Development of cable fault location method using fiber optic distributed temperature sensor

When ground-fault problems occur on a cable line, immediate fault location and restoration are required. Therefore, various new methods to locate the fault point instantaneously have been investigated to replace such conventional methods as the Murray loop method and the pulse radar method [1]. These methods require a long time to locate the fault point. One possible fault location method is to sense the temperature rise following a ground fault using a fiber optic distributed temperature sensor. Application of this method was found feasible through sensing the temperature rise at a ground-fault test using a thermocouple as a temperature sensor with test cables [4]. A power/optical composite cable was prepared experimentally and after verifying its thermal mechanical performance, the temperature rise at an incidence of a fault was determined and the anticipated performance was demonstrated in a ground-fault test. This article describes the outline of the test.     

New nanocomposite materials based on polymerization of [oligo(oxyethylene) methacrylates] in the presence of montmorillonite clay

Intercalation of poly[oligo(oxyethylene) methacrylates] onto sodium montmorillonite (MMT) clay has been investigated. A polymer–clay hybrid has been synthesized through intercalation of the monomer followed by its solution free‐radical polymerization. Eight polymer–clay hybrids were prepared using different weight ratios of clay, different oligo(oxyethylene) lengths and different proportions of crosslinker. Evidence of the development of nanostructures is obtained from scanning electron microscopy, and wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction studies support these results which show disappearance of the peak characteristic to d₀₀₁ spacing. In this hybrid MMT is dispersed homogeneously in the polymer matrix. © 2003 Society of Chemical Industry     

Cover Picture: Light‐Emitting Organic Solar Cells Based on a 3D Conjugated System with Internal Charge Transfer (Adv. Mater. 22/2006)

The cover image illustrates the dual photovoltaic and electroluminescence function of a single‐layer device based on a thienylenevinylene–triphenylamine with internal charge transfer (ICT), as reported by Cravino, Roncali, and co‐workers on p. 3033. The material forms an organic glass with isotropic electronic properties while ICT leads simultaneously to an extension of the photoresponse to the red and to an increase of the open circuit voltage. The use of an additional layer of C₆₀ further improves the photovoltaic. Images of the sun and moon courtesy NASA/JPL–Caltech.     

Magnetic Resonance Visualisation of Flow and Pore Structure in Packed Beds with Low Aspect Ratio

Different NMR techniques were combined to obtain the structure and velocity information for a systematic investigation of fixed beds with low aspect ratio (tube diameter to particle diamter, d_t/d_p) in the range 1.4 to 32. The structure of the void space was determined for a variety of packed beds of glass beads or regular and irregular porous pellets by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Based on the images the radial distribution of the voids within the bed was obtained. Ordering effects were found even for non‐spherical and polydisperse particles, and a maximum of the fluid density near the tube wall was confirmed for all pellet geometries and sizes. By combining MRI with velocity encoding, velocity profiles and distributions of flow velocity components of a single fluid phase through packed beds have been acquired. The radial velocity distribution follows an oscillatory pattern which largely reflects the ordering of the particles, which can be accessed from the density distribution of the interparticle fluid. Maximum velocities of up to four times the average value were found to occur near the tube wall. This wall effect was observed for all but the smallest particles, where the aspect ratio was d_t/d_p = 32. Moreover, a visualisation of flow pattern in the presence of packed particles was achieved by using a tagging technique, and the stationary flow field could be identified for an experimental time of several hours.     

Emission Of Volatile And Semivolatile Organic Compounds From Waterborne Paints – The Effect Of The Film Thickness

A waterborne paint was applied to tin plated steel sheets with three different film thicknesses. The emission of volatile and semivolaile organic compounds ((S) VOCs) from the samples was measured in small climatic chambers under standard conditions over a two-week period. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effect of the film thickness on the emission rate decay. First order decay models, including sink effects for the high boiling (S) VOCs, were fitted to the concentration versus time data. The results showed that the first order rate constants decrease with increasing film thickness. In uddition, the results indicated that the emissions of the (S)VOCs in the waterborne paint film seemed to be controlled by evaporation. The thicknesses of paint films used in climatic chamber tests to estimate emission rates for product compurison or emission prediction must be known in order to prevent erroneous conclusions     

Frequency response function of magnetic bearings using high-temperature superconductor

A high-temperature superconductor YBa₂Cu₃O_7-x with strong pinning force has allowed stable magnetic suspension with no control to be developed. Two types of superconducting magnetic bearings (SMB) using YBCO and permanent magnet were assembled. The two types are radial and axial. The dynamic stiffness of each SMB as it was cooled down under a magnetic field by liquid nitrogen was measured both radially and axially. As a result, it was found that the spring constants of these SMBs were almost as large as a practically desirable value; however, their damping coefficients were lower than the practical level. These findings are useful as one of the data bases for development of an optimum SMB design to support the weight of rotors in an axial direction.     

Thin conducting polypyrrole film on insulating surface and its applications

An electrically conductive plastic material was obtained by the polymerization of pyrrole on insulating polymeric materials and nylon cloth impregnated with the oxidant by vapour phase technique, resulting in a uniform, smooth and adherent coating of conducting polymer having a surface resistance ranging from 200 Ω/□ to 20 kΩ/□, which makes it suitable for applications as an antistatic material.     

Pultruded fibre reinforced polyurethane composites II. Effect of processing parameters on mechanical and thermal properties

This paper presents a novel process for the fabrication of pultruded polyurethane (PU) composites. The effects of the processing parameters on the mechanical properties (flexural strength and flexural modulus, etc.) and thermal properties (HDT) of the fibre reinforced PU composites by pultrusion have been studied. The processing parameters investigated include pulling rate (in-line speed), die temperature, filler type and content, and post-cure time and temperature. Results show that the composites possessed various optimum pulling rates at different die temperatures. On the basis of the DSC diagram, the swelling ratio, the mechanical properties and the thermal properties of composites, the optimum die temperature can be determined. It is found that the mechanical and thermal properties increase with filler content for various types of filler. The mechanical and thermal properties increase at a suitable post-cure temperature and time. Furthermore, the properties which decreased due to the degradation of composite materials for a long post-cure time will be discussed.     

Effect of the particle size ratio on the conductivity of conductor-insulator powder composites: Numerical simulation

A theoretical method for determining the percolation limit and effective conductivity of composites based on polydisperse mixtures of insulator and conductor powders is proposed. The effect of the particle size ratio between the insulator and conductor on the percolation limit and effective conductivity is studied. Numerical simulation of the microstructure, effective properties, and percolation limit in composites is discussed. __________ Translated from Poroshkovaya Metallurgiya, Vol. 46, No. 1–2(453), pp. 31–40, 2007.     

光纤智能复合材料

对光纤型智能复合材料的工作原理，性能特点和应用前景作了介绍，并讨论了制造成型的技术问题。