Neuro-fuzzy position control of demining tele-operation system based on RNN modeling

The paper considers the neuro-fuzzy position control of multi-finger robot hand in tele-operation system—an active master–slave hand system (MSHS) for demining. Recently, fuzzy control systems utilizing artificial intelligent techniques are also being actively investigated in robotic area. Neural network with their powerful learning capability are being sought as the basis for many adaptive control systems where on-line adaptation can be implemented. Fuzzy logic on the other hand has been proved to be rather popular in many control system applications providing a rule-base like structure. In this paper, the design and optimization process of fuzzy position controller is supported by learning techniques derived from neural network where a radial basis function (RBF) neural network is implemented to learn fuzzy rules and membership functions with predictor of recurrent neural network (RNN) model. The results of experiment show that based on the predictive capability of RNN model neuro-fuzzy controller with good adaptation and robustness capability can be designed.     

A new method for determining HT deposition velocity and dependence of the velocity on environmental factors

A new method was developed to determine HT deposition velocity and to investigate how environmental factors affect the deposition processes including the diffusion into soil and the biochemical conversion by microorganisms to HTO in soil. This method, using a chamber and two tritium samplers, enables determination of the HT deposition velocity in situ without a large scale experiment and an additional tritium source. The main problem concerning the use of a flow-through method is the possible effect of flow rate on flux measurement. Since the tritium sampler used in this study has many collecting columns, the flow rate is limited. Experimental results showed no significant effect of flow rate over a low range from 0.48 to 0.95 l.min-1. From the increase of HT deposition velocity with increase of water content, it was indicated that biochemical oxidation rather than physical diffusion dominantly affects the HT deposition velocity under examined site conditions. No clear relationship between the HT deposition velocity and atmospheric temperature, relative humidity or soil temperature was observed. The soil temperature was only of secondary importance as a factor controlling the HT deposition velocity.     

Fluorex reprocessing system for the thermal reactors cycle and future thermal/fast reactors (coexistence) cycle

A new reprocessing technology, FLUOREX was proposed for thermal reactors cycle and future thermal/fast reactors (coexistence) cycle. The proposed system is a hybrid system that combines fluoride volatility and solvent extraction methods. Spent fuel will be sheared and cladding material will be removed by dry oxidation/reduction method such as AIROX process. Fluorination and purification of most uranium can be easily achieved by fluoride volatility method with compact facility. About 10% residues including plutonium can be treated in well-established PUREX method, which means this facility load will be about 1/10 of the conventional PUREX facility with same capacity. Between fluorination process and PUREX process, there is a pyrohydrolysis process where the fluoride compounds from fluorination process are converted to the oxides. Pure mixture of Pu and U can be obtained by solvent extraction method without separating Pu and U, which is suitable for conventional MOX fuel fabrication. The system can recover pure U and MOX with the decontamination factor of over 10⁷ and can drastically reduce the cost and waste generation compared with the conventional one.

Semi engineering scale experiments for the fluorination, pyrohydrolysis, and dissolution of Pu containing materials were carried out. From those experimental results, key elemental processes were fundamentally proofed.     

Experimental and computational studies on flow behavior around counter rotating blades in a double-spindle deck

Experimental and computational studies were performed to determine the effects of different blade designs on a flow pattern inside a double-spindle counter rotating mower deck. In the experimental study, two different blade models were tested by measuring air velocities using a forward-scatter LDV system. The velocity measurements were taken at several different azimuth and axial sections inside the deck. The measured velocity distributions clarified the air flow pattern caused by the rotating blades and demonstrated the effects of deck and blade designs. A high-speed video camera and a sound level meter were used for flow visualization and noise level measurement. In the computational works, two-dimensional blade shapes at several arbitrary radial sections have been selected for flow computations around the blade model. For three-dimensional computation applied a non-inertia coordinate system, a flow field around the entire three-dimensional blade shape is used to evaluate flow patterns in order to take radial flow interactions into account. The computational results were compared with the experimental results.     

Adsorption of nitrate onto nitrogen-doped activated carbon fibers prepared by chemical vapor deposition

Nitrogen-doped activated carbon fibers (ACFs) were prepared by chemical vapor deposition using melamine powder and acetonitrile for introducing quaternary nitrogen on the commercial ACFs, subsequently heated at 950 °C and activated by steam. Adsorption experiments of nitrate in aqueous solution were also conducted to evaluate adsorption capacity of the prepared ACFs using ion chromatography. The amount of introduced nitrogen content and nitrogen species on activated carbon fibers was examined by CHN elemental analyzer and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, respectively. As a result, adsorption capacity of quaternary nitrogen-doped ACF (ST-ML-AN-ST) was 0.75 mmol/g, indicating ca. two-times higher than that of untreated ACF (0.38 mmol/g). According to the adsorption data, the Langmuir isotherm model was the best fit. The prepared samples were also regenerated using hydrochloric acid. After regeneration, the adsorption capacity of the nitrogen-doped ACF (ST-ML-AN-ST) showed ca. 80% on average, implying that a portion of nitrates was adsorbed on the prepared ACFs irreversibly.     

