Magnetic Field Energy Harvesting Under Overhead Power Lines

Condition monitoring for overhead power lines is critical for power transmission networks to improve their reliability, detect potential problems in the early stage, and ensure the utilization of the transmitting full capacity. Energy harvesting can be an effective solution for autonomous self-powered wireless sensors. In this paper, a novel bow-tie-shaped coil is proposed, which is placed directly under overhead power lines to scavenge the magnetic field energy. Compared to the conventional method by mounting the energy harvester on the power lines, this approach provides more flexibility and space to power bigger sensors such as the weather station. As the harvesting coil cannot entirely enclose the power lines, the demagnetization factor that is closely related to the core geometry should be considered and optimized. Thus a new bow-tie-shape core is designed to produce a much lower demagnetization factor (hence more power) than that of the conventional solenoid. The selection of core material is studied and found that Mn-Zn ferrite is the most suitable core material because it greatly reduces the eddy current losses and also has high permeability. Experiment results show that the bow-tie coil could have a power density of 1.86 μW/cm 3 when placed in a magnetic flux density of 7 μT rms . This value is 15 times greater than the reported results under the same condition. If a longer bow-tie coil with more turns is placed in a magnetic flux density of 11μT rms , the produced power density is 103.5 μW/cm 3 , which is comparable to a solar panel working during a cloudy day. Thus, the proposed solution is a very efficient and attractive method for harvesting the magnetic field energy for a range of monitoring applications

Matching Network Elimination in Broadband Rectennas for High-Efficiency Wireless Power Transfer and Energy Harvesting

Impedance matching networks for nonlinear devices such as amplifiers and rectifiers are normally very challenging to design, particularly for broadband and multiband devices. A novel design concept for a broadband high-efficiency rectenna without using matching networks is presented in this paper for the first time. An off-center-fed dipole antenna with relatively high input impedance over a wide frequency band is proposed. The antenna impedance can be tuned to the desired value and directly provides a complex conjugate match to the impedance of a rectifier. The received RF power by the antenna can be delivered to the rectifier efficiently without using impedance matching networks; thus, the proposed rectenna is of a simple structure, low cost, and compact size. In addition, the rectenna can work well under different operating conditions and using different types of rectifying diodes. A rectenna has been designed and made based on this concept. The measured results show that the rectenna is of high power conversion efficiency (more than 60%) in two wide bands, which are 0.9-1.1 and 1.8-2.5 GHz, for mobile, Wi-Fi, and ISM bands. Moreover, by using different diodes, the rectenna can maintain its wide bandwidth and high efficiency over a wide range of input power levels (from 0 to 23 dBm) and load values (from 200 to 2000 Ω). It is, therefore, suitable for high-efficiency wireless power transfer or energy harvesting applications. The proposed rectenna is general and simple in structure without the need for a matching network hence is of great significance for many applications

Short-Term Coalmine Gas Concentration Prediction Based on Wavelet Transform and Extreme Learning Machine

It is well known that coalmine gas concentration forecasting is very significant to ensure the safety of mining. Owing to the high-frequency, nonstationary fluctuations and chaotic properties of the gas concentration time series, a gas concentration forecasting model utilizing the original raw data often leads to an inability to provide satisfying forecast results. A hybrid forecasting model that integrates wavelet transform and extreme learning machine (ELM) termed as WELM (wavelet based ELM) for coalmine gas concentration is proposed. Firstly, the proposed model employs Mallat algorithm to decompose and reconstruct the gas concentration time series to isolate the low-frequency and high-frequency information. Then, ELM model is built for the prediction of each component. At last, these predicted values are superimposed to obtain the predicted values of the original sequence. This method makes an effective separation of the feature information of gas concentration time series and takes full advantage of multi-ELM prediction models with different parameters to achieve divide and rule. Comparative studies with existing prediction models indicate that the proposed model is very promising and can be implemented in one-step or multistep ahead prediction

Short-Term Coalmine Gas Concentration Prediction Based on Wavelet Transform and Extreme Learning Machine

It is well known that coalmine gas concentration forecasting is very significant to ensure the safety of mining. Owing to the highfrequency, nonstationary fluctuations and chaotic properties of the gas concentration time series, a gas concentration forecasting model utilizing the original raw data often leads to an inability to provide satisfying forecast results. A hybrid forecasting model that integrates wavelet transform and extreme learning machine (ELM) termed as WELM (wavelet based ELM) for coalmine gas concentration is proposed. Firstly, the proposed model employs Mallat algorithm to decompose and reconstruct the gas concentration time series to isolate the low-frequency and high-frequency information. Then, ELM model is built for the prediction of each component. At last, these predicted values are superimposed to obtain the predicted values of the original sequence. This method makes an effective separation of the feature information of gas concentration time series and takes full advantage of multi-ELM prediction models with different parameters to achieve divide and rule. Comparative studies with existing prediction models indicate that the proposed model is very promising and can be implemented in one-step or multistep ahead prediction

Two Alternative Methods to Measure the Radiated Emission in a Reverberation Chamber

