The removal of arsenic from （ground）-water by adsorbent loaded in polymeric microspheres

Arsenic is a natural tasteless and odourless element,existing in the earth’s crust at average levels of between two and five thousands micrograms per liter (parts per million) . Arsenic is highly toxic to humans, who are exposed to it primarily from air,food and water. The occurrence of arsenic in groundwater is due to geological composition of soil. High concentrations of arsenic in water are the result of dissolution or desorption of ferric oxides and the oxidation of mineral arsenopyrites. Arsenic in drinking water has an important impact on the human health,especially in the less developed countries. Different methods exist to remove arsenic from aquatic media,and one of them is by adsorption. In this work,the adsorption of both As(III) and As(V) by means of novel microspheres has been investigated. In particular,TiO2 has been embedded into polymeric microspheres PES (PolyEtherSulphone) and PEEK-WC (PolyEtherEther-Ketone) . The main advantages of this encapsulation adsorption material are: no loss of adsorbents into the water stream,easy to be used and scaled-up.     

Navigation of NOAA APT images

The low resolution APT ( Automatic Picture Transmission) images from NOAA polar orbiting satellites received and recorded by a very small low cost receiver in 4-bit grey scale have been used to produce daily total global solar radiation maps over an area of approximately 1450 km by 890 km. As the APT image is geometrically transformed on board the satellite and because of the reception in the present receiver we have developed a special navigation programme which gives the required accuracy and speed in this application working on an 1BM-AT compatible PC, Root-mean-square errors of 106 and 224 pixels were obtained along and across the nadir track respectively without correction by GCPs. Errors were reduced to 0 5 pixel by a linear transformation using visible land features.     

Thermodynamic and relative approach to compute glass-forming ability of oxides

This study deals with the evaluation of glass-forming ability (GFA) of oxides and is a critical reading of Sun and Rawson thermodynamic approach to quantify this aptitude. Both approaches are adequate but ambiguous regarding the behaviour of some oxides (tendency to amorphization or crystallization). Indeed, ZrO₂ and Al₂O₃ were inappropriately listed by Sun and Rawson to be glassformer oxides while being intermediate ones. We present a non-dimensional approach to value GFA of single oxide by affecting to each one of the coefficients (without measuring units). Obeying to the non-dimensional analysis rules, we introduce a neglected (in all prior thermodynamic models) characteristic: the isobaric heat capacity (C _p) of oxides, and execute a mathematical treatment of oxides thermodynamic data. We note this coefficient as thermodynamical relative glass-forming ability (ThRGFA) and formulate a model to compute it. Computed values of 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th period metal oxides reveal a clear differentiation between them. Indeed, all glass former oxides are characterized by ThRGFA values over 1·709. Moreover, the value intervals confirm the oxides classification into three groups (forming, intermediate and modifier) and sorting of the former ones in distinctive strong and fragile oxides.     

ICRF Experiments and GAMMA 10 Potential Formation on the Tandem Mirror

Target plasmas, on which the formation of the electrostatic potentials and the improvement of the confinement are studied, are produced with ICRF in the GAMMA 10 tandem mirror. The ion temperature of more than 10 keV has been achieved in relatively low density plasmas. When the strong ICRF heating is applied, it is observed that the high frequency and the low frequency fluctuations are excited and suppress the increase of the plasma parameters. Recently, a new high power gyrotron system has been constructed and the ECRH power in plug extends up to 370 kW. The improvement of the confinement due to the formation of the potential in the axial direction and the strong radial electric field shear has been observed.     

Inhibition of Mold in Bread By Dimethyl Fumarate

Eleven batches of white bread containing 0–1.92g of dimethyl fumarate (DMF) or calcium propionate (CP) per kg flour were prepared by a sponge dough formulation. The loaves were packaged in polyethylene bags, stored at 22–23°C and 45–55% R.H., and periodically observed for visible signs of mold growth. The mold-free shelf-lives of loaves containing CP ranged from 16–30 days. Loaves containing 0.32g or more of DMF per kg flour exhibited no mold growth during 475 days of storage. The quality characteristics of loaves containing DMF, as determined by volume, firmness, % moisture, water activity and sensory evaluation were similar to those of loaves containing CP.     

Design, fabrication, testing and packaging of a silicon micromachined radio frequency microelectromechanical series (RF MEMS) switch

RF characterization and packaging of a single pole single throw (SPST) direct contact microelectromechanical (MEMS) series radio frequency (RF) switch is reported. Precise thickness of the silicon MEMS structure is achieved using a specially developed silicon Deep Reactive Ion Etching (DRIE) thinning process. A stress free release process is employed which ensures a high yield of released microstructures. The design of the device is based on stiffness equations derived from first principles. Displacement of the actuator under applied field is measured to confirm electrostatic pull in, which occurs in the 30–50 V range. The variation of contact resistance with time has been measured and is found to have a power law decay, in agreement with theoretical models. At the bare die level the insertion loss, return loss and the isolation of the switch were measured to be ?0.43 dB, ?25 dB and ?21 dB, respectively at 10 GHz. The devices were packaged in commercially available RF packages and mounted in alumina boards for post package characterization. Due to the presence of bond wires in the signal path of the packaged devices, the RF performance was found to degrade at high frequencies. However, losses were measured to be at acceptable levels up to 2 GHz. Factors contributing to insertion loss at the die and package device levels are discussed in detail with possible solutions.     

INTERIOR PERMANENT MAGNET MOTOR HAVING SEVERAL IMPROVED FEATURES

ABSTRACT

The no-load airgap flux density distribution of most conventional permanent magnet motors is square in shape. The rotor configurations having interior magnets employed in these machines also lead to vastly different saliencies along the d- and q-axes giving a quadrature axis inductance larger than the direct axis inductance. A modified rotor configuration is presented that produces a near sinusoidal airgap flux density distribution which is achieved by shaping the rotor airgap profile while keeping the interior magnets rectangular in shape. As a result of this shaping the quadrature axis inductance is reduced significantly while there is almost no change in the direct axis inductance. It is also shown that the new rotor configuration leads to significantly reduced cogging torque and less saturation along the q-axis which assists in maintaining a linear torque versus current relationship in field oriented control employing the quadrature axis current. Airgap flux density levels, inductances and static torque characteristics obtained using the finite element simulation work are presented comparing them with those for a uniform airgap machine. There has been good agreement between the experimental and simulation results. The operational advantages gained by the improvements made are also briefly discussed.     

Light and temperature effects on shoot fruitfulness in Vitis vinifera L. cv. Sultana: Influence of trellis type and grafting

Fruit bud initiation in Sultana is more sensitive to climatic factors than fruit bud initiation in other cultivars. This paper considers historical findings regarding the influence of light and temperature on fruit bud initiation and fruitfulness in view of modern Sultana vineyard management practices.
Past results were reviewed and confirmed by experiments in which variability in vine size and structure was introduced by grafting and modifications of trellis design. Ramsey-grafted vines were consistently less fruitful than own-rooted Sultana, possibly because of a more shaded canopy interior due to greater vegetative growth of vines grafted to Ramsey rootstock. Carbohydrate reserves of node and internode tissue in late winter between node 2 and 18 followed a similar trend along the cane as fruitfulness in the following spring.     

TOWARD INTEGRATION OF TWO SYSTEM THEORIES BY MESAROVIC AND WYMORE

A function, mapping certain aspects of the Wymore system into the Mesarovic time system ;and vice versa, is established. Furthermore, the state concepts in the Wymore and Mesarovic theories differ only in terms of information content. The mapping defined can be utilized in introducing new concepts to both theories.