An Architecture-Independent Graphical Tool for Automatic Contention-Free Process-to-Processor Mapping

Mapping of parallel programs onto parallel computers for efficient execution is a fundamental problem of great significance in parallel processing. This paper presents an architecture-independent software tool for contention-free mapping of arbitrary parallel programs onto parallel computers with arbitrary configurations. This mapping tool is based on an efficient heuristic algorithm that runs in time O(n ³+m ⁴) in the worst case for mapping n tasks onto m processors, where m n in most practical cases. It is fully implemented and incorporated into a graph editing system to produce a graphical mapping tool which enables its user to monitor and control the mapping process. The user can assist the mapping process or employ the algorithm to map automatically. Our mapping tool has been tested and its performance evaluated extensively. Experimental results show that our tool combines user intuition and mapping heuristics effectively to make it a powerful mapping tool which is practical to use. Our mapping tool can be easily extended for use in the more general case when the link contention-degree is bounded to a fixed system-specified value without increasing its complexity.     

A low-power high-performance SiGe BiCMOS 802.11a/b/g transceiver IC for cellular and bluetooth Co-existence applications

This paper describes a high-performance WLAN 802.11a/b/g radio transceiver, optimized for low-power in mobile applications, and for co-existence with cellular and Bluetooth systems in the same terminal. The direct-conversion transceiver architecture is optimized in each mode for low-power operation without compromising the challenging RF performance targets. A key transceiver requirement is a sensitivity of -77 dBm (at the LNA input) in 54 Mb/s OFDM mode while in the presence of a GSM1900 transmitter interferer. The receiver chain achieves an overall noise figure of 2.8/3.2 dB, consuming 168/185 mW at 2.8 V for the 2.4/5GHz bands, respectively. Signal loopback and transmit power detection techniques are used in conjunction with the baseband modem processor to calibrate the transmitter LO leakage and the transceiver I/Q imbalances. Fabricated in a 70 GHz f/sub T/ 0.25-/spl mu/m SiGe BiCMOS technology for system-in-package (SiP) use, the dual-band, tri-mode transceiver occupies only 4.6 mm/sup 2/.     

Application of kokum (Garcinia indica) fat as cocoa butter improver in chocolate

Although cocoa butter (CB) is an ideal fat for use in chocolate, it softens with heat and is not suitable for use in warm climates. CB extenders or improvers, preferably from stearic acid‐rich fats, are good candidates to increase the heat‐resistance property of CB and chocolate. In the present investigation, one such fat, kokum, is used as an improver to increase the hardness of chocolate. Kokum fat is added in various proportions replacing CB in dark and milk chocolate formulations and its effects on rheology, hardness and triglyceride composition were studied. The results revealed that up to 5% kokum fat addition by weight of the product did not significantly affect the plastic viscosity or yield stress of milk or dark chocolate. Hardness of both dark and milk chocolate increased with increase in addition of kokum fat. The solids fat content at and above 30 °C increased with increase in level of kokum fat with CB, especially at and above 15%. These physical properties are due to increase in 2‐oleodistearin triglycerides with addition of kokum fat with CB. The results revealed that kokum fat could be used up to 5% by wt of the product to increase the heat‐resistance property of chocolate so that it can be used in warm climates. Copyright © 2004 Society of Chemical Industry     

Transient free-convective flow of reactive viscous fluid in a vertical channel

A numerical study is reported to investigate the transient free-convective flow of reactive viscous fluid in a vertical channel formed by two infinite vertical parallel plates. A theoretical analysis is also presented to find the expressions for temperature, velocity, skin-friction and Nusselt number for the steady fully developed flow using perturbation technique. During the course of numerical computation, an excellent agreement is found between steady state solutions and transient solution at large value of time.     

Multi-photon luminescence in Er/Yb:SrO⋅TiO2 glass ceramic

Er³⁺/Yb³⁺ doped strontium titanate borosilicate glass was prepared. Glass ceramic was prepared by controlled heat treatment (at 955 °C) of glass. Ti₁₀O₁₉ and Sr₃Ti₂O₇ were found as major crystalline phases. The emission spectra of glass and glass ceramic samples were investigated under 976 nm laser excitation. In glass ceramic, the intensity of the emitted radiation was much higher (≈50 times for green and ≈10 times for red emission) than in the glass. A new three photon process was found to be responsible for emission at low power which is not yet observed in Er³⁺/Yb³⁺:SrO⋅TiO₂ glass ceramic system to the best of our knowledge. The details of upconversion mechanisms e.g. Energy Transfer (ET) and Excited State Absorption (ESA) were studied by power-intensity log dependence. It is expected that Er³⁺/Yb³⁺ doped nanocrystalline (?10 nm) Sr₃Ti₂O₇ phase was responsible for the observed upconversion phenomenon in glass ceramic.     

