An experimentally verified hybrid Cassie-Mayr electric arc modelfor power electronics simulations

This paper presents an electric arc model that can approximately represent both the static and dynamic characteristics of an arc load controlled by a power electronic circuit. The proposed model was developed from the combination and modifications of the classical Cassie and Mayr equations. The model equations have been expressed in a form suitable for incorporation into circuit simulators employing the nodal analysis method of equation solving. The model has been test-implemented in the Saber circuit simulator. Simulated and experimental results appear to be in good agreement     

Least mean p-power error criterion for adaptive FIR filter

An adaptive FIR filter based on the least mean p-power error (MPE) criterion is investigated. First, some useful properties of MPE function are studied. Three main results are as follows: 1) MPE function is a convex function of filter coefficients; so it has no local minima. 2) When input process and desired process are both Gaussian processes, then MPE function has the same optimum solution as the conventional Wiener solution for any p. 3) When input process and desired process are non-Gaussian processes, then MPE function may have better optimum solution than Wiener solution. Next, a least mean p-power (LMP) error adaptive algorithm is derived and some application examples are presented. Consequently, when the signal is corrupted by an impulsive noise, the adaptive algorithm with p=1 is preferred. Furthermore, when the signal is corrupted by noise or interference, the adaptive algorithm with proper choice of p may be preferred     

A full-wave mixed potential mode-matching method for the analysisof planar or quasi-planar transmission lines

A full-wave mixed potential mode-matching method is presented for the analysis of planar and/or quasi-planar transmission lines. The transmission lines studied consist of layered (stratified) and nonlayered dielectric substrates and metal strips of finite thickness. The y-directed hybrid transverse electric (TE) and transverse-magnetic (TM) Hertzian potentials, perpendicular to the interfaces between each layered region, are employed in the layered regions. The nonlayered regions consist of dielectric step discontinuities that destroy the layered configuration in the horizontal plane, allowing a systematic and easy to handle full-wave formulation of the transmission line problem. The relative convergence criterion needs to be satisfied to obtain accurate electromagnetic field solutions. Theoretical results are in very good agreement with published data for various transmission line structures. Applications of the formulation to the proximity effects of microstrip and microslab lines are illustrated     

Dynamic Policy-Based Network Management for a Secure Coalition Environment

This article reports the latest results of an R&D effort to develop a prototype implementation of a dynamic policy-based network management (PBNM) system that can be used to configure and manage a secure network for a coalition environment across an unsecured wide area network. The prototype, based on a distributed architecture, includes capabilities for policy creation and management, dynamic policy negotiation, and dynamic policy provisioning. The policy negotiation facilitates the rapid deployment of a coalition network while the dynamic policy provisioning automates the configuration and management of network services including firewalls, virtual private network connections, routing, quality of service (QoS), and domain name services. Such a PBNM system enhances an organization's ability to react to network incidents identified by a network situational awareness assessment. Although the focus of the current research is a military coalition environment, the system can be used in any distributed enterprise or collaborative environment     

Affect intensity and cardiac arousal.

Investigated in 3 experiments the relationships between affect intensity and basal, evoked, and perceived cardiac arousal. Affect intensity was assessed using R. J. Larsen and E. Diener's (1987) Affect Intensity Measure (AIM). Cardiac arousal was evoked with exercise in the 1st study and with mental arithmetic in the 2nd and 3rd. Perceived cardiac arousal was measured under optimal conditions using a standard heartbeat discrimination procedure. Women as a group scored higher on the AIM. Affect intensity was unrelated to basal or evoked cardiac arousal and was negatively related to perceived cardiac arousal in all 3 studies. Data suggest that affect intensity, although unrelated to actual physiological arousal, is negatively related to the accuracy with which individuals perceive their own arousal. Results are discussed within the context of an expanded arousal-regulation model (J. Blascovich, 1990). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

An observer-based robust adaptive controller for permanent magnet synchronous motor drive with initial rotor angle uncertainty

