-cap modules

CERN Document Server

D'Onofrio, M; Donegà, M; Ferrère, D; Mangin-Brinet, M; Mikulec, B; Weber, M; Ikegami, Y; Kohriki, T; Kondo, T; Terada, S; Unno, Y; Pernegger, H; Roe, S; Wallny, R; Moorhead, G F; Taylor, G; García, J E; Gonzáles, S; Vos, M A; Toczek, B

2003-01-01

The Semiconductor Tracker (SCT) is one of the ATLAS Inner Detector elements which aims to track charged particles in the ATLAS experiment. It consists of four cylindrical layers (barrels) of silicon strip detectors, with nine disks in each of the forward and backward directions. Carbon fibre structures will support a total of 4088 modules, which are the basic functional sub-unit of the SCT. Each module consists of single sided silicon micro-strip detectors glued back to back with a 40 mrad stereo-angle, and attached to a hybrid. The scope of this document is to present the electrical performances of prototype end-cap modules proposed for the ATLAS-SCT, as an alternative to the baseline. The layout of these modules is based on the implementation of the barrel module hybrid in the end-cap geometry. A complete set of electrical measurements is summarized in this paper, including irradiated module tests and beam tests.

Zilpaterol improves feeding performance and fabrication yield of concentrate-finished cull cows.

Science.gov (United States)

Lawrence, T E; Gasch, C A; Hutcheson, J P; Hodgen, J M

2011-07-01

The objective of this study was to quantify the effects of zilpaterol hydrochloride (ZH) on feeding performance and fabrication yield of concentrate-finished cull cows. Three hundred twenty commercial cull cows (2 to 10 yr old) were obtained from ranches in Missouri and South Dakota and assigned to 1 of 2 treatments: 1) a control diet containing no ZH and 2) a diet that contained ZH. Cows were fed for 75, 88, or 110 d, and all received the control ration until ZH treatments were initiated. Twenty-four days before slaughter, ZH feeding began for the designated treatment pens; cows were fed ZH [8.33 mg/kg (100% DM basis)] for 20 d with a 4-d withdrawal period before slaughter. No differences (P>0.05) were detected between the 2 treatment groups for initial BW or DMI. Final BW (640.5 vs. 619.1 kg), ADG for the last 24 d (2.75 vs. 2.17 kg), and G:F for the last 24 d (0.160 vs. 0.126) were greater (P 0.05) were found for lean or skeletal maturity score, fat thickness, LM area, HCW, or calculated yield grade among the 2 treatment groups. Feeding ZH increased (P0.07) were found for the remaining fabrication yield attributes. The ZH-treated cows had greater (Pfeeding of ZH to concentrate-finished cull cows enhances production efficiencies and can add new value to the cull cow market. © 2011 American Society of Animal Science. All rights reserved.

Analysis of interlocking performances on non-oriented electrical steels

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Li-Hsiang; Liu, Lee-Cheng

2018-05-01

In order to reduce energy loss in motor, applications of high-efficiency non-oriented electrical steel sheets and optimal laminating process are both important elements. The motor core loss deterioration is influenced by a number of factors, such as flux distribution, stress and strain, space harmonics, temperature, and short circuits between lamination. In conventional clamping method, steel sheets are laminated via interlocking or welding in general manner. The measured energy loss by welding was much larger than that by interlocking. Therefore, interlocking is well known and usually employed with benefit of easy conducting. The protuberance shapes affected the fastening strength. Generally, the intensity of rectangular type is stronger than the circular counterparts. However, the circular interlocking has better magnetic characteristics. To clarify the method effectiveness, interlocking performances regarding fastened strength and magnetic deterioration by lamination were investigated. The key parameters of protuberance shape and forming depth were designed. Precisely manufacturing operation was applied to avoid interlocking failure. Magnetic properties largely influenced by clamping method are crucial to minimizing the magnetic deterioration during laminating procedure. Several experiments for various processing conditions were undertaken, and the quantification results showed the rectangular interlocking had better fastened strength but worsened iron loss comparing with the circular arrangement. To acquire the comprehensive mechanical and electrical identities for electrical steel lamination, deliberate producing conditions regarding minimizing the magnetic deterioration should be adopted prudently.

Assessing students' conceptual knowledge of electricity and magnetism

Science.gov (United States)

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.

Radial electric fields for improved tokamak performance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Downum, W.B.

1981-01-01

The influence of externally-imposed radial electric fields on the fusion energy output, energy multiplication, and alpha-particle ash build-up in a TFTR-sized, fusing tokamak plasma is explored. In an idealized tokamak plasma, an externally-imposed radial electric field leads to plasma rotation, but no charge current flows across the magnetic fields. However, a realistically-low neutral density profile generates a non-zero cross-field conductivity and the species dependence of this conductivity allows the electric field to selectively alter radial particle transport

Residential electricity consumption in Portugal: Findings from top-down and bottom-up models

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wiesmann, Daniel, E-mail: daniel.wiesmann@ist.utl.p [Instituto Superior Tecnico, Technical University of Lisbon, Avenida Rovisco Pais 1, 1049-001 Lisbon (Portugal); Lima Azevedo, Ines [Department of Engineering and Public Policy, Carnegie Mellon University, 5000 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213 (United States); Ferrao, Paulo [Instituto Superior Tecnico, Technical University of Lisbon, Avenida Rovisco Pais 1, 1049-001 Lisbon (Portugal); Fernandez, John E. [Department of Architecture, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139 (United States)

2011-05-15

An econometric study of the Portuguese residential electricity consumption is presented, with a focus on the influence of dwelling characteristics on consumption. The relationship between the dwelling and household characteristics on per capita residential electricity consumption is estimated at two different scales, involving two distinct databases: the first includes data at the municipality level for 2001, the second is the most recent Portuguese consumer expenditure survey that was collected in 2005 and 2006. The results of the analysis at both scales are consistent and indicate that household and dwelling characteristics have a significant influence on residential electricity consumption. Our results show that in Portugal the direct effect of income on electricity consumption is low and becomes smaller when more relevant control variables are included in the analysis. Future demand of electricity in Portugal will be significantly influenced by trends in socioeconomic factors as well as changes in the building stock. These trends should be taken in consideration in the formulation of policy measures to reduce electricity consumption. - Research highlights: {yields} Econometric study of per capita residential electricity consumption in Portugal. {yields} Comparing models at two levels of aggregation: by municipality and by household. {yields} Using proxies for the dwelling characteristics on the municipality level. {yields} Results from both scales are consistent. {yields} Income elasticity is low and the influence of dwelling characteristics is significant.

Short-term electricity price forecast based on the improved hybrid model

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dong Yao, E-mail: dongyao20051987@yahoo.cn [School of Mathematics and Statistics, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000 (China); Wang Jianzhou, E-mail: wjz@lzu.edu.cn [School of Mathematics and Statistics, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000 (China); Jiang He; Wu Jie [School of Mathematics and Statistics, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000 (China)

2011-08-15

Highlights: {yields} The proposed models can detach high volatility and daily seasonality of electricity price. {yields} The improved hybrid forecast models can make full use of the advantages of individual models. {yields} The proposed models create commendable improvements that are relatively satisfactorily for current research. {yields} The proposed models do not require making complicated decisions about the explicit form. - Abstract: Half-hourly electricity price in power system are volatile, electricity price forecast is significant information which can help market managers and participants involved in electricity market to prepare their corresponding bidding strategies to maximize their benefits and utilities. However, the fluctuation of electricity price depends on the common effect of many factors and there is a very complicated random in its evolution process. Therefore, it is difficult to forecast half-hourly prices with traditional only one model for different behaviors of half-hourly prices. This paper proposes the improved forecasting model that detaches high volatility and daily seasonality for electricity price of New South Wales in Australia based on Empirical Mode Decomposition, Seasonal Adjustment and Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average. The prediction errors are analyzed and compared with the ones obtained from the traditional Seasonal Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average model. The comparisons demonstrate that the proposed model can improve the prediction accuracy noticeably.

Comparative energy and exergy performance assessments of a microcogenerator unit in different electricity mix scenarios

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gonçalves, Pedro; Angrisani, Giovanni; Roselli, Carlo; Gaspar, Adélio R.; Gameiro da Silva, Manuel

2013-01-01

Highlights: • Experimental and energy–exergy modelling of a 6 kW micro-combined heat and power unit. • Evaluation of energy and exergy efficiencies for performance assessment. • Use of exergy and energy indicators for comparison with a reference system. • Use of different renewables supply options into the electric and heat reference system. • The electric grid mix of Portugal and Italy is used and discussed. - Abstract: The Directive 2004/8/EC on the promotion of cogeneration proposes a comparative indicator based on primary energy savings, neglecting some important thermodynamic aspects, such as exergy. This study aims to compare and discuss the usefulness of a set of complementary indicators for performance assessments of cogeneration systems, concerning thermodynamic principles based on first and second law (the exergy approach). As case study, a 6 kW electric output micro-combined heat and power unit was experimentally tested and a model of the unit was developed in TRNSYS. Considering as reference a set of different heat and electricity scenarios, including the actual electric mixes of Portugal and Italy, the indicators case incon (PES) and Primary and Total Irreversibilities Savings (PIS and TIS), as well as energy and exergy renewability ratios were assessed and discussed. The results show that the use of MCHP has higher advantages for the Italian electric grid, than an equivalent scenario considering the Portuguese electric network as reference. As result, for a particular scenario analysed, PES and PIS have 3% and 6% for Portugal, and 10% and 18% for Italy, respectively. Furthermore, for one particular scenario evaluated, the indicators energetic and exergetic renewability ratios have 23% and 14%, respectively for the Portuguese electric grid, and 19% and 10% for the Italian electric system

Gastric applications of electrical field stimulation.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Hogan, Aisling M

2012-02-01

Advances in clinical applications of electricity have been vast since the launch of Hayman\\'s first cardiac pacemaker more than 70 years ago. Gastric electrical stimulation devices have been recently licensed for treatment of gastroparesis and preliminary studies examining their potential for use in refractory obesity yield promising results.

Seed yield and quality of pepper plants grown under salt stress ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The effect of salinity on seed yield and quality of pepper plants were evaluated. Plants were grown in five salt levels (electrical conductivity, EC): 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 4.0 to 6.0 dSm-1 in glasshouse. Seed yield was assessed by seed weight/fruit, seed weight/plant and individual seed weight. Seed quality was measured by ...

Seed yield and quality of pepper plants grown under salt stress

African Journals Online (AJOL)

İbrahim Demir

2013-12-04

Dec 4, 2013 ... The effect of salinity on seed yield and quality of pepper plants were evaluated. Plants were grown in five salt levels (electrical conductivity, EC): 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 4.0 to 6.0 dSm-1 in glasshouse. Seed yield was assessed by seed weight/fruit, seed weight/plant and individual seed weight. Seed quality was.

Electric contact arcing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cuthrell, R.E.

1976-01-01

Electrical contacts must function properly in many types of components used in nuclear weapon systems. Design, application, and testing of these components require detailed knowledge of chemical and physical phenomena associated with stockpile storage, stockpile testing, and operation. In the past, investigation of these phenomena has led to significant discoveries on the effects of surface contaminants, friction and wear, and the mechanics of closure on contact performance. A recent investigation of contact arcing phenomena which revealed that, preceding contact closure, arcs may occur at voltages lower than had been previously known is described. This discovery is important, since arcing may damage contacts, and repetitive testing of contacts performed as part of a quality assurance program might produce cumulative damage that would yield misleading life-test data and could prevent proper operation of the contacts at some time in the future. This damage can be avoided by determining the conditions under which arcing occurs, and ensuring that these conditions are avoided in contact testing

Eurisol-DS Multi-MW target A proposal for improving overall performance in relation to the isotope yield

CERN Document Server

Samec, K; Kadi, Yacine; Rocca, Roberto; Kharoua, Cyril

2008-01-01

The Eurisol Design Study has been initiated by the European Commission to demonstrate the feasibility of a facility for producing large yields of exotic isotopes. At the core of the projected facility, the neutron source produces spallation neutrons from a proton beam impacting dense liquid metal. The neutrons emitted from the source are used to fission Uranium targets which, in turn, produce high yields of isotopes. This technical report summarises efforts to improve the overall performance of the planned facility, by optimising the neutron source and the disposition of the fission targets.

EURISOL-DS Multi-MW Target. A proposal for improving overall performance in relation to the isotope yield

CERN Document Server

Karel Samec, Mats Lindroos, Yacine Kadi,Roberto Rocca, Cyril KharouaAB Dept. ATB

The Eurisol Design Study has been initiated by the European Commission to demonstratethe feasibility of a facility for producing large yields of exotic isotopes.At the core of the projected facility, the neutron source produces spallation neutrons from aproton beam impacting dense liquid metal. The neutrons emitted from the source are usedto fission Uranium targets which, in turn, produce high yields of isotopes.This technical report summarises efforts to improve the overall performance of the plannedfacility, by optimising the neutron source and the disposition of the fission targets.

Live performance and processing yields of broilers fed diets with tiamulin and salinomycin combinations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

SL Vieira

2010-03-01

Full Text Available A study was conducted with the objective of evaluating the combined application of tiamulin (TIA and salinomycin (SAL in broiler diets fed from 1 to 42 d of age. One thousand and two hundred Cobb x Cobb 500 male broilers were housed in 48 floor pens and fed corn-soybean meal diets containing 66 ppm of SAL combined or not with TIA at 30 or 20 and 20 or 15 ppm, respectively, in the starter (1-21 d and grower feeds (22-42 d; however, TIA was withdrawn from the feeds 7 days before slaughter. The experimental design was completely randomized with 3 treatments and 16 replicates of 25 birds each. Broilers were weekly evaluated for live performance whereas carcass yield, abdominal fat and commercial cuts were assessed at 42 d using 6 birds randomly taken from each pen. Results obtained at the end of the study demonstrated that body weight gain was not affected (P > 0.05 by the treatments, whereas feed intake was reduced (P 0.05 by the treatments. Live performance and post-slaughter yields data obtained in this study did not indicate that combinations of TIA with SAL could be detrimental. In fact, an improvement in feed conversion was observed at the lowest dose of TIA.

Microstructural and electrical changes in nickel manganite powder induced by mechanical activation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Savic, S.M., E-mail: slavicas@cms.bg.ac.rs [Institute for Multidisciplinary Research-University of Belgrade, Kneza Viseslava 1a, 11030 Belgrade (Serbia); Mancic, L. [Institute of Technical Sciences SASA, Knez Mihailova 35/IV, 11000 Belgrade (Serbia); Vojisavljevic, K. [Institute for Multidisciplinary Research-University of Belgrade, Kneza Viseslava 1a, 11030 Belgrade (Serbia); Stojanovic, G. [Faculty of Technical Sciences University of Novi Sad, Trg Dositeja Obradovica 6, 21000 Novi Sad (Serbia); Brankovic, Z.; Aleksic, O.S.; Brankovic, G. [Institute for Multidisciplinary Research-University of Belgrade, Kneza Viseslava 1a, 11030 Belgrade (Serbia)

2011-07-15

Highlights: {yields} The influence of mechanical activation on microstructure evolution in the nickel manganite powder was investigated as well as electrical properties of the sintered samples. {yields} Structural refinement obtained by Topas-Academic software based on Rietveld analysis showed that the milling process remarkably changed the powder morphology and microstructure. {yields} SEM studies of sintered samples also revealed the strong influence of milling time on ceramics density (increases with milling time). {yields} The electrical properties of ceramic samples are clearly conditioned by terms of synthesis, in our case the time of mechanical activation. {yields} The highest density and higher values of dielectric constant were achieved at the sample activated for 45 min. -- Abstract: Nickel manganite powder synthesized by calcination of a stoichiometric mixture of manganese and nickel oxide was additionally mechanically activated in a high energy planetary ball mill for 5-60 min in order to obtain a pure NiMn{sub 2}O{sub 4} phase. The as-prepared powders were uniaxially pressed into disc shape pellets and then sintered for 60 min at 1200 {sup o}C. Changes in the particle morphology induced by mechanical activation were monitored using scanning electron microscopy, while changes in powder structural characteristics were followed using X-ray powder diffraction. The ac impedance spectroscopy was performed on sintered nickel manganite samples at 25 {sup o}C, 50 {sup o}C and 80 {sup o}C. It was shown that mechanical activation intensifies transport processes causing a decrease in the average crystallites size, while longer activation times can lead to the formation of aggregates, defects and increase of lattice microstrains. The observed changes in microstructures were correlated with measured electrical properties in order to define optimal processing conditions.

Enhancing performance of a motor imagery based brain-computer interface by incorporating electrical stimulation-induced SSSEP

Science.gov (United States)

Yi, Weibo; Qiu, Shuang; Wang, Kun; Qi, Hongzhi; Zhao, Xin; He, Feng; Zhou, Peng; Yang, Jiajia; Ming, Dong

2017-04-01

Objective. We proposed a novel simultaneous hybrid brain-computer interface (BCI) by incorporating electrical stimulation into a motor imagery (MI) based BCI system. The goal of this study was to enhance the overall performance of an MI-based BCI. In addition, the brain oscillatory pattern in the hybrid task was also investigated. Approach. 64-channel electroencephalographic (EEG) data were recorded during MI, selective attention (SA) and hybrid tasks in fourteen healthy subjects. In the hybrid task, subjects performed MI with electrical stimulation which was applied to bilateral median nerve on wrists simultaneously. Main results. The hybrid task clearly presented additional steady-state somatosensory evoked potential (SSSEP) induced by electrical stimulation with MI-induced event-related desynchronization (ERD). By combining ERD and SSSEP features, the performance in the hybrid task was significantly better than in both MI and SA tasks, achieving a ~14% improvement in total relative to the MI task alone and reaching ~89% in mean classification accuracy. On the contrary, there was no significant enhancement obtained in performance while separate ERD feature was utilized in the hybrid task. In terms of the hybrid task, the performance using combined feature was significantly better than using separate ERD or SSSEP feature. Significance. The results in this work validate the feasibility of our proposed approach to form a novel MI-SSSEP hybrid BCI outperforming a conventional MI-based BCI through combing MI with electrical stimulation.

Electrical conductivity of hydrogen shocked to megabar pressures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Weir, S.T.; Nellis, W.J.; Mitchell, A.C.

1993-08-01

The properties of ultra-high pressure hydrogen have been the subject of much experimental and theoretical study. Of particular interest is the pressure-induced insulator-to-metal transition of hydrogen which, according to recent theoretical calculations, is predicted to occur by band-overlap in the pressure range of 1.5-3.0 Mbars on the zero temperature isotherm. Extremely high pressures are required for metallization since the low-pressure band gap is about 15 eV. Recent static-pressure diamond anvil cell experiments have searched for evidence of an insulator-to-metal transition, but no conclusive evidence for such a transition has yet been supplied. Providing conclusive evidence for hydrogen metallization is difficult because no technique has yet been developed for performing static high-pressure electrical conductivity experiments at megabar pressures. The authors report here on electrical conductivity experiments performed on H 2 and D 2 multi-shocked to megabar pressures. Electrical conductivities of dense fluid hydrogen at these pressures and temperatures reached are needed for calculations of the magnetic fields of Jupiter and Saturn, the magnetic fields being generated by convective dynamos of hot, dense, semiconducting fluid hydrogen. Also, since electrical conduction at the pressure-temperature conditions being studied is due to the thermal excitation of charge carriers across the electronic band gap, these experiments yield valuable information on the width of the band gap at high densities

Making the connection: The relationship between fuel poverty, electricity disconnection, and prepayment metering

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

O' Sullivan, Kimberley C., E-mail: kimberley.osullivan@otago.ac.n [Department of Public Health, University of Otago, Wellington, PO Box 7343, Wellington 6242 (New Zealand); Howden-Chapman, Philippa L.; Fougere, Geoff [Department of Public Health, University of Otago, Wellington, PO Box 7343, Wellington 6242 (New Zealand)

2011-02-15

Fuel poverty, or inability to afford adequate heating for a reasonable outlay of expenditure, is a significant and under-researched problem in New Zealand. The connection between fuel poverty, and electricity disconnection or 'self-disconnection' is analysed for four cities using prepayment metering to pay for electricity. A price comparison analysis on a government-sponsored website showed that prepayment metering was more expensive than other payment options. This website analysis was supplemented by qualitative data from older people with chronic respiratory disease expressing their views about electricity disconnection and prepayment metering. We show that prepayment metering for electricity is more expensive than other payment methods in New Zealand and that older people's insights provide valuable context to these issues. Under the present payment schedule, the use of prepayment metering to pay for electricity is not a suitable policy instrument to address fuel poverty, which remains problematic. The deregulated electricity market continues to lead to increases in the real price of residential electricity and in the number of people in fuel poverty. We offer policy suggestions for reducing fuel poverty in New Zealand. - Research highlights: {yields} Fuel poverty is a significant and under-researched problem in New Zealand. {yields} Prepayment metering is more expensive than other electricity payment options in NZ. {yields} Older people express fear of disconnection and find using prepayment stressful. {yields} Prepayment metering, as currently used in New Zealand, may contribute to fuel poverty. {yields} Better regulation of domestic pricing structures could reduce fuel poverty in NZ.

WARRIOR II, a high performance modular electric robot system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Downton, G.C.

1996-01-01

Initially designed for in-reactor welding by the Central Electricity Generating Board, WARRIOR has been developed using the concept of modular technology to become a light-weight, high performance robotic system. Research work on existing machines for in-reactor inspection and repair and heavy duty hydraulic manipulators was progressed in order to develop WARRIOR II, a versatile in-reactor welding system usable at any nuclear power station light enough to be deployed by existing remote handling equipment. WARRIOR II can be significantly reconfigured quickly to pursue different ends. (UK)

Magnetohydrodynamic flow in ducts with discontinuous electrical insulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mistrangelo, C.; Bühler, L.

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Liquid metal MHD flows in ducts with flow channel inserts. • Study of the influence of local interruption of electrical insulation. • 3D numerical simulations. - Abstract: In liquid metal blankets the interaction of the moving breeder with the intense magnetic field that confines the fusion plasma results in significant modifications of the velocity distribution and increased pressure drop compared to hydrodynamic flows. Those changes are due to the occurrence of electromagnetic forces that slow down the core flow and which are balanced by large driving pressure heads. The resulting magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) pressure losses are proportional to the electric current density induced in the fluid and they can be reduced by electrically decoupling the wall from the liquid metal. For applications to dual coolant blankets it is foreseen to loosely insert electrically insulating liners into the ducts. In long channels the insulation could consist of a number of shorter inserts, which implies a possible local interruption of the insulation. Three dimensional numerical simulations have been performed to investigate MHD flows in electrically well-conducting channels with internal discontinuous insulating inserts. The local jump in the electric conductivity of the duct wall results in induced 3D electric currents and related electromagnetic forces yielding additional pressure losses and increased velocity in boundary layers parallel to the magnetic field.

Helicity dependence of the {gamma}{yields}p{yields}{yields}n{pi}{sup +}{pi}{sup 0} reaction in the second resonance region

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ahrens, J.; Altieri, S.; Annand, J.R.M.; Anton, G.; Arends, H.-J.; Aulenbacher, K.; Beck, R.; Bradtke, C.; Braghieri, A.; Degrande, N.; D' Hose, N.; Dutz, H.; Goertz, S.; Grabmayr, P.; Hansen, K.; Harmsen, J.; Harrach, D. von; Hasegawa, S.; Hasegawa, T.; Heid, E.; Helbing, K.; Holvoet, H.; Van Hoorebeke, L.; Horikawa, N.; Iwata, T.; Jahn, O.; Jennewein, P.; Kageya, T.; Kiel, B.; Klein, F.; Kondratiev, R.; Kossert, K.; Krimmer, J.; Lang, M.; Lannoy, B.; Leukel, R.; Lisin, V.; Matsuda, T.; McGeorge, J.C.; Meier, A.; Menze, D.; Meyer, W.; Michel, T.; Naumann, J.; Panzeri, A.; Pedroni, P.; Pinelli, T.; Preobrajenski, I.; Radtke, E.; Reichert, E.; Reicherz, G.; Rohlof, Ch.; Rosner, G.; Rostomyan, T.; Rovelli, C.; Ryckbosch, D.; Sauer, M.; Schoch, B.; Schumacher, M.; Seitz, B.; Speckner, T.; Takabayashi, N.; Tamas, G.; Thomas, A.; Vyver, R. van de; Wakai, A.; Weihofen, W.; Wissmann, F.; Zapadtka, F.; Zeitler, G

2003-01-02

The helicity dependence of the total cross section for the {gamma}{yields}p{yields}{yields}n{pi}{sup +}{pi}{sup 0} reaction has been measured for the first time at incident photon energies from 400 to 800 MeV. The measurement was performed with the large acceptance detector DAPHNE at the tagged photon beam facility of the MAMI accelerator in Mainz. This channel is found to be excited predominantly when the photon and proton have a parallel spin orientation, due to the intermediate production of the D{sub 13} resonance.

A study on the implementation of the performance of electrical products standards

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Berkowitz, M A

1984-03-01

The Steering Committee on Electrical Products (SCOPEP) has developed a number of performance standards for selected electrical products and product attributes, under the direction of the Canadian Standards Association. Although the development of these standards shows that a successful standards writing process is in place, the initiation and implementation has been achieved by one or more stakeholder groups spearheading the requirement for the standard. As a result, SCOPEP has been unable to achieve its full potential in its role of developing peformance standards for electrical products. A study was undertaken with the aim of developing a strategic plan for SCOPEP which would be supported by marketing and other strategies. The major elements of the strategy include: selecting those products for which the benefits of a standards program significantly outweigh the costs; agreeing on the use of a framework which rigorously evaluates the cost-benefits of developing performance standards; producing a critical mass of products through the selection process so that revenues from label fees will ultimately balance program costs and support a full time SCOPEP secretariat; aggressively marketing the standards in all sectors, using a balanced push-and-pull strategy; and developing a protagonist attitude so that standards programs implemented are credible to all SCOPEP stakeholders. Detailed cost-benefit tables are appended. 11 figs., 18 tabs.

Influence of growing conditions at different latitudes of Europe on strawberry growth performance, yield and quality

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Krüger, E.; Josuttis, M.; Nestby, R.

2012-01-01

The site effect of five locations from north (Stjørdal, Norway, 63°36'N) to south (Ancona, Italy, 43°31'N) was evaluated in strawberry regarding yield performance, fruit quality, length of fruit developing time from anthesis to harvest start and length of the harvest season. Cv. Elsanta was grown...

Assessing students’ conceptual knowledge of electricity and magnetism

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michele W. McColgan

2017-10-01

Full Text Available 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.

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

Science.gov (United States)

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.

Systems Engineering Technology Readiness Assessment of Hybrid-Electric Technologies for Tactical Wheeled Vehicles

Science.gov (United States)

2014-09-01

reasonable yield within this decade. Similarly, the permanent magnet motors , which are desirable for traction due to their high efficiency, must also be...degrees C and 180 degrees C (RDECOM Public Affairs 2014). Current electric drive vehicles, using permanent magnet motors , have thermal limitations well...performance and their good efficiency, benefits particularly applicable to permanent magnet motors . Synchronous motors with permanent magnets, in

Assessing the Performance of MODIS NDVI and EVI for Seasonal Crop Yield Forecasting at the Ecodistrict Scale

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Louis Kouadio

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Crop yield forecasting plays a vital role in coping with the challenges of the impacts of climate change on agriculture. Improvements in the timeliness and accuracy of yield forecasting by incorporating near real-time remote sensing data and the use of sophisticated statistical methods can improve our capacity to respond effectively to these challenges. The objectives of this study were (i to investigate the use of derived vegetation indices for the yield forecasting of spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L. from the Moderate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS at the ecodistrict scale across Western Canada with the Integrated Canadian Crop Yield Forecaster (ICCYF; and (ii to compare the ICCYF-model based forecasts and their accuracy across two spatial scales-the ecodistrict and Census Agricultural Region (CAR, namely in CAR with previously reported ICCYF weak performance. Ecodistricts are areas with distinct climate, soil, landscape and ecological aspects, whereas CARs are census-based/statistically-delineated areas. Agroclimate variables combined respectively with MODIS-NDVI and MODIS-EVI indices were used as inputs for the in-season yield forecasting of spring wheat during the 2000–2010 period. Regression models were built based on a procedure of a leave-one-year-out. The results showed that both agroclimate + MODIS-NDVI and agroclimate + MODIS-EVI performed equally well predicting spring wheat yield at the ECD scale. The mean absolute error percentages (MAPE of the models selected from both the two data sets ranged from 2% to 33% over the study period. The model efficiency index (MEI varied between −1.1 and 0.99 and −1.8 and 0.99, respectively for the agroclimate + MODIS-NDVI and agroclimate + MODIS-EVI data sets. Moreover, significant improvement in forecasting skill (with decreasing MAPE of 40% and 5 times increasing MEI, on average was obtained at the finer, ecodistrict spatial scale, compared to the coarser CAR scale. Forecast

Key performance indicators for electric mining shovels and oil sands diggability

Science.gov (United States)

Patnayak, Sibabrata

A shovel performance monitoring study was undertaken in two oil sands mines operated by Syncrude Canada Ltd. using performance data obtained from P&H 4100 TS and BOSS electric mining shovels. One year of shovel performance data along with geological, geotechnical, and climatic data were analyzed. The approach adopted was to use current and voltage data collected from hoist and crowd motors and to calculate the energy and/or power associated with digging. Analysis of performance data along with digital video records of operating shovels indicated that hoist and crowd motor voltages and currents can be used to identify the beginning and the end of individual dig cycles. A dig cycle identification algorithm was developed. Performance indicators such as dig cycle time, hoist motor energy and power, and crowd motor energy and power were determined. The shovel performance indicators provide important insight into how geology, equipment and operators affect the digging efficiency. The hoist motor power is a useful key performance indicator for assessing diggability. Hoist motor energy consumption per tonne of material excavated and the number of dig cycles required for loading a truck can be useful key performance indicators for assessing operator performance and productivity. Analysis of performance data along with operators team schedules showed that the performance of a shovel can be significantly influenced by the operator's digging technique while digging uniform material. Up to 25% variability in hoist motor power consumption and 50% variability in productivity was noted between different operators. Shovel type and dipper teeth configuration can also influence the power draw on electrical motors during digging. There is no common agreement existing on the influence of bitumen content on oil sands diggability. By comparing the hoist motor power consumption, it was found that the rich ore was more difficult to dig than the lean ore. Similarly, estuarine ore was more

The Impact of Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) Regulation on Electricity Saving in Malaysia

Science.gov (United States)

Fatihah Salleh, Siti; Eqwan Roslan, Mohd; Isa, Aishah Mohd; Faizal Basri Nair, Mohd; Syafiqah Salleh, Siti

2018-03-01

One of Malaysia’s key strategies to promote efficient energy use in the country is to implement the minimum energy performance standards (MEPS) through the Electricity Regulations (Amendment) 2013. Five selected electrical appliances (refrigerator, air conditioner, television, domestic fans and lamp fittings) must comply with MEPS requirement in order to be sold in Malaysian market. Manufacturers, importers or distributors are issued Certificate of Approval (COA) if products are MEPS-compliant. In 2015, 1,215 COAs were issued but the number of MEPS products in the market is unknown. This work collects sales data from major manufacturers to estimate the annual sales of MEPS appliances and the cumulative electricity consumption and electricity saving. It was found that most products sold have 3-star rating and above. By year 2015, total cumulative electricity savings gained from MEPS implementation is 3,645 GWh, with air conditioner being the highest contributor (30%). In the future, it is recommended that more MEPS products and related incentives be introduced to further improve efficiency of energy use in Malaysia.

The effects of high frequency current ripple on electric vehicle battery performance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Uddin, Kotub; Moore, Andrew D.; Barai, Anup; Marco, James

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Experimental study into the impact of current ripple on li-ion battery degradation. • 15 cells exercised with 1200 cycles coupled AC–DC signals, at 5 frequencies. • Results highlight a greater spread of degradation for cells exposed to AC excitation. • Implications for BMS control, thermal management and system integration. - Abstract: The power electronic subsystems within electric vehicle (EV) powertrains are required to manage both the energy flows within the vehicle and the delivery of torque by the electrical machine. Such systems are known to generate undesired electrical noise on the high voltage bus. High frequency current oscillations, or ripple, if unhindered will enter the vehicle’s battery system. Real-world measurements of the current on the high voltage bus of a series hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) show that significant current perturbations ranging from 10 Hz to in excess of 10 kHz are present. Little is reported within the academic literature about the potential impact on battery system performance and the rate of degradation associated with exposing the battery to coupled direct current (DC) and alternating currents (AC). This paper documents an experimental investigation that studies the long-term impact of current ripple on battery performance degradation. Initial results highlight that both capacity fade and impedance rise progressively increase as the frequency of the superimposed AC current increases. A further conclusion is that the spread of degradation for cells cycled with a coupled AC–DC signal is considerably more than for cells exercised with a traditional DC waveform. The underlying causality for this degradation is not yet understood. However, this has important implications for the battery management system (BMS). Increased variations in cell capacity and impedance will cause differential current flows and heat generation within the battery pack that if not properly managed will further reduce battery life

Analysis of the static yield stress for giant electrorheological fluids

Science.gov (United States)

Seo, Youngwook P.; Choi, Hyoung Jin; Seo, Yongsok

2017-08-01

Cheng et al. (2010)'s experimental results for the static yield stress of giant electrorheological (GER) fluids over the full range of electric field strengths were reanalyzed by applying Seo's scaling function which could include both the polarization and the conductivity models. The Seo's scaling function could correctly fit the yield stress behavior of GER suspensions behavior after if a proper normalization of the yield stress data was taken which collapse them onto a single curve. The model predictions were also contrasted with recently proposed Choi et al.'s scaling function to rouse the attention for a proper consideration of the GER fluid mechanisms.

Electrical testing and performance evaluation of 1:1 prototype JET ELM control coils

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kanabar, Deven, E-mail: deven@ipr.res.in; Roy, Swati; Ghate, Mahesh; Raj, Piyush; Kundu, Ananya; Kumar, Nitish; Bhavsar, Dhaval; Panchal, Arun; Pradhan, Subrata, E-mail: pradhan@ipr.res.in

2016-12-15

Highlights: • An appropriate 1:1 prototype Small and Large ELM coils for JET have been successfully manufactured using indigenous technologies. • ELM coils have been tested extensively to verify and validated their performance with respect to operational requirement of JET. • The test results confirm and validate the electrical performance of ELM coils. - Abstract: Magnet Technology Development Division at Institute for Plasma research is engaged in extensive R & D for appropriate technologies towards manufacturing of Edge Localized Mode (ELM) magnets for Large Tokamak such as Joint European Torus (JET) as well as for Steady State Superconducting Tokamak (SST-1). Under this project, manufacturing of 1:1 prototype of Large and Small JET ELM control coils (CC) is completed incorporating indigenously developed manufacturing and insulation technologies. Performance evaluation of both the types of coil has been completed for its current carrying capability and insulation resistance as required by various operational scenarios of JET. Experimental setups, test procedures and measurements for electrical characterization of both type of ELM control coil has been discussed in this paper.

Electrical testing and performance evaluation of 1:1 prototype JET ELM control coils

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kanabar, Deven; Roy, Swati; Ghate, Mahesh; Raj, Piyush; Kundu, Ananya; Kumar, Nitish; Bhavsar, Dhaval; Panchal, Arun; Pradhan, Subrata

2016-01-01

Highlights: • An appropriate 1:1 prototype Small and Large ELM coils for JET have been successfully manufactured using indigenous technologies. • ELM coils have been tested extensively to verify and validated their performance with respect to operational requirement of JET. • The test results confirm and validate the electrical performance of ELM coils. - Abstract: Magnet Technology Development Division at Institute for Plasma research is engaged in extensive R & D for appropriate technologies towards manufacturing of Edge Localized Mode (ELM) magnets for Large Tokamak such as Joint European Torus (JET) as well as for Steady State Superconducting Tokamak (SST-1). Under this project, manufacturing of 1:1 prototype of Large and Small JET ELM control coils (CC) is completed incorporating indigenously developed manufacturing and insulation technologies. Performance evaluation of both the types of coil has been completed for its current carrying capability and insulation resistance as required by various operational scenarios of JET. Experimental setups, test procedures and measurements for electrical characterization of both type of ELM control coil has been discussed in this paper.

