Distributed computer system design: An interactive procedure

This paper presents an overview of an interactive system for the design of a distributed computer system. The system helps the designer in finding the optimal combination of processors of varying power to be located at various nodes of the system. It also helps in finding the optimal allocation of data files or databases. The system allows the designer to trade-off between the conflicting objectives: low investment and operating cost and high availability of data. Reasonable relative weights are assigned to each data file, and design objectives can be assigned priorities. A value added network such as TELENET is assumed for data communication. Also, multiple copies of the data file or database may exist in the system to achieve higher data availability and better response time.     

Thermal behavior of transparent poly(etheretherketone)(PEEK) film

The thermal behavior of poly(etheretherketone)(PEEK) film heated in an open differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) pan at 20°C/min is distorted by relaxation of the strained film. PEEK film in a closed pan or quenched PEEK in open or closed pans shows a glass-transition temperature (T_g) around 144°C, cold crystallization (～22 J/g) at 177°C, melt-temperature (T_m) peaking at 335–340°C, with an enthalpy of fusion of 32–34 J/g, and recrystallization on cooling at 285°C, with a crystallization exotherm of about 40 J/g. The enthalpy of fusion decreases with increasing heating rate from 2–100°C/min and approaches the enthalpy of cold crystallization. With increasing heating rate, further crystallization of PEEK during the DSC scan is suppressed. With increasing cooling rate, PEEK melt crystallizes at larger supercoolings to a lesser extent. Crystallization on cooling the melt was more complete than cold crystallization and annealing on heating.     

A comprehensive methodology for runout tolerance evaluation using discrete data

Runout is a composite tolerance that is usually specified to ensure proper alignment and rotational accuracy for axially symmetric features. The procedure for evaluation of runout defined in American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Y14.5M-1994 [1] and International Organization for Standardization (ISO)/TR 5460-1985(E) [3] depicts the rotation of a part around its datum axis while a dial gauge measures the variations in the feature’s surface. These standards do not address the evaluation of runout using modern measurement technologies using discrete point clouds that dominate the metrology industry. This research presents a comprehensive methodology for evaluating runout tolerance using discrete data that closely replicates the requirements specified by the ASME and ISO standards. This work builds upon previous work by the authors, reported in Turek et al. [9] and presents a comprehensive methodology for evaluating circular and total runout for flat, tapered, and cylindrical features using discrete data. The methodology was tested using simulated datasets and the analysis reaffirmed the results reported in Turek et al. [9] regarding the choice of minimum circumscribing cylinder as the preferred datum axis evaluation technique. Subsequently, the approach presented in this paper was applied to discrete data acquired from two manufactured parts. The results obtained were compared with traditional runout measurements acquired with a dial gauge. This comparison required the filtering of the discrete data to compensate for the finite radius of the dial gauge tip, and led to the development of a novel filtering technique to appropriately compare results. The results using the filtered data closely match the results obtained from the dial gauge, confirming the accuracy of the presented runout assessment algorithms. This work presents a first step in assessing runout using discrete data and justifies the use of modern metrology techniques in runout evaluation.     

Design and performance analysis of generalised integrator-based controller for grid connected PV system

This article discusses the design and control of a single-phase grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) system. A 5-kW PV system is designed and integrated at the DC link of an H-bridge voltage source converter (VSC). The control of the VSC and switching logic is modelled using a generalised integrator (GI). The use of GI or its variants such as second-order GI have recently evolved for synchronisation and are being used as phase locked loop (PLL) circuits for grid integration. Design of PLL circuits and the use of transformations such as Park’s and Clarke’s are much easier in three-phase systems. But obtaining in-phase and quadrature components becomes an important and challenging issue in single-phase systems. This article addresses this issue and discusses an altogether different application of GI for the design of compensator based on the extraction of in-phase and quadrature components. GI is frequently used as a PLL; however, in this article, it is not used for synchronisation purposes. A new controller has been designed for a single-phase grid-connected PV system working as a single-phase active compensator. Extensive simulation results are shown for the working of integrated PV system under different atmospheric and operating conditions during daytime as well as night conditions. Experimental results showing the proposed control approach are presented and discussed for the hardware set-up developed in the laboratory.     

