Romanian River Basins Lag Time Analysis. The SCS-CN Versus RNS Comparative Approach Developed for Small Watersheds

Romanian policy makers have to perceive that human intervention on river basins land cover is influencing rainfall-runoff relation and the used methodology cannot accurately estimate watershed surface flow transformations. Global water cycles and energy fluxes understanding is leading to better predictions of land atmosphere interaction and local hydro-climates evolution. The water transfer time determination from rainfall to runoff needs accurate measurements of river basins hydrological parameters. Here, we analyzed and compared the lag time value results of two different methodologies (curve number and rational methodology) used for 54 Romanian small catchment areas study. The focus of this paper is the lag time evaluation and interpretation for an effective implementation of the best methodology approach in the Romanian geographical space. Our research in small river basins was developed using remote sensing technology maps, GIS and environmental datasets in combination with field work on every drainage basin in order to assess the specific morphological features and validate the land cover typology. We found that Soil Conservation Service - Curve Number (SCS-CN) method is widely used according to USA landscape features classification, but not necessarily applicable to Romanian river basins characteristics. Our results show how the official Romanian rational methodology national standard (RNS) can be improved and the limits of SCS-CN method.

     

Lignin from Annual Plants as Raw Material Source for Flavors and Basic Chemicals

The enzymatic conversion of lignins, possibly in combination with electrochemical oxidation, makes aromatics such as syringol, guaiacol, vanillin and catechol available in the qualities required by the fragrance industry. The lignins were obtained by soda digestion from wheat straw and Miscanthus, characterized and then converted with laccases. The overall yield amounted up to 9 wt % with a product spectrum confined to four substances. Catechol was the major product, with a fraction of ≈75 %. It can easily be isolated by extraction with acetone.     

Effect of nitrogen and nickel on the stability of an Fe-12Cr-23Mn austenitic steel

The effect of nitrogen and nickel on the austenite stability and the structural changes as a result of cold work of an Fe-12Cr-23Mn alloy steel has been examined by transmission electron microscopy and X-ray analysis. Prestrain was performed either at room temperature or at 200° C. Final strain was carried out at liquid nitrogen temperature. The volume fraction of strain-induced martensite decreased by 40% and 12% due to the addition of 2.43% Ni and 0.11% N, respectively, despite whether prestrain was performed or not. The mechanisms are discussed in terms of the phase, stacking faults, dislocation cells and dislocation tangles induced by prestrain and final strain.     

Stability and work hardening of an Fe-12Cr-23Mn austenitic steel

The effect of pre-strain on the strain-induced martensitic transformation of an Fe-12Cr-23Mn austenitic steel has been investigated through transmission electron microscopy and X-ray analysis. Pre-strain was performed either at room temperature or at 200° C. Final strain was carried out at liquid-nitrogen temperature. The phase was shown to form on {1 1 1} planes of the austenite matrix predominantly by overlapping of stacking faults. The martensite transformation sequence was . Nucleation of the phase mainly occurred at intersections of bands. Austenite stability was shown to increase by pre-strain at 25° C or 200° C. Pre-strain at 200° C has a greater effect on austenite stability than does pre-strain at 25° C. The mechanism was discussed in terms of martensite transformation rate and various substructures introduced during straining. Work hardening was shown to depend on the degree of pre-strain and final strain. The correlation between work hardening and substructures introduced during straining was examined.     

Parametric study for the growth of carbon nanotubes by catalytic chemical vapor deposition in a fluidized bed reactor

Multiwalled carbon nanotubes have been produced from H₂-C₂H₄ mixtures on Fe-SiO₂ catalysts by a fluidized bed catalytic chemical vapor deposition process. Various parameters such as the catalyst preparation, the residence time, the run duration, the temperature, the H₂:C₂H₄ ratio, the amount of metal deposited on the support have been examined. The influence of these parameters on the deposited carbon yield is reported, together with observations of the produced material. This process allows an homogeneously distributed deposition of nanotubes (10-20 nm diameter), that remain anchored to the support.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">In situ</Emphasis> monitoring of solid fat content by means of pulsed nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry and ultrasonics

An ultrasonic technique was developed to study the crystallization process of edible fats on-line. A chirp wave was used instead of the conventional pulser signal, thus achieving a higher signal-to-noise ratio. This enabled measurements to be made in concentrated systems [≈20% solid fat content (SFC)] through a 8.11-cm thick sample without significant signal loss. Fat samples were crystallized at 20, 25, and 30°C at a constant agitation rate of 400 rpm for 90 min. The crystallization process was followed by ultrasonic spectroscopy and a low-resolution pulsed nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer. Specific relationships were found between ultrasonic parameters [integrated response, time of flight (TF), and full width half maximum] and SFC. TF, which is an indirect measurement of the ultrasonic velocity (v), was highly correlated to SFC (r ²>0.9) in a linear fashion (v=2.601 SFC+1433.0).     

Observer-based predictive controller design with network-enhanced time-delay compensation

State feedback control is very attractive due to the precise computation of the gain matrix, but the implementation of a state feedback controller is possible only when all state variables are directly measurable. This condition is almost impossible to accomplish due to the excess number of required sensors or unavailability of states for measurement in most of the practical situations. Hence, the need for an estimator or observer is obvious to estimate all the state variables by observing the input and the output of the controlled system. As such, the goal of this paper is to provide a control design methodology based on a Luenberger observer design that can assure the closed-loop performances of a vehicle drivetrain with backlash, while compensating the network-enhanced time-varying delays. This goal is achieved in a sequential manner: firstly, a piecewise linear model of two inertias drivetrain, which takes into consideration the backlash nonlinearity and the network-enhanced time-varying delay effects is derived; then, a Luenberger observer which estimates the state variables is synthesized and the robust full state-feedback predictive controller based on flexible control Lyapunov functions is designed to explicitly take into account the bounds of the disturbances caused by time-varying delays and to guarantee also the input-to-state stability of the system in a non-conservative way. The full state-feedback predictive control strategy based on the Luenberger observer design was experimentally tested on a vehicle drivetrain emulator controlled through controller area network, with the aim of minimizing the backlash effects while compensating the network-enhanced delays.