Voltage sag compensation with minimum energy injection by use of a micro‐SMES

This paper presents a method to compensate voltage sags with minimum energy injection for a series‐connected voltage restorer using a micro‐SMES. A circuit for extracting the fundamental symmetrical components from sag voltages and a minimum energy injection algorithm is described. Simulations of voltage sag compensation have been carried out using PSCAD/EMTDC for various faults. The simulation results confirm the validity of the proposed method and show the possibility of reducing the size of energy storage devices. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 141(3): 70–80, 2002; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/eej.10047     

An analysis of shielding against DC magnetic fields generated by electric railways. Evaluation of effective permeability of fine structure

This paper describes an effective analysis of magnetic shielding based on homogenization. The analyses become time‐consuming if the problems include the magnetic substances having fine structure. The homogenization of the structure makes it possible to analyze effectively the magnetic fields. The authors introduce a method to estimate the effective permeability of the homogenized substance. This method can be applied to any periodic structure made of magnetic substance. The magnetic shielding effects by the structures against direct‐current (DC) fields generated by electric railways are analyzed by using the present method. As a result, it is found that the overhead way and the protective fence near the railway work as a magnetic shield, whose effects can be improved by appropriate arrangement of those constructions. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 160(4): 7–15, 2007; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/eej.20310     

Indoor Air Quality: Exploring Policy Options to Reduce Human Exposures

Deciding between the different policy approaches available for reducing human exposures to indoor pollutants is an exceptionally complex task. These options can range from waiting until more definitive information is available to enacting regulatory standards, with many variations in between. This paper presents some of the factors policy-makers must consider in establishing indoor air quality policies, and the role researchers should play in ensuring that indoor air policies are based on the best available scientific information.     

Importance of out-of-plane dispersion of the excitation spectrum of superconducting bilayers with Josephson coupling

We study the effect of Josephson coupling between adjacent superconducting layers on the BCS energy spectrum. We find that the interference between the gap functions of two layers can lead to vanishing condensation energy for perpendicular momenta corresponding to the formation of standing waves. We therefore predict a conventional energy spectrum for large interlayer spacings, if the gap of the single layers has no nodes, and in all cases a gapless spectrum for small spacings. Within the experimental error, our numerical results account for the low-temperature dependence of the penetration depth reported in Nd_1.85Ce_0.15CuO₄ and YBa₂Cu₃O_6.9.     

Analysis of brushless three-phase synchronous generator without exciter

Recently, a demand for small-capacity generators has been increasing as electric sources in small ships and automobiles or as portable electric sources driven by engines. It is desired that the structure of small-capacity generators be simple and robust, and that the generators be highly reliable, easily maintained and controlled. This paper describes an analysis of the original brushless synchronous generator without exciter. The output voltage can be adjusted in the wide range by controlling the stator dc current. To analyze the characteristics of this generator, the finite element method is applied. It is found that the results of theoretical analysis agree well with the experimental results.     

A comparison of leaf-spring with aircushion trailer suspensions in the transport environment

Packaging engineers need to be able to accurately determine the forces present in the shipping environment in order to protect packaged goods. The purpose of this study was to determine the vertical vibration levels measured in three separate truck-trailer suspension systems; conventional leaf-spring, conventional air-ride and damaged air-ride. The main conclusion reached in this study is that the air-ride suspension when maintained gives lower power density (PD) levels on all road surfaces studied. A damaged air-ride suspension and leaf-spring suspension are very similar in response frequencies, although the damaged air-ride produces higher vibration levels at lower frequencies.     

A Model for Through Drying of Tissue Paper at Constant Pressure Drop and High Drying Intensity

A mathematical model for through drying of paper at constant pressure drop was developed. The model is based on physical properties; hence, basis weight, pressure drop, drying air temperature, pore size distribution, initial gas fraction, and tortuosity are important input parameters to the model. The model was solved for different combinations of the variables basis weight, drying air temperature, and pressure drop corresponding to industrial conditions and the results were compared with data from bench-scale experiments. The simulations show that the drying rate curve is very sensitive to the air flow rate and that correctly modeling the correlation between pressure drop and air flow rate is the most important factor for a successful model for through drying. The model was tuned by adjusting the parameters initial gas fraction and tortuosity in order to give the best possible fit to experimental data. For a given basis weight and pressure drop, different drying air temperatures resulted in relatively constant values of the fitted parameters. This means that the model can well predict the effects of changes in drying air temperature based on a tuning of the model performed at the same basis weight and pressure drop. However, for a given basis weight, an increase in pressure drop yielded fitted parameters that were somewhat different; i.e., a lower initial gas fraction and a higher tortuosity, a change that increases the resistance to air flow. This implies that the correlation between pressure drop and air flow rate in the model does not quite capture the nonlinear relationship shown by the experiments.     

Improvement of levitation characteristics in a magnetic bearing system using HTSC‐permanent magnet hybrid structure

Magnetic bearing using pinning force of a permanent magnet and a high‐temperature superconductor has been developed. Additional permanent magnet is introduced to increase the levitation force of the magnetic bearing. In this hybrid magnetic bearing system, levitation force is mainly given by the repulsive force of the permanent magnets, and stability for the lateral direction is given by pinning force of the superconductor. The experimental device is developed. A ring‐type superconductor and a bulk one are examined. Levitation characteristics of the hybrid magnetic bearing are measured. The bulk superconductor shows better characteristics of both levitation and lateral stability than the ring one. Levitation force of the hybrid system becomes about twice as large as that of the nonhybrid one. Although, the repulsive force of the permanent magnet decreases the lateral stability of the system, its influence becomes small by choosing an adequate position of the permanent magnets and the superconductor. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 150(1): 71–77, 2005; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/eej.10350     

Performance prediction of a hybrid‐excitation synchronous machine with axially arranged excitation poles and permanent‐magnet poles

This paper presents a method of predicting the steady‐state performance of a new hybrid‐excitation synchronous machine (HESM) theoretically. The field pole of this HESM is axially divided into two parts; one is an excitation part and the other a permanent‐magnet (PM) part. A nonlinear equivalent circuit, which can include the saliency of the rotor and the magnetic saturation due to the iron core, is derived. Based on this equivalent circuit, the steady‐state performance of the HESM is calculated, and the results are confirmed through experiments. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 150(2): 43–49, 2005; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/eej.20033     

Steady-state torque control system with secondary-current feedback for three-phase squirrel-cage induction motors

This paper presents a highly stable steady-state torque control system with a feedback of a secondary current signal. The torque control system is constructed with a feedback of the secondary current (I₂) signal using a quick response magnetic-field sensor constructed with an amorphous core multivibrator bridge, which can solve the secondary resistance change problem for temperature variation in the IM. Moreover, we added a state feedback to the system to improve the response speed for the unit step function of a torque order. The I₂ sensor method has advantages especially at a low-speed range, in which conventional method using an integrator shows control errors.