A describing function for resonantly commutated H-bridge inverters

Abstract—The paper presents the derivation of a describing function to model the dynamic behavior of a metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor-based, capacitively commutated H-bridge, including a comprehensive explanation of the various stages in the switching cycle. Expressions to model the resulting input current, are also given. The derived model allows the inverter to be accurately modeled within a control system simulation over a number of utility input voltage cycles, without resorting to computationally intensive switching-cycle level, time-domain SPICE simulations. Experimental measurements from a prototype H-bridge inverter employed in an induction heating application, are used to demonstrate a high degree of prediction accuracy over a large variation of load conditions is possible using the simplified model

Anatomical Study of Water Shoots and Ordinary Twigs

Water shoots or long shoots are those which appear low on the trunks of trees, or about stumps of trees recently cut down. The ordinary twigs are those found at the ends of branches. Interest in the cooperative study of water shoots and ordinary shoots on trees was aroused by the very marked differences, even in a single years growth, in length and the diameter of two types. The former is greater in diameter , much longer, and with more nodes, longer internodes and longer leaves than the twigs which grew ordinarily at the ends of branches. The object of this investigation was to correlate gross differences with differences in microscopic anatomy and to see what developmental phenomena are responsible for the differences

Observer based feedback control of 3rd order LCC resonant converters

The paper considers specific issues related to the design and realisation of observer-based feedback of isolated output voltage for resonant power converters. To provide a focus to the study, a 3rd order LCC converter is employed as a candidate topology. It is shown that whilst resonant converters nominally operate at high switching frequencies to facilitate the use of small reactive components, by appropriate pre-conditioning of non-isolated resonant-tank voltages and currents, the resulting observer can be implemented at relatively low sampling frequencies, and hence, take advantage of low-cost digital hardware. Experimental results are used to demonstrate the accuracy of observer estimates under both transient and steady-state operating conditions, and to show operation of the observer as part of a closed-loop feedback system where the LCC resonant converter is used as a regulated power supply

Design, theory, and measurement of a polarization insensitive absorber for terahertz imaging

We present the theory, design, and realization of a polarization-insensitive metamaterial absorber for terahertz frequencies. We derive geometrical-independent conditions for effective medium absorbers in general, and for resonant metamaterials specically. Our fabricated design reaches and absorptivity of 78% at 1.145 ThzComment: 6 Pages, 5 figures; figures update

Projected climate effects on soil workability and trafficability determine the feasibility of converting permanent grassland to arable land

CONTEXT Adapting to changes in climate and in consumer demand for commodities will force us to diversify land uses from the current status. Livestock grazing systems are dominant agricultural practices in the western regions of the British Isles. It has been suggested that grasslands in the region could be converted to other land uses, e.g. growing of cereal crops. We hypothesized that soil workability and trafficability would be important factors determining the feasibility and environmental impact of such conversion. OBJECTIVE Objectives were 1) to investigate the impacts of weather conditions under the current (baseline) climate on agronomic management and crop yield of winter wheat using the SPACSYS model; and 2) to assess potential impacts of the land use conversion (grassland converted into arable land) on the environment under soil conditions representative of the region under baseline and future climatic conditions. METHODS Using simulation modelling we investigated the impacts of baseline and future climates under the Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP2.6, 4.5 and RCP8.5) on soil workability and trafficability at sowing and harvest respectively of winter wheat and its consequences for crop productivity and key indices of environmental sustainability for three major soil types of the region. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS Under baseline and future projections, the probability of successfully sowing winter wheat on these soils was between 38 and 76%. Simulations showed that grassland conversion to arable in the region would not be sustainable in terms of carbon sequestration with a decline in soil carbon stock of 165 – 280 kg C ha–1 yr–1 on average over the simulation period. Rates of decline were greater when soil workability was taken into consideration. Although CO2eq emissions from silage–based grassland soil were higher than those from the converted arable land, these were offset by the greater net productivity of grassland making it a larger net sink for carbon. When soil workability at sowing was considered, the NUEcrop (crop N content/N fertilizer applied) for winter wheat was lower than that for perennial ryegrass on all soil types under the baseline climate and RCP2.6, but comparable or greater under RCP4.5 and RCP8.5. In terms of C sequestration, grassland conversion for production of winter wheat is unsustainable under these soil–climatic conditions. SIGNIFICANCE Our results demonstrated that soil workability is a major factor influencing the potential impact of land-use conversion in clay soils and a wetter climate

The Mars Climate Database

The Mars Climate Database (MCD) [1] is a database of statistics describing the climate and environment of the Martian atmosphere. It was constructed directly on the basis of output from mulitannual integrations of two general circulation models (GCMs)developed by Laboratoire de Météorologie Dynamique du CNRS, France, the University of Oxford, UK, and Instituto de Astrofisica de Andalucia, Spain, with support from the European Space Agency (ESA) and Centre National d–Etudes Spatiales (CNES). A description of the MCD is given along with a comparison between spacecraft observations of Mars and results predicted at similar locations and times in the MCD. The MCD can be used as a tool for mission planning and has been applied to prepare for several missions in Europe and the USA. It also provides information for mission design specialists on the mean state and variability of the Martian environment from the surface to above 120km. The GCMs on which the database is founded, include a set of physical parameterizations (radiative transfer in the visible and thermal infrared ranges, turbulent mixing, condensation-sublimation of CO2, thermal conduction in the soil and representation of gravity waves) and two different codes for the representation of large scale dynamics: a spectral code for the AOPP version and a grid-point code for the LMD version. The GCMs correctly reproduce the main meteorological features of Mars, as observed by the Mariner 9 and Viking orbiters, the Viking landers, and Mars Global Surveyor (MGS). As well as the standard statistical measures for mission design studies, the MCD includes a novel representation of large-scale variability, using empirical eigenfunctions derived from an analysis of the full simulations, and small-scale variability based on parameterizations of processes such as gravity wave propagation. The database allows the user to choose from 5 dust storm scenarios including a best guess, default scenario, deduced from recent MGS observations, an upper boundary for an atmosphere without dust storms, as observed by Viking the landers, and a clear, cold, lower boundary scenario, as observed by Phobos 2 and from Earth. The full version of the MCD is available on CDROM (for UNIX systems and PCs) and is also accessible through an interactive WWW interface at http://www-mars.lmd.jussieu.fr/

Ba(OH)(2) - blast furnace slag composite binders for encapsulation of sulphate bearing nuclear waste

The present study investigated the feasibility of the immobilisation of sulphate bearing radioactive wastes in blast furnace slag (BFS) based binders. BaSO4–BFS composites were produced via two methods using Na2SO4 as a waste simulant, along with Ba(OH)2 to promote precipitation of BaSO4 in an insoluble sulphate form and the consequent activation of the BFS. BaSO4 was effectively formed by both methods, and solid wasteforms were successfully produced. Although both methods produced BaSO4 embedded in the cement-like composites, different reaction products including ettringite and witherite were produced, depending on the order Ba(OH)2 was mixed with the system. These results show that the immobilisation of soluble sulphate-bearing aqueous wastes is achievable in Na2SO4–Ba(OH)2–BFS composites