A preliminary analysis of the biomass energy production potential in Africa in 2025 considering projected land needs for food production

This paper provides a preliminary examination of present and projected land use in Africa to estimate the potential availability of land in 2025 for use in producing biomass energy. Fifty countries are included in the analysis. Future cropland requirements are projected on the basis of average African cereal crop yield improvements since 1972, and minimum nutritional requirements are assumed to be met in 2025 without increasing imports above present absolute levels. Cropland, natural forests and other wilderness areas are excluded from consideration for biomass energy use. Woody biomass energy yields are estimated on the basis of nationally averaged precipitation, using a yield-precipitation correlation for commercial eucalyptus plantations in Brazil. The total African bioenergy production potential in 2025 is estimated to be about 18 EJ per year for a set of baseline assumptions that includes planting only 10% of the available non-crop, non-forest, non-wilderness area with biomass energy crops. A preliminary cost assessment suggests that much of this biomass could be produced for $1–2 GJ⁻¹. A number of uncertainties in the modelling assumptions are examined through a sensitivity analysis. Despite limitations in the model used here, one robust conclusion is that Africa as a whole has a significant biophysical potential for producing biomass energy. This result suggests that more detailed country and sub-country level assessments would be worthwhile to understand better the practical prospects for future biomass energy production in Africa.     

Computer analysis,design and simulation of horizontal ground heat exchangers

This paper presents a new computerized procedure for dealing with the design of horizontal ground heat exchangers (HGHE). The computer program is based on the transient model of coupled nonlinear partial differential equations governing heat and mass flow in soils. The model is two-dimensional and delineates the operation of ground heat storage with the HGHE and such phenomena as freezing/thawing and drying/rewetting of soil moisture. Comprehensive climatological data, such as ambient temperature, solar radiation, wind velocity, rainfall, snowfall, snow characterstics, and water vapour pressure is used to simulate conditions at the ground surface over any required length of time. The package can be applied to any geographical location by changing climatic and soil data input. The designer has the possibility of selecting any of 12 types of soils from sand to clay, 12 commercial heat pumps, nine different configurations of the HGHE, 16 plastic pipes for ground coils, and 13 ground coil fluids. The program, however, does not calculate the length of the HGHE but it evaluates the thermodynamic performance of a ground heat pump system and provides comprehensive data on thermal and hydraulic conditions in ground heat storage. The length of the ground heat exchanger is obtained from a line source theory model or from site dimensions and pipe spacing. Computed results for ground heat exchanger operation correlate fairly well with experimental data. Simulation of temperature and moisture content in the ground for natural conditions (no heat extraction/deposition) showed a fair agreement with field data. The entire computer program is user-friendly, interactive, menu-driven, and written in FORTRAN 77.     

A portable cryo-storage system for low-temperature scanning electron microscopy,suitable for international transport of cryo-specimens

A cryo-specimen storage system for low-temperature scanning electron microscopy (LTSEM) specimens is described, which: liberates multi-specimen experiments from sampling restrictions imposed by the rate at which LTSEM specimens can be examined in the SEM; provides security against experiment loss resulting from breakdown of the SEM or cryo-system; enables collection of specimens in the field or in laboratories remote from the SEM laboratory; and facilitates international air transport of LTSEM specimens. The components of the system, which has a capacity of 98 stub-mounted specimens, are readily made in a laboratory workshop. The details of the design may be altered to suit particular specimen types or experimental approaches.     

