A numerical model of p–n junctions bordering on surfaces

Many solar cell structures contain regions where the emitter p–n junction borders on the surface. If the surface is not well passivated, a large amount of recombination occurs in such regions. This type of recombination is influenced by the electrostatics of both the p–n junction and the surface, and hence it is different from the commonly described recombination phenomena occurring in the p–n junction within the bulk. We developed a two-dimensional model for the recombination mechanisms occurring in emitter p–n junctions bordering on surfaces. The model is validated by reproducing the experimental I–V curves of specially designed silicon solar cells. It is shown under which circumstances a poor surface passivation, near where the p–n junction borders on the surface, reduces the fill factor and the open-circuit voltage. The model can be applied to many other types of solar cells.     

The future of the European Emission Trading System and the Clean Development Mechanism in a post-Kyoto world

This paper discusses developments in the markets for CO₂ emissions rights since the Kyoto Protocol was signed. The different emissions trading schemes, dominated by the Emission Trading System of the European Union and the Clean Development Mechanism, are surveyed. These schemes will need to be incorporated into any post-Kyoto multilateral agreement. Drawing on a simple model, the paper analyzes the incentives that developing and developed countries face for continuing or transforming the Clean Development Mechanism in the light of future agreements for a worldwide emissions control program.     

Dynamics of Fe(II), sulphur and phosphate in pilot-scale constructed wetlands treating a sulphate-rich chlorinated hydrocarbon contaminated groundwater

Long-term investigations were carried out in two pilot-scale horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetlands (planted and unplanted) with an iron-rich soil matrix for treating sulphate-rich groundwater which was contaminated with low concentrations of chlorinated hydrocarbons. The temporal and spatial dynamics of pore-water sulphide, Fe(II) and phosphate concentrations in the wetland beds were characterized and the seasonal effects on sulphide production and nitrification inhibition were evaluated. The results demonstrated that the pore-water sulphide concentrations gradually increased from less than 0.2 mg/L in 2005 to annual average concentrations of 15 mg/L in 2010, while the pore-water Fe(II) concentrations decreased from 35.4 mg/L to 0.3 mg/L. From 2005 to 2010, the phosphate removal efficiency declined from 91% to 10% under a relatively constant inflow concentration of 5 mg/L. The pronounced effect of plants was accompanied by a higher sulphate reduction and ammonium oxidation in the planted bed, as compared to the unplanted control. A high tolerance of plants towards sulphide toxicity was observed, which might be due to the detoxification of sulphide by oxygen released by the roots. However, during the period of 2009-2010, the nitrification was negatively impacted by the sulphide production as the reduction in the removal of ammonium from 75% to 42% (with inflow concentration of 55 mg/L) correlated with the increasing mean annual sulphide concentrations. The effect of the detoxification of sulphide and the immobilization of phosphate by the application of the iron-rich soil matrix in the initial years was proven; however, the life-span of this effect should not only be taken into consideration in further design but also in scientific studies.     

Proposing a standardized protocol for raw biosignal transmission

In this paper, we propose a standardized interface called TiA (TOBI interface A) to transmit raw biosignals, supporting multirate and block-oriented transmission of different kinds of signals from various acquisition devices (e.g., EEG, electrooculogram, near-infrared spectroscopy signals, etc.) at the same time. To facilitate a distinction between those kinds of signals, so-called signal types are introduced. TiA is a single-server, multiple-client system, whereby clients can connect to the server at runtime. Information transfer between client and server is divided into control and data connections. The control connections use transmission control protocol (TCP) and transmit extensible-markup-language (XML)-encoded meta information. The data transmission utilizes a user datagram protocol (UDP) or TCP with a binary data stream. A standardized handshaking procedure for the connection setup and a standardized binary data packet has been defined. Thus, a standardized layer, abstracting used hardware devices and facilitating distributed raw data transmission in a standardized way, has been evolved. A cross-platform library, implemented in C ++, is available for download.     

Phase separated thermotropic layers based on UV cured acrylate resins - Effect of material formulation on overheating protection properties and application in a solar collector

