Design of dedicated seven-port star dividers for sectored circular antenna array feeding

In order to mitigate the multipath propagation problems for high rate wlans such as Hiperlan (5 GHz) [2], we study an approach based on electronic beam steering over 360° in azimuth with the help of circular arrays of monopoles [3]. Design simplicity and size constraints intended for potential low-cost applications on the terminals has led us to favor a beam switching topology, using a single feeding-port [4]. Two competing configurations of the microstrip feeding circuit are presented and their principle of operation is experimentally validated through passive circuit configurations. The power distribution is achieved in the first one with the help of a pseudo-divider based on a modified 7-branch star junction, whose specific advantage is its very small size. Unfortunately, this design does not preserve the circular permutation invariance of the radiation patterns. The second circuit bypasses this problem in achieving a power distribution through a virtual point junction, at the cost of an appreciable increase in the circuit size.     

Electroseparation of an antibacterial peptide fraction from snow crab by-products hydrolysate by electrodialysis with ultrafiltration membranes

Recently, a snow crab by-products hydrolysate has demonstrated antibacterial properties due to a peptide with a molecular weight of about 800 Da, but only at high concentration. Consequently, peptide hydrolysate has been fractionated to obtain peptides in a more purified form. The aim of this work was to separate a snow crab by-products hydrolysate by electrodialysis with ultrafiltration membranes (EDUF). EDUF, which allows separation of molecules according to their charges and molecular weights, was used to recover and concentrate the active antibacterial fraction. Two different ultrafiltration membranes (20 and 50 kDa) and two electrical field strengths (2 and 14 V/cm) were used as separation parameters. After EDUF separation, the 300-600 Da peptide molecular weight range was the most recovered with an abundance of 94%. Moreover, fractionation at 14 V/cm with ultrafiltration membranes of 50 kDa allowed the recovery of an anionic fraction which showed antibacterial properties on Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 and Listeria innocua HPB 13.     

Analysis of muscle length effect on an S type motor-unit fractional multi-model

Muscle models are useful in bio-inspired robotic, because they allow to reproduce accurately natural motion. When they are used for robotic issue, they need to be compact and embeddable. The non-integer model order has the advantage to ensure a parametrical parsimony that permits to implant it easily on an embedded system. Thus, a fractional multi-model of muscle was identified and presented in later paper. This model is able to predict the response of a motor unit to an electrical stimulation, considering isometric contractions (that is to say, muscle length is constant). There are three different physiological types of motor unit (FR, FF, and S). The aim of this work is to study muscle length impact on the multi-model and the limitations of the linear multi-model. Previous paper was published using FR type motor unit. In this paper, the results of the study using S type motor unit are presented.     

High energy dry coating mixing: Elements on velocities,temperatures and melting

In dry coating processes no liquid, solvent, binder or water, is required. This makes them advantageous compared to wet coating alternative: being low cost, no drying step required, environmentally friendly (no volatile organic compounds related problems) and simple in operation. But there is still a lack of fundamental knowledge of the implied mechanisms. Often the process itself has been empirically designed and is not always well characterized.In this work, some hydrodynamic elements are developed in a high energy mixer used for dry coating: the specific behavior of the Nara hybridizer NHS-0 is investigated. In the first part, recirculation velocities and temperatures are derived during the process, or when the purge is on. The effects of the pressure purge and of the rotor velocity on the purge and the effect of the rotation on the temperature increase are studied. In the second part, a simple experimental approach is carried out to derive qualitatively the local temperature inside the apparatus with the help of polymers with different melting temperatures. This approach illustrates a first step for dry coating application with waxes.     

Using Superconducting Magnet to Reproduce Quick Variations of Gravity in Liquid Oxygen

A ground based facility (OLGA), providing magnetic compensation of gravity in oxygen, has been developed. A 2-T superconducting magnetic solenoid is used to create the required magnetic field. A novel electrical supply permits to quickly vary the magnetic field, leading to rapid variation of the acceleration forces applied to oxygen. These variations can be made from overcompensation of gravity (−0.5g) to zero gravity or from zero gravity to reduced gravity (0.4g) with a time constant of 340 ms. This time is typical of the cutoff or reignition of spacecraft engines. Preliminary results on the transient flows induced by these acceleration variations in a reservoir filled with liquid and gaseous oxygen are presented.     

Forecast of mycotoxins levels in soft wheat, durum wheat and maize before harvesting with Qualim��tre?

Some mycotoxins are produced by several Fusarium species during cultivation and are found in wheat and maize grain. Since 2000, Syngenta has organised a large field survey. Agronomic and climatic data and grain samples have been collected for mycotoxin analysis in France and Belgium. The importance of the agroclimatic factors and their interactions on the mycotoxin levels in grain has been estimated. The climate around flowering stage is the major factor for deoxynivalenol (DON) in wheat. The main agronomic criteria are residue management and the variety sensitivity to this mycotoxin. For DON, zearalenone and fumonisins in maize, the climate from flowering stage until harvest is the major factor. Then, according to each mycotoxin, the main agronomic criteria are the harvest condition (date and grain moisture), the corn borer infestation and the variety sensitivity to these mycotoxins. Over the years, the database has been used to define models to predict the mycotoxin risk before harvesting. Grain purchasers enter the required agronomic data via the Syngenta Internet site and define their grain purchasing areas. They also define the flowering period for wheat and corn borer infestation for maize. After calculation which integrates climatic data, the purchasers receive reports with forecasts of mycotoxin levels. Prediction is based on different agro-climatic statistical models specifically configured according to the different regions of production in France and Belgium. This approach is called Qualimètre^? and was the first service in France and Belgium to forecast the grain mycotoxin level for wheat in 2004 and maize in 2006.     

Identification of microstructural mechanisms during densification of a TiAl alloy by spark plasma sintering

This work aims at identifying, by coupled scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM) observations, the densification mechanisms occurring when an atomized Ti-47Al-1W-1Re-0.2Si powder is densified by spark plasma sintering (SPS). For this purpose, interruptions of the SPS cycle have been performed to follow the evolution of the microstructure step by step. The powder particles exhibit a classical dendritic microstructure containing a large amount of out-of-equilibrium α phase. During heating-up, the microstructure undergoes successive transformations. At T = 525-875 °C the α phase transforms into γ. The γ phase formed is supersaturated in W and Re. It de-saturates for T above 875 °C by discontinuous precipitation of W and Re-rich B2 phase. Densification takes place for T between 900 °C and 1150 °C by plastic deformation of the powder particles. TEM observations show that the repartition of the plastic deformation is correlated to the dendritic microstructure, and that dynamic recrystallization mechanisms occur. Microstructural phenomena directly resulting from the high currents involved in the SPS process have not been observed.     

Optimisation of location and dimension of SMC precharge in compression moulding process

The main goal of the present study is to optimise the precharge conditions such as the precharge location and dimensions that give significant effects on the mechanical performance of composite structures manufactured by the compression moulding process. As preliminary step of optimisation, we developed a manufacturing simulation program to predict the fibre volume fraction and fibre orientation. And coupled with this simulation program and a structural analysis program, a genetic algorithm (GA) is implemented to optimise the precharge conditions. The penalty function method and the repair algorithm are modified for handling constraints. The repair algorithm is applied to a symmetric structure and an arbitrary shape structure to find optimal precharge conditions.