Advanced disturbance observer design for mechanical positioning systems

Disturbance-observer (DOB)-based controller design is one of the most popular methods in the field of motion control. In this paper, the generalized disturbance compensation framework, named the robust internal-loop compensator (RIC) is introduced and an advanced design method of a DOB is proposed based on the RIC. The mixed sensitivity optimization problem, which is the main issue of DOB design, is also solved through the parametrization of the DOB in the RIC framework. Differently from conventional methods, the Q-filter is separated from the mixed sensitivity optimization problem and a systematic design law for the DOB is proposed. This guarantees the robustness and optimality of the DOB and enables the design for unstable plants.     

Onset of buoyancy-driven convection in melting from below

When a horizontal homogeneous solid is melted from below, convection can be induced in a thermally unstable melt layer. In this study the onset of buoyancy-driven convection during time-dependent melting is investigated by using similarly transformed disturbance equations. The critical Rayleigh numbers based on the melt-layer thickness are found numerically for various conditions. For small superheats, the present predictions approach the well known results of classical Rayleigh-Bénard problems, that is, critical Rayleigh numbers are located between 1,296 and 1,708, regardless of the Prandtl number. However, for high superheats the critical Rayleigh number increases with an increase in phase change rate but with decrease in Prandtl number.     

Electrical properties and stability of Dy2O3-doped ZnO–Pr6O11-based varistors

The electrical properties and DC accelerated aging characteristics of ZnO–Pr₆O₁₁-based varistors were investigated with various Dy₂O₃ contents and sintering times. It was found that the Dy₂O₃ content and sintering time significantly affected electrical properties and their stability. The nonlinear exponent with increasing Dy₂O₃ content varied with ∨-shaped, reaching maximum of 58.6 at 1.0 mol% Dy₂O₃ for varistors sintered for 1 h and with ∧-shaped, reaching maximum of 46.3 at 0.5 mol% Dy₂O₃ for 2 h. The leakage current was in the range of 0.1–1.1 μA for varistors sintered for 1 h and 0.3–2.4 μA for 2 h. The increase of sintering time led to lowering of nonlinearity. The varistors with 0.5 mol% Dy₂O₃ sintered for 2 h exhibited the good stability, under DC stress of 0.95 V _{1 mA}/150 °C/24 h.     

Preparation of ketoprofen‐loaded high‐molecular‐weight poly(vinyl alcohol) gels

High‐molecular‐weight atactic poly(vinyl alcohol) (a‐PVA) gels loaded with (R,S)‐2‐(3‐benzoylphenyl)propionic acid (ketoprofen) were prepared from 5, 6, 7, and 8 g/dL solutions of a‐PVA with a number‐average degree of polymerization of 4000 in an ethylene glycol/water mixture with an aging method to identify the effect of the initial polymer concentration on the swelling behavior, morphology, and thermal properties of a‐PVA gels. Then, the release behavior of ketoprofen from a‐PVA gels was investigated. As the polymer concentration decreased, the ability for network formation decreased, and the degree of swelling of the a‐PVA gels increased. In addition, the enthalpy increased with an increase in the a‐PVA concentration, but the melting temperatures of the gels prepared at different initial polymer concentrations were the same; this indicated that tighter gel networks would be formed by a higher polymer chain density. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 2007     

Surface properties for poly(perfluoroalkylethyl methacrylate)/poly(n-alkyl methacrylate)s mixtures

