Evaluation of solar energy potential and PV module performance in the Gobi Desert of Mongolia

Here, we present the results of evaluation of solar energy potential and photovoltaic (PV) module performance from actual data measured over a period of more than 2 years in the Gobi Desert of Mongolia. To allow estimation of solar energy potentials and durability of PV systems in the Gobi Desert area, a data acquisition system, including crystalline silicon (c‐Si), polycrystalline silicon (p‐Si) modules, and two sets of precision pyranometers, thermometers, and anemometer, was installed at Sainshand City in October 2002. This system measures 23 parameters, including solar irradiation and meteorological parameters, every 10 min. High output gain was observed due to operation at extremely low ambient temperatures and the module performance ratios (PRs) were high (>1·0) in winter. In summary, the present study showed that a PV module with a high temperature coefficient, such as crystalline silicon, is advantageous for use in the Gobi Desert area. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Generation and evaluation of current and logic tests for switch-level sequential circuits

This article presents an approach to developing high quality tests for switch-level circuits using both current and logic test generation algorithms. Faults that are aborted or undetectable by logic tests may be detected by current tests, or vice versa. An efficient switch level test generation algorithm for generating current and logic tests is introduced. Clear definitions for analyzing the effectiveness of the joint test generation approach are derived. Experimental results are presented for demonstrating high coverage of stuck-at, stuck-on, and stuck-open faults for switch level circuits when both current and logic tests are used.This is expanded version of the work originally presented at the 1991 International Test Conference.     

基于CURE算法的电子装备时变误差分析

针对当前靶场试验中现有试验数据误差处理方法的不足,对电子装备试验过程中存在的时变误差进行了分析,提出了时变稳定度、时变一致性和精度—时间概率3项考核电子装备时变误差的指标。采用一种基于CURE算法的电子装备时变误差分析处理方法,对两型激光测距设备的误差精度进行了对比分析。试验结果表明对于某些存在时变误差的电子装备,上述算法具有良好的区分度,证明了该方法的有效性。     

Emitter-coupled pair chaotic generator circuit

An emitter-coupled pair chaotic generator is proposed with a control parameter that can be tuned for distinct chaotic behaviors. The proposed circuit is a compact, high-speed implementation of the chaotic map based on the hyperbolic tangent function. It is demonstrated that the circuit and map parameters are analytically related. As an application, we design a random number generator that passes all NIST statistical tests by applying a post-processing to the balanced bit sequence generated by a quantization of the circuit output.     

Use of transportable test stations for measuring satellite coverage dependent parameters during IOT campaigns

The in-orbit tests of the satellite coverage dependent parameters require the rotation of the satellite around its pitch and roll axes in order to ‘bring’ the various coverage locations onto one fixed IOT station. Alternatively, several transportable test stations can be located at different sites in the coverage area in order to measure the satellite performances on site. Although the second technique does not provide enough measurement points to reconstruct the complete coverage of shaped beam antennas, it presents several advantages for which it is still used by EUTELSAT for the IOTs of its satellites in conjunction with measurements based on the satellite attitude movements. In particular, the transportable test stations are used to test the stability of satellite EIRP and IPFD at the edges of the coverage areas, where the performances are more sensitive to the pointing errors induced by thermal deformation or satellite attitude changes. This paper presents the common experience gained by EUTELSAT and ESA in testing the coverage dependent parameters of the first and second generation of EUTELSAT satellites. In particular, the paper deals with the use of the transportable test stations during the EUTELSAT II F1 to F3 acceptance tests and with the test campaigns performed at several sites in the eastern European countries. In the first case, the transportable test stations were used in conjunction with satellite rotations around the pitch axis in order to measure the coverage dependent parameters along several cuts parallel to the equatorial plane at different roll angles. In the second case, the transportable test stations were used to periodically repeat the EIRP measurements of many satellite channels over several hours in order to test the EIRP stability of the EUTELSAT II satellites. For both cases, the paper presents a synthesis of the most significant IOT results together with a comparison between these results and the values of the coverage dependent parameters predicted on the basis of the on-ground tests.     

