Development of a Simplified Calculation Tool for Voltage Drop Caused by Transformer Inrush in Distribution System

It is well known that a voltage drop due to inrush current at an energizing transformer may at times interrupt electrical equipment. Generally, the voltage drop is calculated by using a sophisticated tool such as EMTP, so that the transformer saturation phenomenon has been properly represented. However, it is not practical for distribution system engineers to calculate the voltage drop with transformer inrush by using EMTP, because there are many network access requests needing such calculations with many kinds of transformers. Therefore, in this paper, a simplified and easy‐to‐use calculation tool for voltage drops caused by transformer inrush in a distribution system is developed. In order to understand the voltage drop by inrush current during the planning stage, it is formulated by considering the transformer saturation/unsaturation periods in each winding type. The newly developed tool is based on versatile spreadsheet software such as Microsoft Excel ýO.R. It can be used with accuracy similar to that of EMTP. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 185(1): 36–47, 2013; Published online in Wiley Online Library ( wileyonlinelibrary.com ). DOI 10.1002/eej.22394     

Nonlinear adaptive control system design and experiment for a 3-DOF model helicopter

This paper deals with model following control of a model helicopter with three degree-of-freedom. Since the decoupling matrix is singular, a nonlinear structure algorithm is used to design the controller. Furthermore, since the model dynamics are described linearly by unknown system parameters, a well-known parameter estimation technique is introduced. The integral type of estimation model is proposed here since the use of the derivative type of model cannot obtain the desired estimation result. The experimental results show the effectiveness of the proposed method. This work was presented in part at the 13th International Symposium on Artificial Life and Robotics, Oita, Japan, January 31–February 2, 2008     

Robust stability analysis with cycling-based LPTV scaling. Part II: its properties under the use of FIR separators

This paper is concerned with robust stability analysis of discrete-time linear periodically time-varying (LPTV) systems using the cycling-based LPTV scaling approach. It consists of applying the separator-type robust stability theorem through the cycling-based treatment of such systems, where this paper aims at revealing fundamental properties of this approach when we confine ourselves to what we call finite impulse response (FIR) separators as a theoretically and numerically very tractable class of separators. Specifically, we clarify such properties of the cycling-based LPTV scaling approach using FIR separators that cannot readily be seen under the treatment of general class of separators. This is accomplished by comparing it with another approach, called lifting-based LPTV scaling using FIR separators, through the framework of representing the associated robust stability conditions with infinite matrices. More precisely, this leads us to clarifying the fundamental relationships between the cycling-based and lifting-based approaches under the use of FIR separators. We also provide a numerical example demonstrating the fundamental relationships clarified in this paper.     

Frequency spectra of the arc current due to opening electriccontracts in air

Frequency spectra of the electromagnetic noise due to arc current caused by Ag contacts upon opening in air at atmospheric pressure are described. To take into consideration the fast transients and high-frequency discharge phenomena at the contacts, a distributed constant model consisting of relay contacts and a coaxial distributed constant line is introduced. An experiment carried out under conditions of low circuit current (3.84 A) and low source voltage (48 V) is reported. The results indicate that the frequency spectra of the arc currents depends on the length and terminal conditions of the line connected to the contacts     

Velocity, electromechanical coupling factor and acoustic loss of surface shear waves propagating along x-axis on rotated Y-cut plates of LiNbO3

Velocity and propagation loss of surface shear waves are measured on free-space and metallised surfaces of LiNbO3 crystals along the x-axis of rotated Y-cut plates as a function of rotation about the x-axis between 35° and 70°. The coupling factor obtained from the velocities is 0.20 for a 35° rotated Y-cut plate and 0.09 for a 70° plate. The coupling factor changes linearly with the rotation angle. The propagation losses over the whole range measured here are less than 5 dB/cm on both free-space and on metallised surfaces. These losses are fairly low and very favourable for fabricating s.a.w. filters.     

Radiation-induced bystander effects induce radioadaptive response by low-dose radiation

When normal human fibroblast cells (MRC-5) received a priming irradiation of 3-20 mGy 4 h prior to irradiation with 1000 mGy, the number of DNA double-stranded breaks (DSBs) decreased significantly to 18.2-18.7 per cell compared with 21 per cell when there was no priming irradiation. This result indicates that a priming irradiation of 3-20 mGy induces a radioadaptive response in MRC-5. The authors' previous study had indicated that DSBs induced by ≤ 20 mGy are due to a radiation-induced bystander effect. These findings suggest that radiation-induced bystander effects might contribute to induction of the radioadaptive response. To test this hypothesis, MRC-5 were suspended in lindane, an inhibitor of radiation-induced bystander effects, which was added to the medium for the priming irradiation of 3-20 mGy. Lindane inhibited the protective effect of priming irradiation on DSBs caused by subsequent irradiation with 1000 mGy. Thus, radiation-induced bystander effects may play a role in radioadaptive responses.     

