Channel characterization and television field strength measurements

The new standard in North America for the advanced television (ATV) transmission system will be selected in 1996. The new ATV system is expected to co-exist with the conventional NTSC television system for many years to come. Simulcasting of the two systems will require a good understanding of the channels used. In this paper, a method to characterize a channel using the ghost canceling reference (GCR) signal is presented as well as the method used to conduct field strength measurements of television channels. The channel characterization gives us the time and frequency response of channels. The field strength measurements show the power variation of the signals that are transmitted through a channel over a period of time. The results obtained from field tests for a number of channels and with different polarization of transmitter's and receiver's antennas are then presented. The results for the channel characterization of a cable network using the GCR signal are also presented     

Microwave heating of poly(ethylene terephthalate) bottle preforms used in the thermoforming process

Thermoforming (free blowing) of poly(ethylene terephthalate) preforms was successfully and quickly performed in a rotating system designed for dielectric hysteresis heating. Temperature profile modeling was carried out with the amorphous poly(ethylene terephthalate) permittivity at different temperatures. The Maxwell and heat equations were used to determine the best profile and power tuning. The determination of the theoretical boundary conditions was accomplished by the adjustment of the numerical transient external surface wall temperature with experimental infrared pyrometry results. In comparison with infrared, microwaves allowed high power density absorption inside the perform wall without a dramatic temperature gradient. Consequently, the heat blowing stage could be accelerated, and the process took at least 5 times less energy than infrared heating. Industrial applications involve the integration of the molding step and the design of the overall process. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008     

Catalytic Combustion of Model Carbon Particles (CPs) over Pt/β-SiC Catalyst

Platinum catalyst supported on a medium surface area -SiC was successfully used for the catalytic combustion of model carbon particles and compared to a catalyst supported on a low surface area -SiC. The -SiC-based catalyst showed no deactivation as a function of cycling tests while a strong deactivation was observed on the -SiC-based catalyst. This deactivation was attributed to the progressive encapsulation of the platinum particles by a layer of silica which built up during the combustion cycle. These results render possible the use of Pt/-SiC catalyst as a diesel carbon particle catalytic filter with continuous regeneration.     

Characterization and modeling of diffusion process for mass transport through the Tournemire argillites (Aveyron, France)

Argillites are one of the geological formations studied by IRSN for their confining properties for isolation of radioactive wastes. One of the main objectives is the study of water transport through rocks with very low water content and very low hydraulic conductivity by modeling of natural tracer profiles. This paper presents the protocol developed for and applied to the acquisition of data for chloride content in interstitial water of the Toarcian argillites at the Tournemire site (Southern France). This protocol is based on laboratory diffusion experiments and on modeling. Experimental data obtained during the transient and steady-state parts of diffusion experiments enable, respectively, the assessment of the diffusion coefficient and the determination of Cl concentration in pore water. Using this protocol, profiles with depth for both of these data sets have been acquired along the geological sequence. Taking into account the present knowledge of the geological and hydrogeological history of the Tournemire massif, a conceptual model granting the main role for mass transport to diffusion has been proposed. According to this conceptual model, a one-dimensional numerical model was built for simulating the mass transport of chloride through the sedimentary column, over 53 Ma. The good agreement between experimental data and calculated values for both diffusion coefficients and concentrations of chloride confirms that diffusion is likely the main process for mass transport in the massif. This model was also tested with the deuterium content of interstitial water, applying variable concentrations at the aquifer system boundaries for reflecting the thermal dependency of isotopic composition in precipitation. These simulations also reveal the likely important role of heterogeneities, such as fractures, in the variability of tracer concentrations with regards to a simple diffusion profile.     

CP methods of higher order for Sturm-Liouville and Schrödinger equations

The algorithm upon which the code SLCPM12, described in Computer Physics Communications 118 (1999) 259-277, is based, is extended to higher order. The implementation of the original algorithm, which was of order {12,10} (meaning order 12 at low energies and order 10 at high energies), was more efficient than the well-established codes SL02F, SLEDGE and SLEIGN. In the new algorithm the orders {14,12}, {16,14} and {18,16} are introduced. Besides regular Sturm-Liouville and one-dimensional Schrödinger problems also radial Schrödinger equations are considered with potentials of the form V(r)=S(r)/r+R(r), where S(r) and R(r) are well behaved functions which tend to some (not necessarily equal) constants when r→0 and r→∞. Numerical illustrations are given showing the accuracy, the robustness and the CPU-time gain of the proposed algorithms.     

