Biogas and biomass technology: Energy generation from biomass and waste in the Netherlands

Within the European Community, the interest in energy generation from biomass and waste is increasing. A brief overview is given of several thermal conversion technologies, of biomass production and waste availability in the Netherlands. Based on this, the possibilities for energy generation from biomass and waste in the Netherlands are evaluated.     

Surface charge accumulation and decay on a spacer stressed with DC voltages at atmospheric conditions

Contents Surface charge accumulation and its decay at a GIS spacer are studied at atmospheric conditions employing a two step-calibration method. The results show that the accumulation saturates within 30 minutes; the dominant mechanism of surface charge accumulation is the drift of charged particles via air, while that of the decay is surface conduction. The characteristics are similar at both polarities.

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Sättigungskonzentration und Abklingverhalten der Oberflächenladung an einem mit Gleichspannung beanspruchten Abstandshalter unter atmosphärischen Bedingungen

Übersicht Die Konzentration und das Abklingen von Oberflächenladungen an einem GIS Abstandshalter wurden unter atmosphärischen Bedingungen mit Hilfe eines zweistufigen Kalibrierungsverfahrens untersucht. Die Ergebnisse zeigen eine Sättigung der Ladungskonzentration innerhalb von 30 Minuten. Als Hauptursache der Ladungskonzentration ist die Drift geladener Teilchen in Luft anzusehen, während das Abklingen auf die Oberflächenleitung zurückzuführen ist. Ähnliche Charakteristiken ergeben sich mit beiden Polaritäten.

     

Some aspects of orientation in injection molded objects

The birefringences of injection molded plates and the birefringence during steady, isothermal shear flow were compared for some amorphous polymers. The materials studied were a polystyrene, a “toughened” polystyrene and an acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer. The birefringence of the plates, notably the maximum value for the average over the thickness was found to be related to the shear stress at the cavity wall that had occurred during the mold filling process. This relationship was independent of temperature. To a good approximation, it was also the same as the relationship between the flow birefringence and the shear stress at the wall in isothermal channel flow. It thus appears that the anisotropy of injection molded objects is dominated by the shear stresses during the mold filling process regardless of the temperature and of the macroscopic rate of deformation.     

Value and limits of μ-CT for nondemineralized bone tissue processing

An experimental approach was performed on 20 giant rabbits to establish the possibilities and limitations of μ-CT for routine processing of nondemineralized bone tissue. Hydroxyapatite (HA) or β-tricalciumphosphate (β-TCP) bead implants or a melange of both, microchambered and solid, were implanted into a standardized and precise defect in the patellar groove. The bone-healing phase was chosen for the histology considering 1 or 2 days, and 2, 3, and 6 weeks. Normal X-ray and μ-CT were applied on all specimens; five specimens in the 6-week stage were additionally processed according to the full range of conventional nondemineralized bone processing methods. μ-CT increased the possibilities of nondemineralized histology with respect to bone morphometry and a complete sequence of sections, thus providing a complete analysis of the bone response. μ-CT was limited in differentiating bone quality, cell analyses, and mineralization stages. The investigation based on normal X-rays is limited to defining integration and excluding the fibrous and bony encapsulation of loose implants. μ-CT allows a 3D evaluation of newly formed bone which is clearly marked against the ceramic implant. It does not allow, however, for the differentiation between woven and lamellar bone, the presentation of the canalicular lacunar system, or on the cell level, revealing canaliculi or details of the mineralization process which can be documented by high-resolution microradiography. Titer dynamics of bone formation remains the domain of polychromatic sequential labeling. The complete sequence of μ-CT slices enhances the possibilities for routine histology, tremendously allowing to the focus on detail histology to topographically well-defined cuts, thus providing more precise conclusions which take into consideration the whole implant.     

Reproducibility of MRI-based white matter tract estimation using multi-fiber probabilistic tractography: effect of user-defined parameters and regions

Objective

There is a pressing need to assess user-dependent reproducibility of multi-fibre probabilistic tractography in order to encourage clinical implementation of these advanced and relevant approaches. The goal of this study was to evaluate both intrinsic and inter-user reproducibility of corticospinal tract estimation.

Materials and methods

Six clinical datasets including motor functional and diffusion MRI were used. Three users performed an independent tractography analysis following identical instructions. Dice indices were calculated to quantify the reproducibility of seed region, fMRI-based end region, and streamline maps.

Results

The inter-user reproducibility ranged 41–93%, 29–94%, and 50–92%, for seed regions, end regions, and streamline maps, respectively. Differences in streamline maps correlated with differences in seed and end regions. Good inter-user agreement in seed and end regions, yielded inter-user reproducibility close to the intrinsic reproducibility (92–97%) and in most cases higher than 80%.

Discussion

Uncertainties related to user-dependent decisions and the probabilistic nature of the analysis should be considered when interpreting probabilistic tractography data. The standardization of the methods used to define seed and end regions is a necessary step to improve the accuracy and robustness of multi-fiber probabilistic tractography in a clinical setting. Clinical users should choose a feasible compromise between reproducibility and analysis duration.

