Magnetic field dependence of shielding current density in Y-Ba-Cu-O rings at 77 K

A method for contactless measurement of the shielding critical current density and its dependence on the external magnetic field is described and analyzed. The obtained values are compared with those measured resistively on two different samples. It is shown that the shielding critical current densityJ _cs and the intergranular transport current densityJ _cr are identical if the measurement conditions are similar. A degradation ofJ _cs measured in the external field with AC ripple has been observed.     

Preparation and properties of novel polyurethane insulating coatings based on glycerin‐terminated urethane prepolymers and blocked isocyanate

Novel polyurethane insulating coatings were prepared from the reaction of glycerin‐terminated polyurethane prepolymers (GPUPs) and a blocked isocyanate curing agent (BIC). The GPUPs were prepared from the reaction of one equivalent of polycaprolactone polyol (CAPA 210) with an excess amount of 4,4′‐methylene bis(phenyl isocyanate) (MDI) and subsequent reaction of the NCO‐terminated polyurethane with glycerin. The BIC was prepared from the reaction of trimethylol propane (TMP), toluene diisocyanate (TDI) and N‐methylaniline (NMA). The polyols and curing agent were characterized by conventional methods while the curing condition was optimized via gel content measurements. The curing kinetics of the polyurethane coating were investigated and the kinetic parameters derived. The crosslink densities of the samples were determined via the equilibrium swelling method, using the Flory–Rehner equation. The relationships between the crosslink density and the electrical, physical, mechanical and dynamic mechanical properties of the coatings were also studied. Copyright © 2005 Society of Chemical Industry     

Low density polyethylene and grafted lignin polyblends using epoxy‐functionalized compatibilizer: mechanical and thermal properties

Lignin was graft copolymerized with methyl methacrylate using manganic pyrophosphate as initiator. This modified lignin was then blended (up to 50 wt%) with low density polyethylene (LDPE) using a small quantity of poly[ethylene‐co‐(glycidyl methacrylate)] (PEGMA) compatibilizer. The mechanical properties of the blend were substantially improved by using modified lignin in contrast to untreated lignin. Differential scanning calorimetry studies showed loss of crystallinity of the LDPE phase owing to the interaction between the blend components. Thermogravimetric analysis showed higher thermal stability of modified lignin in the domain of blend processing. This suggested that there is scope for useful utilization of lignin, which could also lead to the development of eco‐friendly products. Copyright © 2005 Society of Chemical Industry     

The influence of raw material characteristics on the industrial pelletizing process and pellet quality

Industrial pelletizing of sawdust was carried out as a designed experiment in the factors: sawdust moisture content, fractions of fresh pine, stored pine and spruce. The process parameters and response variables were energy consumption, pellet flow rate, pellet bulk density, durability and moisture content. The final data consisted of twelve industrial scale runs. Because of the many response variables, data evaluation was by principal component analysis of a 12 × 9 data matrix. The two principal component model showed a clustering of samples, with a good reproducibility of the center points. It also showed a positive correlation of energy consumption, bulk density and durability all negatively correlated to flow rate and moisture content. The stored pine was more related to high durability and bulk density. The role of the spruce fraction was unclear. The design matrix, augmented with the process parameters was a 12 × 6 matrix. Partial least squares regression showed excellent results for pellet moisture content and bulk density. The model for durability was promising. A 12 × 21 data matrix of fatty- and resin acid concentrations measured by GC–MS showed the differences between fresh and stored pine very clearly. The influence of the spruce fraction was less clear. However, the influence of the fatty- and resin acids on the pelletizing process could not be confirmed, indicating that other differences between fresh and stored pine sawdust have to be investigated. This work shows that it is possible to design the pelletizing process for moderate energy consumption and high pellet quality.     

A comparison of leaf-spring with aircushion trailer suspensions in the transport environment

Packaging engineers need to be able to accurately determine the forces present in the shipping environment in order to protect packaged goods. The purpose of this study was to determine the vertical vibration levels measured in three separate truck-trailer suspension systems; conventional leaf-spring, conventional air-ride and damaged air-ride. The main conclusion reached in this study is that the air-ride suspension when maintained gives lower power density (PD) levels on all road surfaces studied. A damaged air-ride suspension and leaf-spring suspension are very similar in response frequencies, although the damaged air-ride produces higher vibration levels at lower frequencies.     

