Identification and tuning fractional order proportional integral controllers for time delayed systems with a fractional pole

First order plus time delay model is widely used to model systems with S-shaped reaction curve. Its generalized form is the model with a single fractional pole replacing the integer order pole, which is believed to better characterize the reaction curve. In this paper, using time delayed system model with a fractional pole as the starting point, fractional order controllers design for this class of fractional order systems is investigated. Integer order PID and fractional order PI and [PI] controllers are designed and compared for these class of systems. The simulation comparison between PID controller and fractional order PI and [PI] controllers show the advantages of the properly designed fractional order controllers. Experimental results on a heat flow platform are presented to validate the proposed design method in this paper.     

Experimental Study on Optimization of the Agglomeration Process for Producing Instant Sugar by Conical Fluidized Bed Agglomerator

This study was conducted to determine the optimal processing conditions for manufacturing instant sugar. The instant sugar was produced with a batch fluid bed agglomerator under the following conditions: inlet air temperature 60–90°C; water flow rate 1–3 mL min^?1; and spraying time 1–10 min. The optimal conditions were estimated using response surface methodology as follows: inlet air temperature of 74.4°C, water flow rate of 2.85 mL min^?1, and spraying time of 10 min. Subsequently, particle density of 1,550 kg m^?3, poured density of 470.13 kg m^?3, tapped density of 599.8 kg m^?3, porosity of 62.1%, mean diameter of 324.66 µm, flowing time of 6.39 s, yield percentage of 78.96%, and desirability of 0.46 were obtained as optimal amounts. The results showed that the quadratic effects of water flow rate and spraying time on flowing time and particle density as well as the effects of spraying time and inlet air temperature on mean diameter and flowing time were significant. Within the temperature range of 60–90°C, the impact of spraying time and water flow rate on instant sugar properties had preference over inlet air temperature. Moreover, the optimal instant sugar required less dissolution time compare to various industrial sugar samples.     

Biomimetic multifunctional molecular coatings using engineered proteins

A molecular biomimetics approach is presented in developing polypeptide-based coatings for inorganic surfaces. In general, inorganic surface-binding polypeptides are genetically engineered using cell surface and phage display technologies. These peptides contain short amino acid sequences, known to bind specifically to selected inorganics. Based on the sequences of the polypeptides that were recently selected by this (e.g. Au, Pt and Pd) and other groups, one may find certain specificity, e.g. hydrophobic and hydroxyl amino acids, common among noble metal-binders. We show that an engineered gold-binding protein self-assembles onto gold surface forming monomolecular and highly structured crystallographic domains. The protein-based molecular films could provide robust templates for potential utility in practical nanotechnological and bionanotechnological applications.     

Dynamic features of DC flashover on polluted insulators

In the existing literature dealing with flashover simulation or theoretical studies, the discharge is considered to have a tubular form of uniform diameter, and its evolution is simply its foot displacement at the surface of the pollution or of the ice, while it maintains its tubular form. After presentation of the equivalent electric circuit for flashover simulation, an experimental study is presented, the purpose of which is to determine the difference between the theoretical dynamic features of flashover, based on the tubular-formed discharge assumption, and the real dynamic features. The results clearly confirm the difference between the two groups of dynamic features and that the theoretical dynamic features are the sum of the static points.     

Effect of filler loading and coconut oil coupling agent on properties of low‐density polyethylene and palm kernel shell eco‐composites

Palm kernel shell (PKS), a waste from the oil palm industry, has been utilized as filler in low‐density polyethylene (LDPE) eco‐composites in the present work. The effect of PKS content and coconut oil coupling agent (COCA) on tensile properties, water absorption, and morphological and thermal properties of LDPE/PKS eco‐composites was investigated. The results show the increase of PKS content decreased the tensile strength and elongation at break, but increased the tensile modulus, crystallinity, and water absorption of eco‐composites. The presence of COCA as coupling agent improved the filler‐matrix adhesion yield to increase the tensile strength, tensile modulus, crystallinity, and reduced water absorption of eco‐composites. The better interfacial adhesion between PKS and LDPE with the addition of COCA was also evidenced by scanning electron microscopy studies. J. VINYL ADDIT. TECHNOL., 22:200–205, 2016. © 2014 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Optimization of a subsonic wind tunnel nozzle with low contraction ratio via ball-spine inverse design method

The goal of wind tunnel design is to generate a uniform air flow with minimum turbulence intensity and low flow angle. The nozzle is the main component of wind tunnels to create a uniform flow with minimal turbulence. Pressure distribution along nozzle walls directly affects the boundary layer thickness, pressure losses and non-uniformity of flow velocity through the test section. Although reduction of flow turbulences and non-uniformity through the test section can be carried out by nozzles with high contraction ratio, it increases the construction cost of the wind tunnel. For decreasing the construction cost of nozzle with constant test section size and mass flow rate, the contraction ratio and length of nozzle should be decreased; that causes the non-uniformity of outlet velocity to increase. In this study, first, three types of nozzle are numerically investigated to compare their performance. Then, Sargison nozzle with contraction ratio of 12.25 and length of 7 m is scaled down to decrease its weight and construction cost. Having scaled and changed to a nozzle with contraction ratio of 9 and length of 5 m, its numerical solution reveals that the non-uniformity of outlet velocity increases by 21%. By using the Ballspine inverse design method, the pressure distribution of the original Sargison nozzle is first scaled and set as the target pressure of the scaled down nozzle and geometry correction is done. Having reached the target nozzle, numerical solution of flow inside the optimized nozzle shows that the non-uniformity just increases by 5% in comparison with the original Sargison nozzle.     