A poly(perfluoroalkylethyl methacrylate) and a series of poly(n-alkyl methacrylate)s such as poly(methyl methacrylate), poly(ethyl methacrylate), and poly(n-butyl methacrylate) were prepared and used to investigate the surface properties of polymer mixtures containing a fluorinated homopolymer and a nonfluorinated homopolymer and the effect of the side-chain length of poly(n-alkyl methacrylate) on the surface free energy for the polymer mixtures. Contact angles were measured for the surfaces of polymer mixtures by varying the concentration of poly(perfluoroalkylethyl methacrylate). From the contact angle data, it can be inferred that most of the poly(perfluoroalkylethyl methacrylate) added to poly(n-alkyl methacrylate)s is located in the outermost layer of polymer-mixture surface. Surface free energies for the outermost surfaces of polymer mixtures were calculated from the contact angle data using Owen and Wendt's equation. The decrease in the surface free energy for the polymer mixture with the poly(perfluoroalkylethyl methacrylate) addition is more pronounced as the side-chain length of poly(n-alkyl methacrylate) decreases. Due to the steric effect of the side chain of poly(n-alkyl methacrylate), the arrangement of the perfluoroalkylethyl group of poly(perfluoroalkylethyl methacrylate) to the air side is considerably hindered. The ESCA analysis of atomic compositions of the surface for the polymer mixture verified that poly(perfluoroalkylethyl methacrylate) is preferentially arranged and concentrates at the polymer mixture–air interface. The results of functional group compositions obtained by ESCA showed that the functional group composition of  CF₃ for the outermost layer has a more important effect on the surface free energy than that of  CF₂ and confirmed the hindrance of the arrangement of perfluoroalkylethyl group to the air side by the side chain of poly(n-alkyl methacrylate). © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

The effects of Ni and Li doping on the performance of lithium manganese oxide material for lithium secondary batteries

Layered Li_0.7[M_1/6Mn_5/6]O₂ (M=Li, Ni) was synthesized using a sol-gel method. P2-Na_0.7[M_1/6Mn_5/6]O₂ precursor was first synthesized by a sol-gel method, and then O2-Li_0.7[M_1/6Mn_5/6]O₂ was prepared by an ion exchange of Li for Na in P2-Na_0.7[M_1/6Mn_5/6]O₂ precursor. From charge/discharge curves, it was seen that Li_0.7[Li_1/6Mn_5/6]O₂ has two plateaus similar to those observed from a spinel structure, but Li_0.7[Ni_1/6Mn_5/6]O₂ holds a single plateau as observed from a typical layered structure. It was considered that Li_0.7[Li_1/6Mn_5/6]O₂ undergoes a phase transformation from layered to spinel structure during the charge/discharge cycle, but Li_0.7[Ni_1/6Mn_5/6]O₂ maintains O2-layered structure after the cycles. Li_0.7[Ni_1/6Mn_5/6]O₂ was higher in discharge capacity and retention rate than Li_0.7[Li_1/6Mn_5/6]O₂.     

The onset of Taylor-Görtler vortices in impulsively decelerating swirl flow

The onset of hydrodynamical instability induced by impulsive spin-down to rest in a cylinder containing a Newtonian fluid is analyzed by using propagation theory. It is well-known that the primary transient swirl flow is laminar, but with initial high velocities secondary motion sets in at a certain time. The dimensionless critical time Τ_c to mark the onset of instability is presented here as a function of the Reynolds number Re. Available experimental data indicate that for large Re deviation of the velocity profiles from their momentum diffusion occurs starting from a certain time Τ≈4Τ_c. This means that secondary motion is detected at this characteristic time. It seems evident that during Τ_c⪯Τ⪯4Τ_c, secondary motion is relatively very weak and the primary diffusive momentum transfer is dominant.     

Editorial

Intelligent Service Robotics -     

Gait planning for quadruped robot based on dynamic stability: landing accordance ratio

In this article, the method for increasing dynamic stability of quadruped robot is proposed. Previous researches on dynamic walking of quadruped robots have used only walking pattern called central pattern generator (CPG). In this research, different from walking generation with only CPG, a instinctive stability measure called landing accordance ratio, is proposed and used for increasing dynamic stability. In addition, dynamic balance control and control to adjust walking trajectory for increasing dynamic stability measure is also proposed. Proposed methods are verified with dynamic simulation and a large number of experiments with quadruped robot platform.