Power swing analysis in a future metropolitan electric power system on a contingent trip of cryogenic high-power cables

A cryogenic power cable is expected to be capable of carrying bulk power as a main transmission line in a future metropolitan electric power system. It is important to establish a strategy of how to sustain power supply when such a highly densified power supply route trips from the network due to contingency. It is proposed here that the bulk power transmitted by the cryogenic cable could be distributed into the parallel conventional transmission lines by suitable circuit breaker operations in the system. In this process, power-flow routes are forced to be changed with a remarkable modification in the system configuration. In this paper, the power swings associated with the large power-flow change following contingent faults are analyzed by means of a transient network analyzer. It is found that the proposed system modification could be realized without any harmful power swing if the parameters in generators as well as in control devices have conventional magnitudes. It is shown also by simulations that the margin to occurrence in an unstable power swing is left sufficient even if the parameters deviate somewhat from the present magnitudes.     

EXPANSION AND STRESS RELAXATION OF EXPRESSED CAKE

Expansion and stress relaxation of expressed cake are discussed.

The expansion process of expressed cake after release of load is very similar to consolidation of solidndashliquid mixtures, although a liquid flow in the expansion process is opposite in direction to that in consolidalion. This process can be analyzed well by use of the Terzaghi Voigt combined model. It is shown that the rate of primary deformation in expansion is much smaller than that in consolidation under the same change in compressive pressure. It is also found that the ratio of secondary deformation to total deformation in expansion is much larger than that in consolidation.

Stress relaxation of expressed cake, which is observed when expression is stopped before attaining an equilibrium compression state of a material, can be explained by use of a consolidation and expansion theory. In the relaxation process, local expansion appears near the drainage surface while local consolndash idation appears near the center of the cake. The equilibrium cake stress is uniquely determined by the average consolidation ratio when the expression is interrupted.     

Numerical analyses of high‐beta spherical tokamaks with varied elongation

The effect of plasma elongation on the second‐stable spherical tokamak (ST) was numerically studied using the experimentally measured pressure and current profiles of ultrahigh‐beta STs. The maximum beta of ST over 50% was obtained in the TS‐3 ST/CT experiment by applying an external toroidal field to an FRC. It was found that the marginal beta for the ballooning instability increased with the plasma elongation κ of ST. The elongated STs with κ > 2 have the magnetic shear (S)–pressure gradient (α) profiles located in the second‐stable regime for the ballooning mode and the stability margin increased with κ. The close relation between the absolute minimum‐B profile and the second stability was documented. The effect of elongation on maximum beta was observed to saturate when κ exceed 3, indicating that the optimized elongation for high‐beta STs is located around 2 < κ < 3. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 155(4): 1–6, 2006; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/eej.20132     

Evaluation of static and dynamic fracture toughness in ductile cast iron

Crack extension behavior and fracture toughness of ductile cast iron were examined by three-point bend tests, where various detection methods of crack initiation under static and dynamic loading conditions were adopted. Loading on the specimens was interrupted at various displacement points, and the final fracture surfaces of the specimen were observed via scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Crack-tip opening displacement (CTOD) obtained under the dynamic loading condition was smaller than that under the static loading condition in ferritic ductile cast iron, and CTOD additionally decreased with increasing pearlite content in the matrix. The relationship between J (ΔC) obtained by the compliance changing rate method and J(R) established by the intersection of the crack extension resistance curve and the theoretical blunting line varied with pearlite content. The average value of .J(ΔC) and J(R), that is J (mid), was proposed to define the fracture toughness of ductile cast iron; J (mid) was considered to be a reasonable measure for the fracture toughness of ductile cast iron, irrespective of loading condition and the pearlite content in the matrix.     

Crystallization process and magnetic properties of Fe100−x,B x (10 ≦ × ≦ 35) amorphous alloys and supersaturated state of boron inα-Fe

Amorphous specimens of Fe_100–x B _x were prepared in the range 10 × 35 at % B by a single-roller method. The crystallization process and the boron concentration dependence of the Curie temperature were examined by differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffraction, Mössbauer spectroscopy and magnetic measurements. Two-step crystallization was observed in specimens with× < 17: amorphous amorphous + boron-supersaturated b c c phase (-Fe(B)) t-Fe₃B +-Fe. A single-Fe(B) phase was not observed. The transition temperature from t-Fe₃B to stable (-Fe + t-Fe₂B) sensitively depends on the boron content in the alloys. The crystallization temperature (T _x) of the amorphous alloys was almost unchanged for 17 × 31, but increased remarkably at high boron concentrations of× 33, where the decomposition products consisted of t-Fe₂B and o-FeB. The Curie temperature (T _c) of the amorphous phase was as low as 480 K at× = 10, increased with increasing boron content up to 820 K and then decreased in the high boron concentration alloys of× > 28. A single-Fe(B) phase was not detected in the as-quenched specimens of× = 8 and 10. The phase coexisted with the o-Fe₃B and amorphous phases. The lattice parameter of the phase was 0.2861₀ nm which was smaller than that of pure iron by 2/1000, indicating the substitutional occupation of boron atoms in the b c c lattice.     

Acrylic nonaqueous dispersion using butylated melamine-formaldehyde resin as dispersant

A series of acrylic nonaqueous dispersions were prepared by using various kinds of butylated melamine–formaldehyde (BMF) resins as dispersant. The functional group composition of BMF to form stable dispersion was butoxy group more than 13 mol/BMF 1 mol, and methylol group ranged from 1 to 2.5 mol/BMF 1 mol. It is concluded that the anchoring of BMF to acrylic copolymer was due to the formation of covalent bond between methylol group in BMF and hydroxy group in acrylic copolymer.     

Fracture Energies of Tape-Cast Silicon Nitride with β-Si3N4 Seed Addition

The fracture energies of the tape-cast silicon nitride with and without 3 wt% rod-like β-Si₃N₄ seed addition were investigated by a chevron-notched-beam technique. The material was doped with Lu₂O₃–SiO₂ as sintering additives for giving rigid grain boundaries and good heat resistance. The seeded and tape-cast silicon nitride has anisotropic microstructure, where the fibrous grains grown from seeds were preferentially aligned parallel to the casting direction. When a stress was applied parallel to the fibrous grain alignment direction, the strength measured at 1500°C was 738 MPa, which was almost the same as room temperature strength 739 MPa. The fracture energy of the tape-cast Si₃N₄ without seed addition was 109 and 454 J/m² at room temperature and 1500°C, respectively. On the contrary, the fracture energy of the seeded and tape-cast Si₃N₄ was 301 and 781 J/m² at room temperature and 1500°C, respectively, when a stress was applied parallel to the fibrous gain alignment. The large fracture energies were attributable primarily to the unidirectional alignment fibrous Si₃N₄ grains.