System-theoretical approach to model reduction and system-order determination

This paper is concerned with (1) the problem of the construction of lower-order models and (2) the Telated problem of the order determination of a real system based upon an estimated model with an overestimated order. Methods of the construction of stable lower-order models and the system-order determination are proposed. The approach adopted is to obtain a minimal realization of the original system by taking the principal components of the predictors of the outputs as the state and then to construct reduced models based upon a measure of reducibility defined in connection with the minimal realization algorithm. The measure of reducibility is useful to get a priori information about how small the order of the reduced model can be without much deterioration. Simulation studies are also carried out to demonstrate the effectiveness of the measure of reducibility and the proposed methods.     

金刚石砂轮的ECD修锐和整形研磨及其对硬脆材料的加工

为研究金属结合剂金刚石砂轮切削刃修锐整形对硬脆材料加工表面形态的影响,先通过接触放电法对SD600金属结合剂砂轮切削刃进行修锐,再用整形研磨方法对砂轮表面金刚石磨粒的不同切削刃高度进行整形研磨,最后用修整好的砂轮磨削加工用于光学设备的硼硅玻璃、石英玻璃、石英晶体和蓝宝石等几种硬脆材料.结果表明:硬脆材料粗糙度的改善程度...     

Dielectric Recovery Characteristics after High‐Frequency Current Interruption in Vacuum Circuit Breaker

When the contacts of circuit breaker are opened just before current zero, the gap between contacts will still be very short. Therefore, it cannot withstand recovery voltage between the contacts. In such a case, multiple reignition is likely to take place. Many investigators had tried to clarify this phenomenon, and many reports have been published. However, high‐frequency current interruption and dielectric recovery characteristics are related to some parameters (value of current, arc time, and so on). In addition, arc phenomenon has also been implicated. Hence, it is difficult to understand this phenomenon accurately. In this paper, we conducted dielectric recovery test and high‐frequency current interruption test. Further, we conducted observation experiment using vacuum chamber in order to investigate the effect of small dc current. At the end, we calculated plasma density in the electrodes after high‐frequency current interruption by considering the result of observation experiment and dielectric recovery test.     

Experimental Services of Energy Management for Energy Users in Business Region on Miyakojima City All‐Islands EMS Demonstration Project

Smart grid and demand response (DR) had been attracting attention and evaluated in several demonstration projects. Many DR experimental results for residential and large‐scale buildings had been evaluated, while evaluation for small size buildings seems to be not enough. In this paper, a new energy service combined EMS method is proposed for small size buildings. Then results of its application to Miyako Island All‐Islands EMS Demonstration Project are introduced. The experimental services include not only DRs but also peak cutting recommendations and energy analysis reports. The results show combination of services can realize more effects than individual service. Especially the peak cutting recommendations and energy analysis reports help energy consumers to learn and understand how to save and manage energy usages that lead to effective DR potentials. Also the experimental system developed for energy data measurement and DR management as an island community EMS is intrduced.     

Bioleaching of Rare Metals from Manganese Nodules by Thiobacillus Ferrooxidans

Manganese nodules, which constitute a potential future resource of rare metals, are composed mainly of oxides of manganese and iron, with various metals such as copper, nickel, and cobalt. Although physical and chemical processes have been developed for extracting the rare metals from manganese nodules, another possible process is the leaching of metals by microbial means.

This paper describes leaching of raw manganese nodules by sulfurous acid and sulfuric acid which are biologically produced by oxidation of elemental sulfur by Thiobacillus ferrooxidans. The bioleaching behavior of each metal from nodules was measured at 30°C and pH 2 in a well-mixed batch reactor. The metal content of the nodules used in this work was 0.29% Cu, 0.49% Ni, 0.27% Co, 16% Fe and 17% Mn by weights. For both the microbial system and the control culture containing no T.ferrooxidans, copper and nickel exhibited close to 100% leaching in two weeks and less than 5% for iron and manganese. On the other hand, leaching of cobalt was markedly accelerated in the microbial system reaching 50% in two weeks compared with the sterile control. The bioleaching rate of cobalt was enhanced as the initial sulfur-liquid loading ratio became higher, but is was practically independent of the nodule size which was less than 330 mesh. Moreover, there was an optimal relation between the bioleaching rate and the initial cell concentration, and the addition of T.ferrooxidans cells in excess of the optimal concentration resulted in a decrease in the leaching rate of cobalt.     

金刚石砂轮金属结合剂的气中单脉冲电火花放电去除机理

针对金属结合剂金刚石砂轮修锐困难的问题,提出采用气中电火花接触放电修锐的方法。为有效地实现微细金刚石砂轮的修锐,建立单脉冲电火花放电去除加工的试验系统,研究金属结合剂的气中和液中电火花放电去除机理。在试验研究中,主要分析无负荷电压和放电极性对脉冲放电电流、脉冲放电间隙、脉冲放电去除量、电极磨耗比等的影响。结果表明,正极性不易发生短路现象,而且气中的脉冲放电间隙小于液中的 ,适应于微细金刚石砂轮的修锐。此外,在气中放电中存在由绝缘破坏引起的火花放电向附有电弧柱的电弧放电转变的临界无负荷电压,且电火花放电的去除量可以明显小于电弧放电的去除量,但是当无负荷电压小于某一定值时电极消耗比会快速增加。修锐的试验结果显示,利用气中单脉冲电火花放电去除加工条件可以实现金属结合剂微细金刚石砂轮的修锐,产生较好的砂轮出刃形貌,改善磨削表面质量。     

Applications of the Long and Accurate Polymerase Chain Reaction Method in Yeast Molecular Biology: Direct Sequencing of the Amplified DNA and Its Introduction into Yeast

A DNA fragment longer than 10 kb can be amplified by the long and accurate polymerase chain reaction (LA-PCR) method. We demonstrate here applications of this technique in molecular biological studies of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We have shown that DNA fragments amplified by LA-PCR can be directly used as a template in the chain-termination sequencing protocol, making it possible to quickly identify the DNA insert of yeast genomic library clones. We have also shown that the amplified yeast DNA can easily be introduced into yeast by co-transformation with linearized vector DNA. Overlapping DNA between the amplified yeast fragment and the vector must be more than 20 bp long in order to obtain 90% or more correct recombinant plasmids. These results suggest that simple amplification of yeast clones by LA-PCR can replace the previous procedures of yeast clone recovery, consisting of transformation of Escherichia coli, propagation of plasmids in E. coli and preparation of plasmid DNA. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Structural Optimization of Autonomous Energy Networks by Mathematical Programming Techniques

The renewal of conventional energy systems is important countermeasures against global warming effects and natural hazards. A self‐sustainable decentralized energy system is one of the promising solutions for future sustainable and resilient societies. In this paper, a mathematical programming model is formulated and design and utilization of the overall energy network is optimized based on the model, where stationary batteries are equipped. Through some numerical simulation results, the effectiveness and the potential, for example, for clarifying the effect of the batteries, of the proposed model are investigated.     

Development of Magnetic Levitation System for Science and Technology Education: Magnetic Levitation Control by Using a Hall Element Displacement Sensor with Neural Network

In this study, we developed a magnetic levitation system using a Hall element displacement sensor with neural network for science and technology education. The sensor configured with three Hall elements was devised in order to measure displacement from an electromagnet to a levitated object with a permanent magnet. Use of the Hall element displacement sensor achieves a lower cost magnetic levitation system. Furthermore, three‐layered feedforward neural network was utilized in order to improve the precision of the Hall element displacement sensor. Finally, operation verification of the developed magnetic levitation system was conducted by designing state feedback regulator with observer.