Evaluation of influence of external magnetic disturbance on superconducting magnet taking conservation of linkage flux into account

External magnetic disturbance influences the quality of the image obtained with a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system because it causes magnetic resonance frequency drift. When a superconducting magnet in persistent current mode operation is exposed to external magnetic disturbance coil current varies to keep linkage flux constant. Conventional analysis is usually formulated with constant current and does not provide correct evaluation of drift of magnetic field in the magnet. This paper proposes a method of numerical analysis of magnetic field considering conservation of linkage flux in a superconducting magnet under a persistent current mode operation. This method is applied to evaluate drift of the magnetic field in a superconducting magnet for magnetic resonance imaging due to external magnetic disturbance. Analysis results show good agreement with the experimental results.     

Neutron Stress Measurement of W‐Fiber Reinforced Cu Composite

Stress measurement methods using neutron and X‐ray diffraction were examined by comparing the surface stresses with internal stresses in the continuous tungsten‐fiber reinforced copper‐matrix composite. Surface stresses were measured by X‐ray stress measurement with the sin²ψ method. Furthermore, the sin²ψ method and the most common triaxal measurement method using Hooke's equation were employed for internal stress measurement by neutron diffraction. On the other hand, microstress distributions developed by the difference in the thermal expansion coefficients between these two phases were calculated by FEM. The weighted average strains and stresses were compared with the experimental results. The FEM results agreed with the experimental results qualitatively and confirmed the importance of the triaxial stress analysis in the neutron stress measurement.     

Control of polymerization processes of 10,12-pentacosadiynoic acid LB films

Studies have been carried out on KrF excimer laser light (EX), X-ray or electron beam (EB) induced polymerization of 10,12-pentacosadiynoic acid (PDA) Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films in relation to molecular density or molecular arrangement of the films using X-ray diffraction analysis, infrared (IR) spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The molecular arrangement or density of the PDA LB films was controlled by subphase conditions when the films were built up, such as pH, temperature of a subphase or salt concentration in the subphase. Polymerization sensitivity of the PDA LB film was affected by the arrangement or molecular density. On low density (A type) films the polymerization occurred by irradiation with EX, X-ray or EB, but on high density (B type) films the polymerization occurred only when the irradiation was carried out by high energy beams such as X-ray or EB. Decomposition of polymerized films was observed further by excessive irradiation of EX or X-ray, but not on the B type films. It was revealed by X-ray diffraction analysis that in the A type film, the PDA molecules bent to a larger extent than those in the B type film and the polymerization proceeded topochemically, that is, the thickness decreased little after EB irradiation in a helium atmosphere. On the other hand, in the B type film, the thickness decreased by about 10% as a result of EB irradiation. By IR reflection-absorption (RA) and Raman measurements, it was confirmed that conjugated diacetylenic bonds disappeared and conjugated double and new conjugated triple bonds appeared after high energy beam irradiations. These results support the supposition that 1,4-polymerization, i.e. polydiacetylene type polymerization, occurs easily in the A type film and 1,2- or 3,4-polymerization, i.e. polyacetylene type polymerization, occurs in the B type film, and that the polymerized A type film was decomposed at the polydiacetylenic bond when the irradiation continued further. It was also shown that the polyacetylene type polymer was obtained only when the B type film was irradiated with the high energy beam.     

The fracture stress of chemical vapour deposited diamond

The factors which control the fracture stress of chemical vapour deposited diamond have been studied using the 3-point bend geometry. Fracture stress values of 300–800 MPa for the growth side and 600–1200 MPa for the nucleation side were recorded for samples of thickness 0.4–2.4 mm. A Weibull modulus of 23 was calculated for the growth surface data, showing that the fracture stress variability was low for a brittle material. A theory based on these results demonstrates that the material behaviour is remarkably simple, depending only on the grain size and the sample thickness, regardless of wide variations in other parameters such as optical transmission and stress state. The paper also contains a possible explanation for this well-defined behaviour based on microstress variations resulting from differences in defect density in different growth sectors within a grain.     

