Open‐cycle OTEC systems with freshwater product: Effects of noncondensable gases on performance of condenser

An open‐cycle ocean thermal energy conversion (OC‐OTEC) system is one of the energy conversion methods used to generate electricity from ocean thermal energy. For the OC‐OTEC system, steam evaporated from the surface seawater due to flash evaporation drives the turbine. At that time, dissolved gas such as air is introduced into the low‐pressure system (OC‐OTEC system) as the noncondensable gas, which degrades the performance of condensation heat transfer. In this paper, a small‐scale OC‐OTEC experimental unit experimentally investigates the effect of noncondensable gas on the heat transfer performance in a condenser. The experimental results are discussed in comparison with theoretical estimation by the Sparrow–in method. It is shown that the condensation is occupied by heat and mass transfer near a condensation surface and that the condensation efficiency is affected by exhaust quantity of noncondensable gas at a relatively high concentration ratio of condensable gas. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 154(1): 29–35, 2006; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/eej.20179     

Energy Saving in Industrial Wood Drying Addressed by a Multiscale Computational Model: Board, Stack, and Kiln

This article proposes a multiscale computational model able to calculate energy consumption in a batch lumber kiln. A dual-scale computational model of wood drying deals with the boards/stack interaction and serves as a basis for the present work. A new module was added here that calculates heat losses through kiln walls (convection, condensation) and the energy used by each kiln component (fans, heating elements, humidifier, vacuum pump, etc.). The corresponding mathematical formulation is presented and then theoretical results are compared to those collected in an industrial vacuum kiln. As application example, the effect of air reversal, air velocity, and kiln insulation are exhibited, which depicts the great potential and prospects of this new tool for energy savings in relation to the product quality.     

Effect of Channel Changes in the St. Clair River During the Present Century

Periodic man-made changes in the outlet of Lake Huron through the St. Clair River date back to the middle of the last century. These artificial channel changes have been well documented during the present century. They consist of dredging for commercial gravel removal in the upper river during 1908–25 and uncompensated navigation improvements for the 7.6-m (25-ft) and 8.2-m (27-ft) projects completed in 1933 and 1962, respectively. The total effect of these changes on the levels of Lakes Michigan and Huron (hydraulically one lake) and on the upper St. Clair River profile was determined with dynamic flow models. The ultimate effect of the above dredging was a permanent lowering of the Lake Michigan-Huron levels 0.27 m (0.89 ft), which represents a tremendous loss of freshwater resource [32 km³ (7.7 mi³)].     

Trade-offs for conflicting social objectives in the extraction of finite energy resources

Three social objectives figure prominently in the extraction of finite energy resources, namely income maximization, environmental quality, and inter-generational concern. Owing to lack of complementarity, the pursuit of these objectives often results in conflicts. As a result, extraction strategies should be based on the determination of trade-offs between the objectives. The paper deals with the formulation and illustration of a systems model to determine these trade-offs. The recognition of such trade-offs results in a greater conservation of the finite energy resource, and hence could act as an incentive for the development of alternative energy sources.     

生态城市与水利现代化

对天津及其滨海新区生态城市水利建设进行了分析。研究了在淡水资源极度匮乏的条件下,有效开发利用非常规水资源的必要性、重要性和现实性。认为天津市对水资源应遵循节水、治污、高效配置,妥善处理生活、生产、生态之间的关系,力求平衡调配。供水水源应是多元的,增加非常规水资源(污水、海/咸水、雨/洪水)的利用,同时增加可用地下水,外调来水等,逐步进入可持续发展配置。     

Paste Residence Time in a Spouted Bed Dryer. III: Effect of Paste Properties and Quality Interactions

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of paste properties on residence time during drying in a spouted bed dryer with inert bodies. The effect of paste solids content, surface tension, and viscosity on the residence time distribution and the mean residence times were studied using factorial experimental designs. The inert bodies used were glass and polyethylene beads. The mean residence times varied from 13.6 to 16.3 and 12.2 to 17.7 min for drying on glass and polyethylene beads, respectively. The analysis of variance showed that mean residence times significantly depended on solids content and surface tension for glass beads and also on viscosity for polyethylene beads. The residence time distributions for all conditions studied fitted well to the perfect mixing cell when applying the continuous stirred vessels in series model analysis. The powder density, flowability, and particle size depended on paste properties and inert type.     

磁场处理水用于锅炉和冷却水处理

本文从理论和实践上综述了磁化水的特性、磁化机理、国内外的发展近况及其使用安装等。该法用于锅炉和各类冷却水处理有广泛的前景。     

简易高性能纳秒脉冲发生器

为了实现电子散射飞行时间谱仪电子束的脉冲化及产生时一幅变换器的启动或停止信号。我们利用开关晶体管的雪崩特性研制了一个性能好，成本低的纳秒脉冲发生器。该发生器输出上升时间好于Ｉｎｓ，幅度达１０Ｖ的负尖脉冲，用作时一幅变换器的启动或停止信号；也输出上升时间约３ｎｓ，幅度５－３０Ｖ连续可调和宽度５－２３０ｎｓ可调的正脉冲，用作电子束脉冲化的调制信号，脉冲重复率为１５０×１０＾３ｓ＾－１。它可广泛用于类似     

饱和软土天然含水量估算指标及ω一e回归方程的建立

天然含水量ω是土的最基本物理量指标之一。采用数理统计方法，建立经验方程来修正土的天然含水量ω的测定值，使修正后的天然含水量数值与实际中的真值符合程度更为接近，效果甚好。     

Techniques for estimating test length under random test

When a circuit is tested using random or pseudorandom patterns, it is essential to determine the amount of time (test length) required to test it adequately. We present a methodology for predicting different statistics of random pattern test length. While earlier methods allowed estimation only of upper bounds of test length and only for exhaustive fault coverage, the technique presented here is capable of providing estimates of all statistics of interest (including expected value and variance) for all coverage specifications.Our methodology is based on sampling models developed for fault coverage estimation [1]. Test length is viewed as awaiting time on fault coverage. Based on this relation we derive the distribution of test length as a function of fault coverage. Methods of approximating expected value and variance of test length are presented. Accuracy of these approximations can be controlled by the user. A practical technique for predicting expected test length is developed. This technique is based on clustering faults into equal detectability subsets. A simple and effective algorithm for fault clustering is also presented. The sampling model is applied to each cluster independently and the results are then aggregated to yield test lengths for the whole circuit. Results of experiments with several circuits (both ISCAS '85 benchmarks and other practical circuits) are also provided.This work was done while the author was with the Department of Electrical Engineering, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL 62901.