Adaptive decorrelating detectors for CDMA systems

Multi-user detection allows for the efficient use of bandwidth in Code-Division Multiple-Access (CDMA) channels through mitigation of near-far effects and multiple-access noise limitations. Due to its inherent noise and multipath immunity, CDMA multi-access is being considered as a platform for personal communication systems (PCS). As CDMA based digital communication networks proliferate, the need to determine the presence of a new user and integrate knowledge of this new user into the detection scheme becomes more important. The decorrelating detector is a linear multi-user detector that is asymptotically optimal in terms of near far resistance; however, in the presence of a new unknown user, performance of the decorrelator is severely degraded. Adaptive decorrelators are constructed which adaptively augment an existing conventional decorrelator to demodulate a new active user in addition to existing users. Several likelihood ratio based schemes are employed. Both synchronous and asynchronous communication are investigated.This research was supported by the U.S. Army Research Office under Grant DAAH04-93-G-0219.     

Oxidation-sulfidation behavior of Ni aluminide in oxygen-sulfur mixed-gas atmospheres

Oxidation-sulfidation studies were conducted on sheet samples of nickel aluminide, containing 23.5 at. % Al, 0.5 at. % Hf, and 0.2 at. % B in an annealed condition and after preoxidation treatments. Continuous weight-change measurements were made by a thermogravimetric technique in exposure atmospheres of air, a low- gas mixture, and low- gas mixtures with several levels of sulfur. Detailed scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray, and electron microprobe analyses of the corrosion product scale layers were performed. The air-exposed specimens developed predominantly nickel oxide; the specimen exposed to a low- .     

Impact of power electronics packaging on the reliability of grid connected photovoltaic converters for outdoor applications

This paper deals with thermal and reliability aspects of converters for grid connected photovoltaic applications (rate power approximately 100 W) which can be integrated into solar modules. The use of these Module Integrated Converters (MIC) promises a reduction of costs due to mass production. It improves behaviour of the whole photovoltaic system, as there is no voltage mismatch caused by shading effects. The electronic components of the MIC are exposed to extreme environmental conditions. Lifetime limiting factors are described. Methods to increase the lifetime of the most crucial components in the MIC, electrolytic capacitors, are described. The presented 1st generation Low Profile MIC with “optimised design” is capable of running in very high ambient temperatures. This design maximises availability of the photovoltaic system, which consequently leads to a cost reduction of the electrical energy delivered to the grid. Different realisations of how to integrate the designed Low Profile MIC into the solar module are discussed. A detailed thermal simulation is used to optimise the MIC design according to temperature and reliability issues. The models used for thermal simulation are described.     

一种基于显著不相关检验的快速分形图像编码方法

针对分形编码计算量过大的缺点,本文提出一种基于显著不相关检验的分形编码方法。对于文中的测试图像（Lenn256×256×8ppb和Boat256×256×8ppb）,其编码速度比基于子块分类的分形编码方法快2～15倍,而解码图像质量（PSNR）没有明显下降,压缩比还有一定的提高。     

The Effect of He Implantation on the Tensile Properties and Microstructure of Cu/Fe Nano‐Bicrystals

In situ uniaxial tensile experiments on as‐fabricated and helium‐implanted 100 nm‐diameter Cu/Fe bicrystals unearth the effect of individual face‐centred‐cubic/body‐centred‐cubic (fcc‐bcc) interfaces on improving radiation‐damage tolerance and helium absorption. Arrays of nanotensile specimens, each containing a single Cu grain in the bottom half and a single Fe grain on top, were fabricated by templated electron‐beam lithography and electrodeposition. Helium is implanted at 200 keV to a dose of 10¹⁴ ion/cm² nominally into the interface region. High‐resolution, site‐specific transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and through‐focus analysis reveal that the interfaces are nonplanar and contain ≈5 nm‐spaced He bubbles with diameters of 1–2 nm. Nanomechanical experimental results show that the irradiated samples exhibit yield and ultimate tensile strengths more than 60% higher than the as‐fabricated ones, while they retain comparable ductility. Tensile failure always occurs gradually, along the interfaces, with no noticeable shape localization. The absence of brittle failure in He‐irradiated metals might be explained, in part, by the inability of the small He bubbles to serve as sufficient stress concentrators for cracking. In addition, the non‐orthogonal orientation of the interfaces with respect to the loading axes results in the development of both normal‐ and shear‐stress components. Tensile loading along the pillar axes may cause those interfacial regions subjected to normal stresses to detach, while the inclined regions, subjected to shear, to carry plastic deformation until final fracture.