Electrical resistivity testing for as-built concrete performance assessment of chloride penetration resistance

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Polder, R.B.; Peelen, W.H.A.

2014-01-01

The electrical resistivity of concrete can provide information about its transport properties, which is relevant for durability performance. For example, resistivity is inversely proportional to chloride diffusion, at least within similar concrete compositions. A methodology is proposed for on-site

A State of the Art Review- Methods to Evaluate Electrical Performance of Composite Cross-arms and Composite-based Pylons

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wang, Qian; Bak, Claus Leth; Silva, Filipe Miguel Faria da

2016-01-01

A novel uni-body composite pylon has been proposed for 400 kV transmission lines with advantages of compacted size, friendly looking and cost competitiveness. As its configuration is quite different from the traditional lattice pylon, its electrical performance needs in-depth investigation...... and evaluation, for which electrical testing methods are essential. However, as research on composite-based pylons is still in initial stage, leaving international standards and theoretical analysis on this topic very limited, effective testing methods to evaluate the fully composite pylon’s electrical...... performance need to be studied. This paper sums up experience and key advances on testing methods to evaluate electrical performance of composite cross-arms and composite-based pylons. Based on state of the art review, several feasible testing methods that can be used to verify the feasibility of the novel...

What is the best practice for benchmark regulation of electricity distribution? Comparison of DEA, SFA and StoNED methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuosmanen, Timo; Saastamoinen, Antti; Sipiläinen, Timo

2013-01-01

Electricity distribution is a natural local monopoly. In many countries, the regulators of this sector apply frontier methods such as data envelopment analysis (DEA) or stochastic frontier analysis (SFA) to estimate the efficient cost of operation. In Finland, a new StoNED method was adopted in 2012. This paper compares DEA, SFA and StoNED in the context of regulating electricity distribution. Using data from Finland, we compare the impacts of methodological choices on cost efficiency estimates and acceptable cost. While the efficiency estimates are highly correlated, the cost targets reveal major differences. In addition, we examine performance of the methods by Monte Carlo simulations. We calibrate the data generation process (DGP) to closely match the empirical data and the model specification of the regulator. We find that the StoNED estimator yields a root mean squared error (RMSE) of 4% with the sample size 100. Precision improves as the sample size increases. The DEA estimator yields an RMSE of approximately 10%, but performance deteriorates as the sample size increases. The SFA estimator has an RMSE of 144%. The poor performance of SFA is due to the wrong functional form and multicollinearity. - Highlights: • We compare DEA, SFA and StoNED methods in the context of regulation of electricity distribution. • Both empirical comparisons and Monte Carlo simulations are presented. • Choice of benchmarking method has a significant economic impact on the regulatory outcomes. • StoNED yields the most precise results in the Monte Carlo simulations. • Five lessons concerning heterogeneity, noise, frontier, simulations, and implementation

Estimates of the relative specific yield of aquifers from geo-electrical ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This paper discusses a method of estimating aquifer specific yield based on surface resistivity sounding measurements supplemented with data on water conductivity. The practical aim of the method is to suggest a parallel low cost method of estimating aquifer properties. The starting point is the Archie's law, which relates ...

Performance issues for a changing electric power industry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1995-01-01

Extremely cold weather created record demands for electricity in the eastern two-thirds of the United States during the week of January 16, 1994. Fuel-related problems, mostly the result of transportation constraints resulting from ice accumulation on roads and water-ways, and unexpected generating capacity outages at utilities and nonutilities resulted in demand not being met. Some utilities asked nonessential customers along with State governments and a portion of the Federal Government to shut down. Two electric control areas, the Pennsylvania-New Jersey-Maryland Interconnection (PJM) and Virginia Electric & Power Company (VEPCO), instituted rolling blackouts. This disturbance was reported widely in the press and, along with other disturbances, peaked renewed interest in the reliability of the electric power system. The renewed interest in reliability has coincided with substantial changes that are beginning to occur in the structure and competitiveness of the electric power industry. Juxtaposing the question of reliability and the issue of changing industry structure leads to the central concern of this report: What effect, if any, will the changing structure of the industry have on the reliability of the system?

Comparison performance of split plug-in hybrid electric vehicle and hybrid electric vehicle using ADVISOR

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohd Rashid Muhammad Ikram

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Electric vehicle suffers from relatively short range and long charging times and consequently has not become an acceptable solution to the automotive consumer. The addition of an internal combustion engine to extend the range of the electric vehicle is one method of exploiting the high efficiency and lack of emissions of the electric vehicle while retaining the range and convenient refuelling times of a conventional gasoline powered vehicle. The term that describes this type of vehicle is a hybrid electric vehicle. Many configurations of hybrid electric vehicles have been designed and implemented, namely the series, parallel and power-split configurations. This paper discusses the comparison between Split Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle(SPHEV and Hybrid Electric Vehicle(HEV. Modelling methods such as physics-based Resistive Companion Form technique and Bond Graph method are presented with powertrain component and system modelling examples. The modelling and simulation capability of existing tools such as ADvanced VehIcle SimulatOR (ADVISOR is demonstrated through application examples. Since power electronics is indispensable in hybrid vehicles, the issue of numerical oscillations in dynamic simulations involving power electronics is briefly addressed.

Life cycle environmental performance of miscanthus gasification versus other technologies for electricity production

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nguyen, T Lan T; Hermansen, John Erik

2015-01-01

In this paper, the life cycle environmental performance of miscanthus gasification for electricity production in Denmark is evaluated and compared with that of direct combustion and anaerobic digestion. Furthermore, the results obtained are compared to those of natural gas to assess the potential...

Evaluation of Yield and Yield Attributes of Five Sweet Potato ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

0087, and TIS 2532.OP.1.13) were evaluated for yield and agronomic performance in Imo State University Farm, Owerri. The experiment was laid out in a randomised complete block design with three replications. The planting density was 33,000 ...

Free ion yield observed in liquid isooctane irradiated by γ rays. Comparison with the Onsager theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pardo, J; Franco, L; Gomez, F; Iglesias, A; Lobato, R; Mosquera, J; Pazos, A; Pena, J; Pombar, M; RodrIguez, A; Sendon, J

2004-01-01

We have analysed data on the free ion yield observed in liquid isooctane irradiated by 60 Co γ rays within the framework of the Onsager theory about initial recombination. Several distribution functions describing the electron thermalization distance have been used and compared with the experimental results: a delta function, a Gaussian-type function and an exponential function. A linear dependence between the free ion yield and the external electric field has been found at low-electric-field values (E ≤ 1.2 x 10 3 V mm -1 ) in excellent agreement with the Onsager theory. At higher electric field values, we obtain a solution in power series of the external field using the Onsager theory

Free ion yield observed in liquid isooctane irradiated by {gamma} rays. Comparison with the Onsager theory

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pardo, J [Departamento de FIsica de PartIculas, Facultade de FIsica, 15782 Santiago de Compostela (Spain); Franco, L [Departamento de FIsica de PartIculas, Facultade de FIsica, 15782 Santiago de Compostela (Spain); Gomez, F [Departamento de FIsica de PartIculas, Facultade de FIsica, 15782 Santiago de Compostela (Spain); Iglesias, A [Departamento de FIsica de PartIculas, Facultade de FIsica, 15782 Santiago de Compostela (Spain); Lobato, R [Hospital ClInico Universitario de Santiago, Santiago de Compostela (Spain); Mosquera, J [Hospital ClInico Universitario de Santiago, Santiago de Compostela (Spain); Pazos, A [Departamento de FIsica de PartIculas, Facultade de FIsica, 15782 Santiago de Compostela (Spain); Pena, J [Departamento de FIsica de PartIculas, Facultade de FIsica, 15782 Santiago de Compostela (Spain); Pombar, M [Hospital ClInico Universitario de Santiago, Santiago de Compostela (Spain); RodrIguez, A [Departamento de FIsica de PartIculas, Facultade de FIsica, 15782 Santiago de Compostela (Spain); Sendon, J [Hospital ClInico Universitario de Santiago, Santiago de Compostela (Spain)

2004-05-21

We have analysed data on the free ion yield observed in liquid isooctane irradiated by {sup 60}Co {gamma} rays within the framework of the Onsager theory about initial recombination. Several distribution functions describing the electron thermalization distance have been used and compared with the experimental results: a delta function, a Gaussian-type function and an exponential function. A linear dependence between the free ion yield and the external electric field has been found at low-electric-field values (E {<=} 1.2 x 10{sup 3} V mm{sup -1}) in excellent agreement with the Onsager theory. At higher electric field values, we obtain a solution in power series of the external field using the Onsager theory.

Performance and carcass yield of crossbred dairy steers fed diets with different levels of concentrate.

Science.gov (United States)

da Silva, Gabriel Santana; Chaves Véras, Antônia Sherlanea; de Andrade Ferreira, Marcelo; Moreira Dutra, Wilson; Menezes Wanderley Neves, Maria Luciana; Oliveira Souza, Evaristo Jorge; Ramos de Carvalho, Francisco Fernando; de Lima, Dorgival Morais

2015-10-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of diets with increasing concentrate levels (170, 340, 510 and 680 g/kg of total dry matter) on dry matter intake, digestibility, performance and carcass characteristics of 25 Holstein-Zebu crossbred dairy steers in a feedlot. A completely randomized design was used, and data were submitted to analysis of variance and regression. The dry matter intake and digestibility coefficients of all nutrients increased linearly. The total weight gain and average daily gain added 1.16 kg and 9.90 g, respectively, for each 10 g/kg increase in concentrate. The empty body weight, hot carcass weight and cold carcass weight responded linearly to increasing concentrate. The hot carcass yield and cold carcass yield, gains in empty body weight and carcass gain were also influenced, as were the efficiencies of carcass deposition and carcass deposition rate. It is concluded that increasing concentrate levels in feedlot diets increase the intake and digestibility of dry matter and other nutrients, improving the feed efficiency, performance and physical characteristics of the carcass. Furthermore and of importance concerning the climate change debate, evidence from the literature indicates that enteric methane production would be reduced with increasing concentrate levels such as those used.

Yield Performance of Some Cowpea Varieties under Sole and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Nekky Umera

The mean number of pod/plant, pod weight and seed yield of the cowpea varieties ... pattern of peasant farmers in Nigeria. Some of the advantages ... in maize-pigeon pea intercropping system as compared to sole crops. While intercropping ...

Performance, carcass yield, and meat quality of free-range broilers fed wet grain corn silage

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

ESPB Saldanha

2006-06-01

Full Text Available This study aimed at evaluating the effect of total replacement of dry corn by wet grain corn silage (WGCS in the feed of label broilers older than 28 days of age on performance, mortality, carcass, parts, breast meat and thighs meat yields, and meat quality. A mixed-sex flock of 448 ISA S 757-N (naked-neck ISA JA Label day-old chicks was randomly distributed in to randomized block experimental design with four treatments (T1 - with no WGCS; T2 - WGCS between 28 and 83 days; T3 - WGCS between 42 and 83 days; and T4 - WGCS between 63 and 83 days and four replicates of 28 birds each. Birds were raised under the same management and feeding conditions until 28 days of age, when they started to have free access to paddock with pasture (at least 3m²/bird and to be fed the experimental diets. Feed and water were offered ad libitum throughout the rearing period, which was divided in three stages: starter (1 to 28 days, grower (29 to 63 days, and finisher (64 to 83 days according to the feeding schedule. During the short periods of WGCS use (group T2 during grower stage and T4 during the finisher stage, performance and mortality results were similar as to those of the control group (T1. At the end of the experiment, it was observed that the extended use of WGCS (T2 and T3 determined a negative effect on feed conversion ratio. However, the best results of breast meat yield were observed with birds fed WGCS since 28 days (T2. It was concluded that WGCS can replace dry corn grain for short periods during the grower and finisher stages with no impairment of meat quality and yield in slow growth broilers.

Density responses and spatial distribution of cotton yield and yield components in jujube (Zizyphus jujube)/cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) agroforestry

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wang, Qi; Han, Shuo; Zhang, Lizhen; Zhang, Dongsheng; Werf, van der Wopke; Evers, Jochem B.; Sun, Hongquan; Su, Zhicheng; Zhang, Siping

2016-01-01

Trees are the dominant species in agroforestry systems, profoundly affecting the performance of understory crops. Proximity to trees is a key factor in crop performance, but rather little information is available on the spatial distribution of yield and yield components of crop species under the

Simulating Study on Drive System Performance for Hybrid Electric Bus Based on ADVISOR

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wang Xingxing

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Hybrid electric bus has a number of advantages when compared with ordinary passenger cars, but in the dynamic matching and the vehicle performance are difficult to detect, thus limits its development process. In this paper, combined with the actual models, the hybrid electric bus module parameters were modified in the software of ADVISOR (Advanced Vehicle Simulator, main including: module of the vehicle, the wheel module, motor module, a battery module and engine module, three kinds of bus models for A, B and C were established, and the related performance that need to be analyzed was set up, such as acceleration, gradability, emissions and energy utilization and so on, in order to ensure the vehicle running in the same environment and convenient for comparison, a fixed vehicle driving cycles was chose, then the simulation results was analyzed, and the various performance was compared with the dynamic indicators and economic indicators which determined by referencing of traditional city bus standard and each other, and finally, the performance optimal model of B was chose out which can meet the demand, its related performance parameters of the simulation results are as follows: the best gradability is 26%, maximum speed is 72.7km/h, maximum acceleration is 1.7m/s2, 0~50km/h acceleration time is 9.5s and fuel consumption is 25L/km.

Growth Performance, Yields and Economic Benefits of Nile Tilapia ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

fish culture integration in the growth, yields and economic benefits of fish and vegetables. Two 200 m2 earthen fishponds were stocked with Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus at 20,000 fish fingerlings per hectare. Pond A was fertilized with ...

Energy, Environmental and Economic Performance of a Micro-trigeneration System upon Varying the Electric Vehicle Charging Profiles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sergio Sibilio

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The widespread adoption of electric vehicles and electric heat pumps would result in radically different household electrical demand characteristics, while also possibly posing a threat to the stability of the electrical grid. In this paper, a micro-trigeneration system (composed of a 6.0 kWel cogeneration device feeding a 4.5 kWcool electric air-cooled vapor compression water chiller serving an Italian residential multi-family house was investigated by using the dynamic simulation software TRNSYS. The charging of an electric vehicle was considered by analyzing a set of seven electric vehicle charging profiles representing different scenarios. The simulations were performed in order to evaluate the capability of micro-cogeneration technology in: alleviating the impact on the electric infrastructure (a; saving primary energy (b; reducing the carbon dioxide equivalent emissions (c and determining the operating costs in comparison to a conventional supply system based on separate energy production (d.

Turkey's short-term gross annual electricity demand forecast by fuzzy logic approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kucukali, Serhat; Baris, Kemal

2010-01-01

This paper aims to forecast Turkey's short-term gross annual electricity demand by applying fuzzy logic methodology while general information on economical, political and electricity market conditions of the country is also given. Unlike most of the other forecast models about Turkey's electricity demand, which usually uses more than one parameter, gross domestic product (GDP) based on purchasing power parity was the only parameter used in the model. Proposed model made good predictions and captured the system dynamic behavior covering the years of 1970-2014. The model yielded average absolute relative errors of 3.9%. Furthermore, the model estimates a 4.5% decrease in electricity demand of Turkey in 2009 and the electricity demand growth rates are projected to be about 4% between 2010 and 2014. It is concluded that forecasting the Turkey's short-term gross electricity demand with the country's economic performance will provide more reliable projections. Forecasting the annual electricity consumption of a country could be made by any designer with the help of the fuzzy logic procedure described in this paper. The advantage of this model lies on the ability to mimic the human thinking and reasoning.

Performance Characteristics of a Modularized and Integrated PTC Heating System for an Electric Vehicle

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yoon Hyuk Shin

2015-12-01

Full Text Available A modularized positive temperature coefficient heating system has controller-integrated heater modules. Such a heating system that uses a high-voltage power of 330 V was developed in the present study for use in electric vehicles. Four heater modules and one controller with an input power of 5.6 kW were integrated in the modularized system, which was designed for improved heating power density and light weight compared to the conventional heating system, in which the controller is separated. We experimentally investigated the performance characteristics, namely, the heating capacity, energy efficiency, and pressure drop, of a prototype of the developed heating system and found it to have satisfactory performance. The findings of this study will contribute to the development of heating systems for electric vehicles.

Study of the electrical and thermal performances of photovoltaic thermal collector-compound parabolic concentrated

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ahed Hameed Jaaz

2018-06-01

Full Text Available The importance of utilizing the solar energy as a very suitable source among multi-source approaches to replace the conventional energy is on the rise in the last four decades. The invention of the photovoltaic module (PV could be the corner stone in this process. However, the limited amount of energy obtained from PV was and still the main challenge of full utilization of the solar energy. In this paper, the use of the compound parabolic concentrator (CPC along with the thermal photovoltaic module (PVT where the cooling process of the CPC is conducted using a novel technique of water jet impingement has applied experimentally and physically tested. The test includes the effect of water jet impingement on the total power, electrical efficiency, thermal efficiency, and total efficiency on CPC-PVT system. The cooling process at the maximum irradiation by water jet impingement resulted in improving the electrical efficiency by 7%, total output power by 31% and the thermal efficiency by 81%. These results outperform the recent highest results recorded by the most recent work. Keywords: Photovoltaic thermal collectors, Electrical performance, Thermal performance, Compound parabolic concentrator, Jet impingement

Sub-millimeter arbitrary arrangements of monolithically micro-scale electrical double layer capacitors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Laszczyk, Karolina U; Kazufumi, Kobashi; Sakurai, Shunsuke; Sekiguchi, Atsuko; Futaba, Don N; Yamada, Takeo; Hata, Kenji

2015-01-01

We report the investigation on the reproducibility of micro-scale electric double layer capacitors (micro-EDLCs). The micro-EDLC components were fabricated parallel using photolithography, wet and dry processing. Electrodes of the micro-EDLCs are highly dense packed Single Wall Carbon Nanotubes (SWCNTs) that form a mesh structure. The micro- EDLCs are connected 1-10 in series and in parallel being unified electrical circuits to tune the capacitance and the operational voltage. To confirm the reproducibility of the cells as well as the yield we performed electrochemical measurements in order to define the performance uniformity between cells strings and individual cells connected in a string. For 1-10 cells in series and in parallel the trends for the capacitance and operational voltage satisfied electrophysics rules governing cells addition. However, the measurements of the individual cells in a string revealed the significant performance discrepancy that might result in a shorten life cycling of a circuit. (paper)

Sub-millimeter arbitrary arrangements of monolithically micro-scale electrical double layer capacitors

Science.gov (United States)

Laszczyk, Karolina U.; Kazufumi, Kobashi; Sakurai, Shunsuke; Sekiguchi, Atsuko; Futaba, Don N.; Yamada, Takeo; Hata, Kenji

2015-12-01

We report the investigation on the reproducibility of micro-scale electric double layer capacitors (micro-EDLCs). The micro-EDLC components were fabricated parallel using photolithography, wet and dry processing. Electrodes of the micro-EDLCs are highly dense packed Single Wall Carbon Nanotubes (SWCNTs) that form a mesh structure. The micro- EDLCs are connected 1-10 in series and in parallel being unified electrical circuits to tune the capacitance and the operational voltage. To confirm the reproducibility of the cells as well as the yield we performed electrochemical measurements in order to define the performance uniformity between cells strings and individual cells connected in a string. For 1-10 cells in series and in parallel the trends for the capacitance and operational voltage satisfied electrophysics rules governing cells addition. However, the measurements of the individual cells in a string revealed the significant performance discrepancy that might result in a shorten life cycling of a circuit.

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

Science.gov (United States)

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.

Electrical and Self-Sensing Properties of Ultra-High-Performance Fiber-Reinforced Concrete with Carbon Nanotubes

OpenAIRE

You, Ilhwan; Yoo, Doo-Yeol; Kim, Soonho; Kim, Min-Jae; Zi, Goangseup

2017-01-01

This study examined the electrical and self-sensing capacities of ultra-high-performance fiber-reinforced concrete (UHPFRC) with and without carbon nanotubes (CNTs). For this, the effects of steel fiber content, orientation, and pore water content on the electrical and piezoresistive properties of UHPFRC without CNTs were first evaluated. Then, the effect of CNT content on the self-sensing capacities of UHPFRC under compression and flexure was investigated. Test results indicated that higher ...

Charge yield for cobalt-60 and 10-keV x-ray irradiations of MOS devices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shaneyfelt, M.R.; Fleetwood, D.M.; Schwank, J.R.; Hughes, K.L.

1991-01-01

In this paper the radiation response of MOS devices exposed to 60 Co and low-energy (∼10 keV) x-ray irradiation is evaluated as a function of electric field during exposure. Improved charge yield estimates are obtained for 60 Co irradiations at fields below 1 MV/cm by matching voltage shifts due to oxide-trap and interface-trap charge to an E -0.55 electric field dependence. Combining these improved charge yield estimates and calculated dose enhancement factors, the relative response of x-ray to 60 Co irradiations is accurately predicted for oxide electric fields from 0.03 MV/cm to 5.0 MV/cm. The ability to predict the relative response of x-ray to 60 Co irradiations should speed acceptance of x-ray testers as a hardness assurance tool

Electrification Futures Study: End-Use Electric Technology Cost and Performance Projections through 2050

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vimmerstedt, Laura J. [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Jadun, Paige [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); McMillan, Colin A. [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Steinberg, Daniel C. [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Muratori, Matteo [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Mai, Trieu T. [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

2018-01-02

This report provides projected cost and performance assumptions for electric technologies considered in the Electrification Futures Study, a detailed and comprehensive analysis of the effects of widespread electrification of end-use service demands in all major economic sectors - transportation, residential and commercial buildings, and industry - for the contiguous United States through 2050. Using extensive literature searches and expert assessment, the authors identify slow, moderate, and rapid technology advancement sensitivities on technology cost and performance, and they offer a comparative analysis of levelized cost metrics as a reference indicator of total costs. The identification and characterization of these end-use service demand technologies is fundamental to the Electrification Futures Study. This report, the larger Electrification Futures Study, and the associated data and methodologies may be useful to planners and analysts in evaluating the potential role of electrification in an uncertain future. The report could be broadly applicable for other analysts and researchers who wish to assess electrification and electric technologies.

Computer modeling of electrical and thermal performance during bipolar pulsed radiofrequency for pain relief

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pérez, Juan J.; Pérez-Cajaraville, Juan J.; Muñoz, Víctor; Berjano, Enrique

2014-01-01

Purpose: Pulsed RF (PRF) is a nonablative technique for treating neuropathic pain. Bipolar PRF application is currently aimed at creating a “strip lesion” to connect the electrode tips; however, the electrical and thermal performance during bipolar PRF is currently unknown. The objective of this paper was to study the temperature and electric field distributions during bipolar PRF. Methods: The authors developed computer models to study temperature and electric field distributions during bipolar PRF and to assess the possible ablative thermal effect caused by the accumulated temperature spikes, along with any possible electroporation effects caused by the electrical field. The authors also modeled the bipolar ablative mode, known as bipolar Continuous Radiofrequency (CRF), in order to compare both techniques. Results: There were important differences between CRF and PRF in terms of electrical and thermal performance. In bipolar CRF: (1) the initial temperature of the tissue impacts on temperature progress and hence on the thermal lesion dimension; and (2) at 37 °C, 6-min of bipolar CRF creates a strip thermal lesion between the electrodes when these are separated by a distance of up to 20 mm. In bipolar PRF: (1) an interelectrode distance shorter than 5 mm produces thermal damage (i.e., ablative effect) in the intervening tissue after 6 min of bipolar RF; and (2) the possible electroporation effect (electric fields higher than 150 kV m −1 ) would be exclusively circumscribed to a very small zone of tissue around the electrode tip. Conclusions: The results suggest that (1) the clinical parameters considered to be suitable for bipolar CRF should not necessarily be considered valid for bipolar PRF, and vice versa; and (2) the ablative effect of the CRF mode is mainly due to its much greater level of delivered energy than is the case in PRF, and therefore at same applied energy levels, CRF, and PRF are expected to result in same outcomes in terms of thermal

Computer modeling of electrical and thermal performance during bipolar pulsed radiofrequency for pain relief

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pérez, Juan J. [Instituto de Investigación Interuniversitario en Bioingeniería y Tecnología Orientada al Ser Humano, Universitat Politècnica de València, Valencia 46022 (Spain); Pérez-Cajaraville, Juan J. [Pain Unit and Department of Anesthesia and Critical Care, Clínica Universidad de Navarra, University of Navarra, Pamplona 31008 (Spain); Muñoz, Víctor [Neurotherm Spain, Barcelona 08303 (Spain); Berjano, Enrique, E-mail: eberjano@eln.upv.es [Biomedical Synergy, Electronic Engineering Department, Universitat Politècnica de València 46022 (Spain)

2014-07-15

Purpose: Pulsed RF (PRF) is a nonablative technique for treating neuropathic pain. Bipolar PRF application is currently aimed at creating a “strip lesion” to connect the electrode tips; however, the electrical and thermal performance during bipolar PRF is currently unknown. The objective of this paper was to study the temperature and electric field distributions during bipolar PRF. Methods: The authors developed computer models to study temperature and electric field distributions during bipolar PRF and to assess the possible ablative thermal effect caused by the accumulated temperature spikes, along with any possible electroporation effects caused by the electrical field. The authors also modeled the bipolar ablative mode, known as bipolar Continuous Radiofrequency (CRF), in order to compare both techniques. Results: There were important differences between CRF and PRF in terms of electrical and thermal performance. In bipolar CRF: (1) the initial temperature of the tissue impacts on temperature progress and hence on the thermal lesion dimension; and (2) at 37 °C, 6-min of bipolar CRF creates a strip thermal lesion between the electrodes when these are separated by a distance of up to 20 mm. In bipolar PRF: (1) an interelectrode distance shorter than 5 mm produces thermal damage (i.e., ablative effect) in the intervening tissue after 6 min of bipolar RF; and (2) the possible electroporation effect (electric fields higher than 150 kV m{sup −1}) would be exclusively circumscribed to a very small zone of tissue around the electrode tip. Conclusions: The results suggest that (1) the clinical parameters considered to be suitable for bipolar CRF should not necessarily be considered valid for bipolar PRF, and vice versa; and (2) the ablative effect of the CRF mode is mainly due to its much greater level of delivered energy than is the case in PRF, and therefore at same applied energy levels, CRF, and PRF are expected to result in same outcomes in terms of

Computer modeling of electrical and thermal performance during bipolar pulsed radiofrequency for pain relief.

Science.gov (United States)

Pérez, Juan J; Pérez-Cajaraville, Juan J; Muñoz, Víctor; Berjano, Enrique

2014-07-01

Pulsed RF (PRF) is a nonablative technique for treating neuropathic pain. Bipolar PRF application is currently aimed at creating a "strip lesion" to connect the electrode tips; however, the electrical and thermal performance during bipolar PRF is currently unknown. The objective of this paper was to study the temperature and electric field distributions during bipolar PRF. The authors developed computer models to study temperature and electric field distributions during bipolar PRF and to assess the possible ablative thermal effect caused by the accumulated temperature spikes, along with any possible electroporation effects caused by the electrical field. The authors also modeled the bipolar ablative mode, known as bipolar Continuous Radiofrequency (CRF), in order to compare both techniques. There were important differences between CRF and PRF in terms of electrical and thermal performance. In bipolar CRF: (1) the initial temperature of the tissue impacts on temperature progress and hence on the thermal lesion dimension; and (2) at 37 °C, 6-min of bipolar CRF creates a strip thermal lesion between the electrodes when these are separated by a distance of up to 20 mm. In bipolar PRF: (1) an interelectrode distance shorter than 5 mm produces thermal damage (i.e., ablative effect) in the intervening tissue after 6 min of bipolar RF; and (2) the possible electroporation effect (electric fields higher than 150 kV m(-1)) would be exclusively circumscribed to a very small zone of tissue around the electrode tip. The results suggest that (1) the clinical parameters considered to be suitable for bipolar CRF should not necessarily be considered valid for bipolar PRF, and vice versa; and (2) the ablative effect of the CRF mode is mainly due to its much greater level of delivered energy than is the case in PRF, and therefore at same applied energy levels, CRF, and PRF are expected to result in same outcomes in terms of thermal damage zone dimension.

Electricity and the Canadian economy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Melvin, J.G.

1981-10-01

Electricity consumption in Canada bore a fixed relationship to real Gross National Product (GNP) throughout the period 1961 to 1979, with an annual growth rate equal to 1.275 times GNP growth rate. Data for the Province of Ontario reveal a similar correlation, but suggest an accelerated demand relative to Gross Provincial Product since 1973, perhaps due to cost-induced substitution of electricity for oil. Electricity demand growth and economic expansion are seen to be mutually reinforcing. High and low values are estimated for future growth rates of population and per-capita GNP. Combined with appropriate rates of oil substitution, these yield projections of electricity demand growth to the end of the century. Electricity demand is likely to grow at close to the traditional rate of 7% per annum unless economic stagnation continues, population growth is minimal, and electricity fails to substitute for oil on a significant scale

The effects of regional insolation differences upon advanced solar thermal electric power plant performance and energy costs

Science.gov (United States)

Latta, A. F.; Bowyer, J. M.; Fujita, T.

1979-01-01

This paper presents the performance and cost of four 10-MWe advanced solar thermal electric power plants sited in various regions of the continental United States. Each region has different insolation characteristics which result in varying collector field areas, plant performance, capital costs, and energy costs. The paraboloidal dish, central receiver, cylindrical parabolic trough, and compound parabolic concentrator (CPC) comprise the advanced concepts studied. This paper contains a discussion of the regional insolation data base, a description of the solar systems' performances and costs, and a presentation of a range for the forecast cost of conventional electricity by region and nationally over the next several decades.

Performance Evaluation of Sub-manufacturing Sectors Using TOPSIS and ELECTRE Methods

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nuri ÖMÜRBEK

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Performance analysis is defined as a process of collecting, analyzing and reporting data systematically and regularly for a business to monitor its sources it has used, products and services it has produced, and the results it gained. For operators, it means quantitative expression of actions which are performed by a business or maintained in a program. In this study, financial performances of manufacture sectors are analyzed by the methods of TOPSIS and ELECTRE using current ratio, cash ratio, total debt / total assets, inventory turnover rate, equity turnover rate, net profit / equity, operating ıncome /net sales, net profit / sales and cost of good sold / net sales criteria. The findings suggest that coal and refined petroleum product manufacturing industry is in the first place in both methods.

Electrical and optical performance of transparent conducting oxide films deposited by electrostatic spray assisted vapour deposition.

Science.gov (United States)

Hou, Xianghui; Choy, Kwang-Leong; Liu, Jun-Peng

2011-09-01

Transparent conducting oxide (TCO) films have the remarkable combination of high electrical conductivity and optical transparency. There is always a strong motivation to produce TCO films with good performance at low cost. Electrostatic Spray Assisted Vapor Deposition (ESAVD), as a variant of chemical vapour deposition (CVD), is a non-vacuum and low-cost deposition method. Several types of TCO films have been deposited using ESAVD process, including indium tin oxide (ITO), antimony-doped tin oxide (ATO), and fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO). This paper reports the electrical and optical properties of TCO films produced by ESAVD methods, as well as the effects of post treatment by plasma hydrogenation on these TCO films. The possible mechanisms involved during plasma hydrogenation of TCO films are also discussed. Reduction and etching effect during plasma hydrogenation are the most important factors which determine the optical and electrical performance of TCO films.

Scintillation and ionization yields produced by α-particles in high-density gaseous xenon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kusano, H.; Ishikawa, T.; Lopes, J.A.M.; Miyajima, M.; Shibamura, E.; Hasebe, N.

2012-01-01

The average numbers of scintillation photons and liberated electrons produced by 5.49-MeV α-particles were measured in high-density gaseous xenon. The density range is 0.12–1.32 g/cm 3 for scintillation measurements at zero electric field, and 0.12–1.03 g/cm 3 for the scintillation and ionization measurements under various electric fields. The density dependence of scintillation yield at zero electric field was observed. The W s -value, which is defined as the average energy expended per photon, increases with density and becomes almost constant in the density range above 1.0 g/cm 3 . Anti-correlations between average numbers of scintillation photons and liberated electrons were found to vary with density. It was also found that the total number of scintillation photons and liberated electrons decreases with increasing density. Several possible reasons for the variation in scintillation and ionization yields with density are discussed.

Electric potential calculation in molecular simulation of electric double layer capacitors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

2016-01-01

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 LiClO 4 -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. (paper)

Differences between spent hens of different genotype in performance, meat yield and suitability of the meat for sausage production.

Science.gov (United States)

Loetscher, Y; Albiker, D; Stephan, R; Kreuzer, M; Messikommer, R E

2015-02-01

The valorization of spent hens via the food chain has some major limitations, which include low meat yield and tough meat. The latter issue can be overcome by producing convenience foods; the first may be alleviated by employing a genotype with higher meatiness. To quantitatively compare two common layer genotypes in production performance, meat yield and sausage quality, 2200 57 weeks old Institut de Sélection Animale (ISA) Warren and Dekalb White hens each were investigated during the last 60 days of egg laying. The hens were housed in an aviary system in 2×10 compartments (10 compartments/each genotype). Measurements included feed intake, laying performance, egg weight and feed conversion ratio as measured per compartment. BW was determined twice on 10 animals per compartment. Finally, two sub-groups of five hens per compartment were slaughtered, meat yield was recorded and bratwurst-type sausages were produced (n=20 per genotype). Fat proportion, cooking loss, connective tissue properties and Kramer shear energy were measured. After 1, 4, 7 and 10 months of frozen storage, oxidative stability (thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS)) and microbiological status were determined as shelf-life related criteria. ANOVA was performed considering genotype as the main effect. The ISA Warren hens were inferior in laying performance (-11%) and feed conversion ratio (+10%) compared with Dekalb White, but had the same feed intake. The ISA Warren had higher BW and carcass weight than the Dekalb White. Carcass yield was higher by 5.9%. There were 80 g (23%) more meat available for sausage production from ISA Warren compared with Dekalb White. Sausages prepared from meat of ISA Warren hens contained less fat than those from Dekalb White, but showed the same cooking loss. Although the collagen proportion of the sausages produced from ISA Warren was lower than from Dekalb White, collagen solubility was lower and shear energy was higher. During the 10 months of frozen

A highly efficient electric additive for enhancing photovoltaic performance of dye-sensitized solar cells

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

无

2010-01-01

N-cetylpyridinium iodide (N-CPI) as a new electric additive for enhancing photovoltaic performance of the dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) was studied.It showed high efficiency for enhancing both the open-circuit voltage and the short-circuit current density of DSSC when the suitable amount of N-CPI as 0.02 M was added in liquid electrolyte.The energy conversion effi- ciency of DSSC increased from 4.429% to 6.535%,with 47.55% enhancement.Therefore,it is a highly efficient electric addi- tive for DSSC.The intrinsic reason is owing to the special molecular structure of N-CPI,which contains two different polarity groups.As a surfactant,N-CPI could form ordered arrangement in liquid electrolyte,which affects the diffusing ability and the redox reaction of I-/I3-,and further affects the photovoltaic performance of DSSC.

Performance evaluation and parametric choice criteria of a Brayton pumped thermal electricity storage system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guo, Juncheng; Cai, Ling; Chen, Jincan; Zhou, Yinghui

2016-01-01

A more realistic thermodynamic model of the pumped thermal electricity storage (PTES) system consisting of a Brayton cycle and a reverse Brayton cycle is proposed, where the internal and external irreversible losses are took into account and several important controlling parameters, e.g., the pressure ratio and heat flows of the two isobaric processes in the Brayton cycle, are introduced. Analytic expressions for the round trip efficiency and power output of the PTES system are derived. The general performance characteristics of the PTES system are revealed. The optimal relationship between the round trip efficiency and the power output is obtained. The influences of some important controlling parameters on the performance characteristics of the PTES system are discussed and the optimally operating regions of these parameters are determined. - Highlights: • A cycle model of the Brayton pumped thermal electricity storage system is proposed. • Internal and external irreversible losses are considered. • Maximum power output and efficiency of the system are calculated. • Optimum performance characteristics of the system are revealed. • Rational ranges of key controlling parameters are determined.