Suppression of Bone Necrosis around Tooth Extraction Socket in a MRONJ-like Mouse Model by E-rhBMP-2 Containing Artificial Bone Graft Administration

Medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ) is related to impaired bone healing conditions in the maxillomandibular bone region as a complication of bisphosphonate intake. Although there are several hypotheses for the onset of MRONJ symptoms, one of the possible causes is the inhibition of bone turnover and blood supply leading to bone necrosis. The optimal treatment strategy for MRONJ has not been established either. BMP-2, a member of the TGF-β superfamily, is well known for regulating bone remodeling and homeostasis prenatally and postnatally. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to evaluate whether cyclophosphamide/zoledronate (CY/ZA) induces necrosis of the bone surrounding the tooth extraction socket, and to examine the therapeutic potential of BMP-2 in combination with the hard osteoinductive biomaterial, β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP), in the prevention and treatment of alveolar bone loss around the tooth extraction socket in MRONJ-like mice models. First, CY/ZA was intraperitoneally administered for three weeks, and alveolar bone necrosis was evaluated before and after tooth extraction. Next, the effect of BMP-2/β-TCP was investigated in both MRONJ-like prevention and treatment models. In the prevention model, CY/ZA was continuously administered for four weeks after BMP-2/β-TCP transplantation. In the treatment model, CY/ZA administration was suspended after transplantation of BMP-2/β-TCP. The results showed that CY/ZA induced a significant decrease in the number of empty lacunae, a sign of bone necrosis, in the alveolar bone around the tooth extraction socket after tooth extraction. Histological analysis showed a significant decrease in the necrotic alveolar bone around tooth extraction sockets in the BMP-2/β-TCP transplantation group compared to the non-transplanted control group in both MRONJ-like prevention and treatment models. However, bone mineral density, determined by micro-CT analysis, was significantly higher in the BMP-2/β-TCP transplanted group than in the control group in the prevention model only. These results clarified that alveolar bone necrosis around tooth extraction sockets can be induced after surgical intervention under CY/ZA administration. In addition, transplantation of BMP-2/β-TCP reduced the necrotic alveolar bone around the tooth extraction socket. Therefore, a combination of BMP-2/β-TCP could be an alternative approach for both prevention and treatment of MRONJ-like symptoms.     

A camera calibration technique using three sets of parallel lines

This paper presents a new method for three-dimensional camera calibration in which the rotation parameters are decoupled from the translation parameters. First, the rotation parameters are obtained by projecting three sets of parallel lines independently of the translation parameters and the imaging distance from the lens to the image plane. The virtual line passing through the image center, which is calculated by perspective projection of a set of parallel lines, depends only on the rotation parameters. Next, the translation parameters and the imaging distance are analytically obtained. Experimental results are used to show how the camera model can be accurately reconstructed in an easily prepared environment.     

Preparation of silica fibers and non-woven cloth by electrospinning

Silica fibers, which can potentially be used as filters and media for catalysts immobilization, were successfully spun via electrospinning process with precursor prepared through the sol–gel synthesis. Spinnable sols can be obtained only when the molar ratio of water to TEOS is less than 2 which is consistent with the retrospective results derived for other spinning methods. It was confirmed for the first time that the reaction time can be drastically reduced by introducing humidified air, controlled by KCl saturated aqueous solution, during sol–gel process. The size of obtained silica fibers is about 4.5 μm and has a certain degree of flexibility and mechanical strength. Although the specific surface area of as spun fiber was 7.7 m²/g, which is apparently small comparing to generic silica, treatment by boiling water only for 5 min could increase the specific surface area to be about 500 m²/g.     

烧结工艺对Cu-20Zn黄铜力学性能的影响

利用日本网带式连续烧结炉,采用2种不同的烧结工艺制备Cu-20%Zn黄铜,研究烧结工艺对其力学性能和微观组织的影响。第1种烧结工艺是快速升温到550℃预烧50 min,然后在860℃高温烧结50 min;第2种烧结工艺是在200 min内将温度从100℃缓慢升高到750℃,然后升温到870℃保温1 h。结果表明:采用第1种工艺烧结时,烧结体中可看到大量的形状不规则的孔隙,基体没有联接成一体。采用第2种工艺烧结时,由于延长了预烧结时间和减慢升温速度,黄铜的孔隙收缩并趋于球化,孔隙数量明显减少,烧结体的密度和硬度都增大,伸长率显著提高;但由于晶粒长大,晶界强化效果下降,导致强度下降。采用第2种烧结工艺制备的黄铜综合力学性能较好,密度达到8.12 g/cm3,硬度为86 HRH,抗拉强度和伸长率分别为242 MPa和27.3%,均超过日本工业标准JIS和中国国家标准的要求。