Utilization of self-assembled AuGe nanoparticles for improving performance of InGaAs/GaAs quantum dot infrared detector

We report the successful realization of a plasmonic-based heptalayer self-assembled InGaAs quantum-dot infrared photodetector (QDIP) using self-assembled AuGe nanoparticles. In comparison with as-grown device, AuGe detector showed a 30% increase in spectral response at a peak of ~5 μm and ?1 V bias. We achieved two-order increment in peak responsivity of AuGe plasmonic-based detector in comparison to as-grown detector at 80 K. The improvements are attributed to increased light trapping in the device and strong plasmonic-QD interaction by the AuGe nanoparticles. In this technique, AuGe nanoparticles are self-assembled; therefore they don’t require very fine optical or e-beam lithography for patterning, indicating this technique will be helpful in reducing the cost of plasmonic based high-performance detectors.     

Study on degradation process of polymer electrolyte by solution analysis

Degradation process of Nafion which is one of the polymer electrolyte generally used for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell was investigated by solution analysis and structural analysis of eluted species. Nafion degraded by gamma-ray irradiation and heat treatment was immersed in distilled water and the solutions were analyzed using ion chromatograph, total organic carbon (TOC) analyzer, and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometer (ICP-AES). The solutions after the Fenton reaction were also analyzed with the same methods. Proton, sulfide ion, fluorine ion and organic carbon were eliminated into the solution, and their ratio was changed depending on the degradation method. To determine the eliminated species to the solution, structural analysis of concentrated dissolved species was performed using FT-IR. As the results, the initial process of degradation was detected sensitively in solution analysis compared with membrane analysis, and difference of the degradation process under different conditions was clearly observed. It was also found that new functional group COOH was formed in the eliminated species. These results showed that solution analysis are very simple yet powerful methods to elucidate the degradation process, which can also be applied to actual fuel cell operation to track minute changes in the polymer electrolyte.     

Music footprint recognition via sentiment,identity, and setting identification

Multimedia Tools and Applications - Emotional contagion is said to occur when an origin (i.e., any sensory stimuli) emanating emotions causes the observer to feel the same emotions. In this paper,...     

Intelligent Secured Two-Way Image Transmission Using Corvus Corone Module over WSN

Wireless Personal Communications - Two-way image communication in a wireless channel needs to be viable with channel properties such as transfer speed, energy-effective, time usage, and security...     

New insights into the density of states of graphene oxide using capacitive photocurrent spectroscopy

Capacitive photocurrent spectroscopy is used to probe the electronic states of graphene-oxide, and reduced graphene-oxide. Three peaks are observed whose intensities scale with the oxygen coverage. The energy of these peaks correlate with the luminescence spectra reported for graphene-oxide. Using a fitting procedure, the density of states for graphene oxide is extracted from the data. It consists of the π/π¹ states along with a distribution of mid-gap states centered at three different energies near the Dirac point. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements are used to identify the oxygen functional groups corresponding to the observed state distribution.     

Effect of cold-work on self-welding susceptibility of austenitic stainless steel (alloy D9) in high temperature flowing sodium

Self-welding susceptibility of alloy D9 (15Cr-15Ni-2Mo titanium-modified austenitic stainless steel), used as wrapper in the fuel subassemblies of sodium cooled fast reactor, was studied in flowing sodium. Specimens were tested at 823 K in annealed and in 20% cold-worked condition up to a maximum contact stress of 24.5 MPa and maximum duration of 9 months. The results showed that the annealed alloy D9 showed good resistance to self-welding in all the tests. But 20% cold-worked alloy D9 got self-welded in all the tests except in the test carried out for 3 months duration indicating that tests conducted at high contact stresses and long duration reduce the resistance of the steel to self-weld. Microstructural changes observed in the cold-worked alloy D9 at the location of contact between the mating surfaces indicate dynamic recovery resulting from high contact stress and temperature facilitating self-weld.