An Experimental Investigation into the Feed Rate Capacity of Rotary Valve and Blow Tank Feeders

Industry widely uses rotary valves and blow tanks for the pneumatic conveying of products, each having their pros and cons depending on the specific application. This article shows the differing results obtained when low-velocity conveying a product through a common pipeline using both a drop-through rotary valve and a bottom-discharge blow tank feeder. A number of issues arise in the rotary valve system, the main one being rotary valve air leakage. A blow tank system, on the other hand, does not leak, as it is an enclosed system. The experimental results show dramatic differences in product throughput. Further exploration leads to a novel modification being made to the rotary valve system in an attempt to increase its capacity. The result of this modification shows a slight increase in output tonnage, but still significantly less than that obtained from the blow tank.     

ACT3: a high-speed, high-precision electrical impedance tomograph

Presents the design, implementation, and performance of Rensselaer's third-generation adaptive current tomograph, ACT3. This system uses 32 current sources and 32 phase-sensitive voltmeters to make a 32-electrode system that is capable of applying arbitrary spatial patterns of current. The instrumentation provides 16 b precision on both the current values and the real and reactive voltage readings and can collect the data for a single image in 133 ms. Additionally, the instrument is able to automatically calibrate its voltmeters and current sources and adjust the current source output impedance under computer control. The major system components are discussed in detail and performance results are given. Images obtained using stationary agar targets and a moving pendulum in a phantom as well as in vivo resistivity profiles showing human respiration are shown     

A genomic map of infectious laryngotracheitis virus and the sequence and organization of genes present in the unique short and flanking regions

The involvement of the intermediate area and B?tzinger complex (BOT) of the rostral ventral respiratory group (r-VRG) in laryngeal control and generation of the expiration reflex were studied in anaesthetized non-paralyzed cats Focal cooling (to 20 degrees C) of the nucleus paraambigualis (NPA) caused changes in the frequency and timing of breathing with the concomitant rise in laryngeal resistance. Cooling of the nucleus ambiguus resulted in a consistent drop in laryngeal resistance. Alterations in timing and intensity of breathing but no changes in laryngeal patency were found during cooling of the BOT. The expiration reflex was inhibited by cooling of either the NPA or BOT. The role of these medullary regions in the control of laryngeal patency and central integration of the expiration reflex is discussed.     

Quality of life following percutaneous transluminal angioplasty for claudication

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common type of skin cancer and the incidence of BCC is expected to rise, with increased demand on dermatology resources. Little is known of the effect on people's lives of having skin cancer. The aim of this study was to quantify the handicap caused gy basal cell carcinomas before and after therapy. Forty-four patients (22 males, mean age = 65 yrs, range = 35-81 yrs) with 48 BCCs were recruited and 37 patients completed the study. Each patient completed the UK Sickness Impact Profile (UKSIP) and the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) at the initial visit to the dermatology clinic, 1 week after treatment and 3 months after treatment. Lesions had been present for a mean of 25 months (range = 1-240 months), their mean diameter was 9.6mm (range = 3-35mm) and the sites were head and neck (79%), trunk (17%) and limbs (4%). There was no relationship between the quality of life score and size of lesion. Overall the scores at presentation were very low, rising 1 week after treatment and falling to below the initial scores at 3 months (mean UKSIP 0.4%, 0.7%, 0.13%; mean DLQI 5.3% 8.7%, 1.2%). BCCs cause little handicap. This may explain the delay in seeking medical attention and should be considered in planning public health education about BCCs.     

Flaw density examinations of a clad boiling water reactor pressure vessel segment

As part of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory's Heavy-Section Steel Technology Program, studies have been conducted to determine flaw density in a section of reactor pressure vessel cut from the Hope Creek Unit 2 vessel. This boiling water reactor vessel was never in service. One objective was to evaluate the approximate 0.7- by 3-m (2- by 10-ft) segment of the vessel provided using ultrasonic flaw detection methods performed with both ASME Code techniques and supplemental ultrasonic methods. A second objective was to evaluate the inner surface stainless steel cladding for cracks with a high sensitivity penetrant examination. Both objectives were successfully completed. Five Code-recordable indications were detected ultrasonically; however, all were found to be anomalies associated with the cladding. One flaw was detected by the supplemental ultrasonic tests, and it was analyzed destructively. This flaw was pipelike indication, about 20 mm (0.8 in.) long extending along the length of the longitudinal weld in which it was located and was about 20 mm below the cladding surface. The flaw had a through-wall dimension (or length) of about 6 mm (0.24 in.) for an approximate 3-mm (0.1-in.) distance along the 20-mm major length. No flaws were detected by the penetrant examination of the cladding surface.     

On system design

The general, multiple attribute system design problem is formulated in total quality space which includes all of the microeconomic factors that influence the net value of a product to society. A hypothetical system design task—the development of improved system specifications and new subsystem requirements for the redesign of an automobile—is used to illustrate the approach. A new format is also given for describing design of experiment arrays which facilitates their use in spreadsheet calculations.