A novel method of suppressing the inrush current of transformers by using a series‐connected voltage‐source PWM converter

This paper proposes a novel method of suppressing the inrush current of transformers. A small‐rated voltage‐source PWM converter is connected in series to the transformers through a matching transformer. As the connected PWM converter serves as a resistor for the source current, no inrush phenomena occurs. The required rating of the PWM converter, which serves as the damping resistor for the inrush phenomena, is 1/400 that of the main transformers in single‐phase circuits. In three‐phase circuits, it is 1/900. The basic principle of the proposed method is discussed. Digital computer simulation is implemented to confirm the validity and excellent practicability of the proposed method using the PSCAD/EMTDC. A prototype experimental model is constructed and tested. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method can perfectly suppress the inrush phenomena. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 157(4): 56–65, 2006; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/eej.20174     

Simulation of water and nitrogen dynamics in soils during wastewater applications by using a finite-element model

A mathematical model was developed to simulate water movement, mass transport, and nitrogen transformations in soils during wastewater applications. The model is one-dimensional and based on the Galerkin finite-element method. The submodel of mass transport of nitrogen incorporates the convection-dispersion processes of ammonium and nitrate nitrogen, nitrification, denitrification, ammonium exchange and uptake of ammonium and nitrate ions. The accuracy and validity of the proposed model was examined by comparison with an explicit-implicit finite-difference model results. The model was used for simulation of water and nitrogen dynamics during wastewater application in homogeneous and multi-layered soils under different N concentration, rate, duration and scheduling of application.     

A micromechanics model for the prediction of static strength of off-axis unidirectional laminates

In this paper a micromechanics model using the concentric cylinder assemblage model and the Mori-Tanaka average stress scheme is used to predict the static strength of unidirectional angle ply laminates. The predicted strengths agree with experimental results for Glass/Epoxy and Graphite/Epoxy systems.     

Logical errors in database SQL retrieval queries

SQL is often used to express questions imposed by users. It is well known that this process is not error-free in that it may result in syntactically or semantically incorrect SQL queries. This article is meant to probe deeper into SQL queries that are incorrect, due to delusion errors. A classification of natural language questions will be introduced. The purpose of this classification is two-fold. Firstly, it gives insight into possible errors and enables us to distinguish between types of errors. Secondly, it is a means of determining the influence of measures (for instance, SQL training) that can be taken to reduce the number of aforementioned errors. For discussion, several of these measures will be presented and related to the classification.Abbreviations RA Relational algebra - SQL structured query language     

Important features of Iris OSQL

OSQL is the object-oriented database language developed for the Iris object-oriented database management system at Hewlett-Packard Laboratories. Its three fundamental constructs are objects, types, and functions. This paper provides an overview of the underlying concepts and some important features of OSQL.