Elastoplastic Finite Element Analysis and Strength Evaluation of Adhesive Butt Joints of Similar and Dissimilar Hollow Shafts Subjected to External Bending Moments

Stress distributions and deformation of adhesive butt joints are analyzed by an elastoplastic finite element method when the joints of similar and dissimilar shafts are subjected to external bending moments. The effects of the ratio of Young's modulus for the adherends to that for an adhesive and the effects of the adhesive thickness on the interface stress distribution are investigated. Joint strength is predicted by using the elastoplastic interface stress distributions. It is found that the singular stress at the edge of the interfaces increases with an increase of the ratio of Young's modulus. Measurement of strains in joints and experiments on joint strength were conducted. The numerical results are in fairly good agreement with the experimental results. It is observed that the joint strength for dissimilar shafts are smaller than those for similar shafts. A fracture of dissimilar adhesive up-bonded shafts occurred from the interface of the adherend with smaller Young's modulus. It is seen that joint strength increases as the adhesive thickness increases.     

A pre-heating vaporization technology of coal-water-slurry for the gasification process

A pre-heating vaporization technology of coal water slurry, CWS, was developed to increase the efficiency of coal gasification with the reduction of oxygen consumption. A CWS pre-heating experimental unit having a capacity of 2.0 tons-coal/day was manufactured. After the CWS was heated to 573 K at about 10 MPa, water in CWS was continuously vaporized in a tube of which the diameter increased gradually (2–10 mm I.D.), and dry coal particles with steam were atomized and fed to a vessel. No aggregation of coal particles was observed in the atomized samples. The temperature and the pressure distributions of the fluid were calculated with empirical heat transfer and pressure drop correlations. The calculated results well corresponded to the experimental data measured in some test points. Using the calculation model, a large scale apparatus of 100 tons-coal/day was designed using KNO₃ + NaNO₂ + NaNO₃ molten salt as a heating medium.     

Novel CO2 Absorbents Using Lithium-Containing Oxide

We have discovered a series of lithium-containing oxides that immediately react with ambient carbon dioxide (CO₂) up to 700°C. The products react and return reversibly to the oxides at a temperatures higher than about 700°C. The absorption capacity surpasses that of other CO₂ absorbents by a factor of 10. Utilizing these absorbents, the possibility of a CO₂ separation system that operates at around 500°C is proposed. It is generally believed that a CO₂ separation process operable at temperatures higher than 500°C has the special benefit of a small energy penalty. Moreover, the absorption also proceeds at ambient temperature in the atmospheric environment. This property offers the possibility of many other applications, such as air cleaners or cartridges. Therefore, we think these materials have the potential to make a valuable contribution to the realization of CO₂ emission control.     

Temperature measurements of polymer melts in the heating barrel during injection molding. Part I. Temperature distribution along the screw axis in the reservoir

A new procedure has been developed to measure the temperature distribution of the polymer melts along the screw axis during injection by using a small sheath thermocouple. At the same time, the effects of molding conditions on temperature distribution has been studied. The temperature distribution of the polymer melt along the screw axis during injection can be obtained from the difference between the standard temperature profile and the temperature profile of the polymer melt with unknown and non-uniform temperature measured under the same rate of injection. The temperature of a polymer melt within a shot is not uniform. The difference between the maximum and the minimum temperature within a shot may exceed 10°C in some cases. There are two major factors which govern the effects of molding conditions on the temperature distribution of the polymer melts during injection. The first is the amount of shear heating in the metering zone. The second is the amount of heat absorbed into the polymer in the compression and feed zones.     

Nonlinear effects on spin waves in3He-4He dilute solutions

Spin dynamics of³He-⁴He dilute solution have been studied in the collisionless regime by NMR methods. In cw NMR experiments, we observed spin waves in a magnetic field gradient. The frequency difference between the first mode and the others obeyed a two-thirds power law in the strength of the field gradient. By using a pulsed NMR method, nonlinear spin dynamics were studied. We observed the large amplitude spin waves after an rf pulse. The frequency of each spin-wave mode depended on the tipping angle. By using the parameter determined in the present experiment, the numerical calculated results based on Leggett-Rice theory are in good agreement with the results of the pulsed NMR experiments.     

Formation and transformation of cubic 3PbO·2Ta2O5 solid solution

The formation of lead tantalates in the PbO-rich region is studied using the powders prepared by the simultaneous hydrolysis of lead and tantalum alkoxides. Cubic 3PbO · 2Ta₂O₅ solid solutions crystallize at low temperatures from amorphous materials between 60 and 75 mol% PbO. The lattice parameter,a, increases linearly from 1.0545 to 1.0705 nm with increasing PbO. At higher temperatures the solid solutions above 66.67 mol% PbO are transformed into those of rhombohedral 2PbO · Ta₂O₅. Rhombohedral 5PbO · 2Ta₂O₅ is formed at 850 to 900 °C by transformation of 2PbO·Ta₂O₅ solid solution corresponding to 71.43 mol% PbO. The existence of previously reported 3PbO·Ta₂O₅ is not confirmed.     

Extrasynaptic-GABA-mediated neuromodulation in a sensory cortical neural network

Simulating a neural network model of an early sensory cortical area, we investigated how gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) accumulated in extracellular space (ambient GABA), which depends on the synaptic activity of GABAergic interneurons, acts on the GABAa-receptors located on extrasynaptic membrane regions of principal cells (P), feedback inhibitory cells (F) and lateral inhibitory cells (L). The ambient GABA enhanced the selective responsiveness of P-cells to a target feature stimulus, if it acted on the extrasynaptic GABAa-receptors of P-cells. The ambient GABA led to depolarizing P-cells during ongoing (spontaneous) neuronal-activity periods, if it acted on the extrasynaptic GABAa-receptors of F or L cells. This membrane depolarization contributed to establishing an ongoing subthreshold neuronal state, by which the P-cells could respond quickly to the target stimulus. We suggest that the combinatorial inhibition of P, F, and L cells, meditated by extrasynaptic GABAa-receptors recognizing ambient GABA, is crucial for processing the information of relevant sensory features and for establishing an ongoing subthreshold cortical state that prepares as a ready state for subsequent sensory input. A failure in neuronal-activity-dependent regulation of ambient GABA, stemming largely from the depletion of GABA in extracellular space during senescence, may cause the degeneration of intracortical inhibition that leads to cognitive dysfunction in old animals.     

Robust control method for the inverted pendulum system with structured uncertainty caused by measurement error

In this article, we propose a design method for an inverted pendulum system with a structured uncertainty. We consider that such an uncertainty is caused by a measurement error in the rotation angle of the pendulum and effects on the system structure that cannot be included in the nominal elements. For the uncertain system obtained, we apply an integral tracking control and the guaranteed cost control to design a robust, stable, tracking control system. Finally, we show the effectiveness of our method through a numerical example.     

Fourier-transform speckle profilometry: three-dimensional shape measurements of diffuse objects with large height steps and/or spatially isolated surfaces

An interferometric technique for automated profilometry of diffuse objects has been proposed. It is based on the Fourier-fringe analysis of spatiotemporal specklegrams produced by a wavelength-shift interferometer with a laser diode as a frequency-tunable light source. Unlike conventional moiré techniques the proposed technique permits the objects to have discontinuous height steps and/or surfaces spatially isolated from one another. Experimental results are presented that demonstrate the validity of the principle.