High‐Tech‐Cellulose‐Funktionspolymere nach dem ALCERU®‐Verfahren

Functional High‐Tech‐Cellulose materials by the ALCERU® process Cellulose is one of the eldest materials of mankind. While the use of cellulose in former times was focused on application as a more construction or as a more textile material at present time the application profile turns to a more functional material using the ALCERU® process. Shaping of pure cellulose dissolution in NMMNO permits the manufacturing of materials for upholstery, filtration or biodegradable film strips having an uniform cross section. Fibreds, which can be applied in several packaging materials, are available using different techniques for regeneration cellulose. A great field of innovative functional cellulose materials is opened up by addition of several functional additives to cellulose dissolution. In this way piezo‐electrical conductive cellulose fibres (PZT) or high‐temperature filtration membranes are to be generated if one adds special types of ceramic powders. Above all PZT green fibres are applied in more recent uses as sensors or actuators. Electrically conductive cellulose fibres or filaments, which can be also used in the textile chain, can be prepared adding conductive carbon black to a cellulose dope on the same way, too. Cellulose material having adapted conductivity to different application is available by adding an exact defined amount of carbon black to cellulose dissolution. Finally cellulose beads can be manufactured by means of varied shaping technique. The beads are showing variable particle sizes and narrow pore size distribution. These properties open up very interesting application in the field of human blood purification or chromatography.     

Accidents,often the result of an ‘uncontrolled business process’—a study in the (Dutch) chemical industry

Often companies in the (petro‐) chemical industry claim that all possible countermeasures against potential accidents have been taken and therefore accidents are unforeseeable. In this paper we question this statement by analysing the pre‐warning signals (precursors) preceding a number of industrial accidents. 17 accidents that occurred in the (petro‐) chemical industry have been investigated by exploring FACTS, an accident database containing information about industrial accidents worldwide. This paper will demonstrate that the existence of precursor information could have been used to foresee and even prevent these accidents if a proper control action had been initiated. The accidents are analysed further, according to a control model, which was adapted from that of C. Argyris. It demonstrates the ineffectiveness of several elements of business process control loops and that the so‐called ‘double‐loop learning’ cycle is more important than the ‘single‐loop learning’ cycle if one considers safety improvement. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The analysis of solvation in ionic liquids and organic solvents using the Abraham linear free energy relationship

The contentions made in an earlier paper [J Chem Technol Biotechnol 80 : 133–137 (2005)] that the coefficients of the Abraham solvation equation do not provide meaningful information on the molecular properties of ionic liquid solvents is refuted. The objections noted in the earlier paper disappear when the solvation equation model is correctly applied to the experimental data. It is further shown that the coefficients of the Abraham solvation equations can be used to characterize ionic liquids and can be used to select solvents for the solubility of gaseous solutes. Copyright © 2006 Society of Chemical Industry     

Existence, uniqueness and stability of the equilibrium points of a SHARON bioreactor model

This paper addresses the dynamics of a SHARON reactor, a promising technology for ammonium removal from concentrated wastewater streams. The contraction mapping theorem is used to determine which operating conditions of a SHARON reactor with pH-control result in a unique equilibrium state. However, this approach only identifies the case of very large dilution rates, in practice corresponding with complete biomass wash-out, i.e. with complete loss of biological activity. Practical operation of a SHARON reactor aims at reaching ammonium conversion to nitrite. To identify such interesting operating points, the equilibrium points are subsequently calculated directly in terms of input variables for a simplified SHARON reactor model. The stability of the obtained equilibrium points is assessed and the corresponding phase portraits are analyzed. The influence of slightly varying parameter and input values is investigated as well.     

Application of boundary element method to 3-D problems of coupled thermoelasticity

This paper deals with a new boundary element method for analysis of the quasistatic problems in coupled thermoelasticity. Through some mathematical manipulation of the Navier equation in elasticity, the heat conduction equation is transformed into a simpler form, similar to the uncoupled-type equation with the modified thermal conductivity which shows the coupling effects. This procedure enables us to treat the coupled thermoelastic problems as an uncoupled one, A few examples are computed by the proposed BEM, and the results obtained are compared with the analytical ones available in the literature, whereby the accuracy and versatility of the proposed method are demonstrated.     

Flow stress of high density polyethylene and nylon 66 at high rates of strain

Measurement of the flow stress of high density polyethylene (HDPE) and nylon 66 at strain rates of 10³ s^?1 using a split Hopkinson pressure bar technique is discussed. The flow stress at a strain of 10% has been determined for both polymers at 20°C. The intrinsic errors involved in this technique are briefly reviewed. The results indicate that the flow stress of HDPE and nylon 66 were 50MPa and 150MPa, respectively, at strain rates of about 10³s^?1.