Optical interconnection using VCSELs and polymeric waveguidecircuits

We investigated the waveguide loss and transmission characteristics for optical interconnection using vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) and multimode polymeric waveguide circuits with crossings. The excess loss with 100 crossings is 2.2 dB when the image magnification from a VCSEL to a waveguide is 2.3. We obtained error-free (i.e., bit error rate <10^-11) optical interconnection at 1.0625 Gbps regardless of the number of crossings or the magnification. These results suggest the practicality of large-scale optical interconnection between VCSEL-based smart-pixel chips using multimode waveguides with more than 100 crossings     

Dynamic C‐V characteristic for a varactor load connected with a transmission line

Crosstalk is induced by a reflected wave of a load connected with a transmission line. Thus, analysis of the reflected wave is important. The reflected wave generated from a nonlinear load is complicated. In order to estimate the complicated reflected wave, we measured the reflected and incident waves for the nonlinear load and estimated the dynamic C‐V characteristic, which explains the relation between the incident and reflected waves. This paper reports a simple experimental method of extracting reflected waves at a varactor load and presents estimates of the dynamic C‐V characteristic of the load. It is shown that the reflected voltage waves simulated using the dynamic C‐V characteristic agree with the measured results. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 167(4): 32–38, 2009; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/eej.20821     

Biodiesel production through transesterification of triolein with various alcohols in an ultrasonic field

The biodiesel production through transesterification of triolein with various alcohols such as methanol, ethanol, propanol, butanol, hexanol, octanol and decanol was investigated at molar ratio 6:1 (alcohol:triolein) and 25 °C in the presence of base catalysts (NaOH and KOH) under ultrasonic irradiation (40 kHz) and mechanical stirring (1800 rot/min) conditions. It was found that the rate of the alkyl ester formation under the ultrasonic irradiation condition was higher than that under the stirring condition. In addition, it was confirmed that the rate depended upon the kind of alcohols; as the number of carbon in alcohol increased, the rate of the ester formation tended to decrease. On the other hand, the secondary alcohols such as 2-propanol, 2-butanol, 2-hexanol, and 2-octanol showed little ester conversion, suggesting that the steric hindrance strongly affected the transesterification of triolein.     

Sensor-less maximum power point tracking control for wind generation system with squirrel cage induction generator

This paper proposes a technique that determines the optimal windmill operation speed and the optimal rotor flux. Moreover, the position and speed sensor-less wind generation system using the electromotive voltage observer to estimate rotor position and full-order observer to estimate rotor speed and the windmill output torque are proposed. The position and speed sensor-less maximum power point of wind power generation system is controlled by using the above estimated values, optimized windmill operation speed for maximum output power and optimized rotor flux for minimum generator losses. The effectiveness of the position and speed sensor-less maximum power point tracking control for wind power generation system with squirrel cage induction generator is verified by simulations. The simulation results confirm that the proposed method can estimate the operation speed efficiently.     

A Realization of a Low-Voltage Differential-Output OTA Using a Simple CM Amplifier

A technique for realization of low-voltage OTAs is presented in this letter. A very low-voltage differential-output OTA is realized by employing a new common-mode amplifier in the common-mode feedback circuit. The results of PSpice simulations are shown. The proposed OTA can operate at a 0.9 V supply voltage.     

Study on decomposition gas for diagnostics of gas‐insulated transformers

Concentrations of population and business activities result in high energy demand in urban areas. This requires the construction of underground substations. Oil‐free, nonflammable, nonexplosive equipment is recommended for underground substations. For this reason, gas‐insulated transformers have been developed. A diagnostic method for gas‐insulated transformers is thus required. This paper provides an experimental survey of the main components of decomposition gas generated by various faults in gas‐insulated transformers carried out through simplified model tests. The phenomena of overheating and partial discharges are modeled, taking the actual materials related to each fault into account. For example, CO, CO₂, and aldehydes are produced by overheating of pressboards and PET films. The amount of gas produced increases with rising temperature. While various gases are produced from a partial discharge, the principal components are SO₂ and SOF₂. These results will be used to develop a diagnostic method for gas‐insulated transformers. © 1999 Scripta Technica, Electr Eng Jpn, 130(1): 48–58, 2000     

Carbon footprint assessment for the waste management sector: A comparative analysis of China and Japan

