Force estimation via physical properties of air cushion for the control of a human-cooperative robot: basic experiments

For the control of a human-cooperative robot (HCR) using a soft material, we aim to verify, in this study, the usefulness of force estimation via physical properties of an air cushion. First, the physical model of the air cushion was represented by an air cylinder with a piston, which is subject to constraint by nonlinear elasticity. Second, the elastic properties of the air cushion were examined under the assumption that it can be formulated by a function of pneumatic pressure. The force applied to the air cushion was next estimated on the basis of the physical model, and the HCR was successfully controlled according to the estimated force.     

Water wettability/non-wettability of polymer materials by molecular orbital studies

The water wettability and non-wettability onto various kinds of polymers, which have so far been macroscopically described by the water contact angle, were investigated using the molecular orbital theory. An atomistic model consisting of an H₂O molecule and a selected polymer crystal surface was analyzed in the isolated and the physisorbed states. The degree of interaction between the water molecule and the polymer surface was evaluated by considering the change of Mulliken charge at the oxygen site in the water molecule, and also the work of adhesion during the physisorption process. Such energetic quantities for several polymers were compared with the macroscopic water wettability/non-wettability. We found fairly good agreement between these approaches for the highly non-wettability polymers.     

Reduction of return current noise by energy‐compensating active control

A newly proposed energy‐compensating active control is implemented to reduce the return current noise which is caused by inverter‐driven electric car systems. The energy‐compensating active control detects the energy charged at the filter capacitor, and reduces the energy and current of the noise frequency component by simple feedback loop incorporated with the conventional motor torque controller. No additional sensors or circuit arrangements are necessary; therefore, the return current can be attenuated effectively without any further cost. The return current with an inverter system is measured using a current probe and an FFT analyzer, and it is shown that the 25‐Hz noise current is reduced by up to 10 dB with the control. The results reveal that the low‐frequency return current noise can be attenuated with the simple control scheme, which would expectedly reduce the size of filter reactors and capacitors to meet the current limit level of the signaling system's track relays. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 165(4): 84–91, 2008; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/eej.20615     

Gas entrainment rate and flow pattern of vertical plunging liquid jets

For a vertical plunging liquid jet system using various liquids, the effects of the operating conditions including the nozzle length-to-diameter ratio on the gas entrainment rate Q_g were evaluated experimentally. The differences in Q_g were related to the changes in the jet shape before plunging and the velocity of the plunging liquid jet at the point where the gas sheath breaks up. Empirical relationships were also presented to predict the maximum depth Z of bubbles entrained by the diffusing jet. The changes of Z were further discussed in terms of the downward liquid velocity distribution in the submerged two-phase region, which depends mainly on the size of entrained bubbles.     

An experimental evaluation of spatial distribution for deeply penetrating protons in carbon material

The peak profile of the 4.8-MeV resonance by the ¹²C(p,p)¹²C reaction in backscattering geometry has been analyzed to examine two kinds of stragglings of proton, i.e. the depth straggling in the incoming path and the energy loss straggling in the outgoing path. The analysis, which is combined with existing theoretical treatments for the stopping process and the energy loss straggling, has made it possible to deduce the penetration depth and its spread at the resonance position in carbon materials. The present method, as a new tool for direct inspection of ion beams inside target material, is explained in detail.     

The fracture behaviors of non-irradiated zircaloy-4 fuel cladding with a pinhole under simulated LOCA conditions

In a case where a pinhole leak occurs in a fuel rod incidentally, it is possible that coolant enters the fuel rod through the pinhole. Since knowledge about the behavior of the fuel rod with a pinhole under LOCA conditions is limited, semi-integral quench tests were performed with non-irradiated zircaloy-4 fuel cladding tubes with a pinhole in order to investigate the difference in the fracture behaviors between normal and leaker fuels under LOCA conditions. Isothermal oxidation temperature and time ranged from 1100 to 1225 °C and 0 to 4200 seconds, respectively. Ballooning and rupture during the heat-up process did not occur in the case of test rods with a pinhole and initially injected water. Initially injected water affected the oxidation behavior of the inner surface of cladding during the test, and the fracture boundary of the test rod was dependent on not only the axial restrained condition during the test but also the existence of a pinhole and initially injected water. This tendency seemed to be related to the amount of oxidation of cladding inner surface caused by the steam which remained in or entered the test rod during the test.     

