GPS travelling wave fault locator systems: investigation into theanomalous measurements related to lightning strikes

A new fault location system based on the travelling wave principle and capable of locating faults on power lines to within ±one tower span (300 m) has been successfully developed and applied to BC Hydro's extensive 500 kV network. Unlike earlier schemes which are based on impedance measurements, its accuracy is not affected by load conditions, high grounding resistance and most notably series capacitor banks. This system measures the time of arrival of a fault-generated travelling wave at the line terminals using the precise timing signals from the Global Positioning System (GPS). Operating experience with the fault locator on lightning related faults indicated highly accurate results were obtained for the majority of the cases. In a few of the lightning-caused disturbances, the system gave anomalous measurements. This paper describes the operation of the system, summarizes the operating experience and explains the observed anomalous measurements     

Electrical conduction in some (CnH2n) (NH 3 + )2 FeCl4 compounds

The d.c. conductivity, a.c. conductivity and thermoelectric power of the compounds H₃N₊(CH₂)₊ NH₃FeCl₄, wheren=2, 3, 7 and 10, have been studied over a temperature range of 150–500 K. The conductivity results confirm the presence of more than one structural phase transition for each compound investigated. The thermoelectric power measurements showed that electrons are the main charge carriers in all crystal phases. The conductivity results were explained on the basis of an electron hopping mechanism over the whole temperature range.     

Evaluation of domestic solar water heating system in Jordan using analytic hierarchy process

In addition to the solar water heating (SWH) system, other domestic water heating systems used in Jordan were considered in terms of benefits and costs using the Analytic Hierarchy Process. In terms of cost, the SWH system was the least expensive. On a percentage basis, the SWH cost about 13% compared to the most expensive heating system, LPG, of about 28%. In terms of benefits, the SWH was also the most beneficial. Approximately, the SWH benefits were about 31%, while the least benefits were obtained from the kerosene water heating system, which is about 9%. By considering both cost and benefit (i.e. cost-to-benefit ratio), solar was also the least expensive, about 7%, with kerosene being the most expensive, over 30%.     

Electrical conduction in γ-irradiated and unirradiated zinc-iron ferrites

The electrical conductivity of -irradiated and unirradiated finely-divided spinels of composition (Zn _x ²⁺ Fe _1–x ²⁺ Fe ₂ ³⁺ )O ₄ ^2– was studied in a nitrogen atmosphere as a function of temperature. The results of both -irradiated and unirradiated ferrites with compositions x 0.79 showed that the electrical conduction occurred by fast electron exchange amongst Fe²⁺ and Fe³⁺ ions situated on octahedral sites in the spinel lattice, by a hopping mechanism. For composition x > 0.79 it was found that the transition of the charge carriers through cation vacancies is the predominant mechanism. Some breaks in the conductivity-temperature curves were found near the Curie points. Seebeck voltage measurements showed that -irradiated and unirradiated spinels behave as n-type semiconductors. The effect of -irradiation on the conductivity, activation energy, charge carriers and the conduction mechanism is discussed.     

Structure—reactivity studies of a new polyfunctional disulphide bis(ES-MCT/SES) reactive dye applied to silk

A new polyfunctional reactive dye containing disulphidebis(ethylsulphone-monochlorotriazine/sulphatoethylsulphone) reactive system has been synthesised and applied to silk. High exhaustion/fixation results have been achieved at 90 °C and pH 9. The vinylsulphone precursor of the disulphidebis(ethylsulphone) group combined with a sulphatoethylsulphone/monochlorotriazine reactive system confers a relatively high fixation efficiency for this type of polyfunctional reactive dye when compared with that of a conventional bifunctional reactive dye containing the sulphatoethylsulphone/monochlorotriazine reactive system. The results also indicate that high fastness properties were obtained for the reactive dyes under investigation.     

