Systematic study of back pressure and anode stoichiometry effects on spatial PEMFC performance distribution

A segmented cell system was applied to investigate the effects of the anode and cathode back pressure and hydrogen stoichiometry on fuel cell performance in terms of overpotential distributions along the flow field. The segmented cell system was designed with closed loop Hall sensors and a data acquisition system allowing simultaneous spatial electrochemical impedance spectra (EIS) measurements. It was determined that an increase in back pressure for the tested serpentine flow field design results in an improvement of the cell performance and uneven improvement of individual segments’ performance. In general, the performance and the overpotentials become more uniform downstream with an increase in the back pressure due to a decrease in activation and mass transfer losses. Spatial EIS data for the PEMFC operated at different back pressures support the overpotential analysis. Hydrogen stoichiometry variations do not affect the performance of the cell or the individual segments at low current density because there is no significant hydrogen concentration gradient in the flow field. However, at high current densities a reduction in hydrogen stoichiometry produces a slight decrease in performance for inlet segments while outlet segments showed a noticeable performance loss. The decrease in performance is attributed to an increase in mass transfer losses due to nitrogen diffusion from the cathode to the anode. This effect becomes more pronounced for the outlet segments due to a downstream nitrogen accumulation. Under high current density conditions, the cell is locally fuel starved even with a high fuel stoichiometry creating conditions leading to cell degradation by carbon corrosion. More importantly, this local degradation is masked by the overall cell performance which remains largely unaffected.     

CRYSTAL GROWTH LIMITATION IN AQUEOUS FOAM CRYSTALLIZATION

We present results concerning the limitation of maximum crystal size by pre-foaming an aqueous supersaturated solution, followed by its crystallization. Foams are generated by adding specific surface active agents to the solution and by air injection under continuous high shear agitation, leading to a gas-liquid stable dispersion having polyhedral internal structures with thin separating liquid films. This spatial dispersion structuration, by locally reducing the amount of solute available for each crystal growth, permits the limitation of the resulting crystal sizes. It is shown that, under these conditions, the initial film thickness and mean bubble radius, obtained for a given volume fraction of gas in the foam, can control the final crystal size distribution. The foam expansion ratio thus appears to be a new operating parameter for crystal growth limitation when using a foam crystallization technique.     

Fixed width confidence bands for density functions

The problem of constructing confidence bands with prescribed width and confidence for an unknown density function is considered. A two stage procedure, based on the confidence bands of Bickel and Rosenblatt (1973), is proposed and shown to achieve the desired goals.Moreover, the procedure is asymptotically efficient with respect to sample size. The possibility of using a fully sequential approach is exploredthe technical difficulties in this case are formidable, and perhaps insurmountable.     

侧吹风在锦纶军用特品丝纺制中的应用

分析了锦纶军用特品丝纺丝过程中,侧吹风对纤维纤度变异系数、断裂强度变异系数、断裂伸长变异系数的影响。通过对峰巢状整流器的当量直径及L/d的变换,同时采用多孔板调节冷却气流分布及适当延长渐冷区等方法,克服了冷却条件对"三不匀"的影响。     

What controls distribution of larval and juvenile yellow perch? The role of habitat characteristics and spatial processes in a large,shallow lake

The goal of this study was to determine the relative contribution of environmental and spatial processes governing the distribution of larval and juvenile yellow perch (Perca flavescens) in two shallow embayments of a large fluvial lake on the St. Lawrence River system. We tested the hypotheses that: i) larval distribution is not related to habitat characteristics, presumably due to their relatively low swimming capacity, whereas ii) these environmental variables drive juvenile distribution, reflecting a more active habitat selection. This study is one of the first attempts to partition the relative roles of environmental and spatial factors in shaping the distribution of a freshwater fish through its early ontogeny. We show that larvae were not spatially aggregated within the embayments and that habitat characteristics, mainly related to aquatic vegetation, played an important role in explaining their distribution. In contrast, juvenile abundances were not significantly related to habitat characteristics, despite being spatially structured over multiple scales. Contrary to our predictions, habitat association was stronger for larvae than for juveniles which were aggregated independent of habitat characteristics. Increased swimming capacities may thus facilitate the aggregation of juveniles rather than strengthening their association with habitat, at least at the scales considered here (ca 3 km²). These results shed a new light on the factors governing larval and juvenile yellow perch distribution, suggesting that active habitat choice might begin earlier than previously thought.     

