A new recovery process of carbon dioxide from alkaline carbonate solution via electrodialysis

Bipolar membrane electrodialysis is applied to CO₂ recovery from alkaline carbonate solution. CO₂ in flue gas is captured by an alkaline hydroxide absorbing solution to form an alkaline carbonate solution. The captured CO₂ is recovered from the alkaline carbonate solution via bipolar membrane electrodialysis, and the alkaline solution is regenerated simultaneously. To reduce the power requirement for CO₂ recovery, this study considers optimal design and operation. Three membrane arrangements were compared, and the results indicate the membrane arrangement comprising a bipolar membrane and cation exchange membrane is the most energy saving. With further optimization of operation conditions, the minimum power requirement for CO₂ recovery was reduced to 2.1 MJ/kg‐CO₂ (or 2.1 GJ/t‐CO₂). © 2009 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2009     

Optimal memoryless regulator of large‐scale systems with time delays in the interconnections and the states via decentralized control

A method to construct optimal memoryless regulators of large‐scale systems with time delays in the interconnections and the states is proposed. Each feedback gain of decentralized control laws is obtained directly from solutions of simultaneous linear matrix inequalities. First, a sufficient condition for the stability of the overall closed‐ loop system is presented. Then it is extended so that the overall system and each subsystem remain stable, even if all or some of the interconnections between subsystems are cut. Lastly, a simplification of the implementation is discussed in the perspective of feedback loop reduction. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 177(4): 42–50, 2011; Published online in Wiley Online Library ( wileyonlinelibrary.com ). DOI 10.1002/eej.21191     

Preparation of Ba(Mg1/3Ta2/3)O3 Using Oxine

A solution containing Mg²⁺ and Ta⁵⁺ was added to an aqueous ammonia solution of oxine, resulting in a precipitate. After the precipitate was thermally decomposed and fired, it was mixed with BaCO₃ powder and fired again at high temperatures to obtain Ba(Mg_1/3Ta_2/3)O₃ (BMT). This method resulted in BMT formation at temperatures lower than those used in the conventional mixed-oxide method, and single-phase BMT formed directly at 1300°C without intermediates.     

Creation of Ferroelectric, Single-Crystal Architecture in Sm0.5La0.5BGeO5 Glass

Using a novel, selective heating by Nd:YAG laser, a single-crystal architecture is created in a model glass system, Sm_0.5La_0.5BGeO₅, which devitrifies congruently into a ferroelectric phase of the same composition as the parent glass. The Sm³⁺ ions in glass absorb the light and heat the matrix locally resulting in devitrification. Initially, a polycrystalline spot is formed. However, with optimum laser power, scanning speed, and the depth of focus, one of the grains acts as the seed for further growth as a single crystal. By programming the relative displacement of the glass with respect to laser spot, desired single ferroelectric crystal architecture is created. The optical functionalities (guiding of light and second harmonic generation) of the architectures are shown, which demonstrate the viability of this method for constructing active elements in optical integrated circuits. The single-crystal nature of the architecture is confirmed from the electron backscattered diffraction results.     

Single molecule fluorescence autocorrelation measurement on anisotropic molecular diffusion in nematic liquid crystal

Diffusion kinetics of three dyes in nematic liquid crystals are studied with single-molecule fluorescence autocorrelation spectroscopy. Markedly large anisotropy was observed in the diffusion coefficient and structure of diffusion molecules showed no marked effect on the anisotropy.     

High Field ESR System and Its Application to the Study of Quantum Spin Systems

Developments of the high field ESR system in Kobe University is presented. Using Gunn oscillators and backward traveling oscillators (BWO), we can cover the frequency region from 30 to 1183.6 GHz with the use of InSb detector. Pulsed magnetic field up to 30 T is available and we are now trying to extend the field up to 40 T. Temperature range is from 1.8 to 300 K. Using this system, we studied S=1/2 ladder like system Cu₂(C₅H₁₂N₂)₂Cl₄, and found a new magnetic transition at 10.1 T at 1.8 K. The temperature dependence of ESR in Cu₂(C₅H₁₂N₂)₂CI₄ shows g-shift below 8 K which corresponds to the maximum of the magnetic susceptibility. The g-shift below 8 K suggests the increase of the quantum fluctuation in the system, and the role of the quantum fluctuation in Cu₂(C₅H₁₂N₂)₂CI₄ is discussed.     