Performance, carcass yield and litter quality of broilers raised on litters treated with micro-organisms

OpenAIRE

Cruz,Dayane Prado da; Otutumi,Luciana Kazue; Piau Júnior,Ranulfo; Cervantes,Rodrigo Panucci; Mezalira,Taniara Suelen; Gerônimo,Edson

2013-01-01

The present paper aimed at evaluating the effect of adding beneficial micro-organisms to the litters on litter quality, performance and carcass yield for broilers. A total of 240 one-day chicks were used, and randomly distributed in blocks with four treatments and four replications. The following treatments were carried out in the housing: Treatment 1 – Control with weekly spraying of water on the litters; Treatment 2 – Litter treated with a mixture of inoculated and fermented meal by micro-o...

Effect of different tillage intensity on yields and yield-forming factors in winter wheat

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martin Houšť

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The paper presents results of a study on application of minimum tillage technologies when growing winter wheat. Experiments were performed in the sugar-beet-growing region with loamy chernozem within the period of 2005–2009. Aanalysed and evaluated were effects of different methods of soil processing on yield-forming factors in stands of winter wheat grown after three different preceding crops (i.e. alfalfa, maize for silage and pea. Evaluated were the following four variants of tillage: (1 conventional ploughing to the depth of 0.22 m (Variant 1; (2 ploughing to the depth of 0.15 m (Variant 2; (3 direct sowing into the untilled soil (Variant 3, and (4 shallow tillage to the depth of 0.10 m (Variant 4.The effect of different tillage intensity on winter wheat yields was statistically non-significant after all forecrops. After alfalfa, the highest and the lowest average yields were recorded in Variant 2 (i.e. with ploughing to the depth of 0.15 m and Variant 3 (direct sowing into the untilled soil, respectively. After maize grown for silage, higher yields were obtained in Variant 2 and Variant 1 (conventional ploughing while in Variants 4 and 3 the obtained yields were lower. When growing winter wheat after pea as a preceding crop, the highest and the lowest average yields were recorded after direct sowing (Variant 3 and in Variant 1 (i.e. ploughing to the depth of 0.22 m, respectively. Results of studies on effect of different tillage technologies on yields of winter wheat crops indicate that under the given pedological and climatic conditions it is possible to apply methods of reduced tillage intensity. However, the choice of the corresponding technology must be performed with regard to the type of preceding crop.

Cost-benefit analysis of reforming Israel's electricity industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tishler, A.; Newman, J.; Spekterman, I.; Woo, C.K.

2006-01-01

In June 2003, the Israeli government decided to reform the Israeli electricity industry, which is currently dominated by Israel electric corporation (IEC), a government-owned vertically integrated electric utility. The first step of the planned reform will be taken in 2006, when IEC will be functionally separated into generation, transmission, local distribution, and customer services. Immediately thereafter will be the second step, which by 2012 will result in the deregulation and privatization of the wholesale generation and customer services. Transmission and distribution (T and D) services will remain regulated but will be available to all T and D users under mandatory open access. This paper summarizes a cost-benefit analysis of the government's reform plan. Relative to a regulated regime, the government's plan, even if carried out flawlessly, may only yield a small net benefit. However, it entails a large increase in electricity producer profit and government tax receipt, at the expense of electricity consumers. A less-than-perfect transition to competition can easily wipe out the potential gain of the government plan. Market reform experience to date shows that electricity market reform can easily fail, and the factors for success do not exist in Israel. Since the outcome of a failing reform can be disastrous, it will be imprudent to implement the government's plan in 2006, when the current electricity law expires. Hence, we recommend performance-based regulation for the period of 2006-2010. Subject to an updated cost-benefit analysis, possible decentralization, privatization and competition may follow

Performance parameters of a standalone PV plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

El Fathi, Amine; Nkhaili, Lahcen; Bennouna, Amin; Outzourhit, Abdelkader

2014-01-01

Highlights: • We described in details a photovoltaic power plant installed in the remote rural village Elkaria (Essaouira Morocco – 7.2 kWp). • We presented the results of monitoring and some performance parameters of the plant such as load curve. • We discussed the energy management of the plant which is based on the droop mode control. • We presented and discussed the yields and the performance ratio of the plant. - Abstract: In this work we present a detailed description of a 7.2 kWp photovoltaic power plant installed in the remote rural village Elkaria (province of Essaouira in Morocco). This plant supplies 16 households with electricity through a local grid that was installed for this purpose. The results of monitoring some performance parameters of the plant such as load curve, the yields and the performance ratio are presented and discussed. The performance ratio of the PV plant varied between 33% and 70.2%. The low values of this parameter are mainly attributed to the way the battery inverter manages the energy flow

A short proof that the Coulomb-gauge potentials yield the retarded fields

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Heras, Jose A, E-mail: herasgomez@gmail.co [Universidad Autonoma Metropolitana, Unidad Azcapotzalco, Av. San Pablo No. 180, Col. Reynosa, Mexico D. F. 02200 (Mexico)

2011-01-15

A short demonstration that the potentials in the Coulomb gauge yield the retarded electric and magnetic fields is presented. This demonstration is relatively simple and can be presented in an advanced undergraduate course of electromagnetic theory.

A short proof that the Coulomb-gauge potentials yield the retarded fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heras, Jose A

2011-01-01

A short demonstration that the potentials in the Coulomb gauge yield the retarded electric and magnetic fields is presented. This demonstration is relatively simple and can be presented in an advanced undergraduate course of electromagnetic theory.

Utilization of oil wells for electricity generation: Performance and economics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kharseh, Mohamad; Al-Khawaja, Mohammed; Hassani, Ferri

2015-01-01

There is a general agreement that the climate change, which is the most important challenge facing humanity, is anthropogenic and attributed to fossil fuel consumption. Therefore, deploying more renewable energy resources is an urgent issue to be addressed. Geothermal refers to existing heat energy in deep rock and sedimentary basins. Traditionally, geothermal energy has been exploited in places with plentiful hot water at relatively shallow depth. Unfortunately, the high exploration and drilling costs of boreholes is the main barrier to the commerciality of geothermal worldwide. In oil producing countries, such problems can be overcome by utilizing oil or gas wells. The current study presents thermodynamic and economic analyses of a binary geothermal power generation system for commercial electricity generation. Two different source temperatures (100 and 120 °C) and constant sink temperature (29 °C) were considered. The optimal working fluid and optimal design that improve the performance of the plant are determined. For the current costs in Qatar, the economical analysis of 5 MW geothermal plant shows that the levelized cost of electricity for the plant varies from 5.6 to 5.2 ¢/kW. Whereas, the payback period of such plants lies between 5.8 and 4.8 years. - Highlights: • Utilizing oil well makes geothermal plant competitive with other resources. • R32 seems to be the best working fluid. • The levelized cost of electricity for geothermal plant is less than 5.6 ¢/kWh. • The payback time of geothermal plant is less than 6 years.

Effects of heterosis for yield and yield components obtained by crossing divergent alfalfa populations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Katić Slobodan

2010-01-01

Full Text Available When breeding alfalfa for yield performance, it is necessary to use high-yielding parents obtained by different breeding methods. The assumption at the onset of this research was that crossing highest-yielding domestic cultivars with divergent populations from geographically distant breeding centers could result in the expression of heterotic effects in their hybrids contributing to increased alfalfa yield. The objective of this study was to determine yield and yield components and heterotic effects in hybrid progenies obtained by crossing the domestic cultivars NS Banat ZMS II and NS Mediana ZMS V with the cultivars Pella, Dolichi and Hyliki from Greece, UMSS 2001 from Bolivia and Jogeva 118 from Estonia in two series. The field trial planted in 2006, included 13 F1 hybrids and 6 of 7 initial parents in both series. Heterotic effects for yields of forage and hay were observed in 4 combinations (C NS Banat ZMS II x E Hyliki; C NS Banat ZMS II x E UMSS 2001; C NS Mediana ZMS V x E Hyliki; C NS Mediana ZMS V x E Dolichi. The populations that exhibited heterosis in a set of crossings are recommended for use as parent components for development of high-yielding synthetic alfalfa cultivars. .

Effect of protein, carbohydrate, lipid, and selenium levels on the performance, carcass yield, and blood changes in broilers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

FH Hada

2013-12-01

Full Text Available The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance, carcass and parts yield, and blood changes in broilers fed different protein, carbohydrate, and lipid levels. Birds were fed a commercial diet until seven days of age. On day 8, birds were distributed according to a completely randomized experimental design in a 4 x 2 factorial arrangement (control diet, low protein diet, low carbohydrate diet or low lipid diet vs. supplementation of 0 or 0.3ppm organic selenium with four replicates of 15 birds each. Broilers fed low protein presented lower body weight, feed intake, and worse feed conversion ratio on day 42, as well as lower carcass and breast yields, higher leg and abdominal fat yields, higher triglyceride and lower uric acid blood levels. Broilers fed the low carbohydrate diets presented low glucose levels on days 14 and 42.Creatine-kinase (CK levels increased as birds aged. The livability of broilers fed the low protein diets improved and of those fed low carbohydrate diets worsened with dietary selenium addition on days 35 and 42. Selenium supplementation increased glucose levels in 42-d-old broilers. Changes in dietary protein caused more impact on broiler performance compared with carbohydrates and lipids. Changes in macronutrients caused metabolic changes in broilers. Selenium affected broiler livability as measured on days 35 and 42, and glucose blood levels.

Analysis of performance reliability of electrical and electronic equipment of car-tractor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kravchenko О.Р.

2016-08-01

Full Text Available The analysis of the operational reliability of electrical and electronic equipment of vehicles, trucks Mercedes-Benz Actros 1844 LS and Volvo FH 1242, conducting international cargo transportation is performed. It is established that the equipment is reliable, which meets modern requirements, but where there is a violation of the resolution. The reason for repair work is constructive and operational factors. Distribution of efficiency and overall performance of operational reliability is retrieved. Items with more bounce are found. Common factors of violation of efficiency cars, trucks in operation, are largely different stages in warranty runs are obtained.

Improving the engineering-and-economical performance of ore-thermal electric furnaces in the smelting of silicomanganese

Science.gov (United States)

Kondrashov, V. P.; Pogrebisskiy, M. Ya; Lykov, A. G.; Rabinovich, V. L.; Bulgakov, A. S.

2018-02-01

Ways of increase of ore-heating electric furnaces, used for production of silicomanganese, engineering-and-economical performance are analyzed. Questions of data of the electric, thermal and technological modes of the furnace functioning collecting and processing for use in operation of an advanced control system of the furnace providing increase in technical and economic efficiency of technological process and an adaptability to quality of burden stock are considered.

A Monolithic Interconnected module with a tunnel Junction for Enhanced Electrical and Optical Performance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Murray, Christopher Sean; Wilt, David Morgan

1999-06-30

An improved thermophotovoltaic (TPV) n/p/n device is provided. Monolithic Interconnected Modules (MIMs), semiconductor devices converting infrared radiation to electricity, have been developed with improved electrical and optical performance. The structure is an n-type emitter on a p-type base with an n-type lateral conduction layer. The incorporation of a tunnel junction and the reduction in the amount of p-type material used results in negligible parasitic absorption, decreased series resistance, increased voltage and increased active area. The novel use of a tunnel junction results in the potential for a TPV device with efficiency greater than 24%.

Electrical Rating of Concentrated Photovoltaic (CPV) Systems: Long-Term Performance Analysis and Comparison to Conventional PV Systems

KAUST Repository

Burhan, Muhammad

2016-02-29

The dynamic nature of meteorological data and the commercial availability of diverse photovoltaic systems, ranging from single-junction silicon-based PV panels to concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) systems utilizing multi-junction solar cells and a two-axis solar tracker, demand a simple but accurate methodology for energy planners and PV system designers to understand the economic feasibility of photovoltaic or renewable energy systems. In this paper, an electrical rating methodology is proposed that provides a common playing field for planners, consumers and PV manufacturers to evaluate the long-term performance of photovoltaic systems, as long-term electricity rating is deemed to be a quick and accurate method to evaluate economic viability and determine plant sizes and photovoltaic system power production. A long-term performance analysis based on monthly and electrical ratings (in kWh/m2/year) of two developed CPV prototypes, the Cassegrain mini dish and Fresnel lens CPVs with triple-junction solar cells operating under the meteorological conditions of Singapore, is presented in this paper. Performances are compared to other conventional photovoltaic systems.

Implications of driving patterns on well-to-wheel performance of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.

Science.gov (United States)

Raykin, Leon; MacLean, Heather L; Roorda, Matthew J

2012-06-05

This study examines how driving patterns (distance and conditions) and the electricity generation supply interact to impact well-to-wheel (WTW) energy use and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). The WTW performance of a PHEV is compared with that of a similar (nonplug-in) gasoline hybrid electric vehicle and internal combustion engine vehicle (ICEV). Driving PHEVs for short distances between recharging generally results in lower WTW total and fossil energy use and GHG emissions per kilometer compared to driving long distances, but the extent of the reductions depends on the electricity supply. For example, the shortest driving pattern in this study with hydroelectricity uses 81% less fossil energy than the longest driving pattern. However, the shortest driving pattern with coal-based electricity uses only 28% less fossil energy. Similar trends are observed in reductions relative to the nonplug-in vehicles. Irrespective of the electricity supply, PHEVs result in greater reductions in WTW energy use and GHG emissions relative to ICEVs for city than highway driving conditions. PHEVs charging from coal facilities only reduce WTW energy use and GHG emissions relative to ICEVs for certain favorable driving conditions. The study results have implications for environmentally beneficial PHEV adoption and usage patterns.

Soil resilience and yield performance in a vineyard established after intense pre-planting earthworks

Science.gov (United States)

Costantini, Edoardo; Valboa, Giuseppe; Gagnarli, Elena; Mocali, Stefano; Fabiani, Arturo; Priori, Simone; Simoni, Sauro; Storchi, Paolo; Perria, Rita; Vignozzi, Nadia; Agnelli, Alessandro

2017-04-01

Conventional earthworks undertaken before vine plantation may severely compromise soil functions and vine production, as a consequence of a decline of soil fertility caused by loss of organic matter and biological activity, along with changes in chemical and physical features of the topsoil due to the upset of the soil profile. This research was aimed at assessing the effects of conventional pre-planting earthworks on soil fertility and vine yield performance under organic farming. To this purpose, grape yield and quality along with soil chemical, physical and biological properties, were monitored over seven years in a young vineyard established in 2010 after soil leveling and deep ploughing, and in parallel in an older vineyard planted in 2000 after similar earthworks under the same soil and environment conditions. The vineyards (Vitis vinifera L., cv. Sangiovese) were located in the Chianti Classico district (Tuscany, Italy) on a stony calcareous soil classified as Cambic Skeletic Calcisol (loamic, aric) (WRB, 2014). Fertilization was based on annual applications of compost and shredded plant residues. According to the ordinary farming system, the older vineyard was kept free from grass covering during the first four years of growth by periodic tillage, in order to prevent nutritional competition, while in the following years it was managed by natural grass covering on alternate inter-rows. In the younger vineyard, grass covering needed to be postponed because of a delay in the vine development and grape yield induced by poor soil fertility. The results showed significant differences between the two vineyard, with the younger exhibiting lower total organic carbon (0.4 - 0.6 % vs 0.6 - 1.1 %), lower total nitrogen (0.07 - 0.11 % vs 0.10 - 0.15 %) and higher carbonate contents (32 - 38 % vs 21 -30 % total CaCO3), with no clear trend of recovery over time. Pre-planting earthworks also affected the structure and diversity of microbial and microarthropod communities

Performance-based ratemaking for electric utilities: Review of plans and analysis of economic and resource-planning issues. Volume 2, Appendices

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Comnes, G.A.; Stoft, S.; Greene, N. [Lawrence Berkeley Lab., CA (United States); Hill, L.J. [Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States)

1995-11-01

This document contains summaries of the electric utilities performance-based rate plans for the following companies: Alabama Power Company; Central Maine Power Company; Consolidated Edison of New York; Mississippi Power Company; New York State Electric and Gas Corporation; Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation; PacifiCorp; Pacific Gas and Electric; Southern California Edison; San Diego Gas & Electric; and Tucson Electric Power. In addition, this document also contains information about LBNL`s Power Index and Incentive Properties of a Hybrid Cap and Long-Run Demand Elasticity.

Can rural electric cooperatives survive in a restructured US electric market? An empirical analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Greer, Monica Lynne

2003-01-01

This paper examines the ability of rural electric distribution cooperatives to continue operating in their present form in a restructured electricity market. More specifically, I develop and estimate a quadratic cost model, which, unlike many of the cost functions employed in studies of this nature, conforms to all of the properties of a proper cost function. Using 1996 data, I find that these firms are not operating in a cost-minimizing fashion. This finding seems to occur because each is too small in terms of the quantity of electricity distributed. As a result, mergers between these firms could yield substantial savings and help ensure their survival in their present form in a deregulated market

Parametric performance predictions for high-power pulsed electric CO lasers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Center, R.E.; Caledonia, G.E.

1975-01-01

A kinetic model of the pulsed electrical CO laser is used to survey the time-dependent laser performance on parameters such as gas mixture, initial translational temperature, and discharge pulse length for both multiline and selected-line operation. Predictions are presented for the total output efficiency, spectral distributions of the stimulated transitions, energy partitioning in the vibrational and translational modes, and the translational temperature history in CO-N 2 mixtures. A brief description of the kinetic model is included. Simple scaling relationships are presented which can be used to scale the results to other densities in the pressure-broadened regime

Significant manipulation of output performance of a bridge-structured spin valve magnetoresistance sensor via an electric field

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yue; Yan, Baiqian; Ou-Yang, Jun; Wang, Xianghao; Zhu, Benpeng; Chen, Shi; Yang, Xiaofei

2016-01-01

Through principles of spin-valve giant magnetoresistance (SV-GMR) effect and its application in magnetic sensors, we have investigated electric-field control of the output performance of a bridge-structured Co/Cu/NiFe/IrMn SV-GMR sensor on a PZN-PT piezoelectric substrate using the micro-magnetic simulation. We centered on the influence of the variation of uniaxial magnetic anisotropy constant (K) of Co on the output of the bridge, and K was manipulated via the stress of Co, which is generated from the strain of a piezoelectric substrate under an electric field. The results indicate that when K varies between 2 × 104 J/m3 and 10 × 104 J/m3, the output performance can be significantly manipulated: The linear range alters from between -330 Oe and 330 Oe to between -650 Oe and 650 Oe, and the sensitivity is tuned by almost 7 times, making it possible to measure magnetic fields with very different ranges. According to the converse piezoelectric effect, we have found that this variation of K can be realized by applying an electric field with the magnitude of about 2-20 kV/cm on a PZN-PT piezoelectric substrate, which is realistic in application. This result means that electric-control of SV-GMR effect has potential application in developing SV-GMR sensors with improved performance.

Effect of water regime and salinity on artichoke yield

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Francesca Boari

2012-03-01

Full Text Available This work focuses on the effects of different salinity and water inputs on the yield of artichoke Violetto di Provenza. Two years of experimental works had been carried out in a site in Southern Italy characterized by semi-arid climate and deep loam soil. Three salinity levels of irrigation water (S0, S1 and S2 with electrical conductivity (ECw of 0.5, 5 and 10 dS m-1, respectively, were combined with three water regimes (W1, W2 and W3 corresponding in that order to 20 40 and 60% of available water depletion. The overall results of the salinity tolerance are in agreement with those from the literature. However, an higher tolerance to salinity was demonstrated when crop was watered more frequently (at 20% of available water depletion and a lower one when crop watering was performed less frequently (at 60% of available water depletion. The increase of salinity level reduced marketable yield (from 12.9 to 8.8 Mg ha-1, total heads (from 125,100 to 94,700 n ha-1 and heads mean weight (from 99.9 to 94.6 g, while increased heads dry matter (from 161.8 to 193.6 g kg-1 f.w. and reduced edible parte percentage of heads (from 35.2 to 33.2 %. Watering regimes, as average of the salinity levels, affected total heads marketable yield (115,350 n ha-1 and 11.4 Mg ha-1 for W1 and W2, 105,900 n ha-1 and 10 Mg ha-1 for W3. In addition, different watering regimes affected the secondary heads yield for which it was reduced by 3% of mean weight. The effect of different watering regimes changed with various salinity levels. In condition of moderate salinity (S1, maximum water depletion fraction to preserve heads number and weight yield was 40 and 20% of total soil available water, respectively. However, with high salinity (S2, maximum water depletion fraction to keep unchanged heads number and weight yield was 20% for both. The level of soil salinity at beginning of the crop cycle favoured the incidence of head atrophy in the main heads produced in the second year.

Electric power supply I. AC systems, performance, economics. 3. rev. ed.; Elektrische Energieversorgung I. Drehstromsysteme, Leistungen, Wirtschaftlichkeit

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Herold, Gerhard [Erlangen-Nuernberg Univ. (Germany)

2011-07-01

Since the beginning of its large-scale use, the electrical energy holds a key position in the process of sustainable energy development. The engineer now works with computers to the greatest possible extent. However, the results using powerful hardware and software are of little value when the specialist cannot interpret these results and implement these results in decisions. From this perspective, the author of the book under consideration reports on the fundamental aspects of the electrical energy supply. Thus, the main topics of this book are: (1) Construction of electric power supply systems; (2) Fundamentals of alternating current technology; (3) Transformations for three-phase systems; (4) Performance in electric power systems; (5) Economic power supply.

Free-ion yield for tetramethylsilane and tetramethylgermanium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoshi, Y.; Higuchi, M.; Iso, H.; Sakamoto, M.; Ooyama, K.; Kikuchi, R.; Miyano, K.

1993-01-01

In high energy physics experiments, calorimeters are used to measure the total energy dissipated by the primary particles produced from high energy collisions. In one type of calorimeter, ionization chambers filled with liquid argon are used. The necessity of a cryostat in many cases prevents a compact chamber design. Hence, it is very desirable to have liquid ionization chambers operating at room temperature. From this view point, hydrocarbon liquids are intensively investigated as calorimeter media in high energy physics experiments. TMS and TMG are promising liquid materials because they have the properties of a large electron drift velocity and a large free-ion yield. The free-ion yield determines the sensitivity of the chamber and amplifier system to ionizing particles. Here, free-ion yields from 207 Bi conversion electrons were measured as a function of applied electric field in an ionization chamber filled with tetramethylsilane (TMS) or tetramethylgermanium (TMG), which were purified by simple methods. Also, the mean thermalization length of electrons liberated in the liquid was calculated by fitting a Gaussian form for the distribution function. The total free-ion yield and thermalization length in TMS and TMG were obtained to be 3.1 ± 0.3, 3.5 ± 0.2 and 191 ± 12 angstrom, respectively, including the impurity effect in liquid

Standard Test Method for Electrical Performance of Concentrator Terrestrial Photovoltaic Modules and Systems Under Natural Sunlight

CERN Document Server

American Society for Testing and Materials. Philadelphia

2009-01-01

1.1 This test method covers the determination of the electrical performance of photovoltaic concentrator modules and systems under natural sunlight using a normal incidence pyrheliometer. 1.2 The test method is limited to module assemblies and systems where the geometric concentration ratio specified by the manufacturer is greater than 5. 1.3 This test method applies to concentrators that use passive cooling where the cell temperature is related to the air temperature. 1.4 Measurements under a variety of conditions are allowed; results are reported under a select set of concentrator reporting conditions to facilitate comparison of results. 1.5 This test method applies only to concentrator terrestrial modules and systems. 1.6 This test method assumes that the module or system electrical performance characteristics do not change during the period of test. 1.7 The performance rating determined by this test method applies only at the period of the test, and implies no past or future performance level. 1.8...

Magnetic resonance electrical impedance tomography for measuring electrical conductivity during electroporation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kranjc, M; Miklavčič, D; Bajd, F; Serša, I

2014-01-01

The electroporation effect on tissue can be assessed by measurement of electrical properties of the tissue undergoing electroporation. The most prominent techniques for measuring electrical properties of electroporated tissues have been voltage–current measurement of applied pulses and electrical impedance tomography (EIT). However, the electrical conductivity of tissue assessed by means of voltage–current measurement was lacking in information on tissue heterogeneity, while EIT requires numerous additional electrodes and produces results with low spatial resolution and high noise. Magnetic resonance EIT (MREIT) is similar to EIT, as it is also used for reconstruction of conductivity images, though voltage and current measurements are not limited to the boundaries in MREIT, hence it yields conductivity images with better spatial resolution. The aim of this study was to investigate and demonstrate the feasibility of the MREIT technique for assessment of conductivity images of tissues undergoing electroporation. Two objects were investigated: agar phantoms and ex vivo liver tissue. As expected, no significant change of electrical conductivity was detected in agar phantoms exposed to pulses of all used amplitudes, while a considerable increase of conductivity was measured in liver tissue exposed to pulses of different amplitudes. (paper)

The regional electricity generation mix in Scotland: A portfolio selection approach incorporating marine technologies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Allan, Grant, E-mail: grant.j.allan@strath.ac.u [Fraser of Allander Institute, Department of Economics, University of Strathclyde, Sir William Duncan Building, 130 Rottenrow, Glasgow G4 0GE (United Kingdom); Eromenko, Igor; McGregor, Peter [Fraser of Allander Institute, Department of Economics, University of Strathclyde, Sir William Duncan Building, 130 Rottenrow, Glasgow G4 0GE (United Kingdom); Swales, Kim [Department of Economics, University of Strathclyde, Sir William Duncan Building, 130 Rottenrow, Glasgow G4 0GE (United Kingdom)

2011-01-15

Standalone levelised cost assessments of electricity supply options miss an important contribution that renewable and non-fossil fuel technologies can make to the electricity portfolio: that of reducing the variability of electricity costs, and their potentially damaging impact upon economic activity. Portfolio theory applications to the electricity generation mix have shown that renewable technologies, their costs being largely uncorrelated with non-renewable technologies, can offer such benefits. We look at the existing Scottish generation mix and examine drivers of changes out to 2020. We assess recent scenarios for the Scottish generation mix in 2020 against mean-variance efficient portfolios of electricity-generating technologies. Each of the scenarios studied implies a portfolio cost of electricity that is between 22% and 38% higher than the portfolio cost of electricity in 2007. These scenarios prove to be mean-variance 'inefficient' in the sense that, for example, lower variance portfolios can be obtained without increasing portfolio costs, typically by expanding the share of renewables. As part of extensive sensitivity analysis, we find that Wave and Tidal technologies can contribute to lower risk electricity portfolios, while not increasing portfolio cost. - Research Highlights: {yields} Portfolio analysis of scenarios for Scotland's electricity generating mix in 2020. {yields} Reveals potential inefficiencies of selecting mixes based on levelised cost alone. {yields} Portfolio risk-reducing contribution of Wave and Tidal technologies assessed.

Electric Vehicle Performance at McMurdo Station (Antarctica) and Comparison with McMurdo Station Conventional Vehicles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sears, T.; Lammert, M.; Colby, K.; Walter, R.

2014-09-01

This report examines the performance of two electric vehicles (EVs) at McMurdo, Antarctica (McMurdo). The study examined the performance of two e-ride Industries EVs initially delivered to McMurdo on February 16, 2011, and compared their performance and fuel use with that of conventional vehicles that have a duty cycle similar to that of the EVs used at McMurdo.

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

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

2016-01-01

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. (paper)

Electricity mix and ecological assessments. Consequences of the choice of specific electricity mixes in analyses of the environmental performance of products and services

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Menard, M.; Dones, R.; Gantner, U.

1998-12-01

The study aims at analysing the methodological issues associated with the definition of electricity mixes and discussing the consequences of the choice of specific electricity mixes in analyses of the environmental performance of products and services, based on Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). This report has been designed as a guideline to support LCA practitioners in the systematic identification of the most appropriate electricity mixes for LCA applications. A detailed checklist has been developed for this purpose. It includes the following items: type of electricity supply (from the net, self production, direct contracts); voltage level; country/place of utilisation; year of utilisation; season/daytime of utilisation; import/export model; and, marginal vs. average approach. A few examples, utilising published LCA studies, illustrate the impacts of the insights gained in the present work. Although primarily aimed at applications in Switzerland, the main concepts, the modelling and parts of the information provided can also be applied to other European countries. In addition to the three models proposed earlier for the assessment of the Swiss yearly average electricity mix, a new model (M4) has been developed in the frame of the present task in order to take into account the conditions characteristic for Switzerland as a transit land for electricity trades between its neighbour countries. All existing electricity mix models as well as selected environmental inventories are described and compared in the report. As an example of results, the CO 2 emissions calculated for the Swiss yearly electricity supply mix are relatively small (48 g/kWh with model M4, as compared with 497 g/kWh for the average UCPTE mix). Key information on the structure of electricity generation and trade in Europe is provided. The modelling of the electricity supply for most of the European countries is less sensitive to the choice of an electricity model than for Switzerland. Considering that

Price forecasting of day-ahead electricity markets using a hybrid forecast method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shafie-khah, M., E-mail: miadreza@gmail.co [Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Moghaddam, M. Parsa, E-mail: parsa@modares.ac.i [Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Sheikh-El-Eslami, M.K., E-mail: aleslam@modares.ac.i [Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2011-05-15

Research highlights: {yields} A hybrid method is proposed to forecast the day-ahead prices in electricity market. {yields} The method combines Wavelet-ARIMA and RBFN network models. {yields} PSO method is applied to obtain optimum RBFN structure for avoiding over fitting. {yields} One of the merits of the proposed method is lower need to the input data. {yields} The proposed method has more accurate behavior in compare with previous methods. -- Abstract: Energy price forecasting in a competitive electricity market is crucial for the market participants in planning their operations and managing their risk, and it is also the key information in the economic optimization of the electric power industry. However, price series usually have a complex behavior due to their nonlinearity, nonstationarity, and time variancy. In this paper, a novel hybrid method to forecast day-ahead electricity price is proposed. This hybrid method is based on wavelet transform, Auto-Regressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) models and Radial Basis Function Neural Networks (RBFN). The wavelet transform provides a set of better-behaved constitutive series than price series for prediction. ARIMA model is used to generate a linear forecast, and then RBFN is developed as a tool for nonlinear pattern recognition to correct the estimation error in wavelet-ARIMA forecast. Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) is used to optimize the network structure which makes the RBFN be adapted to the specified training set, reducing computation complexity and avoiding overfitting. The proposed method is examined on the electricity market of mainland Spain and the results are compared with some of the most recent price forecast methods. The results show that the proposed hybrid method could provide a considerable improvement for the forecasting accuracy.

Electric drives

CERN Document Server

Boldea, Ion

2005-01-01

ENERGY CONVERSION IN ELECTRIC DRIVESElectric Drives: A DefinitionApplication Range of Electric DrivesEnergy Savings Pay Off RapidlyGlobal Energy Savings Through PEC DrivesMotor/Mechanical Load MatchMotion/Time Profile MatchLoad Dynamics and StabilityMultiquadrant OperationPerformance IndexesProblemsELECTRIC MOTORS FOR DRIVESElectric Drives: A Typical ConfigurationElectric Motors for DrivesDC Brush MotorsConventional AC MotorsPower Electronic Converter Dependent MotorsEnergy Conversion in Electric Motors/GeneratorsPOWER ELECTRONIC CONVERTERS (PECs) FOR DRIVESPower Electronic Switches (PESs)The

Turkey's short-term gross annual electricity demand forecast by fuzzy logic approach

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kucukali, Serhat [Civil Engineering Department, Zonguldak Karaelmas University, Incivez 67100, Zonguldak (Turkey); Baris, Kemal [Mining Engineering Department, Zonguldak Karaelmas University, Incivez 67100, Zonguldak (Turkey)

2010-05-15

This paper aims to forecast Turkey's short-term gross annual electricity demand by applying fuzzy logic methodology while general information on economical, political and electricity market conditions of the country is also given. Unlike most of the other forecast models about Turkey's electricity demand, which usually uses more than one parameter, gross domestic product (GDP) based on purchasing power parity was the only parameter used in the model. Proposed model made good predictions and captured the system dynamic behavior covering the years of 1970-2014. The model yielded average absolute relative errors of 3.9%. Furthermore, the model estimates a 4.5% decrease in electricity demand of Turkey in 2009 and the electricity demand growth rates are projected to be about 4% between 2010 and 2014. It is concluded that forecasting the Turkey's short-term gross electricity demand with the country's economic performance will provide more reliable projections. Forecasting the annual electricity consumption of a country could be made by any designer with the help of the fuzzy logic procedure described in this paper. The advantage of this model lies on the ability to mimic the human thinking and reasoning. (author)

Ionization yield from electron tracks in liquid xenon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Voronova, T.Ya.; Kipsanov, M.A.; Kruglov, A.A.; Obodovskij, I.M.; Pokachalov, S.G.; Shilov, V.A.; Khristich, E.B.

1989-01-01

Methods for calculating coefficients K β , characterizing ionization yield from electron track in liquid xenon are considered. K β calculation is conducted on the base of experimental data on K parameter characterizing ionization yield from a certain combination of photo-, Compton-and Auger electron tracks. K parameter measurements are conducted in liquid xenon at 170 K temperature within 10-30 keV gamma- and X radiation energy ranges. Calculated dependence of K β and K coefficients on the energy in a wide (5-500 keV) range is presented. K β values obtained can be applied for calculating the energy resolution of a gamma-spectrometer and linearity of its calibration characteristics if the electric field intensity in the spectrometer does not exceed some kV/cm

Israel Electric Corp. Experience With SO3 Flue Gas Conditioning System Electrostatic Precipitator Performance Improvement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muginsfein, A.; Naveh, Y.; Sfez, D.

1998-01-01

Ash from low sulfur coals is characterized by high electrical resistivity. Generally, values above l*10 l0 ω*cm may decrease the collect ability of the fly ash in the Electrostatic precipitator-Esp. Controlling the ash resistivity by SO 3 injection may resolve the problem of the increased electrical resistivity of the collected fly ash. This paper summarizes the results of a full scale test that was performed in 350 MW coal fired unit to test the influence of SO 3 injection on the Esp collecting efficiency

Performance evaluation on vacuum pumps using nanolubricants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lue, Yeou Feng; Hsu, Yu Chun; Teng, Tun Ping [Dept. of Industrial EducationNational Taiwan Normal University, Taiwan (China)

2016-09-15

This study produced alumina (Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}) nanovacuum-pump lubricants (NVALs) by involving the dispersion of Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanoparticles in a vacuum-pump lubricant (VAL) with oleic as a dispersant. Experiments were conducted to evaluate the suspension performance, thermal conductivity, viscosity, specific heat, tribological performance and vacuum-pump performance of the NVALs. The experimental results obtained from the vacuum-pump performance tests show that the NVALs with Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} concentration of 0.2 wt.% and oleic concentration of 0.025 wt.% yielded the lowest electricity consumption, conserving 2.39% of electricity compared with the VAL. No marked difference was observed between the temperatures of the vacuum pump using VAL and NVAL. Furthermore, evacuation (i.e., the minimal pressure of -99.5 kPa) was reached faster by the vacuum pump with the NVALs, and the evacuation time could be reduced by 4.91% under optimal conditions. In addition, the vacuum pump with the NVALs exhibited superior overall effectiveness under relatively lower ambient temperatures.

Non-contact assessment of electrical performance for rapidly sintered nanoparticle silver coatings through colorimetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cherrington, M.; Claypole, T.C.; Gethin, D.T.; Worsley, D.A.; Deganello, D.