This paper focuses on the effect of material composition on the overheating protection properties of thermotropic systems with fixed domains for solar thermal collectors. Numerous functional layers were prepared by a variation of base resin (polyester-, epoxy- or urethane-acrylate) and of thermotropic additives (non-polar and polar waxes) as well as by additive concentration (5 and 7 wt%). A detailed investigation of optical properties, switching temperature and switching process was performed applying UV/Vis/NIR spectroscopy. Thermal transitions of both the thermotropic layers and the additives used were determined by Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC). The capability of the produced thermotropic layers to reduce stagnation temperatures in an all-polymeric flat plate collector was evaluated by theoretical modeling. The thermotropic layers showed a hemispheric solar transmittance between 76% and 87% in clear state. Above the switching threshold this transmittance changed by 1-16% to values between 62% and 85%. The layers exhibited switching temperatures between 33 and 80 °C. The transition is fully completed within a temperature frame of 10-25 °C. Resin types with higher glass transition temperatures were detected to benefit the reduction of the hemispheric solar transmittance above the switching threshold. This reduction was also found to increase with increasing molecular weight of the non-polar additive types. The comparison of the switching performance with the thermal transitions of the additives revealed a good correlation. Theoretical modeling showed that by the use of selected thermotropic layers in the glazing the maximum absorber temperatures can be limited to temperatures below 130 °C.     

Rheinbrücke Breisach – Umbau und Instandsetzung einer 45 Jahre alten Stahlkonstruktion

The Rhine Bridge at Breisach – Alteration and maintenance work at a 45‐years‐old steel structure across the river Rhine. The Breisach Rhine Bridge between Breisach in Baden‐Württemberg, Germany, and Neuf‐Brisach in Alsace, France, is next to the Europe Bridge Kehl–Strasbourg the most important road connection between the two countries. The three‐pillar road bridge was built in 1962 using the foundation of an old railway bridge. The box girder of the bridge is welded as well as riveted and bolted. Both the design of the curb with its underseepage – a feature that was often used at that time but is now out of favour – and damages at the drain pipes in the girder box led to significant corrosion damage. In the future a bicycle lane will run over the bridge. For this an enlargement of the southern footpath is required. Bridge repair and maintenance work began in the spring of 2008. In this paper not only the details of the projects will be considered, but also the solutions to the problems discovered during repair work. An additional special feature of the bridge is the fact that two road construction agencies, one French, one German, are in charge of maintenance.     

Thermophysical Properties of Liquid Aluminum

Ohmic pulse-heating with sub-microsecond time resolution is used to obtain thermophysical properties for aluminum in the liquid phase. Measurement of current through the sample, voltage drop across the sample, surface radiation, and volume expansion allow the calculation of specific heat capacity and the temperature dependencies of electrical resistivity, enthalpy, and density of the sample at melting and in the liquid phase. Thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity as a function of temperature are estimated from resistivity data using the Wiedemann–Franz law. Data for liquid aluminum obtained by pulse-heating are quite rare because of the low melting temperature of aluminum with 933.47 K (660.32 °C), as the fast operating pyrometers used for the pulse-heating technique with rise times of about 100 ns generally might not be able to resolve the melting plateau of aluminum because they are not sensitive enough for such low temperature ranges. To overcome this obstacle, we constructed a new, fast pyrometer sensitive in this temperature region. Electromagnetic levitation, as the second experimental approach used, delivers data for surface tension (this quantity is not available by means of the pulse-heating technique) and for density of aluminum as a function of temperature. Data obtained will be extensively compared to existing literature data.

     

Evaluation of the Thermal Diffusivity of Thin Specimens from Laser Flash Data

Thermal-diffusivity data obtained by a pulse technique are substantially in error if the sample thickness becomes too small. In this case the inevitable spike caused by the trigger pulse for the laser and the thermogram of the specimen are interacting, and a superposition of both signals is recorded, whose evaluation with standard algorithms systematically underestimates the thermal diffusivity of materials. Therefore, this incorrect calculation corresponding to the spike-thermogram overlay was investigated for general tendencies, and a calculation method transferring the experimental data obtained for small thicknesses into representative thermal diffusivity values for the investigated material will be introduced.     

The Permeability Distribution (PD) Method for Filter Media Characterization

Cake filtration is frequently used for the removal of particulate solids from fluids in industrial processes. The build up of a filter cake is usually accompanied by a decrease in overall permeability of the filter leading to an increased pressure drop over the filter medium. For an incompressible filter cake that builds up on a homogeneous filter cloth (surface filtration mode), a linear pressure drop profile is expected over time. However, occasionally experiments show curved pressure drop profiles. Whereas pressure drop profiles with increasing slope are generally ascribed to cake compression and/or depth filtration, pressure drop profiles with decreasing slopes are only ascribed to inhomogeneities in the filter. Such inhomogeneities can arise due to filter cake patches and/or an inhomogeneous filter cloth itself. In this work a method is proposed that transforms the pressure drop profile of a filter into a permeability distribution (PD) of the filter medium, thus accounting for possible inhomogeneities of the medium. The determination of the PD is looked at as an inverse problem of an integral transformation. The method is applied to experimental filter pressure drop data of laboratory scale jet-pulse cleaned bag filter plants. It is found that even clean filter media can exhibit a significant permeability profile.