Energy storage options for wireless sensors powered by aircraft specific thermoelectric energy harvester

This paper describes an approach for efficiently storing the harvested energy from a thermoelectric module for powering autonomous wireless sensor nodes in aircraft health monitoring applications. Thermoelectric devices are the preferred option due to the widespread availability of significant levels of energy from the temperature gradients or variations at the aircraft, such as the cabin, the engine compartment, the fuel tanks or the inner and outer frame of the fuselage. Batteries and supercapacitors are popular choices of storage device, but neither represents the ideal solution, with, supercapacitors possessing low energy densities while batteries have low power density. When using a battery-only solution for storage, the runtime of a typical sensor node is typically reduced by the battery’s relatively high internal impedance and thermal loss. Supercapacitors can overcome some of these problems, but generally do not provide sufficient long-term energy to allow aircraft health monitoring applications to be operated over an extended period. A hybrid energy storage solution can provide both energy and power density to a wireless sensor node simultaneously. Techniques such as acoustic–ultrasonic, acoustic-emission, strain and crack wire sensors require storage approaches that can provide immediate energy on demand, usually in short, high intensity bursts, and that can be sustained over long periods of time, storing up to 40–50 J of energy. This application requirement is considered as a significant constraint when working with battery-only and supercapacitor-only solutions. The hybrid system described here provides an alternate viable solution.     

The effects of Cl-induced alloying in Pt–Sn/Al2O3 catalysts on butane/H2 reactions

The effects of oxidation/reduction regeneration treatments, with and without 1,2-dichloropropane present as a chlorinating agent, on the structure of Pt(3%)–Sn(4.5%)/Al₂O₃ catalysts have been correlated with selectivities for butane/H₂ reactions. Particles of Pt⁰ fin Cl-free catalysts were partly covered by Sn⁰, but retained exposed ensembles of Pt atoms which were active for isomerisation, hydrogenolysis and dehydrogenation reactions, the latter becoming dominant at high reaction temperatures. Coking reduced Pt ensemble size and, hence, also favoured high selectivities for dehydrogenation as hydrogenolysis and isomerisation sites became poisoned. In contrast, the addition of 1,2-dichloropropane in an oxychlorination step before reduction promoted 1:1 Pt⁰–Sn⁰ alloy formation after reduction, the proportion of the total Pt in alloy being enhanced by increasing 1,2-dichloropropane concentration and oxychlorination temperature. The alloy surfaces were inactive for isomerisation and hydrogenolysis reactions, giving dehydrogenation as the sole catalytic reaction.     

Five-year experience with setup and implementation of an integrated database system for clinical documentation and research

In radiation oncology, where treatment concepts are elaborated in interdisciplinary collaborations, handling distributed, large heterogeneous amounts of data efficiently is very important, yet challenging, for an optimal treatment of the patient as well as for research itself. This becomes a strong focus, as we step into the era of modern personalized medicine, relying on various quantitative data information, thus involving the active contribution of multiple medical specialties. Hence, combining patient data from all involved information systems is inevitable for analyses. Therefore, we introduced a documentation and data management system integrated in the clinical environment for electronic data capture. We discuss our concept and five-year experience of a precise electronic documentation system, with special focus on the challenges we encountered. We specify how such a system can be designed and implemented to plan, tailor and conduct (multicenter) clinical trials, ultimately reaching the best clinical performance, and enhancing interdisciplinary and clinical research.     

The Estimation of the Molecular Weight of Polytetrafluoroethylene Based on the Heat of Crystallisation. A Comment on Suwa's Equation

Summary: The influence of number‐average molecular weight ranging from 1.4 · 10⁴ to 1.2 · 10⁶ g/mol on the thermal behaviour of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) has been studied. Samples have been prepared by radiation‐induced degradation of commercial PTFE. The molecular weight has been calculated using end‐group concentration determined by infrared (IR) spectroscopy and ¹⁹F solid‐state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Melting and crystallisation heats were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The results have been discussed with respect to quantitative relationships between number‐average molecular weight and heat of crystallisation of PTFE described in the literature. The molecular weight calculated from Suwa's equation, which is often used in the literature, has been found to be too low.

Concentration of end‐groups and the molecular weight of PTFE versus the irradiation dose.     

CO Oxidation on Anatase TiO2 Nanotubes Array and the Effect of Defects

The adsorption of O₂ and the CO oxidation reaction has been studied, by TDS and surface titrations, on a TiO₂ nanotubes (TiNTs) array which consist of a 80/20% mixture of the anatase/rutile polymorph. Molecular O₂ adsorption, influenced by defects, as well as CO₂ formation at low temperatures (～100 K) were observed.     

Modeling of Filtration Combustion of Carbon

The kinetics of the overall reactions of carbon gasification at temperatures up to 1600 K is studied. The kinetic characteristics of the reactions are taken into account in a distributed mathematical model of filtration combustion of carbon. By computational experiment at different values of process control parameters (the gas flow rate, the fraction of the oxidant in the gas, and the mass ratio of carbon to the inert material in the combustible mixture), it is found that, in the wave of filtration combustion of carbon under superadiabatic conditions, carbon gasification can predominately yield either CO₂ or CO.     

Internal Addition of Ketocarbenes to Conjugated Double Bonds

The internal, copper-catalysed, addition of keto-carbenes (generated from a diazoketone group) to a double bond conjugated either to a ketone or carboxylic ester function has been found to be a feasible preparative reaction in selected cases. This, together with the facile and regiospecific hydrogenolysis of the resulting 1,2-dicarbonyl cyclopropane intermediate, appear to constitute a convenient route to multifunctional bridged-ring systems.     

Mechanical Activation of Tetracalcium Phosphate

It was found that prolonged high-energy ball-milling of Hilgenstokite (tetracalcium phosphate, TTCP) resulted in a decrease in both particle and crystallite size, leading to a mechanical activation of the compound. This mechanically activated material demonstrated a high reactivity such that, in contrast to highly crystalline TTCP, a setting reaction with water to nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite (HA) and Ca(OH)₂ could be achieved at 37°C. However, crystalline TTCP is practically unreactive at physiologic temperatures because of the formation of a thin HA layer on the particle surface preventing further reaction.