Equilibrium and kinetic studies of selective adsorption and separation for strontium using DtBuCH18C6 loaded resin

A crown ether loaded resin was prepared by successive impregnation and fixing the 4′,4′(5″)-di(tert-butylcyclohexano)-18-crown-6 (DtBuCH18C6) and its molecule modifier, 1-dodecanol, onto the porous silica/polymer composite support (SiO₂-P particles). The characterization of DtBuCH18C6 loaded resin was examined by thermal gravimetry and differential thermal analysis and electron probe microanalysis. The adsorption behavior of Sr(II), Cs(I), Ru(III), Pd(II), La(III), Nd(III), Sm(III), Gd(III), Zr(IV), and Mo(VI) was investigated by the batch method. Furthermore, the column test for Sr (II) was performed. The batch experiments were carried out by varying the shaking times, HNO₃ concentration, and initial concentration of metal ions. A relatively large K _d value above 182 cm³/g for Sr(II) was obtained in the presence of 3 M HNO₃. In contrast, the K _d values of Cs(I), Ru(III), Pd(II), La(III), Nd(III), Sm(III), Gd(III), Zr(IV), and Mo(VI) were considerably lower than 10 cm³/g. The adsorption of Sr(II) was found to be controlled by chemisorption mechanism, and followed a Langmuir-type adsorption equation. The breakthrough curve of Sr(II) had S-shaped profile, and the elution percentage was estimated to be 99.9% by using the eluent of H₂O.     

Advanced resonance self-shielding method for gray resonance treatment in lattice physics code GALAXY

A new resonance self-shielding method based on the equivalence theory is developed for general application to the lattice physics calculations. The present scope includes commercial light water reactor (LWR) design applications which require both calculation accuracy and calculation speed. In order to develop the new method, all the calculation processes from cross-section library preparation to effective cross-section generation are reviewed and reframed by adopting the current enhanced methodologies for lattice calculations. The new method is composed of the following four key methods: (1) cross-section library generation method with a polynomial hyperbolic tangent formulation, (2) resonance self-shielding method based on the multi-term rational approximation for general lattice geometry and gray resonance absorbers, (3) spatially dependent gray resonance self-shielding method for generation of intra-pellet power profile and (4) integrated reaction rate preservation method between the multi-group and the ultra-fine-group calculations. From the various verifications and validations, applicability of the present resonance treatment is totally confirmed. As a result, the new resonance self-shielding method is established, not only by extension of a past concentrated effort in the reactor physics research field, but also by unification of newly developed unique and challenging techniques for practical application to the lattice physics calculations.     

Effect of wall wettability condition on drift-flux parameters in lead–bismuth two-phase flow in circular and annular bubble columns

Lead–bismuth two-phase flow in a cylindrical vessel and annulus was experimentally investigated by varying the surface wettability of the vessel wall. The test section used in this study was a cylindrical stainless vessel with/without inner sleeve to change the hydraulic diameter. Volume-averaged void fraction was measured by varying the surface wettability of the test section, which was enhanced by using a soldering flux. Measured void fraction was compared with existing two-phase flow correlations and with one-dimensional theoretical simulations assuming one-dimensional drift-flux model. From experimental results, measured distribution parameters of the lead–bismuth two-phase flow are much larger than that of ordinary two-phase flow regardless of the surface wettability. In the present work, the one-dimensional analysis was carried out for the cylindrical vessel to reproduce the distribution parameter. From the simulation results, predicted value for the cylindrical vessel showed good agreement with experimental results. However, in annulus, the distribution parameters in annulus were underestimated by the present model. It was suggested that, in case of annulus, steeper void fraction profile might be formed near the inner surface for poor wettability condition.