Piecewise constant strain kinematic model of externally loaded concentric tube robots

This paper presents a piecewise constant strain kinematic model for concentric tube robots (CTR) in externally loaded conditions. It discretizes the pre-curved tubes comprising the robot into a finite number of pieces and involves external effects as a set of wrench vectors exerted along the robot backbone. Constant strain lets us describe the pieces with helices in which shear deformation and elongation are neglected. The resulting piecewise helix is the simplest curve that can catch the torsion of tubes that play a crucial role in kinematic behavior. This approximation transforms the conventional boundary value problem (BVP) of CTRs models into a set of nonlinear equations that drastically decreases the model resolution time. The present method uses a Lyapunov function and torsional Jacobian to ensure the distal torsion constraint consistently and, as a result, the solution’s convergence. The paper’s primary purpose is to present a fast, numerically stable, and relatively accurate kinematic model not reliant on measurement data. Experimental results on a two-tube prototype and provided for different tip loading conditions reveal maintaining a balance between adequate accuracy and reasonable running time, about 7 ms for five pieces per section, for real-time applications in the presence of external load.     

Efficient Flexible M-Tree Bulk Loading Using FastMap and Space-Filling Curves

Many database applications currently deal with objects in a metric space. Examples of such objects include unstructured multimedia objects and points of interest (POIs) in a road network. The M-tree is a dynamic index structure that facilitates an efficient search for objects in a metric space. Studies have been conducted on the bulk loading of large datasets in an M-tree. However, because previous algorithms involve excessive distance computations and disk accesses, they perform poorly in terms of their index construction and search capability. This study proposes two efficient M-tree bulk loading algorithms. Our algorithms minimize the number of distance computations and disk accesses using FastMap and a space-filling curve, thereby significantly improving the index construction and search performance. Our second algorithm is an extension of the first, and it incorporates a partitioning clustering technique and flexible node architecture to further improve the search performance. Through the use of various synthetic and real-world datasets, the experimental results demonstrated that our algorithms improved the index construction performance by up to three orders of magnitude and the search performance by up to 20.3 times over the previous algorithm.     

Novel preparation approach with a 2-step process for spherical particles with high drug loading and controlled size distribution using melt granulation: MALCORE®

A novel approach for preparing drug-containing particles (DCPs) with controlled size distribution and high drug loading was developed using melt granulation. This approach comprises two steps. First, melting component adsorbed particles (MAs) were prepared by mixing and heating the melting components with a porous carrier using a high shear granulator. Second, DCPs were prepared by layering the drug on MAs using a fluidized bed rotor granulator. The time taken for both steps was within 30 min. Adding the polymer in the second step remarkably increased the viscosity of the mixture of melting components and the polymer. Therefore, DCPs could be successfully loaded with a high amount of drug (70% w/w). The particle size distribution of the DCPs was narrow, and it depended on that of the MAs. The flowability of the DCPs was excellent, and the sphericity was close to 1. A unique particle formulation mechanism was suggested based on the observation of DCPs using scanning electron microscopy. The manufacturing time and DCP characteristics were not affected by the manufacturing scale. In conclusion, we have successfully developed a highly efficient novel approach for preparing optimal DCPs through melt granulation, named “Melt Adsorption and Layering with Porosity Core” (MALCORE®).     

Ni-hydrotalcite loading on carbon as co-catalyst for fermentative hydrogen production

The influence of Ni-hydrotalcite (HT) loading on the activity and stability of Ni-HT supported on activated carbon (Ni-HT/AC) was investigated for fermentative hydrogen production. The basic sites of Ni-HT loading on AC support significantly boosted the catalytic performance with the initial faster rate. The combined function catalyst of Ni-HT/AC facilitates the rapid decomposition of saccharides and high selectivity to fructose that attained the maximum hydrogen production within 24 h. The optimum dose of Ni-HT/AC at 8.33 g/L showed a 25.84% increment over the control. In addition, shortening the lagging phase time at 1.50 h was achieved. The high adsorption capacity of lactic acid was induced with the basic sites of Ni-HT/AC. However, a deactivation of the Ni-HT/AC during prolonged fermentation was associated with metabolites formation, causing the leaching of Mg²⁺ ions from the surface of AC supported Ni-HT and reducing surface basicity of Ni-HT/AC.     

