Evaluation of Al and Some of Its Alloys as Anode Materials vs γ-MnO2 as Cathode Material and Ore Produced γ-MnO2 vs Zn Anode in KOH Solution

In this study electrochemical performance of Al and some of its alloys (Al-Zn, Al-Mg and Al-Mn) anodes vs MnO2 cathode were carried out in alkaline solution. The results show that the Al-Zn alloy anode has the best cell capacity among the other alloys. Cell capacity values go in the order Al-Zn＞Al-Mg＞Al＞Al-Mn. This result is probably related to the nature of passive films formed on the surface of the alloys which examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). SEM morphologies of Al and its alloys showed coarse grains of passive films formed on the surface of these anode materials while Al-Mn morphology shows a needle-like structure.Electrolytic manganese dioxide (EMD) produced by electrodepositing on platinum anode from liquor resulting from reduction of low grade pyrolusite ore (β-MnO2) by sulfur slag was characterized as cathode in alkaline Zn-MnO2 batteries. Ore produced sample (EMD1) was performed well in comparison with EMD standard (EMD2) (commercial battery grade electrolytic manganese dioxide, TOSOH-Hellas GH-S). SEM morphology of Zn anode after cell reaction was carried out and showed that Zn anode has fine grains of passive film on its surface.     

A unified framework for tree search decoding: rediscovering the sequential decoder

We consider receiver design for coded transmission over linear Gaussian channels. We restrict ourselves to the class of lattice codes and formulate the joint detection and decoding problem as a closest lattice point search (CLPS). Here, a tree search framework for solving the CLPS is adopted. In our framework, the CLPS algorithm is decomposed into the preprocessing and tree search stages. The role of the preprocessing stage is to expose the tree structure in a form matched to the search stage. We argue that the forward and feedback (matrix) filters of the minimum mean-square error decision feedback equalizer (MMSE-DFE) are instrumental for solving the joint detection and decoding problem in a single search stage. It is further shown that MMSE-DFE filtering allows for solving underdetermined linear systems and using lattice reduction methods to diminish complexity, at the expense of a marginal performance loss. For the search stage, we present a generic method, based on the branch and bound (BB) algorithm, and show that it encompasses all existing sphere decoders as special cases. The proposed generic algorithm further allows for an interesting classification of tree search decoders, sheds more light on the structural properties of all known sphere decoders, and inspires the design of more efficient decoders. In particular, an efficient decoding algorithm that resembles the well-known Fano sequential decoder is identified. The excellent performance-complexity tradeoff achieved by the proposed MMSE-DFE Fano decoder is established via simulation results and analytical arguments in several multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) and intersymbol interference (ISI) scenarios.     

Interface Characteristics and Laboratory Constructability Tests of Novel Fiber-Reinforced Polymer/Concrete Piles

Conventional pile materials such as steel, concrete, and timber are prone to deterioration for many reasons. Fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) concrete composites represent an alternative construction material for deep foundations that can eliminate many of the performance disadvantages of traditional piling materials. However, FRP composites present several difficulties related to constructability, and the lack of design tools for their implementation as a foundation element. This paper describes the results of an experimental study on frictional FRP/dense sand interface characteristics and the constructability of FRP–concrete composite piles. An innovative toe driving technique is developed to install the empty FRP shells in the soil and self-consolidating concrete is subsequently cast in them. The experimental program involves interface shear tests on small FRP samples and uplift load tests on large-scale model piles. Two different FRP pile materials with different roughness and a reference steel pile are examined. Static uplift load tests are conducted on different piles installed in soil samples subjected to different confining pressures in the pressure chamber. The results showed that the interface friction for FRP materials compared favorably with conventional steel material. It was shown that toe driving is suitable for installation of FRP piles in dense soils.     