2012-01-01

The color change during the ultrafast near-infrared sintering process of a nanoparticle silver ink has been correlated to its electrical performance through colorimetry using the CIELAB industry standard. Nanoparticle silver ink films, deposited over a flexible polyethylene terephthalate substrate, presented significant shifting in the a* and b* color coordinates during sintering, exhibiting the best conductivity with an a* coordinate of approximately 0 and a b* coordinate of approximately + 10. This color change has been associated with the Lorenz–Mie theory of electromagnetic scattering. This indirect measurement technique is potentially a breakthrough technology for fast in-line non-contact characterization of the drying and sintering process of nanoparticle conductive inks for use in large area roll-to-roll processing of printed electronics. - Highlights: ► Color change of a nanoparticle silver coating was measured during sintering ► Color change was correlated to the electrical performance of the coating. ► Potential in-line non-contact measurement method for roll-to-roll printed electronics

Development and Performance of Alternative Electricity Sector Pathways Subject to Multiple Climate and Water Projections

Science.gov (United States)

Newmark, R. L.; Vorosmarty, C. J.; Miara, A.; Cohen, S.; Macknick, J.; Sun, Y.; Corsi, F.; Fekete, B. M.; Tidwell, V. C.

2017-12-01

Climate change impacts on air temperatures and water availability have the potential to alter future electricity sector investment decisions as well as the reliability and performance of the power sector. Different electricity sector configurations are more or less vulnerable to climate-induced changes. For example, once-through cooled thermal facilities are the most cost-effective and efficient technologies under cooler and wetter conditions, but can be substantially affected by and vulnerable to warmer and drier conditions. Non-thermal renewable technologies, such as PV and wind, are essentially "drought-proof" but have other integration and reliability challenges. Prior efforts have explored the impacts of climate change on electric sector development for a limited set of climate and electricity scenarios. Here, we provide a comprehensive suite of scenarios that evaluate how different electricity sector pathways could be affected by a range of climate and water resource conditions. We use four representative concentration pathway (RCP) scenarios under five global circulation models (GCM) as climate drivers to a Water Balance Model (WBM), to provide twenty separate future climate-water conditions. These climate-water conditions influence electricity sector development from present day to 2050 as determined using the Regional Energy Deployment Systems (ReEDS) model. Four unique electricity sector pathways will be considered, including business-as-usual, carbon cap, high renewable energy technology costs, and coal reliance scenarios. The combination of climate-water and electricity sector pathway scenarios leads to 80 potential future cases resulting in different national and regional electricity infrastructure configurations. The vulnerability of these configurations in relation to climate change (including in-stream thermal pollution impacts and environmental regulations) is evaluated using the Thermoelectric Power and Thermal Pollution (TP2M) model, providing

Do new production concepts and a new management of employment relations, yield higher employee performance and low job strain?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kraan, K.; Oeij, P.

2006-01-01

In this article old versus new production concepts (NPCs) and employment relation instruments, are studied, separately and in combination, to find out which yield high employee performance and low job strain. Therefore, in 2005, TNO conducted coupled surveys among 149 supervisors and employees. In

Power Management Strategy of Hybrid Electric Vehicles Based on Quadratic Performance Index

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chaoying Xia

2015-11-01

Full Text Available An energy management strategy (EMS considering both optimality and real-time performance has become a challenge for the development of hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs in recent years. Previous EMSes based on the optimal control theory minimize the fuel consumption, but cannot be directly implemented in real-time because of the requirement for a prior knowledge of the entire driving cycle. This paper presents an innovative design concept and method to obtain a power management strategy for HEVs, which is independent of future driving conditions. A quadratic performance index is designed to ensure the vehicle drivability, maintain the battery energy sustainability and average and smooth the engine power and motor power to indirectly reduce fuel consumption. To further improve the fuel economy, two rules are adopted to avoid the inefficient engine operation by switching control modes between the electric and hybrid modes according to the required driving power. The derived power of the engine and motor are related to current vehicle velocity and battery residual energy, as well as their desired values. The simulation results over different driving cycles in Advanced Vehicle Simulator (ADVISOR show that the proposed strategy can significantly improve the fuel economy, which is very close to the optimal strategy based on Pontryagin’s minimum principle.

Realization of Quasi-Omnidirectional Solar Cells with Superior Electrical Performance by All-Solution-Processed Si Nanopyramids.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhong, Sihua; Wang, Wenjie; Tan, Miao; Zhuang, Yufeng; Shen, Wenzhong

2017-11-01

Large-scale (156 mm × 156 mm) quasi-omnidirectional solar cells are successfully realized and featured by keeping high cell performance over broad incident angles (θ), via employing Si nanopyramids (SiNPs) as surface texture. SiNPs are produced by the proposed metal-assisted alkaline etching method, which is an all-solution-processed method and highly simple together with cost-effective. Interestingly, compared to the conventional Si micropyramids (SiMPs)-textured solar cells, the SiNPs-textured solar cells possess lower carrier recombination and thus superior electrical performances, showing notable distinctions from other Si nanostructures-textured solar cells. Furthermore, SiNPs-textured solar cells have very little drop of quantum efficiency with increasing θ, demonstrating the quasi-omnidirectional characteristic. As an overall result, both the SiNPs-textured homojunction and heterojunction solar cells possess higher daily electric energy production with a maximum relative enhancement approaching 2.5%, when compared to their SiMPs-textured counterparts. The quasi-omnidirectional solar cell opens a new opportunity for photovoltaics to produce more electric energy with a low cost.

Performance evaluation of parallel electric field tunnel field-effect transistor by a distributed-element circuit model

Science.gov (United States)

Morita, Yukinori; Mori, Takahiro; Migita, Shinji; Mizubayashi, Wataru; Tanabe, Akihito; Fukuda, Koichi; Matsukawa, Takashi; Endo, Kazuhiko; O'uchi, Shin-ichi; Liu, Yongxun; Masahara, Meishoku; Ota, Hiroyuki

2014-12-01

The performance of parallel electric field tunnel field-effect transistors (TFETs), in which band-to-band tunneling (BTBT) was initiated in-line to the gate electric field was evaluated. The TFET was fabricated by inserting an epitaxially-grown parallel-plate tunnel capacitor between heavily doped source wells and gate insulators. Analysis using a distributed-element circuit model indicated there should be a limit of the drain current caused by the self-voltage-drop effect in the ultrathin channel layer.

Effects of municipal sewage sludge doses on the yield, some yield ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

STORAGESEVER

2008-09-03

Sep 3, 2008 ... Whereas grain yield, which was the highest component was ... land application, many studies have been performed ... grain. Analysis of variance was used to compare treatment ... een 17.0 - 164.0 cm depending on the environmental .... municipal sewage sludge for the stabilization of soil contaminated by.

Energy-related environmental and economic performance analysis of two different types of electrically heated student residence halls

Science.gov (United States)

Amber, Khuram Pervez; Aslam, Muhammad Waqar

2018-03-01

Student residence halls occupy 26% of the total area of a typical university campus in the UK and are directly responsible for 24% of university's annual CO2 emissions. Based on five years measured data, this paper aims to investigate the energy-related environmental and economic performance of electrically heated residence halls in which space heating is provided by two different types of electric heaters, that is, panel heater (PHT) and storage heater (SHT). Secondly, using statistical and machine learning methods, the paper attempts to investigate the relationship between daily electricity consumption and five factors (ambient temperature, solar radiation, relative humidity, wind speed and type of day). Data analysis revealed that electricity consumption of both halls is mainly driven by ambient temperature only, whereas SHT residence has 39% higher annual electricity bill and emits 70% higher CO2 emissions on a per square metre basis compared to the PHT residence hall.

Yield surface evolution for columnar ice

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Zhiwei; Ma, Wei; Zhang, Shujuan; Mu, Yanhu; Zhao, Shunpin; Li, Guoyu

A series of triaxial compression tests, which has capable of measuring the volumetric strain of the sample, were conducted on columnar ice. A new testing approach of probing the experimental yield surface was performed from a single sample in order to investigate yield and hardening behaviors of the columnar ice under complex stress states. Based on the characteristic of the volumetric strain, a new method of defined the multiaxial yield strengths of the columnar ice is proposed. The experimental yield surface remains elliptical shape in the stress space of effective stress versus mean stress. The effect of temperature, loading rate and loading path in the initial yield surface and deformation properties of the columnar ice were also studied. Subsequent yield surfaces of the columnar ice have been explored by using uniaxial and hydrostatic paths. The evolution of the subsequent yield surface exhibits significant path-dependent characteristics. The multiaxial hardening law of the columnar ice was established experimentally. A phenomenological yield criterion was presented for multiaxial yield and hardening behaviors of the columnar ice. The comparisons between the theoretical and measured results indicate that this current model is capable of giving a reasonable prediction for the multiaxial yield and post-yield properties of the columnar ice subjected to different temperature, loading rate and path conditions.

Performance, body measurements, carcass and cut yields, and meat quality in lambs fed residues from processing agroindustry of fruits

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Darcilene Maria de Figueiredo

2015-02-01

Full Text Available This research was conducted with the objective to evaluate the use of residue dry matter (DM from pineapple (Ananas comosus L., banana (Musa sp., mango (Mangifera indica and passion fruit (Passiflora spp. in feeding of the feedlot on productive performance, carcass yield and qualitative and quantitative characteristics of meat. Twenty-five crossbred lamps with Santa Inês breed and mixed breed were used. The treatments consisted of the replacement of 75% of sorghum silage by respective residue DM, whereas in the control treatment forage had only sorghum silage the diets had a houghageto- concentrate ratio of 40:60 interns of DM being isonitrogenous and isoenergetics. The animals were slaughtered at 32 kg liveweight. Before slaughter were obtained biometric measurements, after the same, was performed the hot carcasses weight and morphometric measurements. After 24 hours in a cold chamber at 4 ° C, was determined the cold carcass weight and yield calculation. The left half carcass was divided into five sections: neck, shoulder, shank, rib and loin, by performing the calculation of income cuts. Analyses meat quality such as pH, color (L, a, b, chroma and Ho, by cooking weight loss, water retention capacity and shear strength were carried out in the Longissimus dorsi sample. The completely randomized design was adapted. The data were interpreted using analysis of variance with the test a Tukey 5% probability. There was no effect of diet (P> 0.05 according to the parameters: growth performance, body measurements, and meat quality of lambs. There was also no effect of the diets (P> 0.05 on the loin eye area assuming that carcasses remained similar muscularity important fact to market acceptance standard. It is concluded that replacing up to 75% of sorghum silage by residues fruit (pineapple, banana, mango and passion fruit in lambs feeding becomes feasible not to change the productive performance, body measurements, yields carcass and cuts and meat

Significant manipulation of output performance of a bridge-structured spin valve magnetoresistance sensor via an electric field

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Yue; Yan, Baiqian; Ou-Yang, Jun; Zhu, Benpeng; Chen, Shi; Yang, Xiaofei, E-mail: hust-yangxiaofei@163.com [School of Optical and Electronic Information, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074 (China); Wang, Xianghao [School of Information Engineering, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070 (China)

2016-01-28

Through principles of spin-valve giant magnetoresistance (SV-GMR) effect and its application in magnetic sensors, we have investigated electric-field control of the output performance of a bridge-structured Co/Cu/NiFe/IrMn SV-GMR sensor on a PZN-PT piezoelectric substrate using the micro-magnetic simulation. We centered on the influence of the variation of uniaxial magnetic anisotropy constant (K) of Co on the output of the bridge, and K was manipulated via the stress of Co, which is generated from the strain of a piezoelectric substrate under an electric field. The results indicate that when K varies between 2 × 10{sup 4 }J/m{sup 3} and 10 × 10{sup 4 }J/m{sup 3}, the output performance can be significantly manipulated: The linear range alters from between −330 Oe and 330 Oe to between −650 Oe and 650 Oe, and the sensitivity is tuned by almost 7 times, making it possible to measure magnetic fields with very different ranges. According to the converse piezoelectric effect, we have found that this variation of K can be realized by applying an electric field with the magnitude of about 2–20 kV/cm on a PZN-PT piezoelectric substrate, which is realistic in application. This result means that electric-control of SV-GMR effect has potential application in developing SV-GMR sensors with improved performance.

Significant manipulation of output performance of a bridge-structured spin valve magnetoresistance sensor via an electric field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Yue; Yan, Baiqian; Ou-Yang, Jun; Zhu, Benpeng; Chen, Shi; Yang, Xiaofei; Wang, Xianghao

2016-01-01

Through principles of spin-valve giant magnetoresistance (SV-GMR) effect and its application in magnetic sensors, we have investigated electric-field control of the output performance of a bridge-structured Co/Cu/NiFe/IrMn SV-GMR sensor on a PZN-PT piezoelectric substrate using the micro-magnetic simulation. We centered on the influence of the variation of uniaxial magnetic anisotropy constant (K) of Co on the output of the bridge, and K was manipulated via the stress of Co, which is generated from the strain of a piezoelectric substrate under an electric field. The results indicate that when K varies between 2 × 10 4  J/m 3 and 10 × 10 4  J/m 3 , the output performance can be significantly manipulated: The linear range alters from between −330 Oe and 330 Oe to between −650 Oe and 650 Oe, and the sensitivity is tuned by almost 7 times, making it possible to measure magnetic fields with very different ranges. According to the converse piezoelectric effect, we have found that this variation of K can be realized by applying an electric field with the magnitude of about 2–20 kV/cm on a PZN-PT piezoelectric substrate, which is realistic in application. This result means that electric-control of SV-GMR effect has potential application in developing SV-GMR sensors with improved performance

Optimization of NPP performance and service life in a competitive electricity market

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gueorguiev, B.; Spielgelberg - Planner, R.

2000-01-01

This paper discusses how the competitive electricity market has influenced nuclear power plant operations, with a focus on optimisation of NPP performance and plant service life, and how the IAEA programme has addressed some of this issues. The definitions of Plant Life, Operational Life, Design Life and Periodical Safety Reviews are developed in the paper in order to differentiate between the terms and to show the significance in terms of Plant Life Management

Precise measurement of {gamma}(K{yields}e {nu}({gamma}))/{gamma}(K{yields}{mu} {nu}({gamma})) and study of K{yields}e {nu} {gamma}

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ambrosino, F.; Massarotti, P.; Meola, S.; Napolitano, M. [Dipartimento di Scienze Fisiche dell' Universita ' ' Federico II' ' , Napoli (Italy); INFN Sezione di Napoli, Napoli (Italy); Antonelli, A.; Antonelli, M.; Bencivenni, G.; Bloise, C.; Bossi, F.; Capon, G.; Capussela, T.; Ciambrone, P.; De Lucia, E.; De Simone, P.; Dreucci, M.; Felici, G.; Gatti, C.; Giovannella, S.; Jacewicz, M.; Lanfranchi, G.; Miscetti, S.; Moulson, M.; Murtas, F.; Palutan, M.; Santangelo, P.; Sciascia, B.; Sibidanov, A.; Spadaro, T.; Venanzoni, G. [Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati dell' INFN, Frascati (Italy); Archilli, F. [Dipartimento di Fisica dell' Universita ' ' Tor Vergata' ' , Rome (Italy); INFN Sezione di Roma Tor Vergata, Rome (Italy); Beltrame, P.; Denig, A.; Mueller, S. [Johannes Gutenberg-Universitaet, Institut fuer Kernphysik, Mainz (Germany); Bini, C.; De Santis, A.; De Zorzi, G.; Di Domenico, A.; Fiore, S.; Franzini, P.; Gauzzi, P. [Dipartimento di Fisica dell' Universita ' ' La Sapienza' ' , Rome (Italy); INFN Sezione di Roma, Rome (Italy); Bocchetta, S.; Ceradini, F.; Di Micco, B.; Nguyen, F. [Dipartimento di Fisica dell' Universita ' ' Roma Tre' ' , Rome (Italy); INFN Sezione di Roma Tre, Rome (Italy); Branchini, P.; Graziani, E.; Passeri, A.; Tortora, L. [INFN Sezione di Roma Tre, Rome (Italy); Capriotti, D. [Dipartimento di Fisica dell' Universita ' ' Roma Tre' ' , Rome (Italy); Di Donato, C. [INFN Sezione di Napoli, Napoli (Italy); Kulikov, V. [Institute for Theoretical and Experimental Physics, Moscow (Russian Federation); Lee-Franzini, J. [Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati dell' INFN, Frascati (Italy); State University of New York, Physics Department, Stony Brook (United States); Martini, M.; Patera, V.; Versaci, R. [Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati dell' INFN, Frascati (Italy); Dipartimento di Energetica dell' Universita ' ' La Sapienza' ' , Rome (Italy); Valente, P. [INFN Sezione di Roma, Rome (Italy)

2009-12-15

We present a precise measurement of the ratio R{sub K}={gamma}(K{yields}e{nu}({gamma}))/{gamma}(K{yields}{mu}{nu}({gamma})) and a study of the radiative process K{yields}e{nu}{gamma}, performed with the KLOE detector. The results are based on data collected at the Frascati e{sup +}e{sup -} collider DA {phi}NE for an integrated luminosity of 2.2 fb{sup -1}. We find R{sub K}=(2.493{+-}0.025{sub stat}{+-}0.019{sub syst}) x 10{sup -5}, in agreement with the Standard Model expectation. This result is used to improve constraints on parameters of the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model with lepton flavor violation. We also measured the differential decay rate d {gamma}(K{yields}e{nu}{gamma})/dE{sub {gamma}} for photon energies 10

Individual differences in object permanence performance at 8 months: locomotor experience and brain electrical activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Bell, M A; Fox, N A

1997-12-01

This work was designed to investigate individual differences in hands-and-knees crawling and frontal brain electrical activity with respect to object permanence performance in 76 eight-month-old infants. Four groups of infants (one prelocomotor and 3 with varying lengths of hands-and-knees crawling experience) were tested on an object permanence scale in a research design similar to that used by Kermoian and Campos (1988). In addition, baseline EEG was recorded and used as an indicator of brain development, as in the Bell and Fox (1992) longitudinal study. Individual differences in frontal and occipital EEG power and in locomotor experience were associated with performance on the object permanence task. Infants successful at A-not-B exhibited greater frontal EEG power and greater occipital EEG power than unsuccessful infants. In contrast to Kermoian and Campos (1988), who noted that long-term crawling experience was associated with higher performance on an object permanence scale, infants in this study with any amount of hands and knees crawling experience performed at a higher level on the object permanence scale than prelocomotor infants. There was no interaction among brain electrical activity, locomotor experience, and object permanence performance. These data highlight the value of electrophysiological research and the need for a brain-behavior model of object permanence performance that incorporates both electrophysiological and behavioral factors.

Standard Test Method for Electrical Performance of Photovoltaic Cells Using Reference Cells Under Simulated Sunlight

CERN Document Server

American Society for Testing and Materials. Philadelphia

2009-01-01

1.1 This test method covers the determination of the electrical performance of a photovoltaic cell under simulated sunlight by means of a calibrated reference cell procedure. 1.2 Electrical performance measurements are reported with respect to a select set of standard reporting conditions (SRC) (see Table 1) or to user-specified conditions. 1.2.1 The SRC or user-specified conditions include the cell temperature, the total irradiance, and the reference spectral irradiance distribution. 1.3 This test method is applicable only to photovoltaic cells with a linear response over the range of interest. 1.4 The cell parameters determined by this test method apply only at the time of test, and imply no past or future performance level. 1.5 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as standard. No other units of measurement are included in this standard. 1.6 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this s...

Performance of rotary kiln reactor for the elephant grass pyrolysis.

Science.gov (United States)

De Conto, D; Silvestre, W P; Baldasso, C; Godinho, M

2016-10-01

The influence of process conditions (rotary speed/temperature) on the performance of a rotary kiln reactor for non-catalytic pyrolysis of a perennial grass (elephant grass) was investigated. The product yields, the production of non-condensable gases as well as the biochar properties were evaluated. The maximum H2 yield was close to that observed for catalytic pyrolysis processes, while the bio-oil yield was higher than reported for pyrolysis of other biomass in rotary kiln reactors. A H2/CO ratio suitable for Fischer-Tropsch synthesis (FTS) was obtained. The biochars presented an alkaline pH (above 10) and interesting contents of nutrients, as well as low electrical conductivity, indicating a high potential as soil amendment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Electrical performance of phase change memory cells with Ge3Sb2Te6 deposited by molecular beam epitaxy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boschker, Jos E.; Riechert, Henning; Calarco, Raffaella; Boniardi, Mattia; Redaelli, Andrea

2015-01-01

Here, we report on the electrical characterization of phase change memory cells containing a Ge 3 Sb 2 Te 6 (GST) alloy grown in its crystalline form by Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE). It is found that the high temperature growth on the amorphous substrate results in a polycrystalline film exhibiting a rough surface with a grain size of approximately 80–150 nm. A detailed electrical characterization has been performed, including I-V characteristic curves, programming curves, set operation performance, crystallization activation at low temperature, and resistance drift, in order to determine the material related parameters. The results indicate very good alignment of the electrical parameters with the current state-of-the-art GST, deposited by physical vapor deposition. Such alignment enables a possible employment of the MBE deposition technique for chalcogenide materials in the phase change memory technology, thus leading to future studies of as-deposited crystalline chalcogenides as integrated in electrical vehicles

Straight and chopped DC performance data for a General Electric 5BY436A1 DC shunt motor with a General Electric EV-1 controller

Science.gov (United States)

Edie, P. C.

1981-01-01

Both straight and chopped dc motor performance data for a General Electric 5BY436A1 motor with a General Electric EV-1 controller is presented in tabular and graphical formats. Effects of motor temperature and operating voltage are also shown. The maximum motor efficiency is approximately 85% at low operating temperatures in the straight dc mode. Chopper efficiency can be assumed to be 95% under all operating conditions. For equal speeds, the motor operated in the chopped mode develops slightly more torque and draws more current than it does in the straight mode.

Performance of single wire earth return transformers with amorphous alloy core in a rural electric energy distribution system

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Benedito Antonio Luciano

2012-10-01

Full Text Available In this paper are presented some considerations about the performance of single wire earth return amorphous alloy core transformers in comparison with conventional silicon steel sheets cores transformers used in rural electric energy distribution network. It has been recognized that amorphous metal core transformers improve electrical power distribution efficiency by reducing transformer core losses. This reduction is due to some electromagnetic properties of the amorphous alloys such as: high magnetic permeability, high resistivity, and low coercivity. Experimental results obtained with some single-phase, 60 Hz, 5 kVA amorphous core transformers installed in a rural area electric distribution system in Northern Brazil have been confirming their superior performance in comparison to identical nominal rated transformers built with conventional silicon steel cores, particularly with regard to the excitation power and to the no-load losses.

A comparison of electric vehicle integration projects

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Peter Bach; Garcia-Valle, Rodrigo; Kempton, Willett

2012-01-01

.g. utilization of electric vehicles for ancillary services. To arrive at standardized solutions, it is helpful to analyze the market integration and utilization concepts, architectures and technologies used in a set of state-of-the art electric vehicle demonstration projects. The goal of this paper......It is widely agreed that an intelligent integration of electric vehicles can yield benefits for electric vehicle owner, power grid, and the society as a whole. Numerous electric vehicle utilization concepts have been investigated ranging from the simple e.g. delayed charging to the more advanced e...... is to highlight different approaches to electric vehicle integration in three such projects and describe the underlying technical components which should be harmonized to support interoperability and a broad set of utilization concepts. The projects investigated are the American University of Delaware's V2G...

NREL Achieves Solar-Electric Record

Science.gov (United States)

Solar-Electric Record New Technology Could Spur Growth in Photovoltaic Panels For more information thin-film panels made from cadmium telluride. Benner said these and other plants may adopt all or part panels. Of the several materials that can be used for thin-film panels, cadmium telluride yields higher

A Combined Optical, Thermal and Electrical Performance Study of a V-Trough PV System—Experimental and Analytical Investigations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Haitham M. Bahaidarah

2015-04-01

Full Text Available The objective of this study was to achieve higher efficiency of a PV system while reducing of the cost of energy generation. Concentration photovoltaics was employed in the present case as it uses low cost reflectors to enhance the efficiency of the PV system and simultaneously reduces the cost of electricity generation. For this purpose a V-trough integrated with the PV system was employed for low concentration photovoltaic (LCPV. Since the electrical output of the concentrating PV system is significantly affected by the temperature of the PV cells, the motivation of the research also included studying the ability to actively cool PV cells to achieve the maximum benefit. The optical, thermal and electrical performance of the V-trough PV system was theoretically modeled and validated with experimental results. Optical modeling of V-trough was carried out to estimate the amount of enhanced absorbed radiation. Due to increase in the absorbed radiation the module temperature was also increased which was predicted by thermal model. Active cooling techniques were studied and the effect of cooling was analyzed on the performance of V-trough PV system. With absorbed radiation and module temperature as input parameters, electrical modeling was carried out and the maximum power was estimated. For the V-trough PV system, experiments were performed for validating the numerical models and very good agreement was found between the two.

Spatial Relation of Apparent Soil Electrical Conductivity with Crop Yields and Soil Properties at Different Topographic Positions in a Small Agricultural Watershed

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gurbir Singh

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Use of electromagnetic induction (EMI sensors along with geospatial modeling provide a better opportunity for understanding spatial distribution of soil properties and crop yields on a landscape level and to map site-specific management zones. The first objective of this research was to evaluate the relationship of crop yields, soil properties and apparent electrical conductivity (ECa at different topographic positions (shoulder, backslope, and deposition slope. The second objective was to examine whether the correlation of ECa with soil properties and crop yields on a watershed scale can be improved by considering topography in modeling ECa and soil properties compared to a whole field scale with no topographic separation. This study was conducted in two headwater agricultural watersheds in southern Illinois, USA. The experimental design consisted of three basins per watershed and each basin was divided into three topographic positions (shoulder, backslope and deposition using the Slope Position Classification model in ESRI ArcMap. A combine harvester equipped with a GPS-based recording system was used for yield monitoring and mapping from 2012 to 2015. Soil samples were taken at depths from 0–15 cm and 15–30 cm from 54 locations in the two watersheds in fall 2015 and analyzed for physical and chemical properties. The ECa was measured using EMI device, EM38-MK2, which provides four dipole readings ECa-H-0.5, ECa-H-1, ECa-V-0.5, and ECa-V-1. Soybean and corn yields at depositional position were 38% and 62% lower than the shoulder position in 2014 and 2015, respectively. Soil pH, total carbon (TC, total nitrogen (TN, Mehlich-3 Phosphorus (P, Bray-1 P and ECa at depositional positions were significantly higher compared to shoulder positions. Corn and soybeans yields were weakly to moderately (<±0.75 correlated with ECa. At the deposition position at the 0–15 cm depth ECa-H-0.5 was weakly correlated (r < ±0.50 with soil pH and was

Environmental assessment for the electric and hybrid vehicle demonstration project, performance standards and financial incentives

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

LaBelle, S. J.

1978-10-01

The assessment is concerned with the impacts of the demonstration of electric and hybrid vehicles acquired to fulfill certain requirements of the Electric and Hybrid Vehicle Research, Development, and Demonstration Act, PL 94-413 as amended. The financial incentives programs and vehicle performance standards associated with the demonstration are also covered. Not included is an assessment of the long term effects of EHV commercialization and of the research and development program being carried out simultaneously with the demonstration, also in response to PL 94-413. These federal actions will be included in a programmatic environmental assessment scheduled for completion in FY 79.

Performance of a Battery Electric Vehicle in the Cold Climate and Hilly Terrain of Vermont

Science.gov (United States)

2008-12-23

The goal of this research project was to determine the performance of a battery electric vehicle (BEV) in the cold climate and hilly terrain of Vermont. For this study, a 2005 Toyota Echo was converted from an internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle...

Effect of Biofertilizers on the Yield and Yield Components of Black Cumin (Nigella sativa L.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S Khorramdel

2011-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Application of biological fertilizers is one of the most important methods for plant nutrition in ecological agriculture. In order to investigate the effect of biofertilizers on yield and yield components of black cumin (Nigella sativa L., a field experiment was arranged in a randomized complete block design with three replications during 2007 growing season at the Agricultural Research Station of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad. Treatments included: (A Azotobacter paspali, (B Azospirillum brasilense, (C the fungus of Glomus intraradaices, C+A, C+B, A+B, A+B+C, and control without no biofertilizers. In all treatments except control, the amounts of 15 mg of each biofertilizer were applied to 110 g of seeds. Results indicated that application of biofertilizers enhanced yield and yield components and decreased percentage of hollow capsules. Plant performance was better with application of Azospirillum plus mycorrhiza and a mixture of Azotobacter, Azospirillum and mycorrhiza in terms of yield determining criteria. The maximum and minimum amounts of seed yield were recorded in the B+C treatment with 41.4 gm-2, and control with 24.1 gm-2, respectively. There was no significant correlation between number of capsules per plant and seed yield, but the positive and significant correlation between number of branches per plant, number of seeds per capsule, 1000-seed weight and seed yield was observed. This study showed that application of suitable biofertilizers could increase yield and yield components of black cumin. Keywords: Biofertilizer, Ecological agriculture, Medicinal plants, Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria

The Electrical and Optical Properties of Organometal Halide Perovskites Relevant to Optoelectronic Performance

KAUST Repository

Adinolfi, Valerio

2017-10-12

Organometal halide perovskites are under intense study for use in optoelectronics. Methylammonium and formamidinium lead iodide show impressive performance as photovoltaic materials; a premise that has spurred investigations into light-emitting devices and photodetectors. Herein, the optical and electrical material properties of organometal halide perovskites are reviewed. An overview is given on how the material composition and morphology are tied to these properties, and how these properties ultimately affect device performance. Material attributes and techniques used to estimate them are analyzed for different perovskite materials, with a particular focus on the bandgap, mobility, diffusion length, carrier lifetime, and trap-state density.

Consequences of Selection for Yield Traits on Calving Ease Performance

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lopez de Maturana, E.; Ugarte, E.; Komen, J.; Arendonk, van J.A.M.

2007-01-01

The impact of different breeding goals on the genetic response for calving ease (CE) and yield traits was studied in the Basque Holstein cattle population. The economic value for CE was estimated with a bioeconomic model, using Basque production and market circumstances and taking into account the

Electric and hybrid vehicles

Science.gov (United States)

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.

An impact assessment of electricity and emission allowances pricing in optimised expansion planning of power sector portfolios

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tolis, Athanasios I.; Rentizelas, Athanasios A.

2011-01-01

Highlights: → The impact of electricity and CO 2 allowance pricing in power sector is researched. → A stochastic programming approach without recourse is used for the optimisation. → Higher electricity prices may be proportionally beneficial for the power system. → The CO 2 allowance prices may be inversely proportionate with the expected yields. → High CO 2 allowance prices are inhibitors for conventional technology projects. -- Abstract: The present work concerns a systematic investigation of power sector portfolios through discrete scenarios of electricity and CO 2 allowance prices. The analysis is performed for different prices, from regulated to completely deregulated markets, thus representing different electricity market policies. The modelling approach is based on a stochastic programming algorithm without recourse, used for the optimisation of power sector economics under multiple uncertainties. A sequential quadratic programming routine is applied for the entire investigation period whilst the time-dependent objective function is subject to various social and production constraints, usually confronted in power sectors. The analysis indicated the optimal capacity additions that should be annually ordered from each competitive technology in order to substantially improve both the economy and the sustainability of the system. It is confirmed that higher electricity prices lead to higher financial yields of power production, irrespective of the CO 2 allowance price level. Moreover, by following the proposed licensing planning, a medium-term reduction of CO 2 emissions per MW h by 30% might be possible. Interestingly, the combination of electricity prices subsidisation with high CO 2 allowance prices may provide favourable conditions for investors willing to engage on renewable energy markets.

An integrated DEA-COLS-SFA algorithm for optimization and policy making of electricity distribution units

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Azadeh, A.; Ghaderi, S.F.; Omrani, H.; Eivazy, H.

2009-01-01

This paper presents an integrated data envelopment analysis (DEA)-corrected ordinary least squares (COLS)-stochastic frontier analysis (SFA)-principal component analysis (PCA)-numerical taxonomy (NT) algorithm for performance assessment, optimization and policy making of electricity distribution units. Previous studies have generally used input-output DEA models for benchmarking and evaluation of electricity distribution units. However, this study proposes an integrated flexible approach to measure the rank and choose the best version of the DEA method for optimization and policy making purposes. It covers both static and dynamic aspects of information environment due to involvement of SFA which is finally compared with the best DEA model through the Spearman correlation technique. The integrated approach would yield in improved ranking and optimization of electricity distribution systems. To illustrate the usability and reliability of the proposed algorithm, 38 electricity distribution units in Iran have been considered, ranked and optimized by the proposed algorithm of this study.

Influence of temperature on products yield of Eucalyptus microcorys carbonization

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Renato da Silva Vieira

2013-03-01

Full Text Available During charcoal production different products are formed. These products are influenced primarily by the temperature of carbonization. Given that charcoal is the main input in the production of pig iron in Brazil, this study evaluated the influence of final temperature of carbonization of the products generated and also the influence of the radial and longitudinal sampling on the yield of each product. Samples were taken from internal and external position along the radius and also from three different heights from four Eucalyptus microcorys trees. The samples were carbonized in an electric furnace with an experimental water-cooled condenser and a collecting bottle of condensable volatile materials. The final temperatures of carbonization were 500, 600, 700, 800 and 900°C. The gravimetric yield, tar and non-condensable gases were calculated. The results showed no difference in the gravimetric yield in the longitudinal and radial positions studied, while the tar yield and non-condensable gases showed temperature variations of 700°C and 800°C and the variation of the gravimetric yield temperatures between 500°C to 900°C was 15%, the change of yield of tar from the radial direction of sampling was on average 8%, the variation of the yield of non-condensable gases in a radial sampling was on average 16%.

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

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Martinez, Tommy Robert [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Romero, Philbert Roland [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Garcia, Samuel Anthony [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

2017-11-09

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 may 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.

A novel estimation of electrical and cooling losses in electric arc furnaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Trejo, Eder; Martell, Fernando; Micheloud, Osvaldo; Teng, Lidong; Llamas, Armando; Montesinos-Castellanos, Alejandro

2012-01-01

A method to calculate electrical losses and a heat transfer model of a conventional Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) are presented. The application of a novel power theory for the EAF was used to compute electrical losses and it was compared with conventional power calculations. The electrical losses and electrical variables were used as input parameters to the proposed heat transfer model. Chemical energy sources were included as energy inputs to estimate the overall heat transferred including the heat losses in the cooling system. In the heat transfer model the furnace was divided in 11 inner surfaces and the radiation view factors between them were estimated by a commercial finite element software. Variations of the view factors for different arc coverage were evaluated. Different scenarios for cooling panels losses, with respect to arc coverage and thickness of slag layers adhered to cooling system panels, were analyzed. The approach presented in this work allows calculation of energy balances in electrical arc furnaces with low computational resources. Finally, the contribution of this research work is to define a framework for further research oriented to improve both the electrical and thermal energy efficiencies to increase productivity and reduce energy consumption in steel plants. -- Highlights: ► Radiation view factors for the electric arc furnace are estimated. ► Potential reduction in cooling losses is estimated to be 60 kWh/ton. ► Electrical losses are calculated based in the randomness power theory. ► The new approach yields an increase of 10% in the electrical losses. ► An analytic model is used to estimate the radiation mechanism.

Factors affecting the optimal performance of a high-yield pulping operation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Broderick, G [Noranda Technology Centre, Pointe-Claire, PQ (Canada); Paris, J [Ecole Polytechnique, Montreal, PQ (Canada); Valada, J L [Quebec Univ., Trois-Rivieres, PQ (Canada)

1995-06-01

Strategies for operating a chemical-mechanical pulp mill were investigated from data based on process models from some one hundred pilot scale pulping runs. Optimal values for 55 process and pulp quality variables have been calculated by applying a genetic algorithm search to a fuzzy model of the overall system. Best pulp quality was achieved and maintained when the chemical pretreatment was conducted at moderately low temperatures using a high SO{sub 2} concentration, which produced high sulphonation and high yield at the same time. By characterizing the quality of the pulp at the fibre level, optimization results were said to be more easily transferable to other high yield pulping systems. 19 refs., 6 tabs.

Response of high yielding rice varieties to NaCl salinity in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

STORAGESEVER

2008-11-05

Nov 5, 2008 ... the percentage of fertility, stem weight and white grain weight (Kavousi, 1995). ... yield falling in accordance with rising salinity or electrical conduction of ... Due to the effect of salinity on height reduction and its significant effect ..... leaf elongation in maize Is not Mediated by changes in cell wall. Acidification ...