Mechanism of the Inhibitory Effect of Hydroxytyrosol on Lipid Oxidation in Different Bulk Oil Systems

The autoxidation of purified triacylglycerols obtained from fish, canola, and olive oils in the presence of different concentrations of hydroxytyrosol at 60–100 °C was evaluated by different kinetic parameters including the stabilizing factor (F) as a measure of effectiveness, the oxidation rate ratio (ORR) as a measure strength, and the antioxidant activity (A) which combines the F and ORR parameters. The overall performance of hydroxytyrosol was attributed to the main reaction of chain termination () as competed with the main oxidation reaction of chain propagation () and, additionally, the antioxidative side reactions of chain propagation ( and ), and the pro‐oxidative side reaction of chain initiation () in some cases.     

TelG Mote: A Green Wireless Sensor Node Platform for Smart Home and Ambient Assisted Living

The wireless sensor network (WSN) consists of sensor nodes that interact with each other to collectively monitor environmental or physical conditions at different locations for the intended users. One of its potential deployments is in the form of smart home and ambient assisted living (SHAAL) to measure patients or elderly physiological signals, control home appliances, and monitor home. This paper focuses on the development of a wireless sensor node platform for SHAAL application over WSN which complies with the IEEE 802.15.4 standard and operates in 2.4 GHz ISM (industrial, scientific, and medical) band. The initial stage of SHAAL application development is the design of the wireless sensor node named TelG mote. The main features of TelG mote contributing to the green communications include low power consumption, wearable, flexible, user-friendly, and small sizes. It is then embedded with a self-built operating system named WiseOS to support customized operation. The node can achieve a packet reception rate (PRR) above 80% for a distance of up to 8 m. The designed TelG mote is also comparable with the existing wireless sensor nodes available in the market.     

Triplet Energy Transfer from PbS(Se) Nanocrystals to Rubrene: the Relationship between the Upconversion Quantum Yield and Size

Photon upconversion has attracted enormous attention due to its wide range of applications in biological imaging, photocatalysis, and especially photovoltaics. Here, the effect of quantum confinement on the efficiency of Dexter energy transfer from PbS and PbSe nanocrystals (NCs) to a rubrene acceptor is studied. A series of experiments exploring the relationship between NC size and the upconversion quantum yield (QY) in this hybrid platform show that energy transfer occurs in the Marcus normal regime. By decreasing the NC diameter from 3.5 to 2.9 nm for PbS and from 3.2 to 2.5 nm for PbSe, the relative upconversion QY is enhanced about 700 and 250‐fold respectively. In addition, the dynamic Stern–Volmer constant (K_SV) for the quenching of PbSe NCs by rubrene increases approximately fivefold with a decrease in NC diameter from 3.2 to 2.5 nm to a value of 200 m ^?1. This work shows that high quality, well‐passivated, small NCs are critical for efficient triplet energy transfer to molecular acceptors.     

Oxidation Properties of a Beta-Stabilized TiAl Alloy Modified by Rare Earth Elements

This paper explores the effects of adding rare earth elements (lanthanum or erbium) on the oxidation properties of Ti–43.5Al–4Nb–1Mo–0.1B (TNM) alloy. Isothermal oxidation tests were performed under air atmosphere at 900 and 1000 °C. Mass gain was measured in several steps during the oxidation test, and the oxidized specimens were characterized by XRD and FE-SEM. The results showed that while adding 0.1 at.% rare earth elements (REEs) reduced oxidation rate of the TNM alloy, 0.2 at.% REEs addition increased the mass gain of the alloys. The oxidation curves were fitted by a power-law equation; the results showed that the oxidation kinetic curves of all alloys obeyed parabolic growth kinetics (n = 2). Meanwhile, the activation energy of oxidation was in the range of 40–50 kCal/mol, thereby suggesting that the scale growth was controlled by mass transport in the TiO₂ layer. Also, the results of the scale characterization showed that addition of REEs at low level (e.g., 0.1 at.%) could reduce diffusion rate in the scale. However, addition of the higher amounts of La or Er (e.g., 0.2 at.%) due to the lower valency (+ 3) of these elements, as compared with Ti (+ 4), could lead to the increased anion diffusion, the formation of hillocks in the scale and a rise of the oxidation rate.