Development and Characterization of an Aeroelastic Instability Energy Harvester

Development of new renewable energy sources has become paramount in the battle againstrising energy consumption and prices, environmental destruction, and global climate change.However, prior research efforts have indicated an aeroelastic instability energy harvester(AIEH) is capable of generating more than 70 mW of power at 4 mph wind (below thecut-in speed of any wind turbine). The AIEH has shown an enhancement in performancein the presence of a bluff body (contrary to turbines) and a non-linear increase in powerproduction with an increase in wind speed. It also allows the consumer to choose the extentof investment cost (less than $50 for parts), with minimal maintenance cost. The intent ofthis thesis work is to gain a better understanding of AIEHs in a number of different ways:characterizing the limit-cycle oscillation (LCO) experienced by an AIEH; validating the beliefthat an active smart material may enhance the power density of an AIEH; validating andcharacterizing the enhanced performance exhibited by AIEHs in the presence of a bluff body.In the short term AIEHs are expected to be of particular utility for powering remote civilinfrastructure sensor systems. In the long term they may have the potential to become aviable, new, renewable energy technology with power generation levels appropriate to societalenergy needs. Also, its relatively low investment and maintenance cost has the potential tomake this technology ideal for third world applications

DISPOSAL AND RECYCLING PROCESS FOR END OF LIFE SILICON PV MODULES: FEASIBILITY OF A PLANT BUILT IN ITALY

The disposal and recycling processes of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) have assumed an increasing importance during the last years, as confirmed by the rapidly growing waste stream experienced in particular in 2010: in fact, in Italy the collection target of four kilograms per annum per inhabitant has been achieved. Also Photovoltaic Modules, as their disposal has not been regulated yet, are included within WEEE. Since the promulgation of the Ministry for Economic Development Decree referring to the Fourth Feed in Tariff on May 5, 2011, the attention to this issue has increased. Moreover, this problem will become even more important in the next years, due to the wide spread of the photovoltaic technology, promoted by government incentives. In the present paper the feasibility of an end of life silicon PV modules recycling plant, built in Italy, was studied. Recycling processes have already been used in Germany, a country leader in the utilization of renewable energy resources, and the only one where an infrastructure of this type operates on industrial scale. Waste stream, capital, process and logistics costs were the basic parameters taken into account in order to define the economic feasibility of this method

Alimentazione sperimentale con solo silo-mais in bovini. Nota I°. Modificazioni Anatomo-istopatologiche a carico dell’apparato digerente.

Vengono segnalati i quadri anatomo-istopatologici colti a carico dell'apparato digerente. Di particolare interesse le modificazioni osservate a livello delle mucose dei prestomaci oce si sono correlate immagini sofferenziali degli epiteli talora anche in figurazione iperparacheratosica focale, nonchè la reattività epatocitaria a sfondo regressivo con immagini di rigonfiamento torbido

Alimentazione sperimentale con solo silo-mais in bovini. Nota V°. Rilievi anatomo-istopatologici cardiaci e sul muscolo scheletrico.

Gli Autori in un contesto generale valutativo dei danni indotti da alimentazione con solo silo-mais hanno riscontrato modificazioni cardiache su base discromica miofibrale unitamente a quadri regressivi distrofico-miofibrali a livello muscolare scheletrico di notevole interesse ai fini ispettivi per le alterazioni possibili a verificarsi sulle carni

Valutazione sperimentale degli effetti distrofici viscerali ed organici indotti in vitelle alimentate con solo silo-mais. Nota VI°. Modificazioni istomorfologiche polmonari.

Vengono segnalati i reperti anatomo-istopatologici colti a livello bronco e bronchiolo-alveolare. Sulla base dei dati rilevati gli Autori ritengono che l'alimentazione con solo silo-mais induca fenomeni regressivi dell'epitelio della mucosa bronchiale e delle strutture alveolari con chiare immagini, in quest'ultime, di atrofia. Sono state accertate anche modificazioni parieto-arteriolari istologicamente significative con chiare espressioni di imbibizione dell'endotelio e reattività della tonaca muscolare

Proton conductivity of poly(dialkyl)phosphazenes-phosphoric acid composites at low humidity

New composite free standing films were fabricated by solution casting poly(diethyl, dipropyl)phosphazene, phosphoric acid and a naphthalenic sulfonated copolyimide. The proton conductivity data in dry environment obtained for these films allow to conclude that the presence of strong sulfonic acid proton donors and of phosphazene N proton acceptor sites is not sufficient to allow good conductivity in dry environment, and that the content of phosphoric acid appears the most critical factor for the proton mobility

Titanium-Catalyzed Norbornene Oligomerization. Isolation of a Crystalline Heptamer with a 2,3-exo-Disyndiotactic Structure

Norbornene (NB) was oligomerized at 0 8C using AlEt2Cl-TiCl4 at a monomer/titanium molar ratio of about 11. The oligomerization product consists of a fraction soluble in diethyl ether, amorphous by X-ray examination, and of a crystalline fraction, insoluble in diethyl ether. The crystalline fraction was shown by powder X-ray diffraction to consist of a NB heptamer. Single-crystal X-ray analysis indicated that the heptamer had a stereoregular 2,3-exodisyndiotactic structure. The heptamer adopts a strained, highly irregular, folded conformation in the crystalline state. Structural differences with respect to NB oligomers obtained with zirconocene catalysts are discussed