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

Science.gov (United States)

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.

Electric/Hybrid Vehicle Simulation

Science.gov (United States)

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.

Improving the taxation regime for electric power

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fjermeros, Morten; Ilstad, Kristine

2003-01-01

In Norway, the present taxation regime for electric power is very complex. The power companies are currently charged with ordinary tax on profits, tax on economic rent, tax on natural resources and land tax. In addition there are the rules about licence fees, yield of power due to concession conditions, and reversion. The Norwegian Electricity Industry Association (EBL), assisted by a firm of lawyers, has proposed an improvement over the current taxation regime

Non-contact assessment of electrical performance for rapidly sintered nanoparticle silver coatings through colorimetry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cherrington, M.; Claypole, T.C.; Gethin, D.T. [Welsh Centre for Printing and Coating, College of Engineering, Swansea University, Singleton Park, Swansea, SA2 8PP (United Kingdom); Worsley, D.A. [SPECIFIC, College of Engineering, Swansea University, Baglan Bay Innovation Centre, Central Avenue, Baglan Energy Park, Port Talbot, SA12 7AX (United Kingdom); Deganello, D., E-mail: d.deganello@swansea.ac.uk [Welsh Centre for Printing and Coating, College of Engineering, Swansea University, Singleton Park, Swansea, SA2 8PP (United Kingdom)

2012-11-01

The color change during the ultrafast near-infrared sintering process of a nanoparticle silver ink has been correlated to its electrical performance through colorimetry using the CIELAB industry standard. Nanoparticle silver ink films, deposited over a flexible polyethylene terephthalate substrate, presented significant shifting in the a* and b* color coordinates during sintering, exhibiting the best conductivity with an a* coordinate of approximately 0 and a b* coordinate of approximately + 10. This color change has been associated with the Lorenz-Mie theory of electromagnetic scattering. This indirect measurement technique is potentially a breakthrough technology for fast in-line non-contact characterization of the drying and sintering process of nanoparticle conductive inks for use in large area roll-to-roll processing of printed electronics. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Color change of a nanoparticle silver coating was measured during sintering Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Color change was correlated to the electrical performance of the coating. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Potential in-line non-contact measurement method for roll-to-roll printed electronics.

Engineered Surfaces to Control Secondary Electron Yield for Multipactor Suppression

Science.gov (United States)

2017-09-14

Air Force Institute of Technology AFIT Scholar Theses and Dissertations 9-14-2017 Engineered Surfaces to Control Secondary Electron Yield for...Multipactor Suppression James M. Sattler Follow this and additional works at: https://scholar.afit.edu/etd Part of the Electrical and Electronics Commons... TECHNOLOGY Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT A. APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE; DISTRIBUTION UNLIMITED

Measurement of mass and isotopic fission yields for heavy fission products with the LOHENGRIN mass spectrometer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bail, A.

2009-05-01

In spite of the huge amount of fission yield data available in different libraries, more accurate values are still needed for nuclear energy applications and to improve our understanding of the fission process. Thus measurements of fission yields were performed at the mass spectrometer Lohengrin at the Institut Laue-Langevin in Grenoble, France. The mass separator Lohengrin is situated at the research reactor of the institute and permits the placement of an actinide layer in a high thermal neutron flux. It separates fragments according to their atomic mass, kinetic energy and ionic charge state by the action of magnetic and electric fields. Coupled to a high resolution ionization chamber the experiment was used to investigate the mass and isotopic yields of the light mass region. Almost all fission yields of isotopes from Th to Cf have been measured at Lohengrin with this method. To complete and improve the nuclear data libraries, these measurements have been extended in this work to the heavy mass region for the reactions 235 U(n th ,f), 239 Pu(n th ,f) and 241 Pu(n th ,f). For these higher masses an isotopic separation is no longer possible. So, a new method was undertaken with the reaction 239 Pu(n th ,f) to determine the isotopic yields by spectrometry. These experiments have allowed to reduce considerably the uncertainties. Moreover the ionic charge state and kinetic energy distributions were specifically studied and have shown, among others, nanosecond isomers for some masses. (author)

On the electrification of road transportation – A review of the environmental, economic, and social performance of electric two-wheelers

OpenAIRE

WEISS MARTIN; DEKKER Peter; MORO ALBERTO; SCHOLZ Harald; MARTIN Patel

2015-01-01

Electrification is widely considered as a viable strategy for reducing the oil dependency and environmental impacts of road transportation. In pursuit of this strategy, most attention has been paid to electric cars. However, substantial, yet untapped, potentials could be realized in urban areas through the large-scale introduction of electric two-wheelers. Here, we review the environmental, economic, and social performance of electric two-wheelers, demonstrating that these are generally more ...

Electricity economics. Production functions with electricity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hu, Zhaoguang [State Grid Energy Research Institute, Beijing (China); Hu, Zheng [Delaware Univ., Newark, DE (United States)

2013-07-01

The first book studies on the economics of electricity consumption. Compares the sector production functions with electricity and the commercial production functions with electricity. Introduces the global E-GDP function, the European E-GDP function and 12 national E-GDP functions. Presents the gene characters of EAI production functions and E-GDP functions for USA to see why USA's economy is entering an up-industrialization period. Discusses China's economic growth by production functions with electricity. Electricity Economics: Production Functions with Electricity studies the production output from analyzing patterns of electricity consumption. Since electricity data can be used to measure scenarios of economic performance due to its accuracy and reliability, it could therefore also be used to help scholars explore new research frontiers that directly and indirectly benefits human society. Our research initially explores a similar pattern to substitute the Cobb-Douglas function with the production function with electricity to track and forecast economic activities. The book systematically introduces the theoretical frameworks and mathematical models of economics from the perspective of electricity consumption. The E-GDP functions are presented for case studies of more than 20 developed and developing countries. These functions also demonstrate substantial similarities between human DNA and production functions with electricity in terms of four major characteristics, namely replication, mutation, uniqueness, and evolution. Furthermore, the book includes extensive data and case studies on the U.S., China, Japan, etc. It is intended for scientists, engineers, financial professionals, policy makers, consultants, and anyone else with a desire to study electricity economics as well as related applications.

Electricity economics. Production functions with electricity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hu, Zhaoguang; Hu, Zheng

2013-01-01

The first book studies on the economics of electricity consumption. Compares the sector production functions with electricity and the commercial production functions with electricity. Introduces the global E-GDP function, the European E-GDP function and 12 national E-GDP functions. Presents the gene characters of EAI production functions and E-GDP functions for USA to see why USA's economy is entering an up-industrialization period. Discusses China's economic growth by production functions with electricity. Electricity Economics: Production Functions with Electricity studies the production output from analyzing patterns of electricity consumption. Since electricity data can be used to measure scenarios of economic performance due to its accuracy and reliability, it could therefore also be used to help scholars explore new research frontiers that directly and indirectly benefits human society. Our research initially explores a similar pattern to substitute the Cobb-Douglas function with the production function with electricity to track and forecast economic activities. The book systematically introduces the theoretical frameworks and mathematical models of economics from the perspective of electricity consumption. The E-GDP functions are presented for case studies of more than 20 developed and developing countries. These functions also demonstrate substantial similarities between human DNA and production functions with electricity in terms of four major characteristics, namely replication, mutation, uniqueness, and evolution. Furthermore, the book includes extensive data and case studies on the U.S., China, Japan, etc. It is intended for scientists, engineers, financial professionals, policy makers, consultants, and anyone else with a desire to study electricity economics as well as related applications.

Improving the cooling performance of electrical distribution transformer using transformer oil – Based MEPCM suspension

OpenAIRE

Mushtaq Ismael Hasan

2017-01-01

In this paper the electrical distribution transformer has been studied numerically and the effect of outside temperature on its cooling performance has been investigated. The temperature range studied covers the hot climate regions. 250 KVA distribution transformer is chosen as a study model. A novel cooling fluid is proposed to improve the cooling performance of this transformer, transformer oil-based microencapsulated phase change materials suspension is used with volume concentration (5–25...

Effects of irrigation regime and salinity on soil characteristics and yield of tomato

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rita Leogrande

2012-03-01

Full Text Available A field experiment was conducted in Mediterranean conditions to evaluate the effects of different irrigation volumes and water quality on yield performance of tomato crop. The tomato crop was irrigated re-establishing 50 (I1, 75 (I2 and 100% (I3 of the crop evapotranspiration (ETc with two water quality: fresh water with EC 0.9 dS m-1 (FW and saline water with EC 6 dSm-1 (SW. At harvest, total and marketable yield, weight, number, , total soluble solids (TSS and dry matter of fruit were calculated, The results showed no statistical differences among the three different irrigation volumes on tomato yield and quality. The salinity treatment did not affect yield, probably because the soil salinity in the root zone on average remained below the threshold of tomato salt tolerance. Instead, salinity improved fruit quality parameters as dry matter and TSS by 13 and 8 %, respectively. After the first field application of saline water, soil saturated extract cations (SSEC, electrical conductivity of soil paste extract (ECe, sodium absorption ratio (SAR and exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP cations increased; the largest increase of cations, in particular of Na, occurred in the top layer. At the end of the experiment, the absolute value of SSEC, ECe and SAR, for all the effects studied, were lower than those recorded in 2007. This behavior was suitable to the reduced volumes of treatments administered in 2009 in respect to the 2007. Furthermore, the higher total rainfall recorded in 2009 increased the leaching and downward movement of salts out of the sampling depth.

Electrical and Self-Sensing Properties of Ultra-High-Performance Fiber-Reinforced Concrete with Carbon Nanotubes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ilhwan You

2017-10-01

Full Text Available This study examined the electrical and self-sensing capacities of ultra-high-performance fiber-reinforced concrete (UHPFRC with and without carbon nanotubes (CNTs. For this, the effects of steel fiber content, orientation, and pore water content on the electrical and piezoresistive properties of UHPFRC without CNTs were first evaluated. Then, the effect of CNT content on the self-sensing capacities of UHPFRC under compression and flexure was investigated. Test results indicated that higher steel fiber content, better fiber orientation, and higher amount of pore water led to higher electrical conductivity of UHPFRC. The effects of fiber orientation and drying condition on the electrical conductivity became minor as sufficiently high amount of steel fibers, 3% by volume, was added. Including only steel fibers did not impart UHPFRC with piezoresistive properties. Addition of CNTs substantially improved the electrical conductivity of UHPFRC. Under compression, UHPFRC with a CNT content of 0.3% or greater had a self-sensing ability that was activated by the formation of cracks, and better sensing capacity was achieved by including greater amount of CNTs. Furthermore, the pre-peak flexural behavior of UHPFRC was precisely simulated with a fractional change in resistivity when 0.3% CNTs were incorporated. The pre-cracking self-sensing capacity of UHPFRC with CNTs was more effective under tensile stress state than under compressive stress state.

Electrical and Self-Sensing Properties of Ultra-High-Performance Fiber-Reinforced Concrete with Carbon Nanotubes.

Science.gov (United States)

You, Ilhwan; Yoo, Doo-Yeol; Kim, Sooho; Kim, Min-Jae; Zi, Goangseup

2017-10-29

This study examined the electrical and self-sensing capacities of ultra-high-performance fiber-reinforced concrete (UHPFRC) with and without carbon nanotubes (CNTs). For this, the effects of steel fiber content, orientation, and pore water content on the electrical and piezoresistive properties of UHPFRC without CNTs were first evaluated. Then, the effect of CNT content on the self-sensing capacities of UHPFRC under compression and flexure was investigated. Test results indicated that higher steel fiber content, better fiber orientation, and higher amount of pore water led to higher electrical conductivity of UHPFRC. The effects of fiber orientation and drying condition on the electrical conductivity became minor as sufficiently high amount of steel fibers, 3% by volume, was added. Including only steel fibers did not impart UHPFRC with piezoresistive properties. Addition of CNTs substantially improved the electrical conductivity of UHPFRC. Under compression, UHPFRC with a CNT content of 0.3% or greater had a self-sensing ability that was activated by the formation of cracks, and better sensing capacity was achieved by including greater amount of CNTs. Furthermore, the pre-peak flexural behavior of UHPFRC was precisely simulated with a fractional change in resistivity when 0.3% CNTs were incorporated. The pre-cracking self-sensing capacity of UHPFRC with CNTs was more effective under tensile stress state than under compressive stress state.

Soybean growth and yield under cover crops

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Priscila de Oliveira

2013-04-01

Full Text Available The use of cover crops in no-tillage systems can provide better conditions for the development of soybean plants with positive effects on grain yield and growth analysis techniques allow researchers to characterize and understand the behavior of soybean plants under different straw covers. Thus, the aim of this study was to characterize, using growth analysis, yield components and agronomic performance of soybean under common bean, Brachiaria brizantha and pearl millet straws. The experiment was performed on a soil under cerrado in the municipality of Santo Antônio de Goiás, GO. The experiment was arranged in a randomized complete block design with three treatments (cover crops and five replications. Soybean grain yield was lower in the B. brizantha straw treatment (3,708 kg ha-1 than both in the pearl millet (4.772 kg ha-1 and common bean straw treatments (5,200 kg ha-1. The soybean growth analysis in B. brizantha, pearl millet and common bean allowed characterizing the variation in the production of dry matter of leaves, stems, pods and total and leaf area index that provided different grain yields. The cover crop directly affects the soybean grain yield.

Examination of the Properties of a Spent Fuel based Electricity Generation System - Scintillator Performance Analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Haneol; Yim, Man-Sung [KAIST, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2016-05-15

Gammavoltaic was proposed by Karl Scharf in 1960. The low efficiency resulted in gammavoltaic being used as a radiation detector. In the 1990s the efficiency of gammavoltaic increased by the use of a scintillator. Gammavoltaic was further studied as a power source for spent fuel transportation and a nuclear battery in the 2000s Haneol Lee and Man-Sung Yim also suggested electricity generation system based on spent fuel stored inside the fuel pool of a nuclear power plant. This study proposed the systematic design of an electricity conversion system using CsI(Tl) scintillator and a-Si photovoltaic cell. As such, this study is selected to be a reference paper. The results of this paper indicate a self-absorption effect from the reference model. This effect is negligible while the irradiation degradation has to be considered. Two main ways to reduce radiation induced degradation are scintillator shielding and replacing scintillator material with a material having higher radiation resistance. The analysis of the scintillator used in the 'electricity generation system using gamma radiation from spent fuel' was performed to evaluate the ideal electricity generation in the reference research.

Examination of the Properties of a Spent Fuel based Electricity Generation System - Scintillator Performance Analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Haneol; Yim, Man-Sung

2016-01-01

Gammavoltaic was proposed by Karl Scharf in 1960. The low efficiency resulted in gammavoltaic being used as a radiation detector. In the 1990s the efficiency of gammavoltaic increased by the use of a scintillator. Gammavoltaic was further studied as a power source for spent fuel transportation and a nuclear battery in the 2000s Haneol Lee and Man-Sung Yim also suggested electricity generation system based on spent fuel stored inside the fuel pool of a nuclear power plant. This study proposed the systematic design of an electricity conversion system using CsI(Tl) scintillator and a-Si photovoltaic cell. As such, this study is selected to be a reference paper. The results of this paper indicate a self-absorption effect from the reference model. This effect is negligible while the irradiation degradation has to be considered. Two main ways to reduce radiation induced degradation are scintillator shielding and replacing scintillator material with a material having higher radiation resistance. The analysis of the scintillator used in the 'electricity generation system using gamma radiation from spent fuel' was performed to evaluate the ideal electricity generation in the reference research

Thermoecological cost of electricity production in the natural gas pressure reduction process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kostowski, Wojciech J.; Usón, Sergio; Stanek, Wojciech; Bargiel, Paweł

2014-01-01

The paper presents a novel concept for thermodynamic evaluation of a selected energy system. The presented method has been developed by integration of the Thermo-Economic Analysis with the theory of Thermo-Ecological Cost. It can be applied as a thermodynamic evaluation method of rational resources management within any production system. It takes into account both the interrelation of irreversibility within the analyzed system and its influence on the global effects related to the depletion of non-renewable natural resources. The proposed method has been applied to evaluate the production of electricity in the process of natural gas transmission at pressure reduction stations. The expansion system is based on an existing plant integrated with a CHP module, characterized by a performance ratio of 89.5% and exergy efficiency of 49.2%. Within the paper, this expansion plant is supplied with natural gas transported from a natural deposit through a case-study transmission system with 4 compressor stations. The TEC (thermoecological cost) method was applied in conjunction with thermoeconomic analysis. As a result, TEC of the electricity generated in the expanders was determined at 2.42 kJ/kJ, TEC of electricity from the CHP module is 1.77, and the TEC of medium-pressure natural gas distributed to consumers is 1.022. - Highlights: • The chain of NG transmission with an exergy recovery expansion plant was analyzed. • New methodology coupling the TEC (thermoecological cost) and thermoeconomics. • Decomposition of the TEC formation process. • Case-study transmission system yields TEC of natural gas = 1.0222. • Expansion plant yields TEC of electricity 2.42 (expanders) and 1.77 (CHP module)

Effects of feeding lutein on production performance, antioxidative status, and milk quality of high-yielding dairy cows.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, C Z; Wang, H F; Yang, J Y; Wang, J H; Duan, Z Y; Wang, C; Liu, J X; Lao, Y

2014-11-01

This experiment was conducted to determine the influences of supplementing different levels of an additive containing lutein in the diet of Chinese Holstein lactating cows on production performance, antioxidative plasma metabolites, and milk quality. This study was performed on 60 multiparous Holstein dairy cows in peak lactation. The cows were randomly allocated to 1 of 4 homogeneous treatments, with lutein preparation (extracted from marigolds; effective lutein content was 2%) added at levels of 0, 100, 150, and 200 g/d per head, with the actual available amounts being 0, 2, 3, and 4 g of lutein/d per head, respectively. The experiment lasted for 13 wk, with the first week for adaptation. Milk yield and milk compositions were recorded weekly, and milk concentrations of lutein, dry matter intake, and antioxidative blood index were analyzed in the first, fourth, seventh, and thirteenth week of the study. The results showed that adding lutein in the diet had no effect on dry matter intake compared with the control group; however, it slowed down the trend of decline in milk yield, and had a linear incremental effect on milk yield with increasing concentration of lutein. Dietary lutein tended to quadratically increase the percentage of milk fat, and linearly increased milk lactose concentration, with the highest value when treated at 200 g of lutein preparation/d per head, and decreased somatic cell count, with the lowest values when treated with 150 and 200 g of lutein preparation/d per head. The concentration of lutein in milk linearly increased with the incorporation of the additive, with a value of 0.59, 0.70, 1.20, and 1.50 μg/100mL when treated with 0, 100, 150, and 200 g/d, respectively. Total plasma antioxidant capacity tended to linearly increase in cows fed lutein preparation, whereas plasma superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activities did not differ significantly. In conclusion, addition of lutein in the diet could improve the production

Improving the cooling performance of electrical distribution transformer using transformer oil – Based MEPCM suspension

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mushtaq Ismael Hasan

2017-04-01

Full Text Available In this paper the electrical distribution transformer has been studied numerically and the effect of outside temperature on its cooling performance has been investigated. The temperature range studied covers the hot climate regions. 250 KVA distribution transformer is chosen as a study model. A novel cooling fluid is proposed to improve the cooling performance of this transformer, transformer oil-based microencapsulated phase change materials suspension is used with volume concentration (5–25% as a cooling fluid instead of pure transformer oil. Paraffin wax is used as a phase change material to make the suspension, in addition to the ability of heat absorption due to melting, the paraffin wax considered as a good electrical insulator. Results obtained show that, using of MEPCM suspension instead of pure transformer oil lead to improve the cooling performance of transformer by reducing its temperature and as a consequence increasing its protection against the breakdown. The melting fraction increased with increasing outside temperature up to certain temperature after which the melting fraction reach maximum constant value (MF = 1 which indicate that, the choosing of PCM depend on the environment in which the transformer is used.

Carbon intensity of electricity in ASEAN: Drivers, performance and outlook

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ang, B.W.; Goh, Tian

2016-01-01

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), with its ten member countries, has a total population exceeding 600 million. Its energy-related CO 2 emissions have been growing and in 2013 amounted to 3.6% of total global emissions. About 40% of ASEAN's energy-related CO 2 emissions are currently attributable to electricity production. In view of this high share, we study the CO 2 emissions of ASEAN's electricity production sector with a focus on the aggregate emission intensity (ACI) given by the level of CO 2 emissions for each unit of electricity produced. Drivers of ACI are analysed for individual countries and spatial analysis is conducted by comparing factors contributing to differences between the ACIs of individual countries and that of the ASEAN average. Arising from these analyses and in light of the current developments, it is concluded that drastic actions need to be taken both at the national and regional levels in order to reduce growth in the region's electricity-related CO 2 emissions. Two key policy issues, namely overcoming national circumstances to improve electricity generation mix and improving power generation efficiency, are further discussed. - Highlights: • Aggregate carbon intensities (ACIs) of ASEAN countries analysed temporally and spatially using index decomposition analysis. • Bleak future for emissions and ACI of ASEAN countries with increasing inclination towards coal for electricity production. • National circumstances impact ability of countries to improve electricity generation mix. • Significant unexploited potential for improvements in thermal efficiency of generation.

Effects of commercial organic fertilizers on the yield and yield structure of potato cultivars

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Filipović Vladimir

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The research work has dealt with investigations of two type commercial organic fertilizers (DCM ECO-MIX 4 NPK 7:7:10 i GUANITO NPK 6:15:3 effects on the yield and yield structure of three potato cultivars (Cleopatra, Carrera and Sylvana. The control variant was used in plots without the use of organic fertilizers. The field experiment was performed in 2012. in a populated area Dobrica (N 45° 13’, E 20° 51’, 78 m.s.l. at the experimental farm plot Belča on which is certified organic production, on anthropogenic soil subtype chernozem on carbonate terrace. The results of research showed that the lowest tuber yield was determined in the control treatment (20,87 t ha-1, while the highest yield was achieved with a commercial organic fertilizer DCM ECO-MIX 4 (23,96 t ha-1. Number of tubers per plant corresponded to the characteristics of the studied cultivars. The largest number of tubers per plant was correlated with yield. Specifically, individual variants of the two greatest yields had the highest average number of tubers per plant. Cultivar Cleopatra of variant with GUANITO achieved 17,51 tubers per plant, while cultivar Sylvana of variant with DCM ECO-MIX 4 achieved 17,38 tubers per plant.

On the e-linac-based neutron yield

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bunatyan, G.G.; Nikolenko, V.G.; Popov, A.B.

2010-01-01

We treat neutron generating in high atomic number materials due to the photonuclear reactions induced by the Bremsstrahlung of an electron beam produced by linear electron accelerator (e-linac). The dependence of neutron yield on the electron energy and the irradiated sample size is considered for various sample materials. The calculations are performed without resort to the so-called 'numerical Monte Carlo simulation'. The acquired neutron yields are well correlated with the data asserted in investigations performed at a number of the e-linac-driven neutron sources

Electrical aspects of rainout

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rosenkilde, C.E.; Serduke, F.J.D.

1983-01-01

Under extreme conditions, the radioactivity of fresh nuclear debris particles greatly alters the electrical phenomena within a natural cloud. There is sufficient beta and gamma activity to generate ions in the atmosphere at rates many orders of magnitude higher than those associated with natural terrestrial sources and cosmic rays. This ion production, when counterbalanced by recombination and attachment, yields steady-state ion concentrations that are several orders of magnitude greater than those present in fair weather. Such concentrations of ions greatly reduce the chance of accumulating large droplet charges or of generating high electric fields. Consequently, electrical interactions which lead to scavenging are estimated to be considerably less potent in the presence of fresh nuclear debris than might have been expected on the basis of parameters associated with natural thunderstorms. Rosenkilde has given a more detailed description of the work being summarized here. 8 references, 5 figures

Effort to increase an engine performance using electrical ignition system for motor vehicle

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I Wayan Bandem Adnyana

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Increasing engine performances using electrical ignition system on motor vehicle. In accordance with the development oftechnology, improvisation of automotive is created in order to increase the performance of engine. The method to increase thisperformance has been done by modify the ignition system, where the conventional method of ignition system which uses contactbreaker substituted by using capacitor. The improvisation of ignition system has been tested by increasing the speed and load onstationary condition. Results show that the improvisation of ignition system by using capacitor increases the effective power andreduce the specific fuel consumption of engine and reduce the gas emission of CO.

High Performance Electrical Modeling and Simulation Software Normal Environment Verification and Validation Plan, Version 1.0; TOPICAL

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

WIX, STEVEN D.; BOGDAN, CAROLYN W.; MARCHIONDO JR., JULIO P.; DEVENEY, MICHAEL F.; NUNEZ, ALBERT V.

2002-01-01

The requirements in modeling and simulation are driven by two fundamental changes in the nuclear weapons landscape: (1) The Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty and (2) The Stockpile Life Extension Program which extends weapon lifetimes well beyond their originally anticipated field lifetimes. The move from confidence based on nuclear testing to confidence based on predictive simulation forces a profound change in the performance asked of codes. The scope of this document is to improve the confidence in the computational results by demonstration and documentation of the predictive capability of electrical circuit codes and the underlying conceptual, mathematical and numerical models as applied to a specific stockpile driver. This document describes the High Performance Electrical Modeling and Simulation software normal environment Verification and Validation Plan

Yield and economic performance of organic and conventional cotton-based farming systems--results from a field trial in India.

Science.gov (United States)

Forster, Dionys; Andres, Christian; Verma, Rajeev; Zundel, Christine; Messmer, Monika M; Mäder, Paul

2013-01-01

The debate on the relative benefits of conventional and organic farming systems has in recent time gained significant interest. So far, global agricultural development has focused on increased productivity rather than on a holistic natural resource management for food security. Thus, developing more sustainable farming practices on a large scale is of utmost importance. However, information concerning the performance of farming systems under organic and conventional management in tropical and subtropical regions is scarce. This study presents agronomic and economic data from the conversion phase (2007-2010) of a farming systems comparison trial on a Vertisol soil in Madhya Pradesh, central India. A cotton-soybean-wheat crop rotation under biodynamic, organic and conventional (with and without Bt cotton) management was investigated. We observed a significant yield gap between organic and conventional farming systems in the 1(st) crop cycle (cycle 1: 2007-2008) for cotton (-29%) and wheat (-27%), whereas in the 2(nd) crop cycle (cycle 2: 2009-2010) cotton and wheat yields were similar in all farming systems due to lower yields in the conventional systems. In contrast, organic soybean (a nitrogen fixing leguminous plant) yields were marginally lower than conventional yields (-1% in cycle 1, -11% in cycle 2). Averaged across all crops, conventional farming systems achieved significantly higher gross margins in cycle 1 (+29%), whereas in cycle 2 gross margins in organic farming systems were significantly higher (+25%) due to lower variable production costs but similar yields. Soybean gross margin was significantly higher in the organic system (+11%) across the four harvest years compared to the conventional systems. Our results suggest that organic soybean production is a viable option for smallholder farmers under the prevailing semi-arid conditions in India. Future research needs to elucidate the long-term productivity and profitability, particularly of cotton and

Electric load forecasting by seasonal recurrent SVR (support vector regression) with chaotic artificial bee colony algorithm

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hong, Wei-Chiang

2011-01-01

Support vector regression (SVR), with hybrid chaotic sequence and evolutionary algorithms to determine suitable values of its three parameters, not only can effectively avoid converging prematurely (i.e., trapping into a local optimum), but also reveals its superior forecasting performance. Electric load sometimes demonstrates a seasonal (cyclic) tendency due to economic activities or climate cyclic nature. The applications of SVR models to deal with seasonal (cyclic) electric load forecasting have not been widely explored. In addition, the concept of recurrent neural networks (RNNs), focused on using past information to capture detailed information, is helpful to be combined into an SVR model. This investigation presents an electric load forecasting model which combines the seasonal recurrent support vector regression model with chaotic artificial bee colony algorithm (namely SRSVRCABC) to improve the forecasting performance. The proposed SRSVRCABC employs the chaotic behavior of honey bees which is with better performance in function optimization to overcome premature local optimum. A numerical example from an existed reference is used to elucidate the forecasting performance of the proposed SRSVRCABC model. The forecasting results indicate that the proposed model yields more accurate forecasting results than ARIMA and TF-ε-SVR-SA models. Therefore, the SRSVRCABC model is a promising alternative for electric load forecasting. -- Highlights: → Hybridizing the seasonal adjustment and the recurrent mechanism into an SVR model. → Employing chaotic sequence to improve the premature convergence of artificial bee colony algorithm. → Successfully providing significant accurate monthly load demand forecasting.

High-throughput electrical characterization for robust overlay lithography control

Science.gov (United States)

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.

Measuring market performance in restructured electricity markets: An empirical analysis of the PJM energy market

Science.gov (United States)

Tucker, Russell Jay

2002-09-01

Today the electric industry in the U.S. is transitioning to competitive markets for wholesale electricity. Independent system operators (ISOs) now manage broad regional markets for electrical energy in several areas of the U.S. A recent rulemaking by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) encourages the development of regional transmission organizations (RTOs) and restructured competitive wholesale electricity markets nationwide. To date, the transition to competitive wholesale markets has not been easy. The increased reliance on market forces coupled with unusually high electricity demand for some periods have created conditions amenable to market power abuse in many regions throughout the U.S. In the summer of 1999, hot and humid summer conditions in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, and the District of Columbia pushed peak demand in the PJM Interconnection to record levels. These demand conditions coincided with the introduction of market-based pricing in the wholesale electricity market. Prices for electricity increased on average by 55 percent, and reached the $1,000/MWh range. This study examines the extent to which generator market power raised prices above competitive levels in the PJM Interconnection during the summer of 1999. It simulates hourly market-clearing prices assuming competitive market behavior and compares these prices with observed market prices in computing price markups over the April 1-August 31, 1999 period. The results of the simulation analysis are supported with an examination of actual generator bid data of incumbent generators. Price markups averaged 14.7 percent above expected marginal cost over the 5-month period for all non-transmission-constrained hours. The evidence presented suggests that the June and July monthly markups were strongly influenced by generator market power as price inelastic peak demand approached the electricity generation capacity constraint of the market. While this analysis of the

Performance-based ratemaking for electric utilities: Review of plans and analysis of economic and resource-planning issues. Volume 1

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Comnes, G.A.; Stoft, S.; Greene, N. [Lawrence Berkeley Lab., CA (United States). Energy and Environment Div.; Hill, L.J. [Lawrence Berkeley Lab., CA (United States). Energy and Environment Div.]|[Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States). Energy Div.

1995-11-01

Performance-Based Ratemaking (PBR) is a form of utility regulation that strengthens the financial incentives to lower rates, lower costs, or improve nonprice performance relative traditional regulation, which the authors call cost-of-service, rate-of-return (COS/ROR) regulation. Although the electric utility industry has considerable experience with incentive mechanisms that target specific areas of performance, implementation of mechanisms that cover a comprehensive set of utility costs or services is relatively rare. In recent years, interest in PBR has increased as a result of growing dissatisfaction with COS/ROR and as a result of economic and technological trends that are leading to more competition in certain segments of the electricity industry. In addition, incentive regulation has been used with some success in other public utility industries, most notably telecommunications in the US and telecommunications, energy, and water in the United Kingdom. In this report, the authors analyze comprehensive PBR mechanisms for electric utilities in four ways: (1) they describe different types of PBR mechanisms, (2) they review a sample of actual PBR plans, (3) they consider the interaction of PBR and utility-funded energy efficiency programs, and (4) they examine how PBR interacts with electric utility resource planning and industry restructuring. The report should be of interest to technical staff of utilities and regulatory commissions that are actively considering or designing PBR mechanisms. 16 figs., 17 tabs.

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

Science.gov (United States)

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 Experimental Performance of an Unglazed PVT Collector with Two Different Absorber Types

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jin-Hee Kim

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Photovoltaic-thermal collectors combine photovoltaic modules and solar thermal collectors, forming a single device that produces electricity and heat simultaneously. There are two types of liquid-type PVT collectors, depending on the existence or absence of a glass cover over the PV module. The glass-covered (glazed PVT collector produces relatively more thermal energy but has a lower electrical yield, whereas the uncovered (unglazed PVT collector has a relatively low thermal energy and somewhat higher electrical performance. The thermal and electrical performance of liquid-type PVT collectors is related not only to the collector design, such as whether a glass cover is used, but also to the absorber design, that is, whether the absorber is for the sheet-and-tube type or the fully wetted type. The design of the absorber, as it comes into contact with the PV modules and the liquid tubes, is regarded as important, as it is related to the heat transfer from the PV modules to the liquid in the tubes. In this paper, the experimental performance of two liquid-type PVT collectors, a sheet-and-tube type and a fully wetted type, was analyzed.

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

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

McLaren, Joyce [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Miller, John [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); O' Shaughnessy, Eric [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Wood, Eric [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Shapiro, Evan [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

2016-04-11

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 four 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.

State Performance-Based Regulation Using Multiyear Rate Plans for U.S. Electric Utilities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lowry, Mark Newton [Pacific Economics Group Research LLC (United States); Makos, Matt [Pacific Economics Group Research LLC (United States); Deason, Jeff [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Schwartz, Lisa [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)

2017-07-31

Electric utilities today must contain costs at a time when many need to modernize aging systems and all face major changes in technologies, customer preferences and competitive pressures.Most U.S. electric utility facilities are investor-owned, subject to rate and service regulation by state public utility commissions. Regulatory systems under which these utilities operate affect their performance and ability to meet these challenges. In this business environment, multiyear rate plans have some advantages over traditional rate regulation.The report focuses on key design issues and provides case studies of the multiyear rate plan approach, applicable to both vertically integrated and restructured states. Mark Newton Lowry and Matt Makos of Pacific Energy Group Research and Jeff Deason of Berkeley Lab authored the report; Lisa Schwartz, Berkeley Lab, was project manager and technical editor.The report is aimed primarily at state utility regulators and stakeholders in the state regulatory process. The multiyear rate approach also provides ideas on how to streamline oversight of public power utilities and rural electric cooperatives for their governing boards.Two key provisions of multiyear rate plans strengthen cost containment incentives and streamline regulation: 1. Reducing frequency of rate cases, typically to every four or five years 2. Using an attrition relief mechanism to escalate rates or revenue between rate cases to address cost pressures such as inflation and growth in number of customers, independently of the utility’s own cost Better utility performance can be achieved under well-designed multiyear rate plans while achieving lower regulatory costs. Benefits can be shared between utilities and their customers. But plans can be complex and involve significant changes in the regulatory system. Designing plans that stimulate utility performance without undue risk and share benefits fairly can be challenging.This report discusses the rationale for multiyear

Effect of zinc and plant-population on the yield and yield components of maize (zea mays L.)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kakar, K.M.; Sadiq, S.A.; Tariq, M.

2005-01-01

A field experiment was conducted during 2001 to study the effect of two levels of zinc (0 and 5 kg Zn ha-J) and three plant-densities (60,000, 80,000 and 100,000 plants ha-J) on the performance of two varieties of maize Azam and Pahari and two hybrids N7989 and Babar, at Malakandher Farm of NWFP Agricultural University, Peshawar. Zinc at the rate of 5 kg ha-J increased the cob yield, grain yield and 1000-grain weight, while increase in plant-density significantly increased the number of grains cob-J, number of cob-plant-J, cob-yield, grain-yield and 1000-grain weight. Results revealed that the highest plant-density of 100,000 plant ha-J decreased the number of cobs plant-J, number of grains cob-J and 1000-grain weight. Maximum number of cobs plant-J (0.87), number of grains cob-J (313), cob yield (4602 kg ha-J), grain yield (4222 kg ha-J) and 1000-grain weight (249 g) were obtained with plant- density of 80,000 plant ha-J. The maximum grain-yield of 4333 kg ha-J was recorded in plots of hybrid variety N7989. (author)

Environmental Performance of Electricity Generation Based on Resources: A Life Cycle Assessment Case Study in Turkey

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zerrin Günkaya

2016-10-01

Full Text Available The aim of this paper was to determine how to change the environmental performance of electricity generation depending on the resources and their shares, in order to support decision-makers. Additionally, this paper presents an application of life cycle assessment (LCA methodology to determine the environmental burdens of electricity generation in Turkey. Electricity generation data in Turkey for the years 2012 and 2023 were used as a case study. The functional unit for electricity generation was 1 kWh. The LCA calculations were carried out using CML-IA (v3.00 data and the results were interpreted with respect to Monte Carlo simulation analysis (with the Monte Carlo function built in SimaPro 8.0.1 software. The results demonstrated that the fossil fuel consumption not only contributes to global warming, but it also has effects on the elemental basis of abiotic depletion due to raw material consumption for plant infrastructure. Additionally, it was observed that the increasing proportion of wind power in the electricity mix would also increase certain life cycle impacts (such as the elemental basis of abiotic depletion, human ecotoxicity, and terrestrial ecotoxicity in Turkey’s geography compared to increasing the share of other renewable energy sources, such as hydropower, geothermal, as well as solar.

