Thermoelectric properties of BiSb alloys

Bismuth is a semimetal that has a relatively low lattice thermal conductivity. A positive energy gap can be created by alloying with antimony, leading to useful alloys for thermoelectric energy conversion. This paper gives an insight into the basic properties of BiSb alloys for thermoelectric applications.     

Processing techniques for particulate-reinforced metal aluminium matrix composites

The critical need for high strength, lightweight and high stiffness materials has, in recent years, resurrected much interest in discontinuously reinforced powder metallurgy metal matrix composites. These hybrid materials have combined both standard wrought alloys of aluminium and a wide variety of discontinuous reinforcements such as particulates and whiskers of ceramic materials. Renewed interest in these materials as attractive candidates for use in the aerospace and transportation industry has resulted from an attractive and unique combination of physical and mechanical properties, and an ability to offer near isotropic properties coupled with the low cost of these materials when compared with existing monolithic materials. In this paper, the primary processing categories for discontinuously-reinforced metal-matrix composites are highlighted and the salient features of the various techniques in each category are discussed. The variables involved in each processing technique are examined, and the influence of alloy chemistry highlighted. Novel processing techniques for these materials such as the variable co-deposition method is presented as a means to process these novel engineering materials in order to improve their overall mechanical performance.     

Microwave assisted sintering of CaCu3Ti4O12

CaCu₃Ti₄O₁₂ electroceramic was prepared by a microwave assisted solid-state reaction technique from CaCO₃, CuO and TiO₂ powders. Processing involved the preparation of raw material, mixing and milling, calcination, pellet forming and sintering processes. Conventional furnace and microwave assisted sintering processes were employed in order to improve phase structures, morphology and dielectric properties of CaCu₃Ti₄O₁₂ ceramics. Surface and fracture FESEM analysis showed that the microwave assisted sintered CaCu₃Ti₄O₁₂ produced better densification and more uniform grain size compared to the conventional sintered sample.     

Study of hot air generator with quasi-uniform temperature using concentrated solar radiation: Influence of the shape parameters

The non-uniformity of the air temperatures and the slow flow rate at the plane collector exit constitute the main cause of the limitations of the solar drying systems. In order to obtain an uniform and a variable flow rate for different uses, a hot air generator using concentrated solar radiation is proposed. To improve the thermal efficiency of the generator, a study of the influence of different shape parameters is realized. The generator is simulated in the laboratory while investigating the flow induced by a circular disc heated uniformly by Joule effect at constant temperature. This disc is placed at the entrance of an open ended vertical cylinder of a larger diameter. Thermal radiation emitted by the hot disc heats the cylinder wall. The heating of the fluid at the cylinder-inlet generates a thermosiphon flow around the one created by the hot disc. The comparison of the velocity and the temperature profiles of the resulting flow permits to determine the influence of the cylinder height, the vertical source-cylinder spacing and the radius ratio, on the resulting flow at the system exit. Thus, a judicious choice of the shape parameters entails an improvement of the flow rate as well as the thermal flux absorbed by the air and a good homogenization of the air temperature at the generator exit.     

General Solution for the Dynamic Modeling of Parallel Robots

In this paper, we present a general method to calculate the inverse and direct dynamic models of parallel robots. The models are expressed in a closed form by a single equation in which all the elements needed are expressed. The solution is given in terms of the dynamic models of the legs, the dynamics of the platform and some Jacobian matrices. The proposed method is applied in this paper on two parallel robots with different structures. Categories (2), (3).     

The Influence of Surfactant on the Surface Characterization of Celestite in Spherical Oil Agglomeration

This study investigates the relationship between the critical surface tension of wetting of celestite and agglomeration recovery as well as the zeta potential in dependence of pH and amount of collector (Na‐Oleate). For this purpose, effects of pH and collector amount on the agglomeration recovery are investigated and zeta potential measurements and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrophotometer (FTIR) analyses are carried out to determine the adsorption type of Na‐Oleate on celestite surface. The sessile drop technique is used for the measurement of contact angle and determination of the critical surface tension of wetting (Y_C) of celestite. The maximum agglomeration recovery is obtained at pH 7. The critical surface tension of wetting of celestite is very close to the surface tension of kerosene, which is 25.95 mN/m. Furthermore, at the optimum Na‐Oleate amount of 10 kg/ton, the critical surface tension of wetting of celestite is approximately equal to the surface tension of kerosene.     

