Power generation efficiency analysis of offshore wind farms connected to a SLPC (single large power converter) operated with variable frequencies considering wake effects

This paper deals with the power generation efficiency analysis of a proposed offshore wind farm topology, consisting of a SLPC (single large power converter) that simultaneously controls a group of generators. This common converter can operate at a VF (variable frequency) or at a CF (constant frequency). The results are compared with the conventional onshore wind farm scheme, where individual power converters are connected to each turbine, guaranteeing maximum power generation for the entire wind farm. A methodology to analyze different wind speed and direction scenarios, and to compute the optimal electrical frequency for each one, is presented and applied to different case studies depending on the wind farm size. In order to obtain more realistic values of wind speeds, the wake effect amongst wind turbines is considered. A wake model considering single, partial and multiple wakes inside a wind farm and taking into account different wind directions, is presented. Both wind farm topologies are analyzed by means of simulations, taking into account both wind speed variability in wind farms and the number of wind turbines. The possible resulting benefits of simplifying the MPCs (multiple power converters) of each turbine, namely saving costs, reducing losses and maintenance and increasing the reliability of the system, are analyzed, focusing on the total power extraction. The SLPC-VF scheme is also compared with a CF scheme SLPC-CF, and it is shown that a significant power increase of more than 33% can be obtained with SLPC-VF.     

Development of semitransparent wood‐polymer composites

A new material has been developed consisting of pieces of wood embedded within a matrix of acrylic polymer, resulting in a transparent or semitransparent wood‐based product. This material presents quite appealing aesthetic features, thereby opening new possibilities for decorative applications. Because acrylic and methacrylic monomers are in the liquid state at room temperature, it is possible to introduce wood (in the current case, walnut wood) into a mixture of acrylic (hydroxypropyl acrylate) and/or methacrylic monomers (methyl methacrylate and 2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate) along with a plasticizer (dioctyl phthalate) in the presence of a chemical initiator (benzoyl peroxide). A transparent polymeric matrix with dispersed wood is then obtained through bulk free‐radical polymerization. Introducing this reaction mixture along with pieces of wood into a mold results in a wood‐polymer composite. A 2^4?1 experimental fractional factorial design was implemented to study the importance of the composition of these materials on several relevant properties. The sheets produced were characterized by tensile testing, dynamic mechanical thermal analysis, thermal gravimetric analysis, and heat deflection temperature. The models obtained for predicting each property pointed to valuable insights regarding the influential constituents. In particular, our results suggested that monomers to be used in future applications of this material should be selected in terms of their cost and the desired flexibility for the final product, not in terms of their polarity. J. VINYL ADDIT. TECHNOL., 2012. © 2012 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Hydrogen production by steam reforming of liquefied natural gas (LNG) over mesoporous nickel–alumina xerogel catalysts prepared by a single-step carbon-templating sol–gel method

A series of mesoporous nickel–alumina xerogel catalysts (denoted as CNAX) were prepared by a single-step carbon-templating sol–gel method using different amount of carbon template (X), and they were applied to the hydrogen production by steam reforming of liquefied natural gas (LNG). Textural properties of CNAX catalysts were improved with increasing the amount of carbon template. CNAX catalysts exhibited diffraction peaks corresponding to nickel aluminate phase, while CNA18 and CNA24 catalysts showed additional bulk nickel oxide phase. From TPR measurements, it was revealed that the interaction between nickel species and alumina in the CNAX catalysts became weakened with increasing the amount of carbon template. Crystallite size of metallic nickel in the reduced CNAX catalysts showed a volcano-shaped trend with respect to the amount of carbon template. In the steam reforming of LNG, CNAX (X = 0, 6, 12, and 18) catalysts exhibited a stable catalytic performance during the reaction, while CNA24 catalyst showed a significant catalyst deactivation. Crystallite size of metallic nickel served as an important factor determining the catalytic performance in the steam reforming of LNG. Initial LNG conversion and initial hydrogen yield increased with decreasing crystallite size of metallic nickel of the catalysts. Among the catalysts tested, CNA12 catalyst with the smallest crystallite size of metallic nickel showed the best catalytic performance.     

Fatty acid composition of egg yolk phospholipid fractions following feed supplementation of Lohmann Brown hens with humic-fat preparations

The effect of feed supplementation with humic-fat preparations on the fatty acid composition of egg yolk phospholipid fractions was studied. The Lohmann Brown was the experimental hen strain and two feeding mixtures were applied – the standard feed and the mixture supplemented with humic-fat preparations. The fatty acid profile of yolk lipids was significantly affected (P = .05) by the supplementation of feed and total increase of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) was established. A different distribution of n-3 PUFA in egg yolk lipid fractions was observed: α-linolenic acid (18:3) was found in the triacylglycerol fraction, whereas docosahexaenoic acid (22:6) was detected in the phospholipid fractions. Supplementation of the hen’s diet with humic-fat preparations resulted in the production of n-3 enriched eggs with decreased n-6/n-3 ratio in all phospholipid fractions in comparison to the eggs from the control group.     

Contour‐based polygonal ambient occlusion using a single‐depth texture

We present a novel approximation of a global illumination technique called contour‐based polygonal ambient occlusion, an approach that darkens by only using a depth texture as screen‐space ambient occlusion without additional information such as a normal buffer. We introduce a discrete level structure to calculate the amount of occlusion by using the contour level, an integer value derived from the depth difference of neighboring texels. We use the uniform sampling to define the positions of the neighboring texels in the depth texture. Our method does not depend on geometric complexity because our method works in screen space and works well for both static and dynamic scenes without any precomputation. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The effect of oxygen implantation on the corrosion and electrochemical properties of iron

Using the method of recording anode potentiodynamic curves in neutral and mildly alkaline borate buffer solutions, the corrosion and electrochemical behavior of iron-armco samples bombarded with oxygen ions is studied. It is shown by the method of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy that, during such bombardment, implantation of oxygen into the surface layers of iron occurs. Therein, iron oxides of variable composition and various forms of adsorbed and absorbed oxygen are formed. These oxygen formations contribute to transfer of the iron surface to a more corrosion-resistant, passive state.     

Study of shrinkage porosity in spheroidal graphite cast iron

This study aims at identifying the relationship between the shrinkage cavities and the solidification structure in spheroidal graphite cast iron. Cast samples specially designed to contain shrinkage cavities were used. The solidification macrostructure was revealed using the Direct Austempering After Solidification method, while the solidification microstructure was revealed by using colour etching. At the midsection of the pieces, the shrinkage cavities and the solidification structure were observed jointly. The study showed that the classification of shrinkage porosity found in literature does not correspond to the ductile iron solidification model recognized by most of the scientific community. Early solidification models, and therefore shrinkage formation mechanisms, were proposed in instances when there was not a thorough knowledge of the morphology of the solid phases during solidification. Nowadays, defects formation mechanisms can be described with higher accuracy. Therefore, an updated classification of shrinkage porosity for spheroidal graphite iron is proposed.     

Mechanical properties of organically modified silicates for bone regeneration

In this paper, different organic–inorganic hybrid materials based in the CaO–SiO₂–poly(dimethyl siloxane) PDMS system have been characterised by means of nanoindentation and their static mechanical properties (Young’s modulus, and hardness) have been investigated. These mechanical properties have been discussed in relation to the chemical composition and structure of the different hybrid materials. Besides, the mechanical behaviour of hybrid materials is visco-elastic and it therefore presents phenomena of creep that will be influenced by the temperature of the mechanical test; undoubtedly, a temperature of 37°C accelerates the processes of creep.