Simplified equations for mesh and step voltages in an AC substation

A large number of grounding grids in substations have shapes other than a square or a rectangle, whereas the simplified formulas for mesh and step voltages available in the literature are derived for square or rectangular grids. Improvements in the simplified equations for determining mesh and step voltages are presented. With the modified simple equations, mesh and step voltages at a substation of any practical shape can be estimated with reasonable accuracy. The results obtained with the improved equations have been compared with accurate results obtained via computer. The error in the values obtained with the derived equations is within 16% for mesh voltage and less than 30% for step voltage     

Finite element analysis of substation composite insulators

Composite insulators are rapidly replacing their porcelain counterparts in electrical substation applications. These insulators consist of a glass-reinforced polymer (GRP) rod, with two metal end fittings radially crimped onto the ends of the rod during assembly. In this paper, axisymmetric finite element models are developed to evaluate the mechanical performance of composite insulators under externally applied axial compression. The analyses are performed by assuming both a perfectly bonded interface between the composite rod and the end fittings, and an imperfect interface which permits large relative sliding with Coulomb friction. Results indicate that the perfect interface model is unrealistic since it predicts singular stresses at the interface comer and an overall linear structural response. On the other hand, the imperfect interface model is found to simulate accurately the structural non-linearity caused by relative sliding of the GRP rod within the end fittings. The imperfect interface model has therefore been used to evaluate the effects of interface friction, and the extent of crimping, on the maximum load-bearing capacity of substation composite insulators.     

Growth and characterization of some I–III–VI2 compound semiconductors

Single crystals of CulnS₂, CulnSe₂, CulnTe₂, CuGaS₂, AgGaS₂ CulnSSe, AgGaSSe have been grown by chemical vapour transport technique on the basis of a new general thermodynamical model which enables the minimum source temperature T _s, and the minimum deposition temperature, T _d, to be determined. X-ray analysis, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic analysis, surface analysis, and microhardness studies have been carried out on the single crystals grown.     

Fouling control in sugarcane juice ultrafiltration with surface modified polysulfone and polyethersulfone membranes

Commercial 50 and 100 kD polyethersulfone (PES) and polysulfone (PS) ultrafiltration membranes were surface modified by UV photografting of poly(ethylene glycol) methacrylate (PEGMA) monomer. The modified membranes were characterized by the degree of grafting, water flux and molecular weight cutoff (MWCO) rating. The flux and fouling of the modified and unmodified membranes were examined with sugarcane juice and its polysaccharide fraction. Under the conditions of this study, the modified membranes displayed a low degree of grafting (26-36 μg/cm²), which was independent of the UV exposure duration; however, both membrane water flux and MWCO rating were affected by the irradiation time. In the best case, the modified membranes exhibited lower fouling with sugarcane juice; furthermore, the propensity to foul also decreased. More significantly, juice flux recovery was almost complete for successive UF-cleaning cycles.     

Hand-Gesture Computing for the Hearing and Speech Impaired

An instrumented data glove with a wireless interface provides convenient and natural human-computer interaction for people with speech or hearing impairments.     

Lessons from a Minimal Genome: What Are the Essential Organizing Principles of a Cell Built from Scratch?

One of the primary challenges facing synthetic biology is reconstituting a living system from its component parts. A particularly difficult landmark is reconstituting a self-organizing system that can undergo autonomous chromosome compaction, segregation, and cell division. Here, we discuss how the syn3.0 minimal genome can inform us of the core self-organizing principles of a living cell and how these self-organizing processes can be built from the bottom up. The review underscores the importance of fundamental biology in rebuilding life from its molecular constituents.     

SignText: a web-based tool for providing accessible text book contents for Deaf learners

Universal Access in the Information Society - Lack of Sign Language-based learning tools is a hindrance in acquiring knowledge for deaf students. Technology-based tools have introduced innovative...