Waste management is becoming a crucial issue in modern society owing to rapid urbanization and the increasing generation of municipal solid waste (MSW). This paper evaluates the carbon footprint of the waste management sector to identify direct and indirect carbon emissions, waste recycling carbon emission using a hybrid life cycle assessment and input-output analysis. China and Japan was selected as case study areas to highlight the effects of different industries on waste management. The results show that the life cycle carbon footprints for waste treatment are 59.01 million tons in China and 7.01 million tons in Japan. The gap between these footprints is caused by the different waste management systems and treatment processes used in the two countries. For indirect carbon footprints, China’s material carbon footprint and depreciation carbon footprint are much higher than those of Japan, whereas the purchased electricity and heat carbon footprint in China is half that of Japan. China and Japan have similar direct energy consumption carbon footprints. However, CO₂ emissions from MSW treatment processes in China (46.46 million tons) is significantly higher than that in Japan (2.72 million tons). The corresponding effects of waste recycling on CO₂ emission reductions are considerable, up to 181.37 million tons for China and 96.76 million tons for Japan. Besides, measures were further proposed for optimizing waste management systems in the two countries. In addition, it is argued that the advanced experience that developed countries have in waste management issues can provide scientific support for waste treatment in developing countries such as China.     

Comprehension of terminal differentiation and dedifferentiation of chondrocytes during passage cultures

A high density collagen type I coated substrate (CL substrate) was used to evaluate the chondrocyte phenotypes in passaged cultures. With increasing age of cell population (population doubling (PD)=0-14.5), the frequency of non-dividing spindle shaped cells without ALP activity increased, accompanied with an increase in gene expression of collagen type I, meaning the senescence of dedifferentiated cells. At the middle age of cell population (PD=5.1 and 6.6), the high frequency of polygonal shaped cells with ALP activity existed on the CL substrate together with up-regulated expressions of collagen types II and X, indicating the terminal differentiation of chondrocytes. When the chondrocytes passaged up to the middle age were embedded in collagen gel, the high frequency of single hypertrophic cells with collagen type II formation was recognized, which supports the thought that the high gene expression of collagen type II was attributed to terminal differentiation rather than redifferentiation. These results show that the CL substrate can draw out the potential of terminal differentiation in chondrocytes, which is unattainable by a polystyrene surface, and that the CL substrate can be a tool to evaluate cell quality in three-dimensional culture with the collagen gel.     

In situ X-ray diffraction observation of smectite hydration under constant volume

Smectite (especially, montmorillonite) is the major clay mineral constituent of bentonite, which is designed to play a key role as a buffer material in geological repositories for the final disposal of radioactive waste in Japan. It is therefore crucial to understand the hydration behavior of smectite in terms of swelling during hydration and saturation processes.

Against such a background, the authors simultaneously observed behaviors of smectite swelling at the micro-level (i.e., both the generation of swelling pressure and the change of hydration state). In the experiments, deionized water was allowed to permeate into a dried specimen of smectite (named Kunipia-F®) with different dry densities (ρ_d: 0.97, 1.23, 1.43, 1.64 and 1.88 Mg/m³) under conditions of constant temperature and volume. The swelling pressure was measured using an in situ uniaxial consolidation apparatus during the water feeding process. Changes in local hydration states (i.e., one-molecular-layer hydration states to three-molecular-layer hydration states) were also simultaneously observed. Hydration among these different states propagated from the inlet side to the outlet side of the specimen. The authors discussed the relationships governing the hydration state, swelling pressure, the number of hydration moles, dry density, equilibrium final pressure, and then the dynamic mechanism behind pressure propagation.     

Study on the efficiency of effective thermal conductivities on melting characteristics of latent heat storage capsules

Improvement of the thermal conductivity of a phase change materials (PCM) is one effective technique to reduce phase change time in latent heat storage technology. Thermal conductivity is improved by saturating porous metals with phase change materials. The influence of effective thermal conductivity on melting time is studied by analyzing melting characteristics of a heat storage circular capsule in which porous metal saturated with PCM is inserted. Numerical and approximate analyses were made under conditions where there are uniform or non-uniform heat transfer coefficients around the cylindrical surface. Four PCMs (H₂O, octadecane, Li₂CO₃, NaCl) and three metals (copper, aluminum and carbon steel) were selected as specific materials. Porosities of the metals were restricted to be larger than 0.9 in order to keep high capacity of latent heat storage. Results show that considerable reduction in melting time was obtained, especially for low conductivity PCMs and for high heat transfer coefficient. Melting time obtained by approximate analysis agrees well with numerical analysis. A trial estimation of optimum porosity is made balancing the desirable conditions of high latent heat capacity and reduction of melting time. Optimum porosity decreases with increase in heat transfer coefficient.