Weighted integral method in multi-dimensional stochastic finite element analysis

This paper, using the weighted integral method, proposes a new stochastic finite element method for estimating the response variability of multi-dimensional stochastic systems. Young's modules is considered to have spatial variation and is idealized as a multi-dimensional stochastic field. An essential feature of the proposed method is that the continuous stochastic field is rigorously taken care of by means of weighted integrations to construct element stiffness matrices, as the results, the issue involving the stochastic field is transformed into a problem involving only a few random variables. This may lead to substantial improvement in computational efficiency. Numerical examples show that the proposed SFEM is concluded as an efficient and accurate method.     

On a fast reactor cycle scheme that incorporates a thoria-based minor actinide-containing cermet fuel

A fast reactor cycle scheme that incorporates a thoria-based minor actinide-containing cermet fuel is given. The present cermet fuel consists of an oxide solid solution of Th and minor actinides and Mo-inert matrix. It has been proposed as a high-performance device that can enhance minor actinide incineration in a fast reactor cycle. It is used in an independent small sub-cycle, whereby dedicated cycle technologies are adopted. Two-step reprocessing process was proposed for the present cermet fuel; it consists of a pre-removal of Mo-inert matrix and an actinide recovery. A preliminary test for the pre-removal of Mo-inert matrix was carried out using a surrogate cermet fuel. Burnup characteristics of a fast reactor core loaded with the cermet fuel were investigated by using neutronic calculation codes. It was revealed that a heterogeneous composition of Mo-inert matrix in inner and outer cores may lead to an effective transmutation of minor actinides and a flattened power density. It was concluded that the present cermet fuel was potentially promising as a high-performance incineration device of minor actinides for fast reactors.     

Carrier density control in the La2−x Sr1+x Cu2O6+y system

The effect of strontium and oxygen content variation is systematically studied in the La_2−x Sr_1+x Cu₂O_6+y system. The reason for the absence of superconductivity in this system is discussed.     

Contamination with retinoic acid receptor agonists in two rivers in the Kinki region of Japan

This study was conducted to investigate the agonistic activity against human retinoic acid receptor (RAR) α in the Lake Biwa-Yodo River and the Ina River in the Kinki region of Japan. To accomplish this, a yeast two-hybrid assay was used to elucidate the spatial and temporal variations and potential sources of RARα agonist contamination in the river basins. RARα agonistic activity was commonly detected in the surface water samples collected along two rivers at different periods, with maximum all-trans retinoic acid (atRA) equivalents of 47.6 ng-atRA/L and 23.5 ng-atRA/L being observed in Lake Biwa-Yodo River and Ina River, respectively. The results indicated that RARα agonists are always present and widespread in the rivers. Comparative investigation of RARα and estrogen receptor α agonistic activities at 20 stations along each river revealed that the spatial variation pattern of RARα agonist contamination was entirely different from that of the estrogenic compound contamination. This suggests that the effluent from municipal wastewater treatment plants, a primary source of estrogenic compounds, seemed not to be the cause of RARα agonist contamination in the rivers. Fractionation using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) directed by the bioassay found two bioactive fractions from river water samples, suggesting the presence of at least two RARα agonists in the rivers. Although a trial conducted to identify RARα agonists in the major bioactive fraction was not completed as part of this study, comparison of retention times in HPLC analysis and quantification with liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis revealed that the major causative contaminants responsible for the RARα agonistic activity were not RAs (natural RAR ligands) and 4-oxo-RAs, while 4-oxo-RAs were identified as the major RAR agonists in sewage in Beijing, China. These findings suggest that there are unknown RARα agonists with high activity in the rivers.