Effective lightning protection schemes for distribution line

The causes of lightning outage are subdivided into direct lightning strokes and induced lightning strokes, which are identified by the characteristics of the lightning overvoltage. In the past, lightning protection devices were directed mainly toward the latter, and attention has been focused on the installation of lightning protection devices, ground wires, and reinforcement of insulators. However, lightning outages continue to occur. Thus it is extremely important to clarify the fault characteristics of lightning surges and to study the effectiveness of various lightning protection devices by considering both direct lightning stroke and induced lightning stroke in order to prevent lightning outage in the future. In this research, the electromagnetic transients program (EMTP) has been applied to the direct lightning stroke, and the induced lightning outage analysis program for multiple conductor systems has been applied to the induced lightning stroke to study the effectiveness of lightning protection devices provided by combination of various lightning protection devices. The most effective lightning protection schemes are analyzed and evaluated based on verification tests on the full scale models as well as economic considerations.     

Subsurface structures in initial stage of FeSi2 growth studied by high-resolution Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy

The initial stage of iron silicide formation is investigated by high-resolution Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy. During the Fe deposition on Si(001) at 470 °C, the formation of FeSi₂ is confirmed by the surface peak analysis. Initially, FeSi₂ grows epitaxially so that one of the major crystallographic axes is parallel to the <111> axis of the Si substrate. With increasing Fe deposition, the deviation between the major crystallographic axis of the silicide region and Si<111> increases although the electron diffraction pattern is independent of the amount of Fe deposition. Therefore, the subsurface crystallographic structure of iron silicide is transformed from a cubic-like to a low-symmetry structure.     

Successive pattern classification based on test feature classifier and its application to defect image classification

A novel successive learning algorithm based on a Test Feature Classifier is proposed for efficient handling of sequentially provided training data. The fundamental characteristics of the successive learning are considered. In the learning, after recognition of a set of unknown data by a classifier, they are fed into the classifier in order to obtain a modified performance. An efficient algorithm is proposed for the incremental definition of prime tests which are irreducible combinations of features and capable of classifying training patterns into correct classes. Four strategies for addition of training patterns are investigated with respect to their precision and performance using real pattern data. A real-world problem of classification of defects on wafer images has been dealt with by the proposed classifier, obtaining excellent performance even through efficient addition strategies.     

High-efficiency finishing process for metal mold by large-area electron beam irradiation

A new finishing process for metal molds by large-area electron beam (EB) irradiation is proposed in this study. In the large-area EB irradiation equipment used here, an EB with high-energy density is irradiated without focusing the beam, and so the EB with a maximum diameter of 60 mm can be used for melting or evaporating metal surface instantly. Experimental results show that the surface roughness decreases from 6 μmRz to less than 1 μmRz in just a few minutes under proper machining conditions. The corrosion resistance of metal mold surface also could be greatly improved by large-area EB irradiation. Furthermore, the surface roughness of tilting surface close to 90° could be well improved. Therefore, large-area EB irradiation method has a possibility to become a high-efficiency finishing process for metal molds.     

Microfabricated needle-type sensors for pO/sub 2/, pCO/sub 2/, and pH

In order to conduct in vivo continuous monitoring of blood gas levels, very thin disposable pO/sub 2/, pCO/sub 2/, and pH sensors, which could be incorporated into a syringe needle or a catheter, were microfabricated. Electrode patterns were formed on a polyimide substrate and stacked with intervening polyimide insulating layers. An electrolyte layer was formed, which was covered with a silicone rubber gas-permeable membrane or a passivating layer. The most critical part of the sensor was a Ag-AgCl reference electrode with a pinhole structure. Because of the structure and novel operational mode of the reference electrode, its potential stabilized immediately, and reproducible responses were realized for the respective sensors. Performance characterization revealed clear responses and linear calibration plots in the ranges of partial pressures or pH of physiological levels. No significant damages or changes in the performance of the sensors were observed after ethylene oxide sterilization.     