EGYPTOR Tokamak: Modification of the Original Design Using Permanent Compensation Coils and First Results of the Breakdown Discharge

The EGYPTOR tokamak is a small device of rectangular cross section 25 × 20 cm. Modification of the original design is done by adding compensation coils connected to the Toroidal field (TF) coils and Ohmic heating (OH) coils. These compensation coils are used to compensate most of the stray magnetic field components that prevent a breakdown discharge. First results of the breakdown discharge are reported. A gated ICCD camera is used to obtain side view images of the visible light emitted from the plasma.     

Constrained traffic equilibrium in routing

We study noncooperative routing in which each user is faced with a multicriterion optimization problem, formulated as the minimization of one criterion subject to constraints on others. We address the questions of existence and uniqueness of equilibrium. We show that equilibria indeed exist but uniqueness may be destroyed due to the multicriteria nature of the problem. We obtain uniqueness in some weaker sense under appropriate conditions: we show that the link utilizations are uniquely determined at equilibrium. We further study the normalized constrained equilibrium and apply it to pricing.     

A fast and compact elimination method of empty elements from a double‐array structure

A double‐array is a well‐known data structure to implement the trie. However, the space efficiency of the double‐array degrades with the number of key deletions because the double‐array keeps empty elements produced by the key deletion. This paper presents a fast and compact elimination method of empty elements using properties of the trie nodes that have no siblings. The present elimination method is implemented by C language. From simulation results for large sets of keys, the present elimination method is about 30–330 times faster than the conventional elimination method and maintains high space efficiency. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Ferroelectric versus Relaxor Behaviour in Na0.5Bi4.5Ti4O15—BaBi4Ti4O15 Solid Solutions

Sodium-bismuth titanate Na_0.5Bi_4.5Ti₄O₁₅ (NBT) and barium bismuth titanate BaBi₄Ti₄O₁₅ (BBT) and their solid solutions were prepared by solid state reaction of the constituent oxides. The room temperature structural characteristics were determined by X-ray diffraction and the dielectric properties investigated in a wide range of temperatures (20–750°C) and frequencies (1 kHz–1 MHz). As the barium content increases, the unit cell change from orthorhombic to pseudo-tetragonal, the paraelectric to ferroelectric phase transition decreases from 655°C to 400–420°C and a relaxor-like behaviour is observed for high barium contents. Depending on the composition, dielectric data were fitted using both classical (low Ba) and modified Curie-Weiss law for relaxors (high Ba).     

Distributed machining control and monitoring using smart sensors/actuators

The study of smart sensors and actuators led, during the past few years, to the development of facilities which improve traditional sensors and actuators in a necessary way to automate production systems. In another context, many studies have been carried out aimed at defining a decisional structure for production activity control and the increasing need of reactivity leads to the autonomization of decisional levels close to the operational system. We study in this paper the natural convergence between these two approaches and we propose an integration architecture, dealing with machine tool and machining control, that enables the exploitation of distributed smart sensors and actuators in the decisional system.     

The concept of work compatibility: An integrated design criterion for improving workplace human performance in manufacturing systems

In this paper, we present the concept of work compatibility as an integrated work design criterion that simultaneously improves human health and safety, productivity, and work quality in manufacturing systems. In this respect, we have modeled work compatibility as a work design parameter that mathematically integrates the energizing (i.e., system resources) and the demand (i.e., system requirements) forces in the work system. A mathematical equation has been derived for the work compatibility matrix. Furthermore, an operating zone has been developed in which there is a region of optimality for the employee to function on practical grounds with a good degree of efficiency and sustainability. An application example is provided to demonstrate the potential of work compatibility to improve productivity and quality along with improvement in worker safety and health. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Hum Factors Man 14: 379–402, 2004.     

Theory experiment comparison of the electron backscattering factor from solids at low electron energy (250-5,000 eV)

The electron backscattering factor was measured from 24 different elements at low primary beam energy (250-5,000 eV). The results were compared with Monte Carlo simulations from a variety of freely available programs and an in-house developed program. The results suggest that a thin film of oxide can modify the backscattering factor at low primary energy. In addition, a number of problems have been identified with the freely available programs.