在酸性介质中N-H伪酸Mannich反应机理的量子化学研究

用量子化学中的ＳＣＦ－ＭＯＡＭ１方法，全优化计算了以苯并唑酮为伪酸组分的（Ｎ－Ｈ酸）Ｍａｎｎｉｃｈ反应的反应物、过渡态和产物络合物的分子几何构型、电子结构和生成热。根据计算所得各反应的活化能，提出了该反应在酸性介质中的机理，即甲醛首先与苯并唑酮作用，其产物再与二甲胺作用生成Ｍａｎｎｉｃｈ碱，并就其缘由进行了讨论。     

Stabilization of inter-area and/or oscillatory modes in large-scale power system by voltage impedance power system (VIPS) apparatus based on decentralized control scheme

New technologies such as power electronics have made it possible to change continuously the impedance of a power system not only to control power flow but also to enhance stability. A power system incorporating a variable impedance apparatus such as a variable series capacitor (VSrC) and high-speed phase shifter (HSPS) is called VIPS (Variable Impedance Power System) by the authors. This paper proposes a novel control method of VIPS apparatus such as VSrC and HSPS installed at an interconnecting point for stabilizing inter-area unstable and/or oscillatory modes. The proposed design method of the control system is a kind of hierarchical decentralized control method of a large-scale power system based on a Lyapunov function. Under the proposed control scheme, each subsystem can be stabilized independently by local controllers such as AVR, speed governor and PSS, and then the whole interconnected system can be stabilized by VIPS apparatus taking into account interactions between subsystems. The effectiveness and robustness of the VIPS apparatus control are shown by numerical examples with model systems including a large-scale power system.     

起重机吊钩拖动绕线电动机他励双高调速系统

本文提出励磁电流可自动控制的他励式双高调速系统设计方案。系统在提升特别是在下放重物时，具有较硬的机械性；在负载１０－１００％的变化范围内，可实现最大偏差Δｎｍａｘ／ｎｍｉｎ１００％≤１０％，调速范围Ｄ≥１０；在满载运行条件下，可节约电能８０％以上。     

RAID的存储信道分析

本文从冗余磁盘阵列的信道模型出发，研究各部分组成的理论与技术。文中在给出系统的模型描述之后，着重分析了冗余信息元生与检纠错、数据分割与同步。还研究了系统中的负荷平衡问题，指出了磁盘优化调度的方向。     

热流法计算高温炉内辐射传热

高温炉内的辐射传热是工业生产中常遇到的问题。过去，人们在应用热流法计算辐射传热时遇到了一定的困难，使计算结果与实际有一定的偏差。本文运用文献［１］中给出的新热流数学模型，开发出由新热流方程与能量方程相耦合的计算机程序，其中的比热流参数由线加热热源情况下计算得到。用该程序计算了实验室用马弗炉内的温度场，并且用热电偶实测了炉内的一些温度值，理论计算与实测值符合很好。     

Effect of short-term storage on phenolic content,o-diphenolase and peroxidase activities of cut yam tubers (Dioscorea sp)

The effect of short-term storage on the protein, phosphorus and phenolic content as well as peroxidase and o-diphenolase activities of cut, harvested Jamaican yam (Dioscorea sp) tubers (D rotundata. D alata and D cayenensis) was studied. There was an initial increase in the total phenolic content up to the third week of storage followed by a gradual decrease to the sixth week. Phenolic content was found to be highest in D cayenensis followed by D rotundata and D alata. The activities of peroxidase (EC 1. 11. 1. 7) and o-diphenolase (EC 1. 10.3.1) increased steadily up to the third week of storage and thereafter decreased to the fifth week. The intensity and rapidity of browning in tubers when cut, correlated very closely with the tuber o-diphenolase and phenolic content levels while the onset of rotting correlated with the peroxidase activity levels in the species studied.     

Characterization and modification of fillers for paints and coatings

This paper highlights the possibility of inverse gas chromatography for the surface characterization of common fillers (CaCO₃, talc, SiO₂,) for paints and coatings. Divided solids are described, on the one hand, by the dispersive component of their surface energy and, on the other, by a specific parameter indicating their acid-base interaction potential. The role of the surface morphology at a molecular level is also examined. It is demonstrated that steric effects play an important role in the adsorption of probes on lamellar solids like talc. The consequences of surface treatments as well as examples of practical applications are also reported.