Longitudinal bone mineral density changes in early rheumatoid arthritis

A prospective longitudinal study of patients with early RA was performed to examine the influence of disease duration, disease activity and physical activity on bone loss. Sixty-seven patients with non-steroid treated RA of less than 5 yr duration, including 16 patients with disease duration less than 6 months, had BMD measurements of the femoral neck and the lumbar spine over a 12-month period using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. The BMD changes were compared with values from 72 control patients and were also correlated with serial measurements of disease activity (measured by the Stoke Index) and disability [measured by the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) score], at 3-monthly intervals over the 12-month period. No significant differences in BMD changes were found between RA patients and controls overall. Patients with disease duration of less than 6 months had significantly greater loss of BMD at the femoral neck (-3.9%, S.E.M. 1.5) than the remainder of the cohort (-0.2%, S.E.M. 0.7) (P = 0.02) and controls (-0.8%, S.E.M. 0.6). Lumbar spine BMD changes correlated with the initial Stoke Index (Rs-0.373, P = 0.01) but not mean Stoke Indices. There was no correlation of BMD changes with age or HAQ scores. These findings suggest that significant bone loss occurs within the first few months of disease in patients with RA.     

Sensitivity analysis of the scattering parameters of microwave filters using the adjoint network method

A novel approach is presented to calculate the sensitivities of the scattering parameters of microwave filters obtained with the full‐wave mode‐matching (MM) technique. Using only the MM simulation of the original network, the sensitivities of the scattering parameters with respect to all designable parameters are obtained. The adjoint network method (ANM) is applied to the generalized scattering matrices of the different filter components. This guarantees good accuracy of the calculated sensitivities. The implementation details are discussed for N‐resonator ridge waveguide filters. Excellent agreement is obtained between the sensitivities calculated using ANM and those obtained using the expensive central differences. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J RF and Microwave CAE, 2006.     

Structural Characterization of Different Asphaltenes of Kuwaiti Origin

Asphaltenes obtained by precipitation from crude Kuwaiti oils have been analyzed by proton magnetic resonance (¹H-NMR), carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance (¹³C-NMR) and Infrared (IR) spectral techniques. The molecular weight and elemental analysis were also determined. These combined analytical data were used for the characterization of these Kuwaiti oils. The asphaltenes molecular weights range from approximately 4200-6500 with an H/C ratio of 0.91-1.1 with an average 45-71% aromatic carbons. The average side chain length was of 4-6 carbons. It can also be concluded that the asphaltenes under investigation contain 5-9 sets of condensed aromatic rings joined together by bridges of alkyl chains or other hetero atoms and the average number of each of these sets of condensed aromatic rings is nearly 7. There are a number of alicyclic rings and condensed alicyclic rings in asphaltene. The IR spectra showed main molecular groups including OH, NH, SH, C=O and aliphatic and aromatic C-H's.     

Targeting optimum resource allocation using reverse problem formulations and property clustering techniques

Decoupling the constitutive equations from the balance and constraint equations allows for reformulating a conventional forward problem into two reverse problems. The first reverse problem is the reverse of a simulation problem, where the process model is solved in terms of the constitutive (synthesis/design) variables instead of the process variables, thus providing the synthesis/design targets. The second reverse problem (reverse property prediction) solves the constitutive equations to identify unit operations, operating conditions and/or products by matching the synthesis/design targets. Visualization of the problem is achieved by employing recently developed property clustering techniques, which allows a high-dimensional problem to be visualized in two or three dimensions. The clusters by definition satisfy intra-stream and inter-stream conservation through linear “mixing” rules, which allows for the development of consistent additive rules along with their ternary representation.