Ir-Pt/C composite with high metal loading as a high-performance anti-reversal anode catalyst for proton exchange membrane fuel cells

Voltage reversal induced by hydrogen starvation can severely corrode the anode catalyst support and deteriorate the performance of proton exchange membrane fuel cells. A material-based strategy is the inclusion of an oxygen evolution reaction catalyst (e.g., IrO₂) in the anode to promote water electrolysis over harmful carbon corrosion. In this work, an Ir-Pt/C composite catalyst with high metal loading is prepared. The membrane-electrode-assembly (MEA) with 80 wt% Ir-Pt(1:2)/C shows a first reversal time (FRT) of up to 20 hours, which is about ten times that of MEA with 50 wt% Ir-Pt(1:2)/C does. Furthermore, the MEA with 80 wt% Ir-Pt(1:2)/C exhibits a minimum cell voltage loss of 6 mV@1 A/cm² when the FRT is terminated in 2 hours, in which the MEA with 50 wt% Ir-Pt(1:2)/C exhibits a voltage loss of 105 mV@1 A/cm². Further physicochemical and electrochemical characterizations demonstrate that the destruction of anode catalyst layer caused by the voltage reversal process is alleviated by the use of the composite catalyst with high metal loading. Hence, our results reveal that the combination of OER catalyst on the Pt/C with high metal loading is a promising approach to alleviate the degradation of anode catalyst layer during the voltage reversal process for PEMFCs.     

发展循环经济提高企业效益

通过实施可行性技术改造,提高水循环利用率,从而取得可观的经济和社会效益,实现水资源的可持续、实质性的发展.     

爆破地质体动载强度若干问题的讨论

简要介绍了爆破地质体动载应力的一般特点,并在低加载速度下(＜50～100m/s)取得作了说明.现在的问题是在中等加载速度(＞100～500m/s)及高加载速度(＞500～4 000 m/s)条件下,上述所说明的动强度特性有无变化,今后需要作进一步的研究.     

不同地应力下的地下硐室动态特征分析

采用FLAC3D对地震动荷载作用下不同地应力状态的地下岩体硐室的动态特性进行了初步分析。分析结果表明,地震荷载作用下,硐室位移随地应力侧压系数的增加明显减小,地应力侧压系数λ<1时的硐室位移量值随侧压系数的变化幅度明显大于地应力侧压系数λ>1时的情况;当侧压系数λ<1,随剪切波入射角的变化,硐室测量点位移响应先增加后减小;而当侧压系数λ>1,随剪切波入射角的增加,硐室测点位移先减小后增加,同时随地应力侧压系数的增加有减小的趋势。     

Investigation into the long-term strength of rocks under loading with a constant rate

The test data are presented for tensile and compressive strength of some rocks depending on the rate of loading by three-point bending and then uniaxial rigid compression. The constants of Zhurkov’s kinetic equation of durability are determined for the tested rocks. __________ Translated from Fiziko-Tekhnicheskie Problemy Razrabotki Poleznykh Iskopaemykh, No. 6, pp. 37–44, November–December, 2007.     

新型液压绳轮高位翻卸装车机的研发

新型液压绳轮高位翻卸装车机可实现高位翻卸矿车和高位装车2种功能,系统采用液压驱动,电气和液压联合控制,电气部分采用PLC集中编程全自动控制,节省人力、工人工作环境好、生产效率高。经过在龙口矿业集团北皂煤矿运行1 a验证,运行情况良好,完全达到了设计要求。