Removal of estrogenic activities of 17beta-estradiol and ethinylestradiol by ligninolytic enzymes from white rot fungi

We investigated whether manganese peroxidase (MnP) and the laccase-mediator system with 1-hydroxybenzotriazole (HBT) as mediator can remove the estrogenic activities of the steroidal hormones 17beta-estradiol (E(2)) and ethinylestradiol (EE(2)). Using the yeast two-hybrid assay system, we confirmed that the estrogenic activities of E(2) and EE(2) are much higher than those of bisphenol A and nonylphenol. Greater than 80% of the estrogenic activities of E(2) and EE(2) were removed following 1-h treatment with MnP or the laccase-HBT system; extending the treatment time to 8h removed the remaining estrogenic activity of both steroidal hormones. HPLC analysis demonstrated that E(2) and EE(2) had disappeared almost completely in the reaction mixture after a 1-h treatment. These results strongly suggest that these ligninolytic enzymes are effective in removing the estrogenic activities of E(2) and EE(2).     

Synthesis and properties of polycyclic quinones condensed with 1,6-methano[10]annulene

Two types of polycyclic quinones condensed with 1,6-methano[10]annulenes as type A: 1,6-methanonaphtho[2,3-c][10]annulene-7,12-dione 5a, and type B: 1,6-methanonaphtho[2,3-c][10]annulene-5,14-dione 18, bis(1,6-methano[10]annuleno[3,4-b; 3,4-g])anthracene-10,21-dione 20, 1,6-methanoanthraceno[2,3-c][10]annulene-5,16-dione 22, 1,6-methanotetraceno[2,3-c][10]annulene-6,17-dione 23, and 1,6-methano phenanthreno[2,3-c][10]annulene-5,6-dione 24 have been synthesized. The acene derivative 6 corresponding to that of 5a was synthesized by the reduction of quinone 5a. The physical, spectral, and chemical properties of these new compounds have been investigated.     

Temperature dependence of dielectric permittivity of perovskite-type artificial superlattices

Perovskite-type BaTiO(3)/SrTiO(3) (BTO/STO) artificial superlattices were fabricated by the molecular beam epitaxy method. The X-Ray diffraction (XRD) profiles and reflection, high-energy, electron diffraction (RHEED) oscillations during the growth of superlattices indicated that crystalline orientation toward [001] direction and two-dimensional layer-by-layer growth were achieved. The capacitance, dielectric loss tangent, and complex admittance were measured up to 145 degrees C and up to the frequency of 100 MHz with the microplaner interdigital electrodes. Dielectric permittivity of superlattices was evaluated from the complex admittance with an electromagnetic field analysis as a function of temperature. The [BTO(10)/STO(10)](4) superlattice showed the enormous relative permittivity of 19,000 at room temperature and the dielectric relaxation was observed. The linear relations in the charge versus voltage curves were observed in these superlattices, and the shape of Q-V curves were not changed as a function of temperature. Temperature dependence of dielectric properties of the BTO/STO superlattices was evaluated. It was found that the BTO/STO superlattices did not show a peak in the dielectric permittivity versus temperature curve, which was different from the behavior of BTO-STO bulk ceramics and normal thin films. These results strongly supported that the high permittivity of the superlattices was caused by temperature-stable anisotropic strains induced in the superlattices.     

Development of a novel glue consisting of naturally-derived biomolecules: citric acid and human serum albumin

A novel glue consisting of human serum albumin (HSA) and citric acid derivative (CAD) was developed where the glue is named as CAD-A glue. In this adhesive, CAD works as a crosslinking reagent of HSA. For preparing crosslinking reagent CAD, using citric acid as a starting material, three carboxyl groups of a citric acid were modified with N-hydroxysuccinimide in the presence of 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethyl aminopropyl) carbodiimide hydrochloride. From 1H-NMR spectrum, CAD with three active ester groups in a molecule was successfully synthesized with a high yield (more than 80%). The boding time of CAD-A glue to collagen-based casing was saturated within 15 minutes. The bonding strength of this glue to collagen-based casings increased with increasing of HSA concentration. The maximum bonding strength of CAD-A glue was a slightly low level compared to the bonding strength of cyanoacrylate adhesive and was 9 times higher than that of fibrin glue. The CAD-A glue showed excellent biocompatibility and high ability of wound closure similar to that of cyanoacrylate-based adhesive when glues were applied to the mouse skin. These results suggested that this developed adhesive had both tissue compatibility and bonding strength for use in clinical field.