Formation of Lead Zirconate-Lead Titanate Solid Solutions

Formation of the Pb(Zr,Ti)O₃ solid solution in the system PbO-TiO₂-ZrO₂ was studied by chemical analysis and X-ray powder diffrac-tometry. Only PbTiO₃ and Pb(Zr,Ti)O₃ were found as reaction products. The following three elementary reactions seemed to be reasonable for the formation of the Pb(Zr,Ti)O₃ phase: PbO + TiO₂→ PbTiO₃, PbTiO₃+ PbO + ZrO₂→Pb(Zr_1-λTi_λ)O₃, and Pb(Zr_l-λTi_λ)O₃+ PbTiO₃→ Pb(Zr_1-λ'Ti_λ')O₃ (λ<λ').     

Evaluation Results of the Signal Decomposition Technique for OFDM Transmission which Achieves the Power‐Added Efficiency Improvement and the SNR Enhancement Using the Noise Elimination

The authors have proposed the signal decomposition technique as one of the powerful solution to mitigate the large peak‐to‐average power ratio (PAPR) to be addressed in orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) transmitters especially on mobile terminals. In order to enhance the receiver SNR, the simple noise elimination techniques working together with the signal decomposition technique have also been proposed that eliminates the noise added on the decomposed constant amplitude on‐off‐signals taking advantage of the knowledge of their constant amplitude at the receiver. In this paper, we discuss the parameter design issue of the proposed techniques and their optimization. Then, demonstrate the PAPR, the power‐added efficiency (PAE), and also the BER performances operating on the optimized parameters. It is confirmed that the proposed signal decomposition technique improves the PAPR by 4 dB and doubles the PAE at the complementary cumulative distribution function of 1%. It is also confirmed that the proposed noise elimination technique improves the receiver SNR by 3 dB at the BER of 10 to 3, which is nearly equal to that of conventional OFDM, under the conditions that the decomposed signals are transmitted over the independent additive white Gaussian noise channels. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that the proposed techniques work properly when the decomposed signals are transmitted over 2 × 2 multi‐input multi‐output.     

Low‐Voltage‐Ride‐Through Performance of an HVDC Transmission System Using Two Modular Multilevel Double‐Star Chopper‐Cells Converters

This paper presents an intensive discussion on a long‐distance high‐voltage direct‐current (HVDC) transmission system that combines two modular multilevel cascade converters based on double‐star chopper cells (MMCC‐DSCC) with DC power cables. Hereinafter, a single MMCC‐DSCC is referred to as a DSCC converter or just as a DSCC for the sake of simplicity. The HVDC transmission system is required to provide low‐voltage‐ride‐through (LVRT) capability to enhance transmission system availability. This paper proposes a new LVRT method without any direct information exchange between the two DSCC converters. The validity of the method is verified, using simulated waveforms from the software package of “PSCAD/EMTDC” and experimental waveforms from a three‐phase 200‐V, 400‐Vdc, 10‐kW, 50‐Hz downscaled HVDC system with a set of 300‐meter‐long DC power cables.     

BIDIRECTIONAL TRANSMISSION OF ADDRESSED AUDIO SIGNAL THROUGH GI MULTIMODE OPTICAL FIBRES

This paper describes two types of bidirectional addressed audio signal transmission systems where the square-wave frequency modulation (SWFM) and intensity modulation (IM) are used to obtain the optical SWFM signals generated from LEDs at 850 nm. The first one is an addressed audio signal transmission network of tree structure. The sender and auxiliary receiver in the centre are connected to four terminals, each consisting of a receiver and an auxiliary sender, through pairs of optical fibres and an optical splitter used as an optical signal distributor. The second one is a new type of full-duplex one-to-one communication system. The sender and auxiliary receiver in one terminal are connected to the receiver and auxiliary sender in the other terminal through an optical fibre and a pair of directional couplers. Although LEDs in the second system deliver optical SWFM signals at the same wavelength of 850 nm at the same time, the communications are satisfactory because there is no interference from one LED to the other. In both the first and second experimental systems, the audio signal, address, and SWFM carrier occupy 10 Hz to 20 kHz, 65 kHz to 710 kHz, and 6 MHz, respectively. The SNR and distortion were 62 dB and 0.4 per cent, respectively.     

