Kinetics of CO2 reforming of methane by catalytically activated metallic foam absorber for solar receiver-reactors

Ni–Cr–Al metallic foam absorber with high porosity was catalytically activated using a Ru/γ-Al₂O₃ catalyst, and was subsequently tested with respect to CO₂ reforming of methane in a small-scale volumetric receiver-reactor by using a sun-simulator. A chemical storage efficiency of 37% was obtained for a mean light flux of 325 kW m⁻². Furthermore, the activity and the stability of the metallic foam absorber were compared with those of a SiC foam absorber activated with the same Ru/γ-Al₂O₃ catalyst for 50 h of light irradiation, and it was found that the metallic foam absorber has superior catalytic stability in comparison to the SiC form absorber. In addition, unlike ceramic foams such as SiC, metallic foams feature superior plasticity, which prevents the emergence of cracks caused by mechanical or thermal shock.     

Antihypertensive Effect of Salt-Free Soy Sauce,a New Fermented Seasoning,in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats

ABSTRACT: In this study, we focused on the antihypertensive effect of newly fermented salt-free soy sauce (SFS) in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs). A 13-wk oral administration of SFS was performed daily in 8- to 21-wk-old SHRs with a dose of 200 mg/kg of body weight/d. The systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressures were measured for each week during the experimental period. As a result, a significant (P < 0.01) BP lowering effect was observed from the 5th d to the end of the experiment in the SFS group compared with the control group (ΔSBP_21-wk: 27 mmHg, ΔDBP_21-wk: 20 mmHg). In contrast to such substantial effect by SFS intake, angiotensin I-converting enzyme activities in blood and local organs as well as pharmaceutical parameters such as serum Na⁺ or K⁺ level did not show any significant difference between in both SFS and control groups. Vasoconstriction experiment using thoracic aorta rings from 21-wk SHRs provided an interesting result that the rings from the SFS group evoked a >2-fold higher increase in the angiotensin II-stimulated constrictive response compared with the rings from the control group (P = 0.012), which suggested that the SFS-intake would be effective in possessing a higher vessel tone. Practical Application: In this study, we investigated the antihypertensive effect of newly fermented SFS in SHRs. As a result of 13-wk SFS-administration, we found a significant antihypertensive effect of the SFS. This finding strongly demonstrates that the developed SFS would be greatly beneficial for health and useful for health-related industries.     

Precise disturbance modeling for improvement of positioning performance

This paper presents a modeling methodology for unknown disturbances in mechatronics systems, based on disturbance estimation using an iterative learning process. In disturbance modeling, nonlinear frictions are specially handled as disturbances in the mechanisms, which mainly degrade trajectory control performance. Friction can be mathematically modeled by using learned estimation data as a function of the displacement, velocity. acceleration, and jerk of the actuator. This model has the distinctive feature that friction compensation can be achieved with a generalization capability for different conditions. The proposed positioning control approach with disturbance modeling and compensation has been verified by experiments using a table drive system on a machine stand. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 171(2): 31–39, 2010; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www. interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/eej.20928     

High‐current lightning discharges in winter

Lightning electric‐field waveforms related to power line faults in winter have been identified. Most of those waveforms appear to be associated with upward lightning discharges with absolute peak currents of over 100 kA. They are quite different from common return‐stroke waveforms, and the lightning discharges which produce these characteristic waveforms are called GC (Ground to Cloud) flashes. These high‐current lightning discharges are distributed around the coastline in different ways depending on their polarities. The spatial distributions of high‐current lightning discharges around Japan are also investigated. It is revealed that the region of Honshu Island along the coastline of the Sea of Japan belongs to the area in which the density of high‐current lightning flashes is the highest in Japan through the year. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 170(1): 8–15, 2010; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/eej.20874     

Asymmetry in object substitution masking occurs relative to the direction of spatial attention shift.

A sparse mask that persists beyond the duration of a target can reduce its visibility, a phenomenon called object substitution masking. Y. Jiang and M. M. Chun (2001a) found an asymmetric pattern of substitution masking such that a mask on the peripheral side of the target caused stronger substitution masking than on the central side. Assuming spatial attention was focused toward the target, the peripheral and central masks were located in the same and opposite direction of an attentional path with reference to the target in their study. We hypothesized that this asymmetric mask configuration relative to the attentional shift contributes to asymmetric substitution masking. To test this hypothesis, we conducted four experiments among which the presence or absence of the center–periphery relationship and the presence or absence of the asymmetric mask configuration were manipulated independently and orthogonally. The results suggest that asymmetric substitution masking occurs relative to the direction of spatial attention irrespective of the central–peripheral relation. We propose that the asymmetry in substitution masking might be explained by attentional momentum associated with orienting toward the target. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Highwall Stability due to Punch Mining at Opencut Coal Mines

Conventional highwall mining extracts coal with an auger machine or a continuous miner from exposed seams at the base of opencut or strip operations. However, under poor strata and high stress conditions, highwall mining cannot be conducted due to pillar and roof failures. In such cases, punch highwall mining is more effective than the conventional highwall mining. This paper describes conventional highwall mining and punch highwall mining systems and discusses the stability of the highwall due to punch highwall mining at opencut coal mines.     

Cheating Strategies for the Gale-Shapley Algorithm with Complete Preference Lists

This paper deals with a strategic issue in the stable marriage model with complete preference lists (i.e., a preference list of an agent is a permutation of all the members of the opposite sex).     

Relation Between Foaming and Surface Properties of Detergent-Containing Lubricating Oil

The effect of water concentration on the foaming tendency of lubricating oil containing the detergent additives Ca-phenate and amide was investigated from a surface chemical standpoint. Foam volume, dynamic surface tension and surface viscosity were measured at various water concentrations. It was proved that the increase of surface viscosity with water content was the main factor affecting foaming in the case of Ca-phenate but, in contrast, the Marangoni effect played an essential role in the case of amide.     

Zinc Dialkyl Phosphate (<Emphasis Type="Bold">ZP</Emphasis>) as an Anti-Wear Additive: Comparison with <Emphasis Type="Bold">ZDDP</Emphasis>

In this study, we are interested in the anti-wear properties of zinc dialkyl phosphate additive (ZP) in comparison with ‘classical’ zinc dialkyldithiophosphate (ZDDP). Friction tests were performed on a reciprocating tribometer using both ball-on-flat and cylinder-on-flat configurations under a Hertzian contact pressure of 0.9 GPa. Experiments were carried out as a function of temperature (25 and 100 °C), sliding speed (25, 50 and 100 mm/s) and additives concentrations. Ball wear scar diameters as well as friction coefficient were measured. In order to better understand the anti-wear mechanisms of these additives, friction tests were followed by surface analyses such as AES (Auger Electron Spectroscopy) and XPS (X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy). Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) observations of the ZDDP and ZP tribofilms were also carried out to visualise the generated layers. The anti-wear capability of ZP molecule is discussed.