Economic analysis of electric heating based on critical electricity price

Science.gov (United States)

Xie, Feng; Sun, Zhijie; Zhou, Xinnan; Fu, Chengran; Yang, Jie

2018-06-01

The State Grid Corporation of China proposes an alternative energy strategy, which will make electric heating an important task in the field of residential electricity consumption. This article takes this as the background, has made the detailed introduction to the inhabitant electric heating technology, and take the Zhangjiakou electric panels heating technology as an example, from the expense angle, has carried on the analysis to the electric panels heating economy. In the field of residential heating, electric panels operating costs less than gas boilers. After customers implying energy-saving behavior, electric panels operating cost is even lower than coal-fired boilers. The critical price is higher than the execution price, which indicates that the economic performance of the electric panels is significantly higher than that of the coal boiler.

A review on heat sink for thermo-electric power generation: Classifications and parameters affecting performance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elghool, Ali; Basrawi, Firdaus; Ibrahim, Thamir Khalil; Habib, Khairul; Ibrahim, Hassan; Idris, Daing Mohamad Nafiz Daing

2017-01-01

Highlights: • Coupling a thermoelectric power generation (TEG) to a heat sink is presented. • Review the classifications and parameters affecting performance of the TEG with heat sink. • Discuss different mathematical models of the heat sinks. • The passive heat sinks are most appropriate because of the inherent efficiency of TEG. • Medium temperature range below 300 °C is found to be most suitable for HPHS. - Abstract: In recent years, there have been growing interests in key areas related to global warming resulting from environmental emissions, and the diminishing sources of fossil fuel. The increased interest has led to significant research efforts towards finding novel technologies in clean energy production. Consequently, the merits of a thermo-electric generator (TEG) have promised a revival of alternative means of producing green energy. It is, however, impractical to account for the cost of thermal energy input to the TEG which is in the form of final waste heat. This is because the technology presents critical limitations in determining its cost efficiency nor its economic disadvantages. This paper reviews the principles of thermo-electric power production, as well the materials use, performance achieved, and application areas. The paper also takes a particular deliberation on TEG heat sinks geometries and categories. The review emphasizes more on the TEG performance while considering a number of heat sink parameters related to its performance.

Enhancement of electrical and optical performance of N719 by co-sensitization

Science.gov (United States)

Shikoh, Ali Sephar; Ahmad, Zubair; Touati, Farid; Al-Muhtaseb, Shaheen A.

2018-04-01

This paper deals with the electrical, optical and electrochemical properties of a metal-free dye C78H74O8 (AS-2), which has been used to improve the photo-detection properties of C58H86N8O8RuS2 (N719) based Dye sensitized photo-sensors (DSPSs). Both dyes were mixed together in various proportions and the most promising ratio N719/AS-2 (1:0.25) was selected for staining photo-anodes for DSPS integration. The fabricated DSPSs were studied in terms of electrical parameters and photodetection properties. The N719/AS-2 (1:0.25) based DSPS were found to have a reduced leakage current, increased breakdown voltage and a closer proximity to an ideal diode, as compared to the N719 based DSPS. Further, the N719/AS-2 (1:0.25) based DSPS was also found to have better linearity at high irradiance levels, thus rendering the co-sensitized device useful as a photosensor in various applications. Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) analysis was also performed to explain the interfacial charge recombination process.

Constructing nanoporous carbon nanotubes/Bi2Te3 composite for synchronous regulation of the electrical and thermal performances

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Qihao; Xu, Leilei; Zhou, Zhenxing; Wang, Lianjun; Jiang, Wan; Chen, Lidong

2017-02-01

Porous nanograined thermoelectric materials exhibit low thermal conductivity due to scattering of phonons by pores, which are favorable for thermoelectric applications. However, the benefit is not large enough to overcome the deficiency in the electrical performance. Herein, an approach is presented to reduce the thermal conductivity and synchronously enhance the electrical conductivity through constructing a nanoporous thermoelectric composite. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are truncated and homogeneously dispersed within the Bi2Te3 matrix by a cryogenic grinding (CG) technique for the first time, which efficiently suppress the Bi2Te3 grain growth and create nanopores with the size ranging from dozens to hundreds of nanometers. The lattice thermal conductivity is substantially decreased by broad wavelength phonon scattering resulting from nanopores, increased grain boundaries, and newly formed interfaces. Meanwhile, the electrical conductivity is improved due to the enhanced carrier mobility, which may originate from the bridging effect between the Bi2Te3 grains and CNTs. The maximum ZT is improved by almost a factor of 2 due to the simultaneous optimization of electrical and thermal performances. Our study demonstrates the superiority of constructing a bulk thermoelectric composite with nanopores by the uniform dispersion of CNTs through a CG technique for enhanced thermoelectric properties, which provides a wider approach to thermoelectric nanostructure engineering.

Hybrid and plug-in hybrid electric vehicle performance testing by the US Department of Energy Advanced Vehicle Testing Activity

Science.gov (United States)

Karner, Donald; Francfort, James

The Advanced Vehicle Testing Activity (AVTA), part of the U.S. Department of Energy's FreedomCAR and Vehicle Technologies Program, has conducted testing of advanced technology vehicles since August 1995 in support of the AVTA goal to provide benchmark data for technology modeling, and vehicle development programs. The AVTA has tested full size electric vehicles, urban electric vehicles, neighborhood electric vehicles, and hydrogen internal combustion engine powered vehicles. Currently, the AVTA is conducting baseline performance, battery benchmark and fleet tests of hybrid electric vehicles (HEV) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV). Testing has included all HEVs produced by major automotive manufacturers and spans over 2.5 million test miles. Testing is currently incorporating PHEVs from four different vehicle converters. The results of all testing are posted on the AVTA web page maintained by the Idaho National Laboratory.

Brazilian Soybean Yields and Yield Gaps Vary with Farm Size

Science.gov (United States)

Jeffries, G. R.; Cohn, A.; Griffin, T. S.; Bragança, A.

2017-12-01

Understanding the farm size-specific characteristics of crop yields and yield gaps may help to improve yields by enabling better targeting of technical assistance and agricultural development programs. Linking remote sensing-based yield estimates with property boundaries provides a novel view of the relationship between farm size and yield structure (yield magnitude, gaps, and stability over time). A growing literature documents variations in yield gaps, but largely ignores the role of farm size as a factor shaping yield structure. Research on the inverse farm size-productivity relationship (IR) theory - that small farms are more productive than large ones all else equal - has documented that yield magnitude may vary by farm size, but has not considered other yield structure characteristics. We examined farm size - yield structure relationships for soybeans in Brazil for years 2001-2015. Using out-of-sample soybean yield predictions from a statistical model, we documented 1) gaps between the 95th percentile of attained yields and mean yields within counties and individual fields, and 2) yield stability defined as the standard deviation of time-detrended yields at given locations. We found a direct relationship between soy yields and farm size at the national level, while the strength and the sign of the relationship varied by region. Soybean yield gaps were found to be inversely related to farm size metrics, even when yields were only compared to farms of similar size. The relationship between farm size and yield stability was nonlinear, with mid-sized farms having the most stable yields. The work suggests that farm size is an important factor in understanding yield structure and that opportunities for improving soy yields in Brazil are greatest among smaller farms.

Experimental analysis on the performance of lithium based batteries for road full electric and hybrid vehicles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Capasso, Clemente; Veneri, Ottorino

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Performance analysis for lithium storage technologies, such as Li[NiCoMn]O 2 and LiFePO 4 batteries. • Actual capacity of lithium technologies analyzed almost close to their nominal capacity also for high discharging current. • The charging efficiency for Li[NiCoMn]O 2 positively affects the regenerative breaking and fast recharging operations. • The analyzed battery packs follow dynamic power requirements on performed road driving cycles. • Experimental results demonstrate driving range is much higher when battery packs are based on lithium technology. - Abstract: This paper deals with an experimental evaluation regarding the real performance of lithium based energy storage systems for automotive applications. In particular real working operations of different lithium based storage system technologies, such as Li[NiCoMn]O 2 and LiFePO 4 batteries, are compared in this work from the point of view of their application in supplying full electric and hybrid vehicles, taking as a reference the well-known behavior of lead acid batteries. For this purpose, the experimental tests carried out in laboratory are firstly performed on single storage modules in stationary conditions. In this case the related results are obtained by means of a bidirectional cycle tester based on the IGBT technology, and consent to evaluate, compare and contrast charge/discharge characteristics and efficiency at constant values of current/voltage/power for each storage technology analyzed. Then, lithium battery packs are tested in supplying a 1.8 kW electric power train using a laboratory test bench, based on a 48 V DC bus and specifically configured to simulate working operations of electric vehicles on the road. For this other experimentation the test bench is equipped with an electric brake and acquisition/control system, able to represent in laboratory the real vehicle conditions and road characteristics on predefined driving cycles at different slopes. The obtained

Electrical Performance of Distribution Insulators with Chlorella vulgaris Growth on its Surface

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Herbert Enrique Rojas Cubides

2015-06-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a study about electrical performance of ceramic and polymeric insulators bio-contaminated with alga Chlorella vulgaris. The performed tests involve ANSI 55-2 and ANSI 52-1 ceramic insulators and ANSI DS-15 polymeric insulators, all of them used in distribution systems of Colombia. Biological contamination of insulators is realized using a controlled environment chamber that adjusts the temperature, humidity and light radiation. The laboratory tests include measurements of flashover voltages and leakage currents and they were performed to determine how insulators are affected by biological contamination. After a series of laboratory tests, it was concluded that the presence of Chlorella vulgaris on the contaminated ceramic insulators reduces the wet flashover voltage up to 12% and increases their leakage currents up to 80%. On the other hand, for polymeric insulators the effect of algae growth on flashover voltages was not to strong, although the leakage currents increase up to 60%.

Immediate effect of laryngeal surface electrical stimulation on swallowing performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Takahashi, Keizo; Hori, Kazuhiro; Hayashi, Hirokazu; Fujiu-Kurachi, Masako; Ono, Takahiro; Tsujimura, Takanori; Magara, Jin; Inoue, Makoto

2018-01-01

Surface electrical stimulation of the laryngeal region is used to improve swallowing in dysphagic patients. However, little is known about how electrical stimulation affects tongue movements and related functions. We investigated the effect of electrical stimulation on tongue pressure and hyoid movement, as well as suprahyoid and infrahyoid muscle activity, in 18 healthy young participants. Electrical stimulation (0.2-ms duration, 80 Hz, 80% of each participant's maximal tolerance) of the laryngeal region was applied. Each subject swallowed 5 ml of barium sulfate liquid 36 times at 10-s intervals. During the middle 2 min, electrical stimulation was delivered. Tongue pressure, electromyographic activity of the suprahyoid and infrahyoid muscles, and videofluorographic images were simultaneously recorded. Tongue pressure during stimulation was significantly lower than before or after stimulation and was significantly greater after stimulation than at baseline. Suprahyoid activity after stimulation was larger than at baseline, while infrahyoid muscle activity did not change. During stimulation, the position of the hyoid at rest was descended, the highest hyoid position was significantly inferior, and the vertical movement was greater than before or after stimulation. After stimulation, the positions of the hyoid at rest and at the maximum elevation were more superior than before stimulation. The deviation of the highest positions of the hyoid before and after stimulation corresponded to the differences in tongue pressures at those times. These results suggest that surface electrical stimulation applied to the laryngeal region during swallowing may facilitate subsequent hyoid movement and tongue pressure generation after stimulation. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Surface electrical stimulation applied to the laryngeal region during swallowing may facilitate subsequent hyoid movement and tongue pressure generation after stimulation. Tongue muscles may contribute to overshot recovery

Effect of a free-range raising system on growth performance, carcass yield, and meat quality of slow-growing chicken.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, K H; Shi, S R; Dou, T C; Sun, H J

2009-10-01

Experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of free-range raising systems on growth performance, carcass yield, and meat quality of slow-growing chickens. Slow-growing female chickens, Gushi chickens, were selected as the experimental birds. Two hundred 1-d-old female chicks were raised in a pen for 35 d. On d 36, ninety healthy birds, with similar BW (353.7+/-32.1g), were selected and randomly assigned to 2 treatments (indoor treatment and free-range treatment, P>0.05). Each treatment was represented by 3 groups containing 15 birds (45 birds per treatment). During the indoor treatment, the chickens were raised in floor pens in a conventional poultry research house (7 birds/m2). In the free-range treatment, the chickens were housed in a similar indoor house (7 birds/m2); in addition, they also had a free-range grass paddock (1 bird/m2). All birds were provided with the same starter and finisher diets and were raised for 112 d. Results showed that the BW and weight gain of the chickens in the free-range treatment were much lower than that of the chickens in the indoor floor treatments (Pfree-range raising system on eviscerated carcass, breast, thigh, and wing yield (P>0.05). However, the abdominal fat yield and tibia strength (P0.05) by the free-range raising system. The data indicated that the free-range raising system could significantly reduce growth performance, abdominal fat, and tibia strength, but with no effect on carcass traits and meat quality in slow-growing chickens.

Evaluation of yield and yield components and some agronomic traits of white bean genotypes under Karaj climate

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Ebrahimi

2016-04-01

Full Text Available In order to study compatibility of 30 white bean genotypes under Karaj climate, an experiment was conducted based on randomized Complete Block Design with four replications. Evaluation and statistical analysis was performed for 18 important traits. Analysis of variance results showed that there are significant differences between varieties for all traits. Results of genotypes means comparison with Duncan’s multiple range test showed that genotype No. 29 was better than others in plant height, yield, and biological yield, seed no. per plant and pod weight traits. Simple correlation coefficients were significant between yield and weight of pod, biological yield, number of seed per plant, number of pod per plant, plant height, width of pod and number of seed per pod. Only pod length was negative correlated with yield between all investigated traits. Cluster analysis with UPGMA method arrangement genotypes into three groups. According to this experiment results we can recommend 29 and 30 genotypes for Karaj condition

Ontogenesis, gender, and molting influence the venom yield in the spider Coremiocnemis tropix (Araneae, Theraphosidae)

OpenAIRE

Herzig, Volker

2010-01-01

The demand for spider venom increases along with the growing popularity of venoms-based research. A deeper understanding of factors that influence the venom yield in spiders would therefore be of interest to both commercial venom suppliers and research facilities. The present study addresses the influence of several factors on the venom yield by systematically analyzing the data obtained from 1773 electrical milkings of the Australian theraphosid spider Coremiocnemis tropix. Gender and ontoge...

Performance of the electrical generator cell by the ferrous alloys of printed circuit board scrap and Iron Metal 1020

Science.gov (United States)

Sahan, Y.; Sudarsono, S.; Silviana, E.; Chairul; Wisrayetti

2018-04-01

Galvani cell is one of thealternative energy. This cell can be used as an electric resources. In this research, the generator cell was designed and builds to generate the electric. The generator cell consisted of the iron metal 1020 were used as anode, the ferrous alloys of printed circuit board scrapwas then used as chatode, and NaCl solution as an electrolyte. The aim of this research is to estimate the performance of this generator cell by using variation of NaCl concentration (i.e. 1%, 3%, 5%, 7%, and 9%) with the electrodes pair ( 1 and 8 pairs). The performance of the cell was measured with a multi tester equipment and a LED bulb (5-watt 3Volt). The Results shown that the generator cell can produce the electric power of 3.679 Volt maximally by using NaCl 9% and 8 electrode pairs applied for this condition.

A numerical study on the flow and performance characteristics of a piezoelectric micropump with electromagnetic resistance for electrically conducting fluids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

An, Yong Jun; Choi, Chung Ryul; Kim, Chang Nyung

2008-01-01

A numerical analysis has been conducted for flow characteristics and performance of a micropump with piezodisk and MHD (MagnetoHydroDynamics) fluid. Various micro systems which could not be considered in the past have been recently growing with the development of MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical System) and micro machining technology. Especially, micropumps, essential part of micro fluidic devices, are being lively studied by many researchers. In the present study, the piezo electric micropump with electromagnetic resistance for electrically conducting fluids is considered. The prescribed grid deformation method is used for the displacement of the membrane. The change of the performance of the micropump and flow characteristics of the electrically conducting fluid with the magnitude of the magnetic fields, duct size, the position of the inlet and outlet duct are investigated in the present study

Effects of Plant Density on Sweet and Baby Corn (Hybrid KSC 403 Yield and Yield Components

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H Bavi

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Introduction Sweet corn is the one of the most important types of corn. There is a high amount of sugar in the endosperm of sweet corn than dent corn. Baby corn is the ear of corn that is being harvested in the silking stage before the end of pollination. This crop has an interesting using methods as salad, conserve production and vegetative consumption. Both two sweet and baby corn is obtained from one plant in different growth stages and could be harvested from one corn hybrid. Best yield and quality of baby corn is obtained from sweet corn hybrids, because of high amounts of sugar in the grains and ears. Sweet corn and baby corn could be harvested at early dough stage (with about 30 % of humidity and early silking stage before the pollination is completed, respectively. Plant density is the most important factor in growing corn, especially in sweet and baby corn. Khuzestan province is one of the main regions of corn production in Iran. In Khuzestan, forage and silage corn have the most production among the summer crops. Corn is planted in two planting date in Khuzestan: early spring and early summer. Spring corn planting produces little grain yield due to Simultaneity of silking stage with hot early summer days. Because of little production and little research about sweet and baby corn, this study was performed and designed. Materials and Methods In order to investigate the effects of plant density and harvesting method on sweet corn and baby corn yield, an experiment was performed during 2012-13, in research farm of Ramin Agriculture and Natural Resources University of Khuzestan, located in southwest of Iran. In this experiment, four plant densities (7, 9, 11 and 13 plants.m-2 and two harvesting methods (baby corn and sweet corn were investigated in an RCB statistical design with four replications. The KSC 403 hybrid was used and investigated in the experiment, as a sweet corn hybrid. Statistical analysis was performed using SAS 9.1 through

Industrial companies' demand for electricity. Evidence from a micropanel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bjoerner, T.B.; Togeby, M.; Jensen, H.H.

2001-01-01

The paper presents a micro-econometric analysis of industrial companies' demand for electricity. Previous studies on electricity consumption in the industrial sector have relied on aggregate data or cross-section observations. Here we present an econometric study on electricity demand based on a panel of 2949 Danish companies followed from 1983 to 1996. It is found that estimators of electricity demand that take account of the panel structure (fixed effect models) yield considerably lower price and production elasticities compared to estimators that do not (like cross-section models). It is also investigated how various company characteristics like size, type of industrial sub-sector and electricity intensity in production influence price and production elasticities. It appears that companies with a high electricity intensity also have a high own-price elasticity

Prioritization and selection of electrical vehicle systems to improve its performances: An AHP approach

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Larrode, E.; Muerza, V.; Arroyo, J.B.

2016-07-01

In the study of the improvement of urban transport in terms of energy efficiency and environmental improvement, one of the best options is the use of electric vehicles for both passengers and freight distribution. Depending on the type of transport operation to be performed, it is necessary to select the most appropriate vehicle that meets the necessary requirements, so that the result is an improvement in energy efficiency and low environmental impact. It is therefore necessary to design architectures for electric vehicles, specially adapted to the different scenarios in which are to be used, and where they can optimize the transport operation in both reducing energy consumption and reducing emissions, maintaining a cost competitive with current vehicle operation. The electrical vehicles (EV) are composed of different systems. A typical EV structure involves five subsystems: (i) drive system, (ii) power system, (iii) control system, (iv) vehicle structure and (v) auxiliary systems. This paper focuses on the development of a multicriteria decision procedure based on the use of the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), to prioritize among the five vehicle systems, in which the design efforts should be guided to improve the vehicle. (Author)

Matrix analysis of electrical machinery

CERN Document Server

Hancock, N N

2013-01-01

Matrix Analysis of Electrical Machinery, Second Edition is a 14-chapter edition that covers the systematic analysis of electrical machinery performance. This edition discusses the principles of various mathematical operations and their application to electrical machinery performance calculations. The introductory chapters deal with the matrix representation of algebraic equations and their application to static electrical networks. The following chapters describe the fundamentals of different transformers and rotating machines and present torque analysis in terms of the currents based on the p

Physiological quality of soybean seeds under different yield environments and plant density

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Felipe A. Baron

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Yield potential of agricultural fields associated with plant spatial arrangement could determine the physiological quality of soybean (Glycine max L. seeds. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the physiological quality of soybean seeds from different yield environments and plant densities. Experiments were carried out in Boa Vista das Missões-RS, Brazil, during the 2014/2015 growing season. Yield environments were delineated by overlapping yield maps from the 2008, 2009/2010 and 2011/2012 growing seasons. The experimental design was a randomized complete block in a 2 x 5 factorial arrangement with two yield environments (low and high and five plant densities, with four replicates. Two varieties were tested: Brasmax Ativa RR (10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 plants m-1 and Nidera 5909 RR (5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 plants m-1. After harvested, the seeds were analysed as following: first count index, germination, abnormal seedlings, dead seeds, electrical conductivity, accelerate aging test, root length, hypocotyl length and seedling length. The spatial variability of seed vigor in the production field could be reduced by adjusting plant density, but the adjustment should consider the variety. Harvest according to yield environment is a strategy to separate lots of seeds with higher vigor, originated from high-yield environments.

Electricity Load Forecasting Using Support Vector Regression with Memetic Algorithms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhongyi Hu

2013-01-01

Full Text Available 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.

Performance Characteristics of PTC Elements for an Electric Vehicle Heating System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yoon Hyuk Shin

2016-10-01

Full Text Available A high-voltage positive temperature coefficient (PTC heater has a simple structure and a swift response. Therefore, for cabin heating in electric vehicles (EVs, such heaters are used either on their own or with a heat pump system. In this study, the sintering process in the manufacturing of PTC elements for an EV heating system was improved to enhance surface uniformity. The electrode production process entailing thin-film sputtering deposition was applied to ensure the high heating performance of PTC elements and reduce the electrode thickness. The allowable voltage and surface heat temperature of the high-voltage PTC elements with thin-film electrodes were 800 V and 172 °C, respectively. The electrode layer thickness was uniform at approximately 3.8 μm or less, approximately 69% less electrode materials were required compared to that before process improvement. Furthermore, a heater for the EV heating system was manufactured using the developed high-voltage PTC elements to verify performance and reliability.

High-Yield Lithium-Injection Fusion-Energy (HYLIFE) reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blink, J.A.; Hogam, W.J.; Hovingh, J.; Meier, E.R.; Pitts, J.H.

1985-01-01

The High-Yield Lithium-Injection Fusion Energy (HYLIFE) concept to convent inertial confinement fusion energy into electric power has undergone intensive research and refinement at LLNL since 1978. This paper reports on the final HYLIFE design, focusing on five major areas: the HYLIFE reaction chamber (which includes neutronics, liquid-metal jet-array hydrocynamics, and structural design), supporting systems, primary steam system and balance of plant, safety and environmental protection, and costs. An annotated bibliography of reports applicable to HYLIFE is also provided. We conclude that HYLIFE is a particularly viable concept for the safe, clean production of electrical energy. The liquid-metal jet array, HYLIFE's key design feature, protects the surrounding structural components from x-rays, fusion fuel-pellet debris, neutron damage and activation, and high temperatures and stresses, allowing the structure to last for the plant's entire 30-year lifetime without being replaced. 127 refs., 18 figs

The internationalization of the electricity industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gulli, F.; Indigenti, S.; Ninni, A.

1998-01-01

During the last years the evolution of the electricity industry has been featured by a marked development of the internationalization processes. Several companies started huge foreign investment programmes; construction of power plants; acquisition of generation, distribution and integrated companies. The goal of this study is to analyse the determinants in the internationalization process of the world electricity industry. This topic is introduced in the first, part with a hint on the main theoretical contributions regarding the companies internationalization. In the second part, an attempt is made to define the size of the phenomenon adopting the results yielded by a detailed inquiry about the international strategies of the leading electric companies. In the third part, an econometric analysis, referring to a significant sample of electric companies, is aimed at identifying the main determining factors affecting the international development is mainly due to both organization and regulation of the single national markets [it

Sensory threshold neuromuscular electrical stimulation fosters motor imagery performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Corbet, Tiffany; Iturrate, Iñaki; Pereira, Michael; Perdikis, Serafeim; Millán, José Del R

2018-04-21

Motor imagery (MI) has been largely studied as a way to enhance motor learning and to restore motor functions. Although it is agreed that users should emphasize kinesthetic imagery during MI, recordings of MI brain patterns are not sufficiently reliable for many subjects. It has been suggested that the usage of somatosensory feedback would be more suitable than standardly used visual feedback to enhance MI brain patterns. However, somatosensory feed-back should not interfere with the recorded MI brain pattern. In this study we propose a novel feedback modality to guide subjects during MI based on sensory threshold neuromuscular electrical stimulation (St-NMES). St-NMES depolarizes sensory and motor axons without eliciting any muscular contraction. We hypothesize that St-NMES does not induce detectable ERD brain patterns and fosters MI performance. Twelve novice subjects were included in a cross-over design study. We recorded their EEG, comparing St-NMES with visual feed-back during MI or resting tasks. We found that St-NMES not only induced significantly larger desynchronization over sensorimotor areas (p<0.05) but also significantly enhanced MI brain connectivity patterns. Moreover, classification accuracy and stability were significantly higher with St-NMES. Importantly, St-NMES alone did not induce detectable artifacts, but rather the changes in the detected patterns were due to an increased MI performance. Our findings indicate that St-NMES is a promising feedback in order to foster MI performance and cold be used for BMI online applications. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Econometric model as a regulatory tool in electricity distribution - Case Network Performance Assessment Model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Honkapuro, S.; Lassila, J.; Viljainen, S.; Tahvanainen, K.; Partanen, J.

2004-01-01

Electricity distribution companies operate in the state of natural monopolies since building of parallel networks is not cost-effective. Monopoly companies do not have pressure from the open markets to keep their prices and costs at reasonable level. The regulation of these companies is needed to prevent the misuse of the monopoly position. Regulation is usually focused either on the profit of company or on the price of electricity. In this document, the usability of an econometric model in the regulation of electricity distribution companies is evaluated. Regulation method which determines allowed income for each company with generic computation model can be seen as an econometric model. As the special case of an econometric model, the method called Network Performance Assessment Model, NPAM (Naetnyttomodellen in Swedish), is analysed. NPAM is developed by Swedish Energy Agency (STEM) for the regulation of electricity distribution companies. Both theoretical analysis and calculations of an example network area are presented in this document to find the major directing effects of the model. The parameters of NPAM, which are used in the calculations of this research report, were dated on 30th of March 2004. These parameters were most recent available at the time when analysis was done. However, since NPAM is under development, the parameters have been constantly changing. Therefore slightly changes in the results can occur if calculations were made with latest parameters. However, main conclusions are same and do not depend on exact parameters. (orig.)

Electrically small circularly polarized spherical antenna with air core

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kim, O. S.

2013-01-01

An electrically small circularly polarized self-resonant spherical antenna with air core is presented. The antenna is a modified multiarm spherical helix exciting TM10 and TE10 spherical modes with equal radiated power, and thus yielding perfect circular polarization over the entire far......-field sphere (except the polar regions, where the radiation is low). The self-resonance is achieved by exciting higher-order TM modes, which provide the necessary electric stored energy in the near-field, while contributing negligibly to the far-field radiation of the antenna. The antenna has electrical size...

Performance study of the simplified theory of plastic zones and the Twice-Yield method for the fatigue check

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hübel, Hartwig; Willuweit, Adrian; Rudolph, Jürgen; Ziegler, Rainer; Lang, Hermann; Rother, Klemens; Deller, Simon

2014-01-01

As elastic–plastic fatigue analyses are still time consuming the simplified elastic–plastic analysis (e.g. ASME Section III, NB 3228.5, the French RCC-M code, paragraphs B 3234.3, B 3234.5 and B3234.6 and the German KTA rule 3201.2, paragraph 7.8.4) is often applied. Besides linearly elastic analyses and factorial plasticity correction (K e factors) direct methods are an option. In fact, calculation effort and accuracy of results are growing in the following graded scheme: a) linearly elastic analysis along with K e correction, b) direct methods for the determination of stabilized elastic–plastic strain ranges and c) incremental elastic–plastic methods for the determination of stabilized elastic–plastic strain ranges. The paper concentrates on option b) by substantiating the practical applicability of the simplified theory of plastic zones STPZ (based on Zarka's method) and – for comparison – the established Twice-Yield method. The Twice-Yield method is explicitly addressed in ASME Code, Section VIII, Div. 2. Application relevant aspects are particularly addressed. Furthermore, the applicability of the STPZ for arbitrary load time histories in connection with an appropriate cycle counting method is discussed. Note, that the STPZ is applicable both for the determination of (fatigue relevant) elastic–plastic strain ranges and (ratcheting relevant) locally accumulated strains. This paper concentrates on the performance of the method in terms of the determination of elastic–plastic strain ranges and fatigue usage factors. The additional performance in terms of locally accumulated strains and ratcheting will be discussed in a future publication. - Highlights: • Simplified elastic–plastic fatigue analyses. • Simplified theory of plastic zones. • Thermal cyclic loading. • Twice-Yield method. • Practical application examples

Electricity markets. Investment, performance and analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Murray, B.

1998-01-01

The impact of deregulation on the theory and practice of investment appraisal is addressed in this comprehensive treatment of the restructuring of the electricity supply industry. Demonstrating that the classical approach to generation investment appraisal is no longer valid, a new approach is developed using three economic models to represent differing market conditions. Highlighting the impact on the organisation of the utilities and their suppliers, this book offers essential advice for survival in the deregulated environment worldwide. (author)

Graphene electric double layer capacitor with ultra-high-power performance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miller, John R.; Outlaw, R.A.; Holloway, B.C.

2011-01-01

We have demonstrated, for the first time, efficient 120 Hz filtering by an electric double layer capacitor (EDLC). The key to this ultra-high-power performance is electrodes made from vertically oriented graphene nanosheets grown directly on metal current collectors. This design minimized both electronic and ionic resistance and produced capacitors having RC time-constants of less than 200 μs. Significantly, graphene nanosheets have a preponderance of exposed edge planes that greatly increase stored charge over designs relying on basal plane surfaces. Collectively these factors make vertically oriented graphene nanosheet electrodes ideally suited for producing high-frequency EDLCs. Capacitors constructed with these electrodes are predicted to be significantly smaller than aluminum electrolyte capacitors that they could functionally replace plus be manufactured using standard semiconductor process equipment, creating interesting commercial opportunities.

Investigation of the Use of Ecodesign Methods and Tools in the Electrical and Electronics Industries of Thailand

OpenAIRE

Samuelsson, Erik

2008-01-01

This investigation strives to determine the level of ecodesign awareness as well as to map the use of methods and tools for this concept in the electrical and electronics industries of Thailand. The foundation of the thesis is eight semi-structured qualitative research interviews performed with various people at Thai organisations, an electronics manufacturer in Thailand, and experts from Swedish, Danish and Thai universities. The research method has yielded the following results: The level o...

MV-Switchgear Performance Evaluation of Electrical System at RSG-GAS after by Refunctioning

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

T-Sulsistyo; T-Komarudin; Kiswanto; Y- Andriyanto

2005-01-01

Switchgear represents equipment link functioning to decide or connect source ration especial energy of PLN with building RSG-GAS distribution system burden. This system is provided with equipment circuit breaker (PMT) and disconnecting switch (PMS), which aim to the insulation, controlling, and protection electrical system RSG-GAS and equipment. Evaluation Method used by that is by perceiving nominal tension condition, nominal current, performance normal good switchgear in a condition, treatment and also trouble condition and also calculate change temperature effect of electric fire bow. Pursuant to calculation result, for the mean current 800 A, room; chamber temperature 24 o C, tension 24 kV, current disconnection time link to shorten 3 second, obtained temperature of equal to 90.5 o C (T1), and room temperature 40 o C obtained by temperature of equal to 108.5 o C (T2), so that of average temperature equal to 4.63 o C. While for the mean current 1250 A, room temperature 24 o C, tension 24 kV, current disconnection time link to shorten 3 second, obtained temperature equal to 282 o C (T1), and room temperature 40 o C obtained temperature equal to 298 o C (T2), so that average temperature equal to 4.0 o C. Result of evaluation job indicates that switchgear of electrical system RSG-GAS after re-functioning function goodness. (author)

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

Science.gov (United States)

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.

Practical implementation of the concept of converted electric vehicle with advanced traction and dynamic performance and environmental safety indicators

Science.gov (United States)

Sidorov, K. M.; Yutt, V. E.; Grishchenko, A. G.; Golubchik, T. V.

2018-02-01

The objective of the work presented in this paper is to describe the implementation of the technical solutions have been developed, with regard to structure, composition, and characteristics, for an experimental prototype of an electric vehicle which has been converted from a conventional vehicle. The methodology of the study results is based on the practical implementation of the developed concept of the conversion of conventional vehicles into electric vehicles. The main components of electric propulsion system of the experimental prototype of electric vehicle are developed and manufactured on the basis of computational researches, taking into account the criteria and principles of conversion within the framework of presented work. The article describes a schematic and a design of power conversion and commutation electrical equipment, traction battery, electromechanical transmission. These results can serve as guidance material in the design and implementation of electric propulsion system (EPS) components of electric vehicles, facilitate the development of optimal technical solutions in the development and manufacture of vehicles, including those aimed at autonomy of operation and the use of perspective driver assistance systems. As part of this work, was suggested a rational structure for an electric vehicle experimental prototype, including technical performance characteristics of the components of EPS.

A game theory simulator for assessing the performances of competitive electricity markets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bompard, Ettore; Carpaneto, Enrico; Ciwei, Gao; Napoli, Roberto; Benini, Michele; Gallanti, Massimo; Migliavacca, Gianluigi

2008-01-01

In the last years, electricity markets were created all over the world following different basis concepts. Market structure, market rules, demand levels, market concentration and energy sources to produce electricity have a strong influence on market performances. Modifications on these aspects may significantly affect market outcomes. Sensitivity analyses need proper simulation tools. In this paper a medium run electricity market simulator (MREMS) based on game theory is presented. This simulator incorporates two different games, one for the unit commitment of thermal units and one for strategic bidding and hourly market clearing. Either a Forchheimer (one leader) or Bertrand (all player are leaders) or even intermediate model with a whatever number of leaders can be selected, in dependence on the strategic behavior of the producers, allowing for the simulation of markets with different levels of concentration. The simulator was applied to analyse producers' behavior during the first operative year of the Italian power exchange. A comparison between simulation and true market results was carried out in order to test the simulator and validate its simplifying hypotheses. MREMS, yet capable to be used stand-alone, was conceived as the heart of a long-term market simulator (LREMS) allowing to simulate the long-run evolution of the generation park (investments in new plants, refurbishment and dismission of older ones). LREMS is a hierarchic simulator: a long-term ''outer'' game takes yearly investment decisions based on mid-term price projections provided by MREMS. Although this paper is mainly devoted to describe MREMS, one specific section will provide an overview of the ''outer'' game implemented by LREMS. (author)

On the Defect Chemistry, Electrical Properties and Electrochemical Performances As Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Cathode Materials of New La-(Sr/Vac)-Co-Ti-O Perovskites

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

García-Alvarado, Flaviano; Gómez-Pérez, Alejandro; Pérez-Flores, Juan Carlos

2015-01-01

Perovskite-type oxides are well known materials that have been proposed as electrodes and electrolytes for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). The structure, which is referred to the ABO3 stoichiometry, can accommodate many different transition metal ions in the B-site; its electronic conductivity...... materials with valuable properties for SOFCs. We have analysed the effect of La3+ by Sr2+ substitution and vacancies creation in several double perovskites, La2MTiO6 (M = Co, Ni, Cu). Defect chemistry and electrical behavior have been investigated in order to unveil the nature of charge carriers....... Electrochemical performances have been assessed through polarization resistance measurements. In this communication we present the results regarding La2SrTiO6 perovskites. La/Sr substitution in La2-xSrxCoTiO6-δ produces Co2+ to Co3+ oxidation while vacancies in La2-xCoTiO6-δ yield Co2+ oxidation for low A...