Identification of the Primary Factors Determining the Specificity of Human VKORC1 Recognition by Thioredoxin-Fold Proteins

Redox (reduction–oxidation) reactions control many important biological processes in all organisms, both prokaryotes and eukaryotes. This reaction is usually accomplished by canonical disulphide-based pathways involving a donor enzyme that reduces the oxidised cysteine residues of a target protein, resulting in the cleavage of its disulphide bonds. Focusing on human vitamin K epoxide reductase (hVKORC1) as a target and on four redoxins (protein disulphide isomerase (PDI), endoplasmic reticulum oxidoreductase (ERp18), thioredoxin-related transmembrane protein 1 (Tmx1) and thioredoxin-related transmembrane protein 4 (Tmx4)) as the most probable reducers of VKORC1, a comparative in-silico analysis that concentrates on the similarity and divergence of redoxins in their sequence, secondary and tertiary structure, dynamics, intraprotein interactions and composition of the surface exposed to the target is provided. Similarly, hVKORC1 is analysed in its native state, where two pairs of cysteine residues are covalently linked, forming two disulphide bridges, as a target for Trx-fold proteins. Such analysis is used to derive the putative recognition/binding sites on each isolated protein, and PDI is suggested as the most probable hVKORC1 partner. By probing the alternative orientation of PDI with respect to hVKORC1, the functionally related noncovalent complex formed by hVKORC1 and PDI was found, which is proposed to be a first precursor to probe thiol–disulphide exchange reactions between PDI and hVKORC1.     

The accurate numerical solution of the Schrödinger equation with an explicitly time-dependent Hamiltonian

We show how the highly accurate and efficient Constant Perturbation (CP) technique for steady-state Schrödinger problems can be used in the solution of time-dependent Schrödinger problems with explicitly time-dependent Hamiltonians, following a technique suggested by Ixaru (2010). By introducing a sectorwise spatial discretization using bases of accurately CP-computed eigenfunctions of carefully-chosen stationary problems, we deal with the possible highly oscillatory behavior of the wave function while keeping the dimension of the resulting ODE system low. Also for the time-integration of the ODE system a very effective CP-based approach can be used.     

Mechanical sludge disintegration for the production of carbon source for biological nutrient removal

The primary driver for a successful biological nutrient removal is the availability of suitable carbon source, mainly in the form of volatile fatty acids (VFA). Several methods have been examined to increase the amount of VFAs in wastewater. This study investigates the mechanism of mechanical disintegration of thickened surplus activated sludge by a deflaker technology for the production of organic matter. This equipment was able to increase the soluble carbon in terms of VFA and soluble chemical oxygen demand (SCOD) with the maximum concentration to be around 850 and 6530 mgl(-1), for VFA and SCOD, respectively. The particle size was reduced from 65.5 to 9.3 microm after 15 min of disintegration with the simultaneous release of proteins (1550 mgl(-1)) and carbohydrates (307 mgl(-1)) indicating floc disruption and breakage. High performance size exclusion chromatography investigated the disintegrated sludge and confirmed that the deflaker was able to destroy the flocs releasing polymeric substances that are typically found outside of cells. When long disintegration times were applied (>or=10 min or >or=9000 kJkg(-1)TS of specific energy) smaller molecular size materials were released to the liquid phase, which are considered to be found inside the cells indicating cell lysis.     

Delayed gamma studies from photo-fission of Np for nuclear waste characterization

An active and non-destructive method is being established for detection of ²³⁷Np in nuclear waste barrels. The unique high energy decay gamma signature produced after photo-fission is analysed to deduce decay time parameters. A high purity ²³⁷Np sample was irradiated with bremsstrahlung photons and high energy gamma decay spectra were measured with BGO detectors for various irradiation durations. The analysis of decay spectra resulted in the formation of five decay groups, which can reproduce the experimental decay spectra within 10% accuracy. These parameters together with neutron decay groups are absolutely essential to quantify the nuclear material in waste barrels by photo-fission. The delayed decay gamma groups for ²³⁷Np nucleus are being reported for the first time.