Quantification of ageing of ultracapacitors during cycling tests with current profile characteristics of hybrid and electric vehicles applications

The ageing quantification of ultracapacitors in cycle-life tests has been studied. Current profiles and the characteristics of the ultracapacitors used in hybrid and electric vehicle applications are specified and validated. With these profiles, significant self-heating occurs but without exceeding the manufacturers' limits. Thus, ultracapacitors are aged in a short time with the same degradation mechanisms observed in normal use. Ageing evaluation is based on the measurement of the electrical parameter changes. A particular phenomenon is performance recovery during rest periods when power-cycling is interrupted for electrical characterisation. Therefore, an online characterisation procedure was added for more accurate evaluation of the ultracapacitors' ageing. A number of devices from two manufacturers are cycled with different current profiles. The obtained results are presented and discussed.     

Traffic classification and scheduling in ATM networks

Virtual paths (VPs) are an integral part of the resource management and control hierarchy of ATM (asynchronous transfer mode) networks. To improve the utilization of network resources and facilitate management and control, source types are organized into traffic classes. Each traffic class is transported by its own virtual path subnetwork. In this paper, we consider issues related to the design of traffic classes. We consider an ATM switch node to which cells arrive from a diverse set of source types. Traffic classes are assumed to be served according to a weighted round robin policy, while cells belonging to a given traffic class are served in first-come-first-served order. We consider the problem of determining the optimal set of traffic classes. Under suitable simplifying assumptions, it is shown that the above problem can be modeled as a set-partitioning problem. The structure of the problem at hand is then exploited to develop an efficient heuristic. Several examples are given to illustrate the developed methodology.Supported partially through NSF Grant NCR-891447 and AT&T Grant 5-23690.     

Modified tracking loop for DS spread spectrum systems

A nonconventional pseudo-noise (PN) code tracking loop for direct sequence (DS) spread spectrum systems is presented. It solves problems of component imbalance while maintaining hardware simplicity.<>     

Cracking orientation and induced anisotropy of a ceramic matrix composite under off-axis loading

The effect of matrix microcracking on the stiffnesses of a carbon-fibre/SiC-matrix woven composite is studied by means of an ultrasonic method. It provides the whole set of the stiffness tensor coefficients which are inaccessible by classical strain measurements and which are required to identify anisotropic damage. The induced anisotropy depends on the loading direction. If a tensile solicitation in a fibre direction leads to stiffnesses decreases without any rotation of principal axes, a tensile solicitation of 45° from a fibre direction creates microcracks with a predominant orientation that does not coincide with the elastic symmetry axes, and induce a fully anisotropic elastic degradation.     

Transport of arginine and ornithine into isolated mitochondria of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

In this work we have characterised the transport of L-arginine and L-ornithine into mitochondria isolated from a wild-type Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain and an isogenic arg11 knock-out mutant. The Arg11 protein (Arg11p) is a mitochondrial carrier required for arginine biosynthesis [Crabeel, M., Soetens, O., De Rijcke, M., Pratiwi, R. & Pankiewicz, R. (1996) J. Biol. Chem. 271, 25011-25019]. Reconstitution experiments have confirmed that it is an L-ornithine carrier also transporting L-arginine and L-lysine by order of decreasing affinity, but not L-histidine [Palmieri, L., De Marco, V., Iacobazzi, V., Palmieri, F., Runswick, M. & Walker, J. (1997) FEBS Lett. 410, 447-451]. Evidence is presented here that the mitochondrial inner membrane contains an L-arginine and L-ornithine transporting system distinct from Arg11p, in keeping with the arginine leaky phenotype of arg11 knock-out mutants. The newly characterised carrier, which we propose to name Bac1p (basic amino acid carrier), behaves as an antiporter catalysing the electroneutral exchange of the basic amino acids L-arginine, L-lysine, L-ornithine and L-histidine and displays the highest affinity for L-arginine (Km of 30 microM). L-Arginine uptake has a pH optimum in the range of 7.5-9 and is inhibited by several sulphydryl reagents, by pyridoxal 5'-phosphate and by cations.