One of the most important applications of a reverberation chamber is for radiated power measurement. Two new alternative methods are proposed to measure the radiated power of equipment under test in a reverberation chamber in this paper. Traditionally, as stated in IEC 61000-4-21 standard, this measurement requires two antennas, a signal generator and a spectrum analyzer or receiver. However, it is found that if a signal generator is not available, a vector network analyzer can be used to complete the measurement. Furthermore, if only one antenna is available, by taking advantage of the enhanced backscattering effect, the measurement can still be completed. By incorporating the one- and/or two-antenna methods, the radiation efficiency of antennas is also considered. Measurements have been conducted to verify the proposed methods, the results from these three methods are compared, and a very good agreement is obtained. It is found that the two proposed methods are simpler than the conventional method

Toxicities comparison of rotenone and acetone extract of Tephrosiavogelii and Derris trifoliate against Solenopsis invicta

The high rotenone content and the rotenone crude extract of Tephrosia vogelii and Derris trifoliata were evaluated for its efficacy in the control of red imported fire (RIFA), Solenopsis invicta under both laboratory and field conditions. The acetone extracts of D. trifoliata roots and T. vogelii leaves exhibited strong toxicity to macroergate and micrergate of RIFA. When active ingredients of the crude extracts were convert to rotenone, the activity of the acetone extracts were higher than that of rotenone technical material. At the same time, the extracts showed significant inhibitory effect on walking ability and grasping ability of worker ants and stronger than the effect of 98.6% rotenone technical material. Under field conditions, the 0.01% rotenone-bait, formulated with the acetone extract of D. trifoliata roots and T. vogelii leaves, had the same control effect on RIFA as that of 0.01% fipronil-bait when treated after 30 d. The bait formulated with the extract of D. trifoliata exhibited quicker and higher effect on RIFA than that of rotenone technical material. It was showed that the acetone extracts of D. trifoliata roots and T. vogelii leaves are able to control S. invicta under both laboratory and field conditions and can be used as an effective agent against RIFA

Diaqua­bis(2,2′-biimidazole)cobalt(II) 4,4′-dicarboxy­biphenyl-3,3′-di­car­boxylate

In the title compound, [Co(C6H6N4)2(H2O)2](C16H8O8), the CoII cation and the organic anion occupy different crystallographic inversion centres and, as a consequence, the asymmetric unit comprises two half-mol­ecules. The benzene groups are coplanar. The four coordinating N atoms of the two bidentate biimidazole ligands define the equatorial plane of a slightly distorted octa­hedral CoO2N4 geometry, and the water O atoms lie in the axial coordination sites. Translational (a,) and inversion-related symmetry operations link the Co complex mol­ecules and the negatively charged carboxyl­ate anions via inter­molecular N—H⋯O and O—H⋯O hydrogen bonds into sheets parallel to (01). The coordinated water mol­ecules connect the sheets through O—H⋯O hydrogen bonds, forming a three-dimensional framework. In addition, two intra­molecular O—H⋯O hydrogen bonds are observed between the carboxyl and carboxyl­ate groups

Impact of an Innovative Tuberculosis Financing and Payment Model on Health Service Utilization by Tuberculosis Patients in China: Do the Poor Fare Better than the Rich?

Tuberculosis (TB) prevalence is closely associated with poverty in China, and poor patients face more barriers to treatment. Using an insurance-based approach, the China-Gates TB program Phase II was implemented between 2012 and 2014 in three cities in China to improve access to TB care and reduce the financial burden on patients, particularly among the poor. This study aims to assess the program effects on service use, and its equity impact across different income groups

Impact of diurnal temperature fluctuations on larval settlement and growth of the reef coral Pocillopora damicornis

Diurnal fluctuations in seawater temperature are ubiquitous on tropical reef flats. However, the effects of such dynamic temperature variations on the early stages of corals are poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the responses of larvae and new recruits of Pocillopora damicornis to two constant temperature treatments (29 and 31 degrees C) and two diurnally fluctuating treatments (28-31 and 30-33 degrees C with daily means of 29 and 31 degrees C, respectively) simulating the 3 degrees C diel oscillations at 3m depth on the Luhuitou fringing reef (Sanya, China). Results showed that the thermal stress on settlement at 31 degrees C was almost negated by the fluctuating treatment. Further, neither elevated temperature nor temperature fluctuations caused bleaching responses in recruits, while the maximum excitation pressure over photosystem II (PSII) was reduced under fluctuating temperatures. Although early growth and development were highly stimulated at 31 degrees C, oscillations of 3 degrees C had little effects on budding and lateral growth at either mean temperature. Nevertheless, daytime encounters with the maximum temperature of 33 degrees C in fluctuating 31 degrees C elicited a notable reduction in calcification compared to constant 31 degrees C. These results underscore the complexity of the effects caused by diel temperature fluctuations on early stages of corals and suggest that ecologically relevant temperature variability could buffer warming stress on larval settlement and dampen the positive effects of increased temperatures on coral growth