Performance Characteristics of a Drying Heat Pump Using Superheated Steam

A complete mathematicalhumerical model is proposed, in order to simulate the performance characteristics of a novel concept of a drying heat pump based on the theory of minimum energy cyclcs. The drying heat pump involvcs vapour condensation in a Lava1 nozzle. removal of the liquid phase in a supersonic separator as well as compression of the working medium. which is superheared vapour.     

Modelling and controller design of an isolated diesel enginepermanent magnet synchronous generator

A method to analyze the steady-state performance of a stand-alone permanent magnet synchronous generator driven by a diesel engine is presented. The proposed method is based on equivalent d-q circuits and the phasor diagram of such a generator under steady-state conditions. A fixed capacitor-thyristor controlled reactor scheme is used to regulate the generator terminal voltage by controlling the thyristor ignition angle. Furthermore the overall system dynamics are modelled in terms of state variables and control inputs. Based on a reduced order linearized model, digital optimal state and output feedback controllers are designed by minimising a quadratic performance index using the dynamic programming technique. The objective of the controller is to maintain the load voltage and frequency constant under varying load conditions. The controller's effectiveness is assessed by examining the closed-loop system response to sudden load changes     

An automated film reader for DNA sequencing based on homomorphicdeconvolution

An automated reader for electrophoresis based DNA sequencing methods is described that provides fast and accurate sequence determination. Digitized sequencing lanes are processed with homomorphic blind deconvolution in preparation for peak detection, interlane alignment, peak refinement and base calling. Initial reads from direct blot sequencing films have error rates of about 1% at the rate of 5 nucleotides/s. Typical read lengths are 500-600 nucleotides. The described reader is a significant improvement over existing readers and could be an essential component in the sequencing efforts of the Human Genome Project     

Improving the chemical resistance of glass containers by thermochemical treatment with a reagent solution

A way to increase the chemical resistance of glass containers by injecting a quantity (0.2–1.0 ml) of a special reagent solution into freshly shaped items is considered.Translated from Steklo i Keramika, No. 5, pp. 8–11, 1996.     

Evaluation of hot hardness and creep of a 350 grade commercial maraging steel

The hardening response and the indentation creep of a 350 grade commercial maraging steel were evaluated using a hot hardness tester. The hardness versus temperature plot exhibited three distinct regions. Hardness response was noted between 500–800 K. The unusually high values of activation energy and stress exponent obtained during the creep experiment could be rationalized by a novel concept of introducing a back stress term in the indentation creep relation. The corrected value of the activation energy was found to be reasonably in agreement with the activation energy for diffusion of Ni in iron. Results are supplemented with microstructural observation.     

Linearization of Drug Delivery from Sustained-Release Dosage Forms, Synthetic Gel Systems

A linear, apparent zero-order, in vitro release profile may be approximated from triple-pressed tablets using synthetic gum systems in the first and second press coats. This is coupled with varying concentrations of the actives (Melperone HCl. Diethylpropion HCl, and Dyphylline) in the core and press coats. The approximately linear release function obtained from these tablet systems is in stark contrast to a supposedly prolonged release tablet (comparative formulation) from the literature, which actually releases by the square root of time function characteristic of diffusion control. Addition of a placebo press coat to the outside of the synthetic gum systems simply increases the lag times for release (while the placebo coat is undergoing hydration, etc.). The linearity following the lag is reminiscent of saturation kinetics. Results suggest that the almost linear release profile is a function of the concentration of the various layers (core first and second press coats) coupled with the gelation characteristics of the synthetic gums. This zero order release does not hold for the systems of the comparative formulation taken from the patent literature.     

Institutions and Commitment

The thrust of this paper is that to understand the roles institutionsplay in society, a deep analysis of opportunism and its implicationsis necessary. For that purpose, a transactions costs-cum-positivepolitical theory approach is developed, with a focus on therole of institutions and their implications for regulatory commitment.A major issue is restraining political opportunism. Countriesthat have succeeded in developing a healthy private sector arethose that have developed institutions that restrain governmentaldecision-making. But such restraining is itself a politicalchoice. Countries with electoral and legislative systems thatbring about decentralized government have stronger chances ofdeveloping equilibria where government discretion is restrained.