Interfacial structures and mechanical properties of steel–Ni and steel–Ti diffusion bonds

Static and fatigue shear tests of steel–Ni bonds and steel–Ti bonds were carried out to obtain the relations between the strengths and the bonding conditions. Ultrasonic measurements were also made to examine the relations between the strengths and the size of the bonded region (the estimated diameter). At the bonding interface of the steel–Ni bonds, no intermediate phase was observed. At the bonding interface of the steel–Ti bonds, a thin layer of intermetallic compound was formed at lower bonding temperatures but, at higher bonding temperatures, the interlayer melted and the bonding interface became rough. The intensity of the ultrasonic wave reflected from the bonding interface changed, depending on the state of the bonding interface. In shear tests of the steel–Ni and steel–Ti bonds, cracks propagated along the bonding interface, and the strength was proportional to the square of the estimated diameter. In fatigue tests, cracks propagated in the thickness direction of the plate and no relation was obtained between the fatigue life and the estimated diameter. Fatigue life distributions were represented by two- and three-parameter Weibull distributions. This revised version was published online in November 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Decomposition of Two Aluminum Sulfates and Characterization of the Resultant Aluminas

Two special types of anhydrous aluminum sulfate with extreme grain shapes were prepared; one, obtained by precipitation from concentrated sulfuric acid solution, is rhombohedral near cubic single-crystal grains and the other, from acetic acid solution, consists of very thin flaky particles. The morphology of sulfate and calcined alumina, the sulfate decomposition, the η-α alumina transformation, and the crystallite growth of α alumina were studied and compared with those processes for reagent-grade sulfate. The morphology of anhydrous sulfate was shown to greatly affect the heat-treatment characteristics of alumina and the sulfate decomposition behavior.     

Role of Water Vapor in Crystallite Growth and Tetragonal-Monoclinic Phase Transformation of ZrO2

The role of water vapor in crystallite growth and the tetragonal-to-monoclinic phase transformation of ZrO₂ was studied using three specially prepared samples: an ultrafine powder of monoclinic ZrO₂ obtained by hydrolysis of ZrOCI₂, an aggregated powder of tetragonal ZrO₂ obtained by thermal decomposition of Zr(OH)₄ under reduced pressure, and an ultrafine powder of tetragonal ZrO₂ obtained by thermal decomposition of zirconyl acetate dispersed in caramel. The samples were heat-treated up to 1000°C in dry and wet atmospheres saturated with water vapor at 90°C. It was found that water vapor markedly accelerated crystallite growth for both monoclinic and tetragonal ZrO₂ and facilitated the tetragonal-to-monoclinic phase transformation. Water vapor increases surface diffusion and thus enhances crystallite growth and decreases surface energy, which leads to stabilization of the tetragonal phase.     

Diagnosis Criterion of Abnormality of Transformer Winding by Frequency Response Analysis (FRA)

Frequency response analysis (FRA) is a powerful technique to detect internal abnormalities within power transformers. However, diagnosis criteria of power transformers by FRA have not been fully established yet. In this paper, a new evaluation method of degree of identification between two transfer functions is proposed. In the proposed method, a frequency window is employed and cross‐correlation factor is calculated with moving the window. Furthermore, the proposed method is applied to transfer functions of real transformers with or without some abnormalities. Based on this discussion, objective criteria for diagnosis of abnormalities of transformer windings by FRA are proposed. The proposed criteria are based on a few data of transformers with some abnormalities. Therefore, the proposed criteria are tentative and they would be improved by accumulation of further data.     

Control Model for Large‐Sized Gantry Type Linear Motor Slider

At present, many industrial carrier devices utilize linear motor sliders. However, a heavier load requires a linear motor (which is an example of a direct drive device) to get higher power, compared with a rotary motor with a ball screw slider (which is an example of an indirect drive device). In order to obtain higher power at a lower cost, a linear slider with multiple motors can be utilized, for example, a gantry type linear motor slider. Moving the gantry type slider requires two linear motors that are set up in parallel to enable synchronization control. Some conventional synchronization control methods have been proposed for the parallel twin linear slider; however, a large‐scaled gantry type linear motor slider has two unique problems: mechanical distortion caused by the limitations of installation environment and coupling caused by joints with low stiffness. This paper proposes a control model to solve these problems, and an identification method of each parameter. Furthermore, the effectiveness of the control model is verified by comparison with simulation results and experimental results.     

Performance Evaluation of Lithium‐Ion Batteries on Small Electric Bus

We evaluate performance of lithium‐ion batteries on the small electric bus, conducting tests of cell and battery pack using discharge/charge machine. We suggest the test item on distinction between good and bad of a battery. In the discharge/charge cycle tests of cell at environmental temperature (25 °C), the relative capacity was 60% at 10,000 cycles. In the discharge capacity test of battery packs on the small electric bus, the relative capacity maintained more than 90% in progress for approximately 900 days. Finally, based on these results, we analyzed about influence factor on a battery discharge capacity.     

Manufacturing and Control of a Variable Magnetic Flux Motor Prototype with a Mechanical Adjustment Method

A new structure and control method for a variable magnetic flux motor (VMFM) is proposed to achieve a high‐efficiency electric vehicle (EV) motor drive under a wide range of conditions. A VFMF prototype that was designed by considering the loss was manufactured and evaluated in an experiment. The prototype demonstrated low iron loss and sufficient max torque. Thus, the prototype can provide a high‐efficiency drive with low output, which is frequently the case for EVs. Map control enables a wide phase angle for the vector‐control drive of the VMFM under a changing magnetic flux. Thus, the VMFM provides a high‐efficiency drive under a wide range of conditions.     

Effect of Maillard Reaction on Some Physical Properties of Ovalbumin

Ovalbumin freeze-dried with or without the addition of glucose was stored at 50°C and 65% relative humidity to study the effect of the Maillard reaction on some physical properties of ovalbumin. In the early stage of the reaction in which ovalbumin-glucose complexes were formed, there were soluble types of monomer and aggregates of which α-helix and available lysine contents were gradually decreased with length of storage and degree of aggregation. These compounds were characterized by properties possessing a marked resistance towards destruction of conformation and coagulation. With progress of the reaction, ovalbumin-glucose complexes changed to insoluble forms having higher particle weight and breakdown products.     

APPLYING PROTEOLYTIC ENZYMES ON SOYBEAN. 6. Deodorization Effect of Aspergillopeptidase A and Debittering Effect of Aspergillus Acid Carboxypeptidase

SUMMARY— A proteolyzate obtained by treating an isolated soybean protein preparation with Molsin, a crude preparation of aspergillopeptidase A (APase A), was less bitter and contained larger amounts of free amino acids, especially hydrophobic amino acids. A proteolyzate obtained by treating this protein preparation with crystallized APase A was much more bitter and contained smailer amounts of free amino acids, mainly consisting of hydrophilic amino acids. The latter was richer in peptides than the former, bearing hydrophobic amino acid residues near the C-termini. Difference in N-terminal amino acid composition apparently has not been found between the 2 proteolyzates. These results indicate that Molsin per se contains a certain carboxypeptidase which decomposes the C-terminal structures and, consequently, lessens the bitterness (debittering effect). This carboxypeptidase was found to be identical with aspergillus acid carboxypeptidase (AACPase). Abase A, as well as MO/sin, was effective in removing odor ants, i.e., n-hexanal, n-hexanol and n-heptanol, from the isolated soybean protein preparation Ideodorization effect). AACPase seemed to have no deodorization effect. A method was suggested to prepare a deodorized and debittered proteolyzate by a combination use of APase A and AACPase.