     

Influence of phytosterol and phytostanol food supplementation on plasma liposoluble vitamins and provitamin A carotenoid levels in humans: An updated review of the evidence

Phytosterols and phytostanols (PAP) compete with cholesterol absorption in the intestine, resulting in a 5–15%-reduction in plasma total and LDL cholesterol. An important issue is the PAP potential to reduce the plasma concentrations of fat-soluble vitamins and provitamin A carotenoids. Here, an update of the scientific evidence is reviewed to evaluate plant PAP-enriched foods impact on plasma fat-soluble vitamins and carotenoid levels, and to discuss potential implications in terms of cardiovascular risk. Based on 49 human interventional and 3 bioavailability studies, results showed that regular consumption, particularly over the long term, of foods fortified with PAP as recommended in labeling does not significantly impact plasma vitamins A, D, and K concentration. A 10% significant median reduction was observed for α-tocopherol. Concerning carotenoids, while 13 studies did not demonstrate statistically significant plasma β-carotene reduction, 20 studies showed significant reductions, with median effect size of ?24%. This decline can be mitigated or offset by increased fruits and vegetables consumption. Furthermore, higher cardiovascular risk was observed for differences in plasma β-carotene concentration of the same magnitude as the estimated average decrease by PAP consumption. These results are supported by the only study of β-carotene bioavailability showing decrease in absorption by phytosterols daily intake.     

Die Gleichungen der Synchronmaschine und ihr mathematisches Modell

Übersicht Ausgehend von der Geometrie der Maschine werden die allgemeinen Gleichungen der Schenkelpol-Synchronmaschine mit Dämpferkäfig aufgestellt und ihre Induktivitäten unter Berücksichtigung der Oberfelder ermittelt. Die Transformation in (o, d, q)-Komponenten läßt erkennen, daß man den Dämpferkäfig durch eine von der Stabzahl je Pol abhängige Anzahl von äquivalenten Ersatzwicklungen in der Längs- und Querachse darstellen kann. Sofern keine Ständernullkomponente auftritt, wird der Dämpferkäfig durch je eine Ersatzwicklung in der Längs- und Querachse verhältnismäßig gut beschrieben. Abschließend wird der Einfluß der Oberfelder auf die Streuung diskutiert.

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Contents Starting from the geometry of the machine the general equations of the salient-pole synchronous machine are derived, and its inductances are determined, taking the magnetic field harmonics into account. A transformation to (o, d, q)-components shows, that it is possible to replace the damper winding by equivalent windings in the direct-and quadrature-axis, the number of these equivalent windings depending upon the number of damper bars per pole. If the stator current system does not contain a zero-sequence component, the damper winding can be described comparatively well by one equivalent winding in the direct axis and one in the quadrature axis. Finally, the influence of field harmonics on the leakage inductaces is discussed.

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Verzeichnis der verwendeten Symbole A Transformationsmatrix der Ständergrößen - B Luftspaltinduktion - Amplitude des Ständerfeldes unter Vernachlässigung der Pollücken - B Transformationsmatrix der Käfiggrößen - c Feldfaktor, bezogen auf die Seite der erregenden Wicklung - c Feldfaktor, bezogen auf die der erregenden Wicklung gegenüberliegende Seite - D Bohrungsdurchmesser - i Strom - I Strommatrix - k Konstante nach Gl. (49) - l ideelle Eisenlänge - L Induktivität - L Induktivitätsschwankung - L Induktivitätsmatrix - m, M Gegeninduktivität - M Gegeninduktivitätsschwankung - M _e elektromagnetisch erzeugtes Drehmoment - N Anzahl der Dämpferstäbe je Pol - p Polpaarzahl - R Widerstand - R Widerstandsmatrix - t _n Nutteilung der Dämpferwicklung im Längenmaß - u Spannung - U Spannungsmatrix - w Anzahl der in Reihe geschalteten Windungen - _i ideeller Polbedeckungsfaktor - _r Umfangskoordinate des Läufers - Faktor nach Gl. (58) - effektiver einseitiger Luftspalt - räumlicher Winkel zwischen zwei benachbarten Dämpferstäben längs des Polbogens - ; räumlicher Winkel zwischen zwei Randstäben - Verteilungsfaktor der Dämpferwicklung - räumlicher Drehwinkel - ₀ Induktionskonstante - Wicklungsfaktor - Spulenfluß - Spulenflußmatrix Indizes a, b, c Bezeichnung der Ständerwicklungsstränge - d Längskomponente des Ständers - D Längskomponente der Dämpferwicklung - f Erreger- - h Haupt- - k Komponente des transformierten Läuferstromes - K Dämpferkäfig - q Querkomponente des Ständers - Q Querkomponente des Dämpferkäfigs - r Läufer - s Ständer - St Stab - Ordnungszahl des Ständerfeldes - v Ordnungszahl des Ständerstrombelages - Streu- - o Nullkomponente - 1, 2, 3, ..., 2pN Bezeichnung der Käfigmaschen Hochgestellte Zeichen p bezogen auf eine Maschine mitp Polpaaren - T transponierte Matrix - nach der ersten Transformation - nach der zweiten Transformation - * konjugiert komplex - ^ Scheitelwert - Drehfeld