Spaghetti Stickiness: Some Factors Influencing Stickiness and Relationship to Other Cooking Quality Characteristics

Spaghetti was processed in a semi-commercial scale laboratory press from a range of raw materials, dried by a low temperature (LT) and a high temperature (HT) drying cycle, and assessed for stickiness and other important cooking quality attributes in cooking waters of varying hardness. Cooked HT spaghetti was generally less sticky, more resilient, firmer, and exhibited lower cooking loss than corresponding LT spaghetti. As cooking water hardness increased spaghetti became stickier and cooking loss increased. Stickiness was influenced by cultivar, wheat class, raw material granulation and protein content, but was not related to sprout damage. Stickiness was significantly correlated to cooking loss, cooked weight, degree of swelling, compressibility, recovery, and firmness. However, even when all these factors were included in a step-up regression less than 50% of the variance in stickiness could be predicted.     

A Low‐Speed,High‐Torque Motor Drive Using a Modular Multilevel Cascade Converter Based on Triple‐Star Bridge Cells (MMCC‐TSBC)

This paper provides an experiment‐based discussion on a modular multilevel cascade converter based on triple‐star bridge cells (MMCC‐TSBC) for a low‐speed high‐torque motor drive. The TSBC is a direct ac‐to‐ac power converter capable of achieving bidirectional power flow as well as drawing and feeding three‐phase sinusoidal input (supply‐side) and output (motor‐side) currents with any power factor at both sides. This paper discusses active dc‐capacitor‐voltage control applied to the low‐speed, high‐torque motor drive. A specially designed downscaled system combining a 320‐V, 38‐Hz, 6‐pole, 15‐kW induction motor with a 400‐V, 15‐kW TSBC is constructed and tested to confirm the validity of the motor drive. Experimental waveforms obtained from the downscaled system confirm stable operation with the rated load torque across a range from a standstill to the rated speed, including satisfactory start‐up performance.     

Effects of storage temperature and water activity on the survival of bifidobacteria in powder form

Effects of water activity and storage temperature on survival of bifidobacteria in powder form were investigated and kinetic analyses were performed to reveal characteristics of the stability. A significant positive correlation was observed between water activity and natural logarithm of the inactivation rate constant of bifidobacteria powder, indicating that higher water activity induced lower stability of bifidobacteria in powder form. Also, higher temperature condition induced lower survival rate, which was supported by that the stability was followed the Arrhenius theory. These findings constructed a prediction model for bifidobacteria survival in powder form.     

HYDROLYSIS OF PHYTATE IN BROWN RICE-ADDED BREAD BY ADDITION OF CRUDE AND PURIFIED ASPERGILLUS NIGER PHYTASE PREPARATIONS DURING BREAD MAKING

Brown rice-added breads were prepared with and without crude and purified Aspergillus niger phytase preparations. By adding 30% (w/w) brown rice flour and no phytase preparation, the phytate (myo-inositol hexaphosphate; IP₆) content of the bread was increased and the loaf volume was reduced. The direct addition of a food-additive grade phytase preparation (3,000 U) resulted in a significant decrease in the IP₆ content. However, it collapsed the bread crust. The crude phytase preparation had significant protease and amylase activities. A simple chromatographic method for the separation of phytase activity from the protease and amylase activities was developed. By using purified phytase, the IP₆ content was reduced without any adverse effects on the rising of the bread, which indicates that protease and amylase may be responsible for the collapse of the crust by the commercial phytase preparation.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

Phytate in unrefined cereals and beans lowers bioavailability of minerals. On the other hand, these materials are rich in health-promoting components. To reduce the phytate in them during processing, some commercially available phytase preparations are now used. However, we found that such preparation contains significant amylase and protease activities, which may cause adverse effect on the appearance and textural properties of final products. To solve these problems, a simple and inexpensive procedure for separation of phyatase from amylase and protease was developed in the present study. The purified phytase can reduce phytate in brown rice-added bread without adverse effect on rising of bread. These results would encourage prepare the phytase preparation in high purity in an industrial scale to improve nutritional value of unrefined cereal- and bean-based functional foods.