Distributed beamforming with one-bit feedback and clustering for multi-node wireless energy transfer

To resolve energy depletion issues in massive Internet of Things sensor networks, we developed a set of distributed energy beamforming methods with one-bit feedback and clustering for multi-node wireless energy transfer, where multiple single-antenna distributed energy transmitters (Txs) transfer their energy to multiple nodes wirelessly. Unlike previous works focusing on distributed information beamforming using a single energy receiver (Rx) node, we developed a distributed energy beamforming method for multiple Rx nodes. Additionally, we propose two clustering methods in which each Tx node chooses a suitable Rx node. Furthermore, we propose a fast distributed beamforming method based on Tx sub-clustering. Through computer simulations, we demonstrate that the proposed distributed beamforming method makes it possible to transfer wireless energy to massive numbers of sensors effectively and rapidly with small implementation complexity. We also analyze the energy harvesting outage probability of the proposed beamforming method, which provides insights into the design of wireless energy transfer networks with distributed beamforming.     

The adjoint of CMAQ

An adjoint model for the internationally used Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) modeling platform of the U.S. EPA is developed. The adjoint version for CMAQ (CMAQ-ADJ) provides the user community with forward (decoupled direct method or DDM) and backward (adjoint) sensitivity analysis capabilities. Current implementation is for gas-phase processes. Discrete adjoints are implemented for all processes with the exception of horizontal advection, for which, because of inherent discontinuities in the advection scheme, the continuous approach is superior. The adjoint of chemistry is constructed by interfacing CMAQ with the kinetic pre-processor, which provides for increased flexibility in the choice of chemical solver and facilitates the implementation of new chemical mechanisms. The adjoint implementation is evaluated both on a process-by-process basis and for the full model. In general, adjoint results show good agreement with brute-force and DDM sensitivities. As expected for a continuous adjoint implementation in a nonlinear scheme, the agreement is not perfect for horizontal transport. Sensitivities of various air quality, public health, and environmental metrics with respect to emissions are calculated using the adjoint method. In order to show applicability to regional climate studies, as an example, the sensitivities of these metrics with respect to local temperatures are calculated.     

Chain transfer reaction in metallocene catalyzed ethylene copolymerization with allyltrimethylsilane

Summary In order to investigate the polymerization behavior of allytrimethylsilane as a comonomer, ethylene was copolymerized with allyltrimethylsilane at 80°C in toluene using methylaluminoxane (MAO) activated metallocene catalysts. The catalytic activity of the polymerization strongly depended on both the type of the catalysts and the concentration of allyltrimethylsilane. End group analysis of the copolymers by means of ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy revealed that allyltrimethylsilane rather act as a chain transfer agent in the copolymerization, even though considerable amount of allyltrimethylsilane was incorporated in the polymer chain with rac-Et(Ind)₂ZrCl₂ catalysts. The chain transfer reaction influence strongly the molecular weight and comonomer content of the copolymers. Received: 22 June 1999/Revised version: 9 September 1999/Accepted: 30 September 1999     

Structural size effects of intermetallic compounds on the mechanical properties of Mo-Si-B alloy: An experimental investigation

In general, size, shape and dispersion of phases in alloys significantly affect mechanical properties. In this study, the mechanical properties of Mo-Si-B alloys were experimentally investigated with regards to the refinement of intermetallic compound. To confirm the size effect of the intermetallic compound phases on mechanical properties, two differently sized intermetallic compound powders consisting Mo₅SiB₂ and Mo₃Si were fabricated by mechano-chemical process and high-energy ball milling. A modified powder metallurgy method was used with core-shell intermetallic powders where the intermetallic compound particles were the core and nano-sized Mo particles which formed by the hydrogen reduction of Mo oxide were the shells, leading to the microstructures with uniformly distributed intermetallic compound phases within a continuous α-Mo matrix phase. Vickers hardness and fracture toughness were measured to examine the mechanical properties of sintered bodies. Vickers hardness was 472 Hv for the fine intermetallic compound powder and 415 Hv for the coarse intermetallic compound powder. The fracture toughness was 12.4 MPa·√m for the fine IMC powders and 13.5 MPa·√m for the coarse intermetallic compound powder.     