Spatial Analysis of Water Use in Oregon, USA, 1985–2005

Water use patterns are not distributed evenly over space and time. Determining the amount of water used within a region, as well as the various ways in which water is used is important for making adequate and sustainable water management policies and determining future water availability. We examined differences in spatial trends in Oregon freshwater use (total, municipal, and agricultural water withdrawals), by county, between the years 1985 and 2005. We also explored biophysical and socioeconomic factors that explain spatial patterns using Moran’s I, local index of spatial autocorrelation (LISA), and spatial regression models. There was a moderate positive spatial autocorrelation among counties that had similar total and irrigation withdrawals. LISA analysis identified hot spots between certain arid agricultural counties in the southeastern Oregon and cold spots between certain humid northwestern counties, including within the Portland metro area. Annual precipitation and income are negatively associated with total water withdrawals. Summer temperature and farm size is positively associated with irrigation water withdrawals, while net cash return and income are negatively associated with irrigation water withdrawals. When compared to ordinary least square regression models, spatial error models that take into account spatial dependence provide a more comprehensive explanation of the variations of water use, suggesting that water resource planning and management should incorporate spatial and neighborhood effects to effective manage limited natural resources.     

Mappings of Bounded Φ-Variation with Arbitrary Function Φ

We develop the general theory of mappings of bounded -variation in the sense of L. C. Young that are defined on a subset of the real line and take values in metric or normed spaces. We single out the characterizing properties for these mappings, prove the structural theorem for them, and study their continuity properties. We obtain the existence of a geodesic path of bounded -variation between two points of a compact set with certain regularity of its modulus of continuity. The classical Helly selection principle from the theory of functions of bounded variation is generalized for mappings of bounded -variation. Under natural restrictions on the function , we show that the space of all normed space-valued mappings under consideration can be endowed with a metric. Finally, we consider the problem of existence of selections of a continuous set-valued mapping Fof bounded -variation with respect to the Hausdorff distance. We show that if (0) is finite> 0, then Fhas a continuous selection of bounded -variation; if (0) = , then Fis a constant mapping; and if (0) = 0, then, under additional assumptions on , we give examples of mappings Fwith no continuous selection and with no selection of bounded -variation.     

Do existing ecological classifications characterize the spatial variability of stream temperatures in the Great Lakes Basin,Ontario?

Ecological classifications of stream ecosystems have been used to develop monitoring programs, identify reference and impacted systems, and focus conservation efforts. One of the most influential, but highly variable, components of stream ecosystems is water temperature but few geographically broad-scale and long-term programs exist to assess and monitor temperatures. This study evaluated if existing ecological classifications could be used to categorize the similarities and differences in stream temperatures across the Ontario portion of the Great Lakes Basin. Concordance between the spatial variability in temperatures and an existing ecological classification would support the use of that classification to define areas with similar temperatures, guide the development of a monitoring program, and inform management programs. The five classifications evaluated were the ecoregions and ecodistricts defined in the National Ecological Framework for Canada, the ecoregions and ecodistricts defined in the Ecological Land Classification of Ontario, and the aquatic ecosystem units defined in the Aquatic Ecosystem Classification (AEC) for the Ontario portion of the Great Lakes Basin. Hierarchical linear modelling and corrected Akaike Information Criterion indicated that the ecodistrict classifications characterized more of the spatial variability in temperatures than the ecoregion and AEC classification but temperatures were more variable among sites within classes than between classes. Therefore, none of the existing ecological classifications could be used to characterize thermal variability. Future research should examine if the inability of the existing classifications to capture the thermal variability translates into inaccurate classification of other ecosystem components such as water quality, and macroinvertebrate and fish assemblages.     

Reflection and absorption characteristics of electromagnetic waves for PV modules

In this paper, the authors investigated the reflection and absorption characteristics of a general photovoltaic (PV) module. As a result, the electromagnetic waves could be attenuated only 6 dB in typical PV module. However, if the PV module is installed in the outer wall of buildings, electromagnetic interference is caused by the surroundings. To reduce this electromagnetic interference, the authors suggested a method to absorb electromagnetic wave using multiple PV modules that have deference impedance, and simulation was performed. As a result, it was confirmed that using a typical PV module and the PV module including electronic device, the reflection waves of those PV modules could be attenuated up to 12 dB.     

L—fuzzy集值映射的连续性

在L-fuzzy拓扑空间中引入L-fuzzy上（下）拓扑,L-fuzzy Vietoris拓扑,L-fuzzy下（下）连续和L－fuzzy连续集映射等概念。研究了这3种L-fuzzy拓扑的基本性质,给出了L-fuzzy集值映射的上连续性,下连续性和连续性的6种特征定理及其运算性质。