An Investigation of Milk Powders Produced by a Laboratory-Scale Spray Dryer

A mini spray dryer has been used to investigate morphological changes that occur to milk particles during the spray drying process. We have found that the mini spray dryer is ideal for such investigations, because phenomena such as skin and vacuole formation in particles can be analyzed without the added complication of particle agglomeration, which only occurs in much larger spray dryers where particle number concentrations are higher. We have confirmed observations made by various researchers that the bulk density of spray-dried milk powder is greatly affected by the drying temperature, due to the strong influence of the latter on the porosity of the particles. In addition, we have attempted to explain observations made by various workers that fat accumulates preferentially at the surface of a particle during drying by postulating that fluid fat is transported towards the surface, via a network of cracks and pores, by the development of a vacuole overpressure which is also responsible for the inflation of the particle. Finally, we have shown that milk powders can be spray dried a second time, by reconstitution with water, with no change to the thermodynamic characteristics of the resultant powder. Thus, milk concentrates for spray drying research can be prepared from already-spray-dried milk powders rather than using the more arduous evaporation method to concentrate unprocessed milk.     

SPECTRAL DENSITY ESTIMATION FROM NONLINEARLY OBSERVED DATA

Abstract. The estimation of the spectral density function of a stationary Gaussian process at the input of an instantaneous nonlinearity is considered when the nonlinearity is known and a finite set of observations of the output process is given. A class of spectral estimates is considered and their quadratic-mean consistency is established; precise asymptotic expressions for their bias and covariance are derived and their asymptotic normality is obtained.     

Effect of processing history on the properties of Ag-based tapes

The Bi-system tapes and coils were prepared by the powder-in-tube method. The effect of processing and heat treatment on the properties of the tapes and coils was studied. It is found that the shearing stress produced by the rolling process may destroy the 2223 phase, and the destroyed 2223 phase cannot be recovered by heat treatment, whereas the pressing stress produced by the uniaxial pressing process only makes the 2223 phase grains break, and the broken 2223 phase can be closed by the heat treatment. TheJ _c values of the rolling samples, pressing sample, and the coil with a diameter of 35 mm are over 1.3×10⁴, 2.5×10⁴, and 4×10³ A/cm² (77 K, 0 T), respectively.     

Egg white powder in extruded fish crackers

Four levels of egg white powder (EWP), 0, 1.5, 3.0 and 4.5%, were added to fisfc cracker formulation consisting of tapioca starch, fish paste, and water. the mixture was extruded through a single screw extruder, and the extrudate was cut, dried, heated in a microwave, and the degrees of expansion, bulk density, colour and protein content were measured.
The addition of 1.5 and 3.0% EWP had no significant effect ( P < 0.01) on diametral and longitudinal expansion, however, 4.5% EWP significantly ( P < 0.01) reduced them. Bulk density and protein content of the final product increased as the percentage of EWP increased in the formulation. the total colour difference measurement showed a significant increase ( P < 0.01) in brown colouration at 4.5% EWP.     

Microstructure-related fracture toughness and fatigue crack growth behaviour in toughened, anhydride-cured epoxy resins

Fracture toughness and fatigue crack propagation (FCP) of plain and modified anhydride-cured epoxy resin (EP) were studied at ambient temperature. Liquid carboxyl-terminated acrylonitrile-butadiene (CTBN) and silicon (SI) rubber dispersions were used as tougheners for the EP. The morphology of the modified EP was characterized by dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) and by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The fracture toughness, K_c, of the compositions decreased with increasing deformation rate. K_c of the EP was slightly improved by CTBN addition and practically unaffected by incorporation of the SI dispersion when tests were performed at low cross-head speed, v. Both modifiers improved K_c at high v, and also the resistance to FCP, by shifting the curves to higher stress intensity factor ranges, ΔK, by comparison with the plain EP. It was established that both fracture and fatigue performance rely on the compliance, J_R, at the rubbery plateau, and thus on the apparent molecular mass between crosslinks, M_c. The failure mechanisms were less dependent upon the loading mode (fracture, fatigue), but differed basically for the various modifiers. Rubber-induced cavitation and shear yielding of the EP were dominant for CTBN, whereas crack bifurcation and branching controlled the cracking in SI-modified EP. The simultaneous use of both modifiers resulted in a synergistic effect for both the fracture toughness at high deformation rate and the FCP behavior.