YIELD PERFORMANCE AND ADAPTATION OF PROMISING AMPHIBIOUS RED RICE LINES ON SIX GROWING ENVIRONMENTS IN LOMBOK, INDONESIA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I.G.P. Muliarta Aryana

2016-02-01

Full Text Available The objectives of this study were to examine yield performance of promising amphibious red rice lines, and to evaluate their adaptability to six growing environments in Lombok, Indonesia. Ten promising amphibious red rice lines were tested together with their three parents and one national cultivar (Aek Sibundong, during the rainy extended to dry season 2014 (JanuaryJune 2014. The ten promising lines were obtained from two population sources, while the three parents were AKBC52, AKBC86, and a local cultivar, i.e. Kala Isi Tolo (KIT. The testing environments were lowland in Mambalan village (West Lombok, medium highland in Mantang village (Central Lombok, and highland in East Sembalun village (East Lombok, and each location consisted of two systems, i.e. flooded and dry (upland systems. The experiment in each environment was designed according to Randomized Complete Block Design, with three replications and 14 genotypes as the treatments. Adaptation analysis was based on ANOVA using AMMI and Biplot. The results indicated that among the 14 genotypes, G10(F2BC4A52-42 showed the highest yield, with an average of 7.8 t ha-1 dry seeds. There was a significant Genotype x Environment interaction on the dry seed yield. Biplot analysis indicated that G2(F2BC4A52-44 and G8(F2BC4A52-37 were stable genotypes across locations.

Electrical performance of a string of magnets representing a half-cell of the LHC machine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rodriguez-Mateos, F.; Coull, L.; Dahlerup-Petersen, K.; Hagedorn, D.; Krainz, G.; Rijllart, A.; McInturff, A.

1996-01-01

Tests have been carried out on a string of prototype superconducting magnets, consisting of one double-quadrupole and two double-dipoles forming the major part of a half-cell of the LHC machine. The magnets are protected individually by cold diodes and quench heaters. The electrical aspects of these tests are described here. The performance during quench of the protection diodes and the associated interconnections was studied. Tests determined the magnet quench performance in training and at different ramp-rates, and investigated the inter-magnet propagation of quenches. Current lead and inter-magnet contact resistances were controlled and the performance of the power converter and the dump switches assessed

Electrical performance of a string of magnets representing a half-cell of the LHC machine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rodriguez-Mateos, F.; Coull, L.; Dahlerup-Petersen, K.; Hagedorn, D.; Krainz, G.; Rijllart, A.; McInturff, A.

1995-01-01

Tests have been carried out on a string prototype superconducting magnets, consisting of one double-quadrupole and two double-dipoles forming the major part of a half-cell of the LHC machine. The magnets are protected individually by ''cold diodes'' and quench heaters. The electrical aspects of these tests are described here. The performance during quench of the protection diodes and the associated interconnections was studied. Tests determined the magnet quench performance in training and at different ramp-rates, and investigated the inter-magnet propagation of quenches. Current lead and inter-magnet contact resistances were controlled and the performance of the power converter and the dump switches assessed

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

Science.gov (United States)

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).

Impact of nuclear fuel performance and reliability in a deregulated electricity market

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barnoski, M.; Kaiser, B.

1997-01-01

US nuclear plants are now placing a great deal of importance on fuel performance and reliability because of their direct effect on a plant's capacity factor, availability, operating flexibility, outage duration, and worker exposure. This is reflected by utilities making fuel reliability a principal vendor evaluation criterion and making fuel performance an important bonus/penalty provision. Defect-free fuel, combined with ever improving design features, makes it possible for plants to operate at higher outputs while reducing operating and maintenance costs. Higher electrical output at lower cost is essential for US nuclear plants to meet the expected competition in a deregulated market. Through continued investment in manufacturing improvements and a vigilant, systematic design process, ABB's nuclear fuel has contributed to helping its nuclear utility customers reduce their cost of doing business. (author) 1 fig., 1 tab

Environmental performance of crop residues as an energy source for electricity production

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nguyen, T Lan T; Hermansen, John Erik; Mogensen, Lisbeth

2013-01-01

This paper aims to address the question, “What is the environmental performance of crop residues as an alternative energy source to fossil fuels, and whether and how can it be improved?”. In order to address the issue, we compare electricity production from wheat straw to that from coal and natural...... gas. The results on the environmental performance of straw for energy utilization and the two fossil fuel references are displayed first for different midpoint categories and then aggregated into a single score. The midpoint impact assessment shows that substitution of straw either for coal...... or for natural gas reduces global warming, non-renewable energy use, human toxicity and ecotoxicity, but increases eutrophication, respiratory inorganics, acidification and photochemical ozone. The results at the aggregate level show that the use of straw biomass for conversion to energy scores better than...

Ultra High Electrical Performance of Nano Nickel Oxide and Polyaniline Composite Materials

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaomin Cai

2017-07-01

Full Text Available The cooperative effects between the PANI (polyaniline/nano-NiO (nano nickel oxide composite electrode material and redox electrolytes (potassium iodide, KI for supercapacitor applications was firstly discussed in this article, providing a novel method to prepare nano-NiO by using β-cyelodextrin (β-CD as the template agent. The experimental results revealed that the composite electrode processed a high specific capacitance (2122.75 F·g−1 at 0.1 A·g−1 in 0.05 M KI electrolyte solution, superior energy density (64.05 Wh·kg−1 at 0.2 A·g−1 in the two-electrode system and excellent cycle performance (86% capacitance retention after 1000 cycles at 1.5 A·g−1. All those ultra-high electrical performances owe to the KI active material in the electrolyte and the PANI coated nano-NiO structure.

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

Science.gov (United States)

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.

Yield and economic performance of organic and conventional cotton-based farming systems--results from a field trial in India.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dionys Forster

Full Text Available The debate on the relative benefits of conventional and organic farming systems has in recent time gained significant interest. So far, global agricultural development has focused on increased productivity rather than on a holistic natural resource management for food security. Thus, developing more sustainable farming practices on a large scale is of utmost importance. However, information concerning the performance of farming systems under organic and conventional management in tropical and subtropical regions is scarce. This study presents agronomic and economic data from the conversion phase (2007-2010 of a farming systems comparison trial on a Vertisol soil in Madhya Pradesh, central India. A cotton-soybean-wheat crop rotation under biodynamic, organic and conventional (with and without Bt cotton management was investigated. We observed a significant yield gap between organic and conventional farming systems in the 1(st crop cycle (cycle 1: 2007-2008 for cotton (-29% and wheat (-27%, whereas in the 2(nd crop cycle (cycle 2: 2009-2010 cotton and wheat yields were similar in all farming systems due to lower yields in the conventional systems. In contrast, organic soybean (a nitrogen fixing leguminous plant yields were marginally lower than conventional yields (-1% in cycle 1, -11% in cycle 2. Averaged across all crops, conventional farming systems achieved significantly higher gross margins in cycle 1 (+29%, whereas in cycle 2 gross margins in organic farming systems were significantly higher (+25% due to lower variable production costs but similar yields. Soybean gross margin was significantly higher in the organic system (+11% across the four harvest years compared to the conventional systems. Our results suggest that organic soybean production is a viable option for smallholder farmers under the prevailing semi-arid conditions in India. Future research needs to elucidate the long-term productivity and profitability, particularly of cotton

Electric-hybrid-vehicle simulation

Science.gov (United States)

Pasma, D. C.

The simulation of electric hybrid vehicles is to be performed using experimental data to model propulsion system components. The performance of an existing ac propulsion system will be used as the baseline for comparative purposes. Hybrid components to be evaluated include electrically and mechanically driven flywheels, and an elastomeric regenerative braking system.

On the performance of accelerated particle swarm optimization for charging plug-in hybrid electric vehicles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Imran Rahman

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Transportation electrification has undergone major changes since the last decade. Success of smart grid with renewable energy integration solely depends upon the large-scale penetration of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs for a sustainable and carbon-free transportation sector. One of the key performance indicators in hybrid electric vehicle is the State-of-Charge (SoC which needs to be optimized for the betterment of charging infrastructure using stochastic computational methods. In this paper, a newly emerged Accelerated particle swarm optimization (APSO technique was applied and compared with standard particle swarm optimization (PSO considering charging time and battery capacity. Simulation results obtained for maximizing the highly nonlinear objective function indicate that APSO achieves some improvements in terms of best fitness and computation time.

Development of superconducting wire and cable for the SSC project in Sumitomo Electric Industries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sashida, T.; Saito, S.; Oku, G.; Kurimoto, K.; Yamada, Y.; Yokota, M.; Ohmatsu, K.; Nagata, M.

1991-01-01

As a large production volume of NbTi superconducting wire and cable is required for the SSC project, a production process has been developed at Sumitomo Electric to optimize critical variables of wire properties. To achieve high electrical properties and a high overall yield of NbTi alloy in the fabrication process, the authors have employed carefully designed large size multifilament billets weighing more than 350kg to decrease the number of billets in large production scale. The collider dipole magnet consists of inner and outer cables, and the cable should be as uniform as possible to ensure the performance of the magnets. The authors studied two aspects to obtain such uniformity of superconducting wire; one is the selection of unit weight and the other is the property of critical current density of a strand

An evolutionary yield function based on Barlat 2000 yield function for the superconducting niobium sheet

Science.gov (United States)

Darbandi, Payam; Pourboghrat, Farhang

2011-08-01

Superconducting radio frequency (SRF) niobium cavities are widely used in high-energy physics to accelerate particle beams in particle accelerators. The performance of SRF cavities is affected by the microstructure and purity of the niobium sheet, surface quality, geometry, etc. Following optimum strain paths in the forming of these cavities can significantly control these parameters. To select these strain paths, however, information about the mechanical behavior, microstructure, and formability of the niobium sheet is required. In this study the Barlat 2000 yield function has been used as a yield function for high purity niobium. Results from this study showed that, due to intrinsic behavior, it is necessary to evolve the anisotropic coefficients of Barlat's yield function in order to properly model the plastic behavior of the niobium sheet. The accuracy of the newly developed evolutionary yield function was verified by applying it to the modeling of the hydrostatic bulging of the niobium sheet. Also, in a separate attempt crystal plasticity finite element method was use to model the behavior of the polycrystalline niobium sheet with a particular initial texture.

An evolutionary yield function based on Barlat 2000 yield function for the superconducting niobium sheet

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Darbandi, Payam; Pourboghrat, Farhang

2011-01-01

Superconducting radio frequency (SRF) niobium cavities are widely used in high-energy physics to accelerate particle beams in particle accelerators. The performance of SRF cavities is affected by the microstructure and purity of the niobium sheet, surface quality, geometry, etc. Following optimum strain paths in the forming of these cavities can significantly control these parameters. To select these strain paths, however, information about the mechanical behavior, microstructure, and formability of the niobium sheet is required. In this study the Barlat 2000 yield function has been used as a yield function for high purity niobium. Results from this study showed that, due to intrinsic behavior, it is necessary to evolve the anisotropic coefficients of Barlat's yield function in order to properly model the plastic behavior of the niobium sheet. The accuracy of the newly developed evolutionary yield function was verified by applying it to the modeling of the hydrostatic bulging of the niobium sheet. Also, in a separate attempt crystal plasticity finite element method was use to model the behavior of the polycrystalline niobium sheet with a particular initial texture.

The electrical properties of a planar coil electromagnetic acoustic transducer and their implications for noise performance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seher, Matthias; Challis, Richard

2016-01-01

This paper is concerned with the electrical properties of an electromagnetic acoustic transducer (EMAT) formed of a flat spiral coil coupled to steel sheet components and operating over a narrow band of frequencies around 50 kHz, well below significant resonances. The electromagnetic skin effect is a significant contributor to the terminal impedance of the EMAT and hence to signal sensitivity, Johnson noise generation and the achievable signal-to-noise ratios (SNR). A transformer model is developed to simulate these effects and to assist in the optimization of the SNR. In this analysis Johnson noise in the system is compared to the unknown emf generated in the eddy current path by an incident acoustic wave to yield a fundamental SNR. The attainable SNR of the whole system is normalized to this in the form of a noise figure. (paper)

Cryosurgery with Pulsed Electric Fields

Science.gov (United States)

Daniels, Charlotte S.; Rubinsky, Boris

2011-01-01

This study explores the hypothesis that combining the minimally invasive surgical techniques of cryosurgery and pulsed electric fields will eliminate some of the major disadvantages of these techniques while retaining their advantages. Cryosurgery, tissue ablation by freezing, is a well-established minimally invasive surgical technique. One disadvantage of cryosurgery concerns the mechanism of cell death; cells at high subzero temperature on the outer rim of the frozen lesion can survive. Pulsed electric fields (PEF) are another minimally invasive surgical technique in which high strength and very rapid electric pulses are delivered across cells to permeabilize the cell membrane for applications such as gene delivery, electrochemotherapy and irreversible electroporation. The very short time scale of the electric pulses is disadvantageous because it does not facilitate real time control over the procedure. We hypothesize that applying the electric pulses during the cryosurgical procedure in such a way that the electric field vector is parallel to the heat flux vector will have the effect of confining the electric fields to the frozen/cold region of tissue, thereby ablating the cells that survive freezing while facilitating controlled use of the PEF in the cold confined region. A finite element analysis of the electric field and heat conduction equations during simultaneous tissue treatment with cryosurgery and PEF (cryosurgery/PEF) was used to study the effect of tissue freezing on electric fields. The study yielded motivating results. Because of decreased electrical conductivity in the frozen/cooled tissue, it experienced temperature induced magnified electric fields in comparison to PEF delivered to the unfrozen tissue control. This suggests that freezing/cooling confines and magnifies the electric fields to those regions; a targeting capability unattainable in traditional PEF. This analysis shows how temperature induced magnified and focused PEFs could be used to

Cryosurgery with pulsed electric fields.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Charlotte S Daniels

Full Text Available This study explores the hypothesis that combining the minimally invasive surgical techniques of cryosurgery and pulsed electric fields will eliminate some of the major disadvantages of these techniques while retaining their advantages. Cryosurgery, tissue ablation by freezing, is a well-established minimally invasive surgical technique. One disadvantage of cryosurgery concerns the mechanism of cell death; cells at high subzero temperature on the outer rim of the frozen lesion can survive. Pulsed electric fields (PEF are another minimally invasive surgical technique in which high strength and very rapid electric pulses are delivered across cells to permeabilize the cell membrane for applications such as gene delivery, electrochemotherapy and irreversible electroporation. The very short time scale of the electric pulses is disadvantageous because it does not facilitate real time control over the procedure. We hypothesize that applying the electric pulses during the cryosurgical procedure in such a way that the electric field vector is parallel to the heat flux vector will have the effect of confining the electric fields to the frozen/cold region of tissue, thereby ablating the cells that survive freezing while facilitating controlled use of the PEF in the cold confined region. A finite element analysis of the electric field and heat conduction equations during simultaneous tissue treatment with cryosurgery and PEF (cryosurgery/PEF was used to study the effect of tissue freezing on electric fields. The study yielded motivating results. Because of decreased electrical conductivity in the frozen/cooled tissue, it experienced temperature induced magnified electric fields in comparison to PEF delivered to the unfrozen tissue control. This suggests that freezing/cooling confines and magnifies the electric fields to those regions; a targeting capability unattainable in traditional PEF. This analysis shows how temperature induced magnified and focused

High intensity pulsed electric field as an innovative technique for extraction of bioactive compounds-A review.

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, Liang-Gong; He, Lang; Xi, Jun

2017-09-02

How to extract bioactive compounds safely and efficiently is one of the problems for the food and pharmaceutical industry. In recent years, several novel extraction techniques have been proposed. To pursue a more efficient method for industrial production, high intensity pulsed electric field (HIPEF) extraction technique has been developed. HIPEF extraction technique, which is based on the conventional pulsed electric field (PEF), provided higher electric field intensity and a special continuous extraction system, and it has confirmed less extraction time, higher extraction yield, and mild processing temperature. So this innovative technique is promising for application of industrial production. This review was devoted to introducing the recent achievement of HIPEF extraction technique, including novel HIPEF continuous extraction system, principles and mechanisms; the critical process factors influencing its performance applications; and comparison of HIPEF extraction with other extraction techniques. In the end, the defects and future trends of HIPEF extraction were also discussed.

Performances of a lithium-carbon ``lithium ion``battery for electric powered vehicle; Performances d`un accumulateur au lithium-carbone ``Lithium Ion`` pour vehicule electrique

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Broussely, M.; Planchat, J.P.; Rigobert, G.; Virey, D.; Sarre, G. [SAFT, Advanced and Industrial Battery Group, 86 - Poitiers (France)

1996-12-31

The lithium battery, also called `lithium-carbon` or `lithium ion`, is today the most promising candidate that can reach the expected minimum traction performances of electric powered vehicles. Thanks to a more than 20 years experience on lithium generators and to a specific research program on lithium batteries, the SAFT company has developed a 100 Ah electrochemical system, and full-scale prototypes have been manufactured for this application. These prototypes use the Li{sub x}NiO{sub 2} lithiated graphite electrochemical pair and were tested in terms of their electrical performances. Energy characteristics of 125 Wh/kg and 265 Wh/dm{sup 3} could be obtained. The possibility of supplying a power greater than 200 W/kg, even at low temperature (-10 deg. C) has been demonstrated with these elements. A full battery set of about 20 kWh was built and its evaluation is in progress. It comprises the electronic control systems for the optimum power management during charge and output. (J.S.) 9 refs.

Performances of a lithium-carbon ``lithium ion``battery for electric powered vehicle; Performances d`un accumulateur au lithium-carbone ``Lithium Ion`` pour vehicule electrique

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Broussely, M; Planchat, J P; Rigobert, G; Virey, D; Sarre, G [SAFT, Advanced and Industrial Battery Group, 86 - Poitiers (France)

1997-12-31

The lithium battery, also called `lithium-carbon` or `lithium ion`, is today the most promising candidate that can reach the expected minimum traction performances of electric powered vehicles. Thanks to a more than 20 years experience on lithium generators and to a specific research program on lithium batteries, the SAFT company has developed a 100 Ah electrochemical system, and full-scale prototypes have been manufactured for this application. These prototypes use the Li{sub x}NiO{sub 2} lithiated graphite electrochemical pair and were tested in terms of their electrical performances. Energy characteristics of 125 Wh/kg and 265 Wh/dm{sup 3} could be obtained. The possibility of supplying a power greater than 200 W/kg, even at low temperature (-10 deg. C) has been demonstrated with these elements. A full battery set of about 20 kWh was built and its evaluation is in progress. It comprises the electronic control systems for the optimum power management during charge and output. (J.S.) 9 refs.

Electrical performances of pyroelectric bimetallic strip heat engines describing a Stirling cycle

Science.gov (United States)

Arnaud, A.; Boughaleb, J.; Monfray, S.; Boeuf, F.; Cugat, O.; Skotnicki, T.

2015-12-01

This paper deals with the analytical modeling of pyroelectric bimetallic strip heat engines. These devices are designed to exploit the snap-through of a thermo-mechanically bistable membrane to transform a part of the heat flowing through the membrane into mechanical energy and to convert it into electric energy by means of a piezoelectric layer deposited on the surface of the bistable membrane. In this paper, we describe the properties of these heat engines in the case when they complete a Stirling cycle, and we evaluate the performances (available energy, Carnot efficiency...) of these harvesters at the macro- and micro-scale.

Testing and development of electric vehicle batteries for EPRI Electric Transportation Program

Science.gov (United States)

1985-11-01

Argonne National Laboratory conducted an electric-vehicle battery testing and development program for the Electric Power Research Institute. As part of this program, eighteen battery modules previously developed by Johnson Controls, Inc. were tested. This type of battery (EV-2300 - an improved state-of-the-art lead-acid battery) was designed specifically for improved performance, range, and life in electric vehicles. In order to obtain necessary performance data, the batteries were tested under various duty cycles typical of normal service. This program, supported by the Electric Power Research Institute, consisted of three tasks: determination of the effect of cycle life vs peak power and rest period, determination of the impact of charge method on cycle life, and evaluation of the EV-2300 battery system. Two supporting studies were also carried out: one on thermal management of electric-vehicle batteries and one on enhanced utilization of active material in lead-acid batteries.

Techno-economic and behavioural analysis of battery electric, hydrogen fuel cell and hybrid vehicles in a future sustainable road transport system in the UK

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Offer, G.J., E-mail: gregory.offer@imperial.ac.u [Department Earth Science Engineering, Imperial College London, SW7 2AZ London (United Kingdom); Contestabile, M. [Centre for Environmental Policy, Imperial College London, SW7 2AZ (United Kingdom); Howey, D.A. [Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Imperial College London, SW7 2AZ (United Kingdom); Clague, R. [Energy Futures Lab, Imperial College London, SW7 2AZ (United Kingdom); Brandon, N.P. [Department Earth Science Engineering, Imperial College London, SW7 2AZ London (United Kingdom)

2011-04-15

This paper conducts a techno-economic study on hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCV), Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV) and hydrogen Fuel Cell plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (FCHEV) in the UK using cost predictions for 2030. The study includes an analysis of data on distance currently travelled by private car users daily in the UK. Results show that there may be diminishing economic returns for Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV) with battery sizes above 20 kWh, and the optimum size for a PHEV battery is between 5 and 15 kWh. Differences in behaviour as a function of vehicle size are demonstrated, which decreases the percentage of miles that can be economically driven using electricity for a larger vehicle. Decreasing carbon dioxide emissions from electricity generation by 80% favours larger optimum battery sizes as long as carbon is priced, and will reduce emissions considerably. However, the model does not take into account reductions in carbon dioxide emissions from hydrogen generation, assuming hydrogen will still be produced from steam reforming methane in 2030. - Research highlights: {yields} Report diminishing returns for plug-in hybrids with battery sizes above 20 kWh. {yields} The optimum size for a PHEV battery is between 5 and 15 kWh. {yields} Current behaviour decreases percentage electric only miles for larger vehicles. {yields} Low carbon electricity favours larger battery sizes as long as carbon is priced. {yields} Reinforces that the FCHEV is a cheaper option than conventional ICE vehicles in 2030.

Growth Performance, Carcass Characteristics and Meat Yield of Boer Goats Fed Diets Containing Leaves or Whole Parts of Andrographis paniculata.

Science.gov (United States)

Yusuf, A L; Goh, Y M; Samsudin, A A; Alimon, A R; Sazili, A Q

2014-04-01

The study was conducted to determine the effect of feeding diets containing Andrographis paniculata leaves (APL), whole Andrographis paniculata plant (APWP) and a control without Andrographis paniculata (AP0), on growth performance, carcass characteristics and meat yield of 24 intact Boer bucks. The results obtained indicated that inclusion of Andrographis paniculata significantly improved feed intake, weight gain, feed efficiency and live weight. The ratios of carcass to fat, lean to bone, lean to fat, and composition of meat were also improved. In addition, there were significant differences (pAndrographis paniculata suggested slow rate of digestion, which could have improved utilization and absorption of nutrients by the animals. Goats fed Andrographis paniculata also produced higher meat yield and relatively lower fat contents (p<0.05).

Induction Machine with Improved Operating Performances for Electric Trucks. A FEM-Based Analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

MUNTEANU, A.

2010-05-01

Full Text Available The paper presents a study concerning the performance developed by induction motors destined for motorization of heavy electric vehicles such as trucks. Taking into consideration the imposed restrictions, one presents, in a comparative manner, the main geometrical parameters which come of the classical design algorithms. A special attention is dedicated to the winding design, since it has to ensure two synchronous speeds corresponding to 16 and 8 poles, respectively. Moreover, the influence of the rotor slots shape for the improvement of the start-up is analyzed. Finally, a FEM-based study (approach based on finite element method is performed to put in view specific torque and slip values such as rated, start-up and pull-out ones.

Efficient Transfer of Graphene-Physical and Electrical Performance Perspective

KAUST Repository

Ghoneim, Mohamed T.

2012-11-01

Efficient Transfer of Graphene –Physical and Electrical Performance Perspective Graphene has become one of the most widely used atomic crystal structure materials since its first experimental proof by Geim-Novoselov in 2004 [1]. This is attributed to its reported incredible carrier mobility, mechanical strength and thermal conductivity [2] [3] [4]. These properties suggest interesting applications of Graphene ranging from electronics to energy storage and conversion [5]. In 2008, Chen et al reported a 40,000 cm2V-1s-1 mobility for a Single Layer Graphene (SLG) on SiO2 compared to 285 cm2V-1s-1 for silicon channel devices [6]. Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) is a common method for growing graphene on a metal surface as a catalyst for graphene nucleation. This adds a necessary transfer step to the target substrate ultimately desired for graphene devices fabrication. Interfacing with graphene is a critical challenge in preserving its promising high mobility. This initiated the motivation for studying the effect of intermediate interfaces imposed by transfer processes. In this work, few layers graphene (FLG) was grown on copper foils inside a high temperature furnace. Then Raman spectroscopy was performed on grown graphene sample to confirm few (in between 3-10) layers. Afterwards the sample was cut into three pieces and transferred to 300 nm SiO2 on Si substrates using three techniques, namely: (i) pickup transfer with top side of Graphene brought in contact with SiO2 [7], (ii) Ploy (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) transfer with Graphene and a PMMA support layer on top scooped from bottom side [8], and (iii) a modified direct transfer which is similar to PMMA transfer without the support layer [9]. Comparisons were done using Raman spectroscopy to determine the relative defectivity, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) to observe discontinuities and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) to measure surface roughness. Then we conclude with electrical data based on the contact

Electric Propulsion Induced Secondary Mass Spectroscopy

Science.gov (United States)

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.

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

Science.gov (United States)

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.

Econometric model as a regulatory tool in electricity distribution. Case network performance assessment model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Honkapuro, S.; Lassila, J.; Viljainen, S.; Tahvanainen, K.; Partanen, J.

2004-01-01

Electricity distribution companies operate in the state of natural monopolies since building of parallel networks is not cost- effective. Monopoly companies do not have pressure from the open markets to keep their prices and costs at reasonable level. The regulation of these companies is needed to prevent the misuse of the monopoly position. Regulation is usually focused either on the profit of company or on the price of electricity. Regulation method which determines allowed income for each company with generic computation model can be seen as an econometric model. In this document, the usability of an econometric model in the regulation of electricity distribution companies is evaluated. As the special case of an econometric model, the method called Network Performance Assessment Model, NPAM (Naetnyttomodellen in Swedish), is analysed. NPAM is developed by Swedish Energy Agency (STEM) for the regulation of electricity distribution companies. Both theoretical analysis and calculations of an example network area are presented in this document to find the major directing effects of the model. The parameters of NPAM, which are used in the calculations of this research report, were dated on 30th of March 2004. These parameters were most recent ones available at the time when analysis was done. However, since NPAM have been under development, the parameters have been constantly changing. Therefore slight changes might occur in the numerical results of calculations if they were made with the latest set of parameters. However, main conclusions are same and do not depend on exact parameters

Electrical cardioversion

Science.gov (United States)

Sucu, Murat; Davutoglu, Vedat; Ozer, Orhan

2009-01-01

External electrical cardioversion was first performed in the 1950s. Urgent or elective cardioversions have specific advantages, such as termination of atrial and ventricular tachycardia and recovery of sinus rhythm. Electrical cardioversion is life-saving when applied in urgent circumstances. The succcess rate is increased by accurate tachycardia diagnosis, careful patient selection, adequate electrode (paddles) application, determination of the optimal energy and anesthesia levels, prevention of embolic events and arrythmia recurrence and airway conservation while minimizing possible complications. Potential complications include ventricular fibrillation due to general anesthesia or lack of synchronization between the direct current (DC) shock and the QRS complex, thromboembolus due to insufficient anticoagulant therapy, non-sustained VT, atrial arrhythmia, heart block, bradycardia, transient left bundle branch block, myocardial necrosis, myocardial dysfunction, transient hypotension, pulmonary edema and skin burn. Electrical cardioversion performed in patients with a pacemaker or an incompatible cardioverter defibrillator may lead to dysfunction, namely acute or chronic changes in the pacing or sensitivity threshold. Although this procedure appears fairly simple, serious consequences might occur if inappropriately performed. PMID:19448376

Modeling and experimental performance of an intermediate temperature reversible solid oxide cell for high-efficiency, distributed-scale electrical energy storage

Science.gov (United States)

Wendel, Christopher H.; Gao, Zhan; Barnett, Scott A.; Braun, Robert J.

2015-06-01

Electrical energy storage is expected to be a critical component of the future world energy system, performing load-leveling operations to enable increased penetration of renewable and distributed generation. Reversible solid oxide cells, operating sequentially between power-producing fuel cell mode and fuel-producing electrolysis mode, have the capability to provide highly efficient, scalable electricity storage. However, challenges ranging from cell performance and durability to system integration must be addressed before widespread adoption. One central challenge of the system design is establishing effective thermal management in the two distinct operating modes. This work leverages an operating strategy to use carbonaceous reactant species and operate at intermediate stack temperature (650 °C) to promote exothermic fuel-synthesis reactions that thermally self-sustain the electrolysis process. We present performance of a doped lanthanum-gallate (LSGM) electrolyte solid oxide cell that shows high efficiency in both operating modes at 650 °C. A physically based electrochemical model is calibrated to represent the cell performance and used to simulate roundtrip operation for conditions unique to these reversible systems. Design decisions related to system operation are evaluated using the cell model including current density, fuel and oxidant reactant compositions, and flow configuration. The analysis reveals tradeoffs between electrical efficiency, thermal management, energy density, and durability.

Effects of Nitrogen and Hydrogen Codoping on the Electrical Performance and Reliability of InGaZnO Thin-Film Transistors.

Science.gov (United States)

Abliz, Ablat; Gao, Qingguo; Wan, Da; Liu, Xingqiang; Xu, Lei; Liu, Chuansheng; Jiang, Changzhong; Li, Xuefei; Chen, Huipeng; Guo, Tailiang; Li, Jinchai; Liao, Lei

2017-03-29

Despite intensive research on improvement in electrical performances of ZnO-based thin-film transistors (TFTs), the instability issues have limited their applications for complementary electronics. Herein, we have investigated the effect of nitrogen and hydrogen (N/H) codoping on the electrical performance and reliability of amorphous InGaZnO (α-IGZO) TFTs. The performance and bias stress stability of α-IGZO device were simultaneously improved by N/H plasma treatment with a high field-effect mobility of 45.3 cm 2 /(V s) and small shifts of threshold voltage (V th ). On the basis of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis, the improved electrical performances of α-IGZO TFT should be attributed to the appropriate amount of N/H codoping, which could not only control the V th and carrier concentration efficiently, but also passivate the defects such as oxygen vacancy due to the formation of stable Zn-N and N-H bonds. Meanwhile, low-frequency noise analysis indicates that the average trap density near the α-IGZO/SiO 2 interface is reduced by the nitrogen and hydrogen plasma treatment. This method could provide a step toward the development of α-IGZO TFTs for potential applications in next-generation high-definition optoelectronic displays.

Feasibility study on economic operation of wind farms in the electric power system of the Republic of Croatia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rabadan, L.P.; Sansevic, M.; Klarin, B.

1996-01-01

In this work are analyzed island and coastal locations on the Adriatic Sea as possible sites of wind farms. The analysis is based on the expert system developed by authors of other literature. The macrolocation selection is performed by the multicriterial decision-making method and in compliance with the current world approach to their wind potential and some other criteria. The choice of wind turbine generator (WTG) unit is based on the fundamental criteria: operational efficiency on the given location, price per installed kW, and price of the generated electricity. The results obtained in this study show that the contribution in electricity yield from the selected wind power plants could amount to 4.33% of the electricity generated by the Croatian power plants in the year 1990. The calculations of electricity costs are based on the quantity of electricity obtained by simulating the operation of the best WTG units selected from the ES database and including other influential factors. In the choice of macrolocations and WTG units the fuzzy method is implemented as part of the ES. (author)

How integrated resource planning for US electric utilities affects shareholder interests

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hadley, S.; Hirst, E.

1995-01-01

Integrated resource planning (IRP) seeks to identify the mix of resources that can best meet the future energy-service needs of customers. These resources include new sources, types, and owners of power plants plus demand-side management (DSM) programs. However, little explicit attention is given to utility shareholders in the typical resource-planning proceeding. Because of the complexity of state regulatory practices and tax policies, it seems unlikely that different resources that provide comparable services to customers will yield comparable returns to shareholders. This study examines a typical US investor-owned utility's financial operations and performance using a spreadsheet model we developed for this project. The model simulates an electric utility's financial operations, and produces an annual income statement, balance sheet, and cash-flow statement. We calculated the net present value of realized (cash) return on equity as the primary factor used to represent shareholder interests. We examined shareholder returns for these resources as functions of public utility commission regulation, taxes, and the utility's operating environment. Given the increasingly competitive nature of electricity markets, we examined shareholder returns for these resources in an environment where the utility competes with other suppliers solely on the basis of electricity price. (author)

Water limits to closing yield gaps

Science.gov (United States)

Davis, Kyle Frankel; Rulli, Maria Cristina; Garrassino, Francesco; Chiarelli, Davide; Seveso, Antonio; D'Odorico, Paolo

2017-01-01

Agricultural intensification is often seen as a suitable approach to meet the growing demand for agricultural products and improve food security. It typically entails the use of fertilizers, new cultivars, irrigation, and other modern technology. In regions of the world affected by seasonal or chronic water scarcity, yield gap closure is strongly dependent on irrigation (blue water). Global yield gap assessments have often ignored whether the water required to close the yield gap is locally available. Here we perform a gridded global analysis (10 km resolution) of the blue water consumption that is needed annually to close the yield gap worldwide and evaluate the associated pressure on renewable freshwater resources. We find that, to close the yield gap, human appropriation of freshwater resources for irrigation would have to increase at least by 146%. Most study countries would experience at least a doubling in blue water requirement, with 71% of the additional blue water being required by only four crops - maize, rice, soybeans, and wheat. Further, in some countries (e.g., Algeria, Morocco, Syria, Tunisia, and Yemen) the total volume of blue water required for yield gap closure would exceed sustainable levels of freshwater consumption (i.e., 40% of total renewable surface and groundwater resources).

Electric Field Structures in Thin Films: Formation and Properties

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cassidy, Andrew; Plekan, Oksana; Balog, Richard

2014-01-01

A newly discovered class of molecular materials, so-called “spontelectrics”, display spontaneous electric fields. Here we show that the novel properties of spontelectrics can be used to create composite spontelectrics, illustrating how electric fields in solid films may be structured on the nanoscale...... by combining layers of different spontelectric materials. This is demonstrated using the spontelectric materials nitrous oxide, toluene, isoprene, isopentane, and CF2Cl2. These yield a variety of tailored electric field structures, with individual layers harboring fields between 107 and 108 V/m. Fields may...