MICROWAVE VACUUM DRYING OF BANANA SLICES

Vacuum drying of banana slices was studied in a domestic microwave oven. The results show that banana temperature rises uniformly and rapidly to the saturation water vapor temperature corresponding to the vacuum used then rises slowly until most of the free moisture is lost. The thermal and drying efficiencies were found to drop from almost 100% at the beginning of the drying (high moisture content) to as low as 40% and 30% respectively at the end of drying. Both efficiencies were found to increase with the use of vacuum, especially at low moisture content.     

Kinetics and thermal properties of epoxy resin cured with Ni(II)‐tris‐(O‐pheneylendiamine) bromide

Diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA) is cured with a nickel complex of O‐phenylendiamine (OPD) as a ligand. The structure of the synthesized curing agent is confirmed through IR and elemental analysis. The curing kinetics of DGEBA/Ni(OPD)₃Br₂ system is studied by the dynamic DSC and isothermal FTIR techniques. In all cases, we have observed at least two exothermic peaks during DSC traces up to 350°C. Dynamic activation energies are calculated by using the two isoconversional, Kissinger and Ozawa, methods applied to peak maximum. A two‐parameter (m, n) autocatalytic model (Sestak–Berggren equation) is found to be the most adequate model to describe the cure kinetics of the observed thermal events. Isothermal kinetic parameters are estimated using the Horie model. The onset decomposition temperature and char yield (at 700°C) of the crosslinked material were 290°C and 27%, respectively. The activation energy of the solid‐state thermal degradation process is evaluated by Ozawa approach, resulting in 95–138 kJ/mol on a range of 2–20% decomposition conversion. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 101: 1257–1265, 2006     

Comparison between experimental and computer simulations of current-voltage (I-V) characteristics of dielectric-coated photon-stimulated field emitters.

For the purpose of simulating photon-stimulated field emission by taking account of three-dimensional aspects, a transfer-matrix formulation of electronic scattering was combined with a Floquet expansion of the wave function for taking account of quanta exchanges between the electrons and the external radiation. With specific techniques to preserve numerical stability, this transfer-matrix formalism is well suited to compute the transmission of the field-emitted/photon-stimulated electrons between two electrodes. This theory is applied to the computation of Fowler-Nordheim curves describing the photon-stimulated field emission of a tungsten plane emitter (described by z< or =0), which supports a nanometric protrusion and a dielectric coating. The extraction bias ranges from 12 to 24V, for an inter-electrode distance of 4nm. The electromagnetic radiation has a wavelength of 0.67 microm and a power flux density ranging from 5.96 x 10(10) to 5.96 x 10(12) W/m2. The effects due to the protrusion and the dielectric coating are studied. These theoretical results are compared with the experimental data.     

Safety design practices in residential buildings in Saudi Arabia

A survey of current safety practices in the design of residential buildings in Saudi Arabia identified deficiencies in governance and design procedures. A systematic safety compliance checklist was developed to address these deficiencies incorporating existing local safety instructions and international safety codes and standards. Checklist use is intended to ensure compliance with minimal safety requirements in the design of residential buildings.     

Large Eddy Simulation of Turbulent Heat Transfer in a Channel With a Square Cylinder

Three-dimensional turbulent channel flow and heat transfer in the presence of a square cylinder were investigated numerically for a Reynolds number of 3000. Turbulent flow was simulated using large eddy simulation in which the eddy viscosity was evaluated by a subgrid-scale model of structure function and selective structure function. The attached wall boundary layer of the channel starts to separate if an insulated cylinder is placed in the channel, and a subsequent recirculation zone appears downstream of the cylinder. Nusselt number distribution along the floor of the channel showed an increase in the downstream part of the cylinder with a relative maximum slightly downstream of the reattachment point. The position of the cylinder in cross-stream direction affects the heat transfer from the channel wall. This quantity increases with decreasing the distance between the cylinder and the channel wall. A correlation was developed for the mean total Nusselt number over the floor of the channel with the position of the cylinder in the channel.