Role of Fiber Length and Pore Former on the Porous Network of Carbon Paper Electrode and its Performance in PEMFC

Porous conducting carbon paper has been recognized as one of the ideal materials to be used as an electrode backing in a fuel cell assembly. Carbon paper is prepared by the combined process of papermaking followed by composite formation. Two different studies, i.e. (i) using chopped carbon fiber of different lengths in the papermaking process, and (ii) introducing pore formers (blowing agents) in the sample during the resin impregnation/composite formation step, were adopted separately to control the porosity of the paper. The effect of the above processes on the various properties of the carbon paper electrode affecting its performance in a unit polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell has been discussed. A maximum power density of 766 mW cm^–2 has been achieved for carbon paper with 0.6 cm fiber length, an increase of nearly 12% as compared to 684 mW cm^–2 for sample with 1.0 cm fiber length and tested under similar conditions. The introduction of pore former demonstrates increased performance of the fuel cell at high current densities.     

Thermal energy reservoir capacities for solar absorption cooling systems

It is essential to incorporate both hot and cold energy storage for a solar absorption cooling system in order to maximize the saving of conventional electrical power. The paper correlates the thermal energy storage requirements with the daily cooling demand pattern of a building. The other parameters which affect the choice of the two storage volumes are the effective sunshine hours, the chiller cooling capacity, its daily operation period and the two storage temperature differentials. The results have been obtained in a generalized manner and applied to an actual building in Kuwait.     

Studies on Mechanical and Morphological Characterization of Developed Jute/Hemp/Flax Reinforced Hybrid Composites for Structural Applications

In the present study, an attempt has been made to develop and characterize natural fiber-based composites (jute/epoxy, hemp/epoxy, flax/epoxy) and their hybrid composites (jute/hemp/epoxy, hemp/flax/epoxy, and jute/hemp/flax/epoxy) using hand-lay-up technique. Mechanical characterization (tensile, flexural, impact, and hardness test) of the developed composites was performed. The interface between fiber and matrix was examined using scan electron microscopy (SEM). Among (jute/epoxy, hemp/epoxy, flax/epoxy), flax/epoxy composite has shown higher hardness (98 Shore-D) and tensile strength (46.2 MPa) whereas better flexural and impact strength have been shown by hemp/epoxy (85.59 MPa) and jute/epoxy (7.68 kJ/m²) composites respectively. Results showed that hybrid composites observed better mechanical properties. Jute/hemp/flax/epoxy hybrid composite showed the highest tensile strength, modulus and impact strength of 58.59 MPa, 1.88 GPa, and 10.19, kJ/m², respectively. Jute/hemp/epoxy hybrid composite achieved the maximum flexural strength of 86.6 MPa.     

A generic methodology to evaluate economics of hydrogen production using energy from nuclear power plants

Hydrogen, the deemed future transportation fuel can be produced from nuclear assisted energy sources. Assessment of economics of hydrogen production using energy from nuclear power plants is vital for asserting its competitiveness with competing technologies. A generic method is presented in this paper to evaluate Levelised Hydrogen Generation Cost, based on the discounted cash flow analysis. The method is illustrated by consideration of a typical case of hydrogen production via conventional electrolysis using electrical energy supplied from a pressure tube type boiling light water cooled heavy water moderated reactor concept.     

Theory of fully developed mixed convection including flow reversal: A nonlinear Boussinesq approximation approach

In this article, an exact solution is obtained to investigate the role of nonlinear Boussinesq approximation on mixed convection flow in a vertical channel subject to asymmetric wall heating. The nonlinear density variation with temperature (NDT) in the buoyancy term is introduced to the momentum equation and solved exactly by direct integration. During the course of graphical and numerical computations, results show that the role of NDT is to increase fluid velocity as well as skin‐friction while it reduces the rate of heat transfer. In addition, reverse flow formation at the walls is increased due to the inclusion of NDT (nonlinear Boussinesq approximation).