Evaluation of the Fracture Strength for Silicon Carbide Layers in the Tri-Isotropic-Coated Fuel Particle

A program to develop new methods to measure the fracture strength of the chemical vapor deposition SiC coatings in nuclear fuel particles has been carried out. Internal pressurization and crush test techniques were developed and applied to prototype-sized tubular and hemispherical shell specimens. The fracture strength measured from each test method applying the Weibull two-parameter distribution, and Weibull parameters were measured. It was shown that data generated with each test technique were independent of the test technique applied. This implies that the developed test methods are reliable and provide reasonable strength data. For the same material, fracture strength varied with the specimen geometry and loading configuration. These size and loading configuration effects on the fracture strength are explained with the concept of effective surface.     

Correlation of vapor-liquid equilibria for binary mixtures with free energy-based equation of state mixing rules: Carbon dioxide with alcohols, hydrocarbons, and several other compounds

The correlation of vapor-liquid equilibrium data for high-pressure carbon dioxide systems is of interest in a number of industrial applications, including supercritical extraction. Here, we consider the correlation of data for 12 binary systems of carbon dioxide separately with alcohols, with hydrocarbons, and with acetone, benzene, and water. The Wong-Sandler (W-S) and modified Huron — Vidal first order (MHV1) free energy-based equation of state mixing rules (the W-S and MHV1 models) were used in the calculations. Both combined equation of state+free energy models generally resulted in good correlations of the experimental data over wide ranges of temperature and pressure with temperature — independent parameters. However, for the carbon dioxide+water system, the W-S model produced an 11% average absolute deviation in pressure, while no parameter that resulted in an AAD in pressure of less than 20% could be found for the MHV1 model.     

Temperature effects on the mechanical properties of candidate SNS target container materials after proton and neutron irradiation

This report presents the tensile properties of EC316LN austenitic stainless steel and 9Cr-2WVTa ferritic/martensitic steel after 800 MeV proton and spallation neutron irradiation to doses in the range 0.54-2.53 dpa at 30-100 °C. Tensile testing was performed at room temperature (20 °C) and 164 °C. The EC316LN stainless steel maintained notable strain-hardening capability after irradiation, while the 9Cr-2WVTa ferritic/martensitic steel posted negative hardening in the engineering stress-strain curves. In the EC316LN stainless steel, increasing the test temperature from 20 to 164 °C decreased the strength by 13-18% and the ductility by 8-36%. The effect of test temperature for the 9Cr-2WVTa ferritic/martensitic steel was less significant than for the EC316LN stainless steel. In addition, strain-hardening behaviors were analyzed for EC316LN and 316L stainless steels. The strain-hardening rate of the 316 stainless steels was largely dependent on test temperature. A calculation using reduction of area measurements and stress-strain data predicted positive strain hardening during plastic instability.     

Evaluation of transmitral flow velocity profile in supine and sitting positions by pulsed Doppler echocardiography in elderly hypertensives

To evaluate left ventricular diastolic filling properties in elderly hypertensive case with left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), we investigated the influence of postural change from a supine to sitting position on transmitral flow velocity profile as assessed by pulsed Doppler echocardiography in 12 normotensives (N group) and 24 hypertensives, aged 65 to 80 years. Hypertensive subjects were divided into two groups on the basis of left ventricular mass index (LVMI): 12 hypertensives without LVH (H1 group; LVMI < 130 g/m2); 12 hypertensives with LVH (H2 group; LVMI > 130 g/m2). Peak early filling velocity (E), peak atrial filling velocity (A) and the E/A ratio were similar in the three groups in the supine position. The postural change decreased E and A in N and H1 groups. On the other hand, the change decreased E, but not A in the H2 group. The E/A ratio was decreased in the H2 group compared with both the N and H1 group in the sitting position. As a result, the sitting position increased atrial contribution to diastolic filling in the H2 group. These observations indicate that a reduction in preload changes the transmitral flow velocity profile in elderly hypertensives with left ventricular hypertrophy. The Doppler alterations may be related to impaired left ventricular diastolic function.