An observer-based robust adaptive nonlinear position and speed tracking controller is developed for a permanent magnet synchronous motor with initial rotor angle uncertainty. The unknown initial rotor position is treated as a constant motor parameter in the development of the controller. An incremental encoder, which provides relative position variation of the rotor, is used along with stator current signals to achieve stable control. However, the controller does not require the knowledge of motor parameters and it only assumes friction, external disturbances, and model uncertainties are bounded. By using state observers, the measurement of acceleration and load torque, which is required usually in the nonlinear controller design with high tracking performance, is avoided. The stability of the control system and tracking convergence are guaranteed using Lyapunov theory. Finally, the stability and efficacy of the proposed drive system are verified by experimental results.     

Laboratory simulated slipstream testing of novel sulfur removal processes for gasification application

The Wabash River Integrated Methanol and Power Production from Clean Coal Technologies (IMPPCCT) project is investigating an Early Entrance Coproduction Plant (EECP) concept to evaluate integrated electrical power generation and methanol production from coal and other carbonaceous feedstocks. Research, development and testing (RD&T) that is currently being conducted under the project is evaluating cost effective process systems for removing contaminants, particularly sulfur species, from the generated gas which contains mainly synthesis gas (syngas), CO₂ and steam at concentrations acceptable for the methanol synthesis catalyst. The RD&T includes laboratory testing followed by bench-scale and field testing at the SG Solutions Gasification Plant located in West Terre Haute, Indiana. Actual synthesis gas produced by the plant was utilized at system pressure and temperature for bench-scale field testing.     

Microwave surface impedances of BCS superconducting thin films

The microwave propagation-dominated problem in the multilayer structure made of a BCS superconducting film and a dielectric substrate is investigated theoretically by using the modified two-fluid model and transmission line theory. The effective microwave surface impedances are studied as functions of temperature, frequency, and film thickness, as well as substrate thickness. Special attention is paid to the substrate resonance phenomenon in the resonant structure. The influence of BCS coherence effects on surface impedance and resonant behavior is clearly demonstrated. The resonant effect in the stack structure is well interpreted with the help of the transverse resonance technique in the microwave theory     

Amulti-channel model for initial and handoff accesses in a mobile computing environment

The communication infrastructure of a mobile computing environment can be based on the structure of a cellular/microcellular telephone system or a PCS network. In such a system, the occurrence of handoffs cannot be avoided and when handoffs occur, wireless links held by mobile computers crossing cell boundaries may be forced to terminate. The probability that a handoff access request will result in forced termination has a significant effect on the performance of a mobile computing environment, as does the probability that an initial access request will be blocked. Although some research has been done on initial and handoff accesses in cellular/microcellular telephone systems and PCS networks, the analytical models used in this research are not appropriate for mobile computing, since unlike a telephone, a mobile computer may use several channels at once. In this paper, we develop an analytical model to study initial and handoff accesses in a mobile computing environment. The model is based on a multi-dimensional continuous time Markov chain. The accuracy of the model is verified by comparison with simulation results. We then use the model to find a practical approach to balancing the initial access blocking probability and avarage forced termination probability of a connection in a mobile computing network.This research was supported by the National Science Council, ROC, under grant NSC 85-2213-E-009-063.     

Rank preservation of matrices with structured uncertainties and itsapplications in robust control theory

Matrix rank is determined by the nonsingularity of its submatrices. For matrices in which entries are quadratic functions of some uncertain parameters, this paper derives sufficient conditions on parameters to that ensure the matrices preserve to some degrees the ranks they have when the parameters are all zero. The rank preservation problem is converted to the nonsingularity analysis problem of the minors of the matrix in discussion, and suitable tools such as the μ-analysis method are used to solve the problem. Applications in robust control theory, including tests for robust controllability/observability, minimum phaseness, coprimeness, and Schur stability, are given, together with illustrative examples,