On the control of complementary-slackness juggling mechanicalsystems

Studies the feedback control of a class of complementary-slackness hybrid mechanical systems. Roughly, the systems we study are composed of an uncontrollable part (the “object”) and a controlled one (the “robot”), linked by a unilateral constraint and an impact rule. A systematic and general control design method for this class of systems is proposed. The approach is a nontrivial extension of the one degree-of-freedom (DOF) juggler control design. In addition to the robot control, it is also useful to study some intermediate controllability properties of the object's impact Poincare mapping, which generally takes the form of a nonlinear discrete-time system. The force input mainly consists of a family of dead-beat feedback control laws, introduced via a recursive procedure, and exploiting the underlying discrete-time structure of the system. The main goal of the paper is to highlight the role of various physical and control properties characteristic of the system on its stabilizability properties and to propose solutions in certain cases     

Analysis of the cyclic short-term variation of indoor power line channels

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the properties of indoor power line communications channels when they are used for broadband transmission. It will be shown that these channels exhibit a short-term variation, due to the fact that high-frequency parameters of electrical devices depend on the instantaneous amplitude of mains voltage. This phenomenon leads to a channel model proposal based on a linear periodically time-varying system and cyclostationary random noise. A measurement system, designed to capture these time variations in real power networks, and some of the most significant results obtained with it, are presented. In addition, a statistical analysis of the measurements performed in several indoor power line scenarios is included, so that the relevance of time variations in actual channels can be evaluated.     

Quality of Service Networking for High Performance Grid Applications

This paper reports on different efforts to provide quality of service (QoS) Networking to Grid applications done in the context of the MB-NG, GRS and DataTAG EU projects. These are leading edge network research projects involving more that 50 researchers in the UK, Europe and North America, concerned with the development and testing of protocols and standards for the next generation of high speed networks. We have implemented and tested the Differentiated Services Architecture (DiffServ) in a multi-domain, 2.5 Gbits/s network (the first such deployment) defining appropriate Service Level Agreements (SLAs) to be used between administrative domains to guarantee end-to-end Quality of Service. We characterised several hardware implementations of DiffServ and concluded on their appropriateness for several network scenarios. Since current and future Grid applications will have to use modified mechanisms of congestion control we have evaluated old and new TCP implementations over a Differentiated Services Networks. These quality of service tests have also included innovative MPLS (Multi-Protocol Label Switching) experiments to establish guaranteed bandwidth connections to Grid applications in a fast and efficient way. We have also developed a software based bandwidth broker architecture for Grids based on IETF standards which allows applications to transparently request dynamic and advanced reservations and implemented it in a real experimental network. We finally report on experiences delivering Quality of Service networking to high performance applications like Particle Physics data transfer and High Performance Computation. This includes quantitative results on the performance improvements that QoS brought to real data transfers in the context of High Performance Computing.     

Discovery of an Allosteric Ligand Binding Site in SMYD3 Lysine Methyltransferase

SMYD3 is a multifunctional epigenetic enzyme with lysine methyltransferase activity and various interaction partners. It is implicated in the pathophysiology of cancers but with an unclear mechanism. To discover tool compounds for clarifying its biochemistry and potential as a therapeutic target, a set of drug-like compounds was screened in a biosensor-based competition assay. Diperodon was identified as an allosteric ligand; its R and S enantiomers were isolated, and their affinities to SMYD3 were determined (K_D=42 and 84 μM, respectively). Co-crystallization revealed that both enantiomers bind to a previously unidentified allosteric site in the C-terminal protein binding domain, consistent with its weak inhibitory effect. No competition between diperodon and HSP90 (a known SMYD3 interaction partner) was observed although SMYD3–HSP90 binding was confirmed (K_D=13 μM). Diperodon clearly represents a novel starting point for the design of tool compounds interacting with a druggable allosteric site, suitable for the exploration of noncatalytic SMYD3 functions and therapeutics with new mechanisms of action.     

Performance tests of catalysts for the safe conversion of hydrogen inside the nuclear waste containers in Fukushima Daiichi

The safe decommissioning as well as decontamination of the radioactive waste resulting from the nuclear accident in Fukushima Daiichi represents a huge task for the next decade. At present, research and development on long-term safe storage containers has become an urgent task with international cooperation in Japan. One challenge is the generation of hydrogen and oxygen in significant amounts by means of radiolysis inside the containers, as the nuclear waste contains a large portion of sea water. The generation of radiolysis gases may lead to a significant pressure build-up inside the containers and to the formation of flammable gases with the risk of ignition and the loss of integrity.In the framework of the project “R&D on technology for reducing concentration of flammable gases generated in long-term waste storage containers” funded by the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan (MEXT), the potential application of catalytic recombiner devices inside the storage containers is investigated. In this context, a suitable catalyst based on the so-called intelligent automotive catalyst for use in a recombiner is under consideration. The catalyst is originally developed and mass-produced for automotive exhaust gas purification, and is characterized by having a self-healing function of precious metals (Pd, Pt and Rh) dissolved as a solid solution in the perovskite type oxides. The basic features of this catalyst have been tested in an experimental program. The test series in the REKO-4 facility has revealed the basic characteristics of the catalyst required for designing the recombiner system.     

Analysis of spatial smoothing effect of short‐term fluctuation of global solar radiation based on data including quantization error

Photovoltaic (PV) systems are attracting attention as one of the promising countermeasures against global warming and the environmental issues. However, the generation output from PV systems is generally unstable and unpredictable. Therefore, large penetration of PV systems may cause some serious impacts on power system operation, such as load frequency control, voltage regulation, etc. Estimation of the influences of PV system installation is becoming important, but it requires simultaneous multipoint solar radiation measurements. The Japan Meteorological Business Support Center has provided 1‐minute meteorological data observed in Japan, but its solar radiation data includes quantization errors. This paper proposes a regeneration method for solar radiation data including quantization errors. It also analyzes the spatial smoothing effect of global solar radiation fluctuations. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 180(3): 55–63, 2012; Published online in Wiley Online Library ( wileyonlinelibrary.com ). DOI 10.1002/eej.21274     

Optimal operation of cogeneration system coordinated by aggregator for providing the demand and supply regulation capacity

Recent growth of renewable energy generations with natural variability, such as photovoltaic generation and wind turbine generation, would make the demand and supply control in a whole power system more difficult, and therefore, alternatives for demand and supply regulation resources would be required. The authors focus on cogeneration system (CGS) as one of regulation resources. In order to procure adequate volume of regulation capability, an aggregator coordinates a number of CGSs efficiently and flexibly considering the wide variety of electricity/thermal demands of CGS owners. This paper proposes a novel optimal operation strategy of CGS coordinated by the aggregator considering the energy balance and operation cost of individual CGS owner. This paper also demonstrates the availability of CGSs for regulation capability by numerical case studies in which the actual consumption profile is employed.     

面素法加工自由曲面的研究与实验

精密制造中需要对淬硬材料的自由曲面进行精加工。本项目采用磨削中心GC,进行了高效自由曲面磨削加工的基础研究。本文提出了3维自由曲面可以分为9种类型的面素,并从几何角度分析了面素的定义方法。采用球头磨球形磨具进行面素法高效磨削加工时,需要对各类面素与球形磨具的作用状态进行解析。分析了由于加工条件和加工面形状变化,工件与球形磨具随之在接触点周速度、砂轮实际切削深度,以及磨削力的变化。分析模型与实验数值有很好的吻合。