Solution synthesis of crystallized AMO4 (A=Ba, Sr, Ca; M=W, Mo) film at room temperature

A well-crystallized AMO₄ (A=Ba, Ca, Sr; M=W, Mo) films have been prepared at room temperature through a simple solution reaction in respective alkaline solution at higher pH ranging from 12–14. Adopting the corrosion principle for oxidation of metal substrate, these double oxide films were carried out in presence of chemical driving force without any special apparatus or devices. Hydrogen peroxide was used to enhance the dissolution rate of metal substrates. The driving force for the film formation and growth were high concentration of A²⁺, MO₄²⁻ ions with high pH conditions. Average grain sizes of 8–10 μm with bipyramidal shaped particle were grown to the thickness of about 10–14 μm after 3–6 hours treatment. The crystallization of AMO₄ was characterized by three-dimensional nucleation. This work demonstrates the possibility of fabrication of functional ceramic films directly from the aqueous solution in a single step by solution reactions.     

Stabilization of bioethanol recovery with silicone rubber‐coated ethanol‐permselective silicalite membranes by controlling the pH of acidic feed solution

In order to produce highly concentrated bioethanol by pervaporation using an ethanol‐permselective silicalite membrane, techniques to suppress adsorption of succinic acid, which is a chief by‐product of ethanol fermentation and causes the deterioration in pervaporation performance, onto the silicalite crystals was investigated. The amount adsorbed increased as the pH of the aqueous succinic acid solution decreased. The pervaporation performance also decreased with decreasing pH when the ternary mixtures of ethanol/water/succinic acid were separated. Using silicalite membranes individually coated with two types of silicone rubber, pervaporation performance was significantly improved in the pH range of 5 to 7, when compared with that of non‐coated silicalite membranes in ternary mixtures of ethanol/water/succinic acid. Moreover, when using a silicalite membrane double‐coated with the two types of silicone rubber, pervaporation performance was stabilized at lower pH values. In the separation of bioethanol by pervaporation using the double‐coated silicalite membrane, removal of accumulated substances having an ultraviolet absorption maximum at approximately 260 nm from the fermentation broth proved to be vital for efficient pervaporation. Copyright © 2005 Society of Chemical Industry     

Simulation and experimental analyses of electromagnetic transients behaviors of lightning surge on vertical conductors

Simulation of very fast surge phenomena in a three-dimensional (3-D) structure requires a method based on Maxwell's equations, such as the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method or the method of moments, because circuit-equation-based methods cannot handle the phenomena. This paper uses a method of thin-wire representation of the vertical conductor system for the FDTD method which is suitable for the 3-D surge simulation. The thin-wire representation is indispensable to simulate electromagnetic surges on wires or steel frames in which the radius is smaller than a discretized space step used in the FDTD simulation. In this paper, a general surge analysis program named the virtual surge test lab based on the Maxwell's equations formulated by the FDTD method, is used to simulate the surge phenomena of a vertical conductor, including the effects of horizontal wave incidence and vertical wave incidence. Experimental results on the reduced scale model have been presented in order to compare among the simulation results by the FDTD method and the results using numerical electromagnetic code based on the MoM.     

Far infrared reflection spectra in narrow-gap semiconductors

Far infrared reflection spectra of Cd_XHg_1?X Se are measured in the region 20 to 600 cm^?1 at temperatures between 5 and 77 K. Reflection spectra are explained well by the dynamic dielectric function which is constructed as a sum of Γ₈?Γ₈ interband, intraband and phonon contributions. The plasmon-LO phonon coupling effect is also discussed.     

Preparation of pyrochlores. A1−xHxTaO3·nH2O (A=Na,K)

Pyrochlores of A_1?xH_xTaO₃·nH₂O (A=Na,K) were prepared under the hydrothermal conditions. The values of x for these compounds were increased from 0.3 to 0.5 for A=Na and from 0.2 to 0.5 for A=K by treatment with the distilled water. The compounds with x<0.5 were decomposed to a mixture of NaTaO₃ and Na₂Ta₄O₁₁ for A=Na, or to a mixture of KTaO₃ and a tetragonal tungsten bronze phase, and those with x=0.5 to a single phase of A₂Ta₄O₁₁ at elevated temperatures. Below the decomposition temperatures, defect pyrochlores with oxygen vacancies, $\text{A}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>1?</mtext><mtext>x</mtext>}}\text{TaO}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>3?</mtext><mtext>x</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}$, were produced. They were hygroscopic, and in the case of A=K and x=0.5 the original phase was recovered by leaving in air for several hours.