Potential of brown algae for sustainable electricity production through anaerobic digestion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fasahati, Peyman; Saffron, Christopher M.; Woo, Hee Chul; Liu, J. Jay

2017-01-01

Highlights: • Electricity production through anaerobic digestion of brown algae was assessed. • Breakeven electricity selling price of 18.81 ¢/kWh was calculated. • AD unit has highest energy consumption of 14% of generated electricity. • Seaweed cost has largest cost contribution of 11.95 ¢/kWh to the calculated BESP. • Impact of economic and process parameters on BESP was assessed. - Abstract: This paper assesses the economics of heat and power production from the anaerobic digestion (AD) of brown algae (Laminaria japonica) at a plant scale of 400,000 dry tons/year. The conversion process was simulated in Aspen Plus v.8.6 to obtain rigorous heat and material balance for energy assessments and the development of a techno-economic model. The breakeven electricity selling price (BESP) was found to be 18.81 ¢/kWh assuming 30 years of plant life and a 10% internal rate of return. The results show that the AD unit has the highest energy demand in the entire process and consumes approximately 14% of all electricity produced. In addition, the seaweed cost of 11.95 ¢/kWh is the largest cost component that contributes to the calculated BESP, which means that a reduction in the cost of seaweed cultivation can significantly decrease the electricity production cost. A sensitivity analysis was performed on the economic and process parameters in order to assess the impact of possible variations and uncertainties in these parameters. Results showed that solids loading, anaerobic digestion yield, and time, respectively, have the highest impact on BESP.

The bright and dark side of cooperation for regional innovation performance

OpenAIRE

Broekel, Tom; Meder, Andreas

2008-01-01

Studies analyzing the importance of intra- and inter-regional cooperation for regional innovation performance are mainly of qualitative nature and focus strongly on the positive effects that high levels of cooperation can yield. For the case of the German labor market regions and the Electrics + Electronics industry the paper provides a quantitative-empirical analysis taking into account the possibility of negative effects related to regional lock-in, lock-out, and cooperation overload situat...

Method of electric powertrain matching for battery-powered electric cars

Science.gov (United States)

Ning, Guobao; Xiong, Lu; Zhang, Lijun; Yu, Zhuoping

2013-05-01

The current match method of electric powertrain still makes use of longitudinal dynamics, which can't realize maximum capacity for on-board energy storage unit and can't reach lowest equivalent fuel consumption as well. Another match method focuses on improving available space considering reasonable layout of vehicle to enlarge rated energy capacity for on-board energy storage unit, which can keep the longitudinal dynamics performance almost unchanged but can't reach lowest fuel consumption. Considering the characteristics of driving motor, method of electric powertrain matching utilizing conventional longitudinal dynamics for driving system and cut-and-try method for energy storage system is proposed for passenger cars converted from traditional ones. Through combining the utilization of vehicle space which contributes to the on-board energy amount, vehicle longitudinal performance requirements, vehicle equivalent fuel consumption level, passive safety requirements and maximum driving range requirement together, a comprehensive optimal match method of electric powertrain for battery-powered electric vehicle is raised. In simulation, the vehicle model and match method is built in Matlab/simulink, and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Urban Dynamometer Driving Schedule (UDDS) is chosen as a test condition. The simulation results show that 2.62% of regenerative energy and 2% of energy storage efficiency are increased relative to the traditional method. The research conclusions provide theoretical and practical solutions for electric powertrain matching for modern battery-powered electric vehicles especially for those converted from traditional ones, and further enhance dynamics of electric vehicles.

Economic Comparison of Electric Vehicles Performing Unidirectional and Bidirectional Frequency Control in Denmark with Practical Validation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thingvad, Andreas; Martinenas, Sergejus; Andersen, Peter Bach

2016-01-01

the EV is plugged into the network ready to support the system frequency. Performing unidirectional frequency control with Electric Vehicles (EVs) requires little hardware implementation in the household but has the limit that the service only can be performed until the battery is fully charged....... Bidirectional V2G frequency control requires an external charger but also enables the EV to perform services at higher powers, during the entire period the EV is parked. The yearly revenue is in both cases calculated using some assumptions that are then verified in 2 experiments. Both EVs are discharged...

Evaluation of SF6-alternative gas C5-PFK based on arc extinguishing performance and electric strength

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Yi; Wang, Chunlin; Sun, Hao; Rong, Mingzhe; Murphy, Anthony Bruce; Li, Tianwei; Zhong, Jianying; Chen, Zhexin; Yang, Fei; Niu, Chunpin

2017-09-01

C5-PFK (C5-perfluoroketone, C5F10O) is under wide consideration as an environmentally-friendly alternative gas to SF6 in high-voltage applications, because of its superior insulation performance. The aim of this work is to study theoretically the arc extinguishing performance and electric strength of C5-PFK. The arc extinguishing performance of C5-PFK was evaluated by analyzing and comparing the thermophysical properties of C5-PFK, SF6, CF4, CO2 and N2 plasmas. It was difficult to obtain the species formed in C5-PFK plasmas because of the complex C5-PFK molecular decomposition process. In this work, the decomposition process of C5-PFK and the related species were analyzed by the bond energy analysis method. For the species for which parameters such as the partition function and the enthalpy of formation were not available, computational chemistry methods were used to obtain the required data. The collision integrals were calculated using the phenomenological potential model. Using these results, the local thermodynamic equilibrium composition at temperatures from 300 to 30 000 K at 1-10 atm of pure C5-PFK was calculated by the method of minimization of the Gibbs free energy, and the corresponding transport coefficients were calculated by Chapman-Enskog method. Through the comparison of the thermophysical properties, it was found that C5-PFK had similar characteristics to SF6, with large peaks in specific heat below 4500 K, indicating potentially good thermal interruption capability. However, the specific heat peak at 7000 K corresponding to CO decomposition may detract from the thermal interruption capability. Specific heat peaks at higher temperatures are associated with the breaking of double or triple bonds, and should be avoided if possible in the new alternative gases. The electric strength of C5-PFK was assessed using the molecular electrostatic potential, which can be accurately calculated or measured, and gives strong insights into important

Will energy crop yields meet expectations?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Searle, Stephanie Y.; Malins, Christopher J.

2014-01-01

Expectations are high for energy crops. Government policies in the United States and Europe are increasingly supporting biofuel and heat and power from cellulose, and biomass is touted as a partial solution to energy security and greenhouse gas mitigation. Here, we review the literature for yields of 5 major potential energy crops: Miscanthus spp., Panicum virgatum (switchgrass), Populus spp. (poplar), Salix spp. (willow), and Eucalyptus spp. Very high yields have been achieved for each of these types of energy crops, up to 40 t ha −1  y −1 in small, intensively managed trials. But yields are significantly lower in semi-commercial scale trials, due to biomass losses with drying, harvesting inefficiency under real world conditions, and edge effects in small plots. To avoid competition with food, energy crops should be grown on non-agricultural land, which also lowers yields. While there is potential for yield improvement for each of these crops through further research and breeding programs, for several reasons the rate of yield increase is likely to be slower than historically has been achieved for cereals; these include relatively low investment, long breeding periods, low yield response of perennial grasses to fertilizer, and inapplicability of manipulating the harvest index. Miscanthus × giganteus faces particular challenges as it is a sterile hybrid. Moderate and realistic expectations for the current and future performance of energy crops are vital to understanding the likely cost and the potential of large-scale production. - Highlights: • This review covers Miscanthus, switchgrass, poplar, willow, and Eucalyptus. • High yields of energy crops are typically from small experimental plots. • Field scale yields are lower due to real world harvesting losses and edge effects. • The potential for yield improvement of energy crops is relatively limited. • Expectations must be realistic for successful policies and commercial production

Accelerated yield learning in agressive lithography

Science.gov (United States)

Monahan, Kevin M.; Ashkenaz, Scott M.; Chen, Xing; Lord, Patrick J.; Merrill, Mark A.; Quattrini, Rich; Wiley, James N.

2000-06-01

As exposure wavelengths decrease from 248 nm to 193, 157, and even 13 nm (EUV), small process defects can cause collapse of the lithographic process window near the limits of resolution, particularly for the gate and contact structures in high- performance devices. Such sensitivity poses a challenge for lithography process module control. In this work, we show that yield loss can be caused by a combination of macro, micro, CD, and overlay defects. A defect is defined as any yield- affecting process variation. Each defect, regardless of cause, is assumed to have a specific 'kill potential.' The accuracy of the lithographic yield model can be improved by identifying those defects with the highest kill potential or, more importantly, those that pose the highest economic risk. Such economic considerations have led us to develop a simple heuristic model for understanding sampling strategies in defect metrology and for linking metrology capability to yield and profitability.

A Remote Sensing-Derived Corn Yield Assessment Model

Science.gov (United States)

Shrestha, Ranjay Man

Agricultural studies and food security have become critical research topics due to continuous growth in human population and simultaneous shrinkage in agricultural land. In spite of modern technological advancements to improve agricultural productivity, more studies on crop yield assessments and food productivities are still necessary to fulfill the constantly increasing food demands. Besides human activities, natural disasters such as flood and drought, along with rapid climate changes, also inflect an adverse effect on food productivities. Understanding the impact of these disasters on crop yield and making early impact estimations could help planning for any national or international food crisis. Similarly, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Risk Management Agency (RMA) insurance management utilizes appropriately estimated crop yield and damage assessment information to sustain farmers' practice through timely and proper compensations. Through County Agricultural Production Survey (CAPS), the USDA National Agricultural Statistical Service (NASS) uses traditional methods of field interviews and farmer-reported survey data to perform annual crop condition monitoring and production estimations at the regional and state levels. As these manual approaches of yield estimations are highly inefficient and produce very limited samples to represent the entire area, NASS requires supplemental spatial data that provides continuous and timely information on crop production and annual yield. Compared to traditional methods, remote sensing data and products offer wider spatial extent, more accurate location information, higher temporal resolution and data distribution, and lower data cost--thus providing a complementary option for estimation of crop yield information. Remote sensing derived vegetation indices such as Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) provide measurable statistics of potential crop growth based on the spectral reflectance and could

Effect of hybrid system battery performance on determining CO2 emissions of hybrid electric vehicles in real-world conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alvarez, Robert; Schlienger, Peter; Weilenmann, Martin

2010-01-01

Hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) can potentially reduce vehicle CO 2 emissions by using recuperated kinetic vehicle energy stored as electric energy in a hybrid system battery (HSB). HSB performance affects the individual net HEV CO 2 emissions for a given driving pattern, which is considered to be equivalent to unchanged net energy content in the HSB. The present study investigates the influence of HSB performance on the statutory correction procedure used to determine HEV CO 2 emissions in Europe based on chassis dynamometer measurements with three identical in-use examples of a full HEV model featuring different mileages. Statutory and real-world driving cycles and full electric vehicle operation modes have been considered. The main observation is that the selected HEVs can only use 67-80% of the charge provided to the HSB, which distorts the outcomes of the statutory correction procedure that does not consider such irreversibility. CO 2 emissions corrected according to this procedure underestimate the true net CO 2 emissions of one HEV by approximately 13% in real-world urban driving. The correct CO 2 emissions are only reproduced when considering the HSB performance in this driving pattern. The statutory procedure for correcting HEV CO 2 emissions should, therefore, be adapted.

Integrated DEA Models and Grey System Theory to Evaluate Past-to-Future Performance: A Case of Indian Electricity Industry

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Chia-Nan; Tran, Thanh-Tuyen

2015-01-01

The growth of economy and population together with the higher demand in energy has created many concerns for the Indian electricity industry whose capacity is at 211 gigawatts mostly in coal-fired plants. Due to insufficient fuel supply, India suffers from a shortage of electricity generation, leading to rolling blackouts; thus, performance evaluation and ranking the industry turn into significant issues. By this study, we expect to evaluate the rankings of these companies under control of the Ministry of Power. Also, this research would like to test if there are any significant differences between the two DEA models: Malmquist nonradial and Malmquist radial. Then, one advance model of MPI would be chosen to see these companies' performance in recent years and next few years by using forecasting results of Grey system theory. Totally, the realistic data 14 are considered to be in this evaluation after the strict selection from the whole industry. The results found that all companies have not shown many abrupt changes on their scores, and it is always not consistently good or consistently standing out, which demonstrated the high applicable usability of the integrated methods. This integrated numerical research gives a better “past-present-future” insights into performance evaluation in Indian electricity industry. PMID:25821854

Integrated DEA models and grey system theory to evaluate past-to-future performance: a case of Indian electricity industry.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Chia-Nan; Nguyen, Nhu-Ty; Tran, Thanh-Tuyen

2015-01-01

The growth of economy and population together with the higher demand in energy has created many concerns for the Indian electricity industry whose capacity is at 211 gigawatts mostly in coal-fired plants. Due to insufficient fuel supply, India suffers from a shortage of electricity generation, leading to rolling blackouts; thus, performance evaluation and ranking the industry turn into significant issues. By this study, we expect to evaluate the rankings of these companies under control of the Ministry of Power. Also, this research would like to test if there are any significant differences between the two DEA models: Malmquist nonradial and Malmquist radial. Then, one advance model of MPI would be chosen to see these companies' performance in recent years and next few years by using forecasting results of Grey system theory. Totally, the realistic data 14 are considered to be in this evaluation after the strict selection from the whole industry. The results found that all companies have not shown many abrupt changes on their scores, and it is always not consistently good or consistently standing out, which demonstrated the high applicable usability of the integrated methods. This integrated numerical research gives a better "past-present-future" insights into performance evaluation in Indian electricity industry.

Yield and Yield Components of Vetch (Vigna radiata as Affected by the Use of Vermicompost and Phosphate Bio-fertilizer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammad Mehdi Rahimi

2016-06-01

Full Text Available To evaluate the effects different levels of phosphate biofertilizer barvar-2 and vermi compost on yield and yield components of vetch plant (Vigna radiata L.in Yasouj a factorial experiments was performed in completely randomized design in crop year of 2013. Experimental treatments were phosphate biofertilizer barvar-2 at 3 levels (0, 50, 100 gram per hectare and vermicompost at 4 levels (0, 10, 20, 30 ton per hectare. In this study stem height, root length, biological yield, seed yield and harvest index was measured. ANOVA and comparison of means showed that vermicompost significantly increased stem height, economic and biological yields. Results, also, indicated that highest yield and biomass, 4.3 and 18.8 g/plant, observed respectively when 100 g/ha of barvar-2 and 30 t/ha of vermi compost were used. Using both of phosphate biofertilizer barvar-2 and vermicompost was better than their individnal usage. This indicates that combined use of these 2 factors would produce higher yield. It can be concluded that application of 100 g/ha of barvar-2 and 30 t/ha of vermicompost would a proper recommendation.

Electrical stimulation in white oyster mushroom (Pleurotus florida) production

Science.gov (United States)

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.

Improvement of Membrane Performances to Enhance the Yield of Vanillin in a Pervaporation Reactor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Giovanni Camera-Roda

2014-02-01

Full Text Available In membrane reactors, the interaction of reaction and membrane separation can be exploited to achieve a “process intensification”, a key objective of sustainable development. In the present work, the properties that the membrane must have to obtain this result in a pervaporation reactor are analyzed and discussed. Then, the methods to enhance these properties are investigated for the photocatalytic synthesis of vanillin, which represents a case where the recovery from the reactor of vanillin by means of pervaporation while it is produced allows a substantial improvement of the yield, since its further oxidation is thus prevented. To this end, the phenomena that control the permeation of both vanillin and the reactant (ferulic acid are analyzed, since they ultimately affect the performances of the membrane reactor. The results show that diffusion of the aromatic compounds takes place in the presence of low concentration gradients, so that the process is controlled by other phenomena, in particular by the equilibrium with the vapor at the membrane-permeate interface. On this basis, it is demonstrated that the performances are enhanced by increasing the membrane thickness and/or the temperature, whereas the pH begins to limit the process only at values higher than 6.5.

Electrical performance of phase change memory cells with Ge{sub 3}Sb{sub 2}Te{sub 6} deposited by molecular beam epitaxy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Boschker, Jos E.; Riechert, Henning; Calarco, Raffaella [Paul-Drude-Institut für Festkörperelektronik, Hausvogteiplatz 5-7, 10117 Berlin (Germany); Boniardi, Mattia; Redaelli, Andrea [Micron Semiconductor Italia S.r.l., Via C. Olivetti, 2, 20864, Agrate Brianza, MB (Italy)

2015-01-12

Here, we report on the electrical characterization of phase change memory cells containing a Ge{sub 3}Sb{sub 2}Te{sub 6} (GST) alloy grown in its crystalline form by Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE). It is found that the high temperature growth on the amorphous substrate results in a polycrystalline film exhibiting a rough surface with a grain size of approximately 80–150 nm. A detailed electrical characterization has been performed, including I-V characteristic curves, programming curves, set operation performance, crystallization activation at low temperature, and resistance drift, in order to determine the material related parameters. The results indicate very good alignment of the electrical parameters with the current state-of-the-art GST, deposited by physical vapor deposition. Such alignment enables a possible employment of the MBE deposition technique for chalcogenide materials in the phase change memory technology, thus leading to future studies of as-deposited crystalline chalcogenides as integrated in electrical vehicles.

Performance analysis of a 11.2 kWp roof top grid-connected PV system in Eastern India

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Renu Sharma

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Barren land and roof tops of buildings are being increasingly used worldwide to install solar panels for generating electricity. One such step has been taken by Siksha ‘O’Anusandhan University, Bhubaneswar (Latitude 20.24° N and Longitude 80.85° E by installing a 11.2 kWp grid connected solar power system during February, 2014. This PV system is tilted at an angle of 21° on the top floor of a 25 metre height building. This system was installed This paper presents the results of this grid connected photovoltaic system which was monitored between September 2014 to August 2015. The entire electricity generated by the system was fed into the state grid. The different parameters of the system studied include PV module efficiency, array yield, final yield, inverter efficiency and performance ratio of the system. The total energy generated during this period was found to be 14.960 MWh and the PV module efficiency, inverter efficiency and performance ratio were found to be 13.42%, 89.83% and 0.78 respectively.

Optimizing rice yields while minimizing yield-scaled global warming potential.

Science.gov (United States)

Pittelkow, Cameron M; Adviento-Borbe, Maria A; van Kessel, Chris; Hill, James E; Linquist, Bruce A

2014-05-01

To meet growing global food demand with limited land and reduced environmental impact, agricultural greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are increasingly evaluated with respect to crop productivity, i.e., on a yield-scaled as opposed to area basis. Here, we compiled available field data on CH4 and N2 O emissions from rice production systems to test the hypothesis that in response to fertilizer nitrogen (N) addition, yield-scaled global warming potential (GWP) will be minimized at N rates that maximize yields. Within each study, yield N surplus was calculated to estimate deficit or excess N application rates with respect to the optimal N rate (defined as the N rate at which maximum yield was achieved). Relationships between yield N surplus and GHG emissions were assessed using linear and nonlinear mixed-effects models. Results indicate that yields increased in response to increasing N surplus when moving from deficit to optimal N rates. At N rates contributing to a yield N surplus, N2 O and yield-scaled N2 O emissions increased exponentially. In contrast, CH4 emissions were not impacted by N inputs. Accordingly, yield-scaled CH4 emissions decreased with N addition. Overall, yield-scaled GWP was minimized at optimal N rates, decreasing by 21% compared to treatments without N addition. These results are unique compared to aerobic cropping systems in which N2 O emissions are the primary contributor to GWP, meaning yield-scaled GWP may not necessarily decrease for aerobic crops when yields are optimized by N fertilizer addition. Balancing gains in agricultural productivity with climate change concerns, this work supports the concept that high rice yields can be achieved with minimal yield-scaled GWP through optimal N application rates. Moreover, additional improvements in N use efficiency may further reduce yield-scaled GWP, thereby strengthening the economic and environmental sustainability of rice systems. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The effects of rate of return and environmental regulations on the productivity performance in the US electric utility industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Durongkaveroj, P.

1991-01-01

Productivity growth in the US electric power industry has been declining since the late 1960's. Rate of return regulation and environmental regulations are hypothesized to adversely affect the productivity performance. Employing a Divisa index of the total factor productivity (TEP) an electric utility's performance is measured based on a profit maximization framework subject to both regulatory constraints. The empirical analysis attempts to analyze the effects of these regulations on the productivity growth employing data from privately-owned, fossil-fueled electric utilities. Results show a consistent decline in productivity growth over time averaging at 2% annually during 1977 and 1982, as well as the existence of regional differences in TFP growth among utilities. It shows positive and significant relationships between TFP growth and the rate of return, regulatory lag, the use of future test year, and deferred tax credit in the rate-making process. In the environmental case, results show that a stringent emission standard, using scrubbers for sulfur reduction and the utilization of aging power plants all contribute to the decline in productivity growth

Yield strength measurement of shock-loaded metal by flyer-impact perturbation method

Science.gov (United States)

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.

Comparison and assessment of electricity generation capacity for different types of PV solar plants of 1MW in Soko banja, Serbia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pavlović Tomislav M.

2011-01-01

Full Text Available This paper gives the results of the electricity generated by the fixed, one-axis and dual-axis tracking PV solar plant of 1 MW with flat PV panels made of monocrystalline silicon which is to be built in the area of Soko banja (spa in Serbia. Further on follows a description of the functioning of the fixed and one-axis and dual-axis tracking PV solar plant. For the calculation of the electricity generated by these plants PVGIS program from the Internet was used. Calculations have shown that fixed PV solar plant power of 1 MW, solar modules of monocrystalline silicon yield 1130000 kWh power output, one-axis tracking PV solar plant yields 1420000 kWh, and dual-axis tracking PV solar plant yields 1450000 kWh of electricity. Electricity generated by the fixed PV solar plant could satisfy 86% of the annual needs for the electricity of the „Zdravljak“ hotel and the special „Novi stacionar“ hospital in Soko banja.

Comparison of the effects of semi-refined rice oil and soybean oil on meat oxidative stability, carcass yield, metabolism, and performance of broilers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

ML de Moraes

2009-09-01

Full Text Available Two experiments (EXP 1 and EXP 2 were conducted to compare soybean oil (SO and semi-refined rice oil (RBO added to broilers diets. In EXP 1, 400 male Ross x Ross 308 broilers were reared in battery cages, and their performance was evaluated. A metabolism assay was performed. In EXP 2, 1344 broilers from the same strain were reared in floor pens with rice husks litter. In addition to performance, carcass yield and meat oxidative stability were evaluated. In both EXP, birds were distributed in a 2x4 factorial arrangement, with two types of oils (SO or RBO and four oil inclusion levels (1%, 2.5%, 4%, or 5.5%. Two periods were considered: starter (1 to 21 days of age and grower (22 to 42 days. In both EXP, oil type had no influence on starter performance. Although treatments promoted similar in weight gain (WG and feed intake (FI, grower birds fed RBO had better feed conversion (FCR in EXP 2, but not in EXP1. In both trials, increasing dietary oil levels negatively influenced FI and positively FCR. Weight gain was similar among all treatments in EXP 1, whereas in EXP 2, WG was higher when 4 and 5.5% oil was included in the feed. RBO presented 94% fat metabolizability, and crude energy and metabolizable energy levels of 9.260 and 8.714 kcal/kg, respectively. Carcass yield was not influenced by oil type; however, oil inclusion level negatively affected breast yield. The experimental treatments had no effect on meat oxidative stability. RBO can be used as an alternative to soybean oil in broilers diets.

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

Science.gov (United States)

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

2018-03-24

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.

Stimuli-Responsive Polymer-Clay Nanocomposites under Electric Fields

Science.gov (United States)

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

Performance evaluation of a transformerless multiphase electric submersible pump system

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ahmed A. Hakeem

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Using of low-voltage variable-frequency drive followed by a step-up transformer is the most preferable way to feed an electrical submersible pump motor. The existence of long feeder between the motor and drive systems usually causes over-voltage problems because of the travelling wave phenomenon, which makes the employment of filter networks on the motor or inverter terminals mandatory. The so-called boost-inverter inherently can solve this problem with filter-less operation as it offers a direct sinusoidal output voltage. As boost inverters have voltage boosting capability, it can provide a transformer-less operation as well. This study investigates the performance of a five-phase modular winding induction machine fed from a boost-inverter through a long feeder. A simulation study using a 1000 Hp system and experimental investigation on a 1 Hp prototype machine are used to support the presented approach.

Consumer behavior in renewable electricity: Can branding in accordance with identity signaling increase demand for renewable electricity and strengthen supplier brands?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hanimann, Raphael; Vinterbäck, Johan; Mark-Herbert, Cecilia

2015-01-01

A higher percentage of energy from renewable resources is an important goal on many environmental policy agendas. Yet, the demand for renewable electricity in liberalized markets has developed much more slowly than the demand for other green products. To date, research has mainly examined the willingness to pay for renewable electricity, but limited research has been conducted on the motivations behind it. The concept of identity signaling has proven to play a significant role in consumer behavior for green products. However, (renewable) electricity in the Swedish residential market typically lacks two important drivers for identity signaling: visibility and product involvement. A consumer choice simulation among 434 Swedish households compared consumer choices for renewable electricity contracts. The results show a positive effect of identity signaling on the demand for renewable electricity and yield suggestions for increasing the share of renewable electricity without market distorting measures. This leads to implications for policymakers, electricity suppliers and researchers. - Highlights: • Low demand for renewable electricity contracts falls short of high market potential. • For this study a consumer choice simulation for electricity contracts was processed. • Higher visibility and involvement increases demand for green electricity contracts. • Branding that enables identity signaling contributes to green energy policy goals

Experimental investigation on performance of lithium-ion battery thermal management system using flat plate loop heat pipe for electric vehicle application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Putra, Nandy; Ariantara, Bambang; Pamungkas, Rangga Aji

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Flat plate loop heat pipe (FPLHP) is studied in the thermal management system for electric vehicle. • Distilled water, alcohol, and acetone on thermal performances of FPLHP were tested. • The FPLHP can start up at fairly low heat load. • Temperature overshoot phenomena were observed during the start-up period. - Abstract: The development of electric vehicle batteries has resulted in very high energy density lithium-ion batteries. However, this growth is accompanied by the risk of thermal runaway, which can cause serious accidents. Heat pipes are heat exchangers that are suitable to be applied in electric vehicle battery thermal management for their lightweight and compact size, and they do not require external power supply. This study examined experimentally a flat plate loop heat pipe (FPLHP) performance as a heat exchanger in the thermal management system of the lithium-ion battery for electric vehicle application. The heat generation of the battery was simulated using a cartridge heater. Stainless steel screen mesh was used as the capillary wick. Distilled water, alcohol, and acetone were used as working fluids with a filling ratio of 60%. It was found that acetone gave the best performance that produces a thermal resistance of 0.22 W/°C with 50 °C evaporator temperature at heat flux load of 1.61 W/cm"2.

Evaluation on current-limiting performance of the YBCO thin-film wire considering electric coupling condition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Du, H.-I.; Han, B.-S.; Kim, Y.-J.; Lee, D.-H.; Song, S.-S.; Han, T.-H.; Han, S.-C.

2011-01-01

The basic way to improve the performance of a superconducting current limiter is to apply and evaluate a superconducting device that is appropriate to the superconducting current limiter. Among the many types of superconducting devices, the YBCO thin film wire has excellent current-limiting performance that is appropriate for actual system application. For the application of the YBCO thin film wire to superconducting current limiters, its current-limiting performance as a unit device must be accurately evaluated, and measures to improve its current-limiting performance must be sought. Accordingly, to evaluate the current-limiting performance of the YBCO thin film wire, this study was conducted to evaluate its resistance-increasing trend, V max , T r , I max , I qt , and current-limiting rate as a unit device, after which the electric coupling condition that consists of a core and windings was used to evaluate the current-limiting performance of the YBCO thin film wire.

Orthogonal Test Analysis on Conditions Affecting Electricity Generation Performance of an Enhanced Geothermal System at Yangbajing Geothermal Field

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuchao Zeng

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The main conditions affecting electricity generation performance of an enhanced geothermal system (EGS include reservoir porosity, reservoir permeability, rock heat conductivity, water production rate and injection temperature. Presently there is lack of systematic research the relative importance of the five aforementioned conditions. The orthogonal test method is a statistical approach to analyze multi-factor and multi-level influence on system performance. In this work, based on the geological data at Yangbajing geothermal field, we analyzed the five conditions affecting the electricity generation performance of EGS, and ranked the relative importance of the five factors. The results show that the order of the relative importance of the conditions on electric power is water production rate > injection temperature > reservoir porosity > rock heat conductivity > reservoir permeability; the order of the relative importance of the conditions on reservoir impedance is reservoir permeability > injection temperature > water production rate > reservoir porosity > rock heat conductivity; the order of the relative importance of the conditions on pump power is water production rate > reservoir permeability > injection temperature > reservoir porosity > rock heat conductivity, and; the order of the relative importance of the conditions on energy efficiency is water production rate > reservoir permeability > reservoir porosity > injection temperature > rock heat conductivity. The construction of an EGS reservoir should be located at a formation with higher reservoir porosity or rock heat conductivity, while the determination of reservoir permeability, water production rate and injection temperature should be based on the comprehensive target.

Performance Analysis of Permanent Magnet Motors for Electric Vehicles (EV Traction Considering Driving Cycles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thanh Anh Huynh

2018-05-01

Full Text Available This paper evaluates the electromagnetic and thermal performance of several traction motors for electric vehicles (EVs. Two different driving cycles are employed for the evaluation of the motors, one for urban and the other for highway driving. The electromagnetic performance to be assessed includes maximum motor torque output for vehicle acceleration and the flux weakening capability for wide operating range under current and voltage limits. Thermal analysis is performed to evaluate the health status of the magnets and windings for the prescribed driving cycles. Two types of traction motors are investigated: two interior permanent magnet motors and one permanent magnet-assisted synchronous reluctance motor. The analysis results demonstrate the benefits and disadvantages of these motors for EV traction and provide suggestions for traction motor design. Finally, experiments are conducted to validate the analysis.

Rapid hardening induced by electric pulse annealing in nanostructured pure aluminum

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zeng, Wei; Shen, Yao; Zhang, Ning

2012-01-01

Nanostructured pure aluminum was fabricated by heavy cold-rolling and then subjected to recovery annealing either by applying electric pulse annealing or by traditional air furnace annealing. Both annealing treatments resulted in an increase in yield strength due to the occurrence of a “dislocation...... source-limited hardening” mechanism. However, the hardening kinetics was substantially faster for the electric pulse annealed material. Detailed microstructural characterization suggested that the rapid hardening during electric pulse annealing is related to an enhanced rate of recovery of dislocation...

Enhancement of growth, photosynthetic performance and yield by exclusion of ambient UV components in C3 and C4 plants.

Science.gov (United States)

Kataria, Sunita; Guruprasad, K N; Ahuja, Sumedha; Singh, Bupinder

2013-10-05

A field experiment was conducted under tropical climate for assessing the effect of ambient UV-B and UV-A by exclusion of UV components on the growth, photosynthetic performance and yield of C3 (cotton, wheat) and C4 (amaranthus, sorghum) plants. The plants were grown in specially designed UV exclusion chambers, wrapped with filters that excluded UV-B (plant species responded to UV exclusion by a significant increase in plant height, leaf area, leaf biomass, total biomass accumulation and yield. Measurements of the chlorophyll, chlorophyll fluorescence parameters, gas exchange parameters and the activity of Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase (Rubisco) by fixation of (14)CO2 indicated a direct relationship between enhanced rate of photosynthesis and yield of the plants. Quantum yield of electron transport was enhanced by the exclusion of UV indicating better utilization of PAR assimilation and enhancement in reducing power in all the four plant species. Exclusion of UV-B in particular significantly enhanced the net photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance and activity of Rubisco. Additional fixation of carbon due to exclusion of ambient UV-B was channeled towards yield as there was a decrease in the level of UV-B absorbing substances and an increase in soluble proteins in all the four plant species. The magnitude of the promotion in all the parameters studied was higher in dicots (cotton, amaranthus) compared to monocots (wheat, sorghum) after UV exclusion. The results indicated a suppressive action of ambient UV-B on growth and photosynthesis; dicots were more sensitive than monocots in this suppression while no great difference in sensitivity was found between C3 and C4 plants. Experiments indicated the suppressive action of ambient UV on carbon fixation and yield of C3 and C4 plants. Exclusion of solar UV-B will have agricultural benefits in both C3 and C4 plants under tropical climate. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Residual recovery and yield performance of nitrogen fertilizer applied at sugarcane planting

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Henrique Coutinho Junqueira Franco

2015-12-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACTThe low effectiveness of nitrogen fertilizer (N is a substantial concern that threatens global sugarcane production. The aim of the research reported in this paper was to assess the residual effect of N-fertilizer applied at sugarcane planting over four crop seasons in relation to sugarcane crop yield. Toward this end three field experiments were established in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, during February of 2005 and July of 2009, in a randomized block design with four treatments: 0, 40, 80 and 120 kg ha−1 of N applied as urea during sugarcane planting. Within each plot, a microplot was established to which 15N-labeled urea was applied. The application of N at planting increased plant cane yield in two of the three sites and sucrose content at the other, whereas the only residual effect was higher sucrose content in one of the following ratoons. The combined effect was an increase in sugar yield for three of the 11 crop seasons evaluated. Over the crop cycle of a plant cane and three ratoon crops, only 35 % of the applied N was recovered, split 75, 13, 7 and 5 % in the plant cane, first, second and third ratoons, respectively. These findings document the low efficiency of N recovery by sugarcane, which increases the risk that excessive N fertilization will reduce profitability and have an adverse effect on the environment.

Growth Performance, Carcass Characteristics and Meat Yield of Boer Goats Fed Diets Containing Leaves or Whole Parts of

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. L. Yusuf

2014-04-01

Full Text Available The study was conducted to determine the effect of feeding diets containing Andrographis paniculata leaves (APL, whole Andrographis paniculata plant (APWP and a control without Andrographis paniculata (AP0, on growth performance, carcass characteristics and meat yield of 24 intact Boer bucks. The results obtained indicated that inclusion of Andrographis paniculata significantly improved feed intake, weight gain, feed efficiency and live weight. The ratios of carcass to fat, lean to bone, lean to fat, and composition of meat were also improved. In addition, there were significant differences (p<0.05 between the dietary treatments in dressing percentage and chilling loss. Goats fed on AP0 (control had significantly higher proportions of fat and bone, as well as thicker back fat than the supplemented animals (APL and APWP. Higher gut fill in animals fed Andrographis paniculata suggested slow rate of digestion, which could have improved utilization and absorption of nutrients by the animals. Goats fed Andrographis paniculata also produced higher meat yield and relatively lower fat contents (p<0.05.

Electric Properties Measurement of Lentil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Novák Ján

2018-03-01

Full Text Available This paper contains the results of the electric properties measurement of lentil set. Electric measurements with use of these materials are of fundamental importance in relation to the analysis of quantity of absorbed water and dielectric heating characteristics. The aim of this paper was to perform the measurements of conductivity, dielectric constant and loss tangent on samples of lentil, the electrical properties of which had not been sufficiently measured. Measurements were performed under various moisture contents, and the frequency of electric field ranged from 1 MHz to 16 MHz, using a Q meter with coaxial probe. It was concluded that conductivity, relative permittivity and loss tangent increased with an increase in moisture content, and dielectric constant and loss tangent decreased as the frequency of electric field increased.

Effect of Integrated Nutrient Management on Yield and Yield ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Declining soil fertility is one of the major problems causing yield reduction of barley ... (VC) with inorganic NP on growth, yield and yield components of food barley. ... The experiments were laid out in a randomized complete block design with ...

Using Low Resolution Satellite Imagery for Yield Prediction and Yield Anomaly Detection

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Oscar Rojas

2013-04-01

Full Text Available Low resolution satellite imagery has been extensively used for crop monitoring and yield forecasting for over 30 years and plays an important role in a growing number of operational systems. The combination of their high temporal frequency with their extended geographical coverage generally associated with low costs per area unit makes these images a convenient choice at both national and regional scales. Several qualitative and quantitative approaches can be clearly distinguished, going from the use of low resolution satellite imagery as the main predictor of final crop yield to complex crop growth models where remote sensing-derived indicators play different roles, depending on the nature of the model and on the availability of data measured on the ground. Vegetation performance anomaly detection with low resolution images continues to be a fundamental component of early warning and drought monitoring systems at the regional scale. For applications at more detailed scales, the limitations created by the mixed nature of low resolution pixels are being progressively reduced by the higher resolution offered by new sensors, while the continuity of existing systems remains crucial for ensuring the availability of long time series as needed by the majority of the yield prediction methods used today.