Apparatus for remote handling of materials

Apparatus for remote handling of materials are described. A closed housing is provided with first and second containers and first and second reservoirs for holding materials to be mixed. The materials are transferable from the reservoirs to the first container where they are mixed. The mixed materials are then conveyed from the first container to the second container preferably by dumping the mixed materials into a funnel positioned over the second container. The second container is then moved to a second position for analysis of the mixed materials. For example, the materials may be ignited and the flame analyzed. Access, such as a sight port, is provided in the housing at the analysis position. The device provides a simple and inexpensive apparatus for safely mixing a pyrophoric material and an oxidizer which together form a thermite type mixture that burns to produce a large quantity of heat and light

Investigations of solid chemical barium release systems

Barium-copper oxide/canister barium vapor release system for geomagnetospheric measurement

An Efficient Discontinuous-Mode Model of a Switch Pole

Simulating switching power supplies presents many challenges. A variety of switch pole models is available, from the physics-based to the behavioral. The present work develops and demonstrates a behavioral model that works well in discontinuous mode. The new model eliminates the extremely fast time constants normally associated with switches in a high impedance state. Simulation time is improved and fixed-time-step algorithms are now stable with reasonable step size

Modeling Controlled Switches and Diodes for Electro-Thermal Simulation

Designers of advanced power converters may choose from a variety of switching device models for simulation. Some situations call for simple idealized models, while others require physics-based models. When evaluating thermal system performance, a behavioral model that includes both conduction and switching losses is desired. A set of models has been developed to include both unidirectional devices, such as IGBTs, BJTs, and diodes, and bidirectional devices, such as MOSFETs. Logic and timing elements are used to insert voltage and current sources into the circuit at appropriate times. All losses affect circuit operation, so simulation can accurately predict losses when the load affects the switching pattern. The model was constructed in Dymola and included thermal ports to be attached to a model of the thermal system. Temperature dependency of device parameters can be included with minor modifications. Experimental verification is shown

A Method of Including Switching Loss in Electro-Thermal Simulations

Often, power electronics systems are simulated with ideal switching elements, perhaps augmented with conduction loss models. A behavioral model is proposed that also includes switching loss and is independent of switching frequency. Therefore, it is suitable for variable frequency control methods, including hysteresis, delta modulation, and random PWM. Models have been realized in Dymola using voltage-controlled voltage sources, current sources, logic, and additional ideal switches. Thermal ports are included to facilitate electro-thermal simulation. A method for parameter extraction is demonstrated using experimental data from standard PWM

Using the space-borne NASA scatterometer (NSCAT) to determine the frozen and thawed seasons

We hypothesize that the strong sensitivity of radar backscatter to surface dielectric properties, and hence to the phase (solid or liquid) of any water near the surface should make space-borne radar observations a powerful tool for large-scale spatial monitoring of the freeze/thaw state of the land surface, and thus ecosystem growing season length. We analyzed the NASA scatterometer (NSCAT) backscatter from September 1996 to June 1997, along with temperature and snow depth observations and ecosystem modeling, for three BOREAS sites in central Canada. Because of its short wavelength (2.14 cm), NSCAT was sensitive to canopy and surface water. NSCAT had 25 km spatial resolution and approximately twice-daily temporal coverage at the BOREAS latitude. At the northern site the NSCAT signal showed strong seasonality, with backscatter around −8 dB in winter and −12 dB in early summer and fall. The NSCAT signal for the southern sites had less seasonality. At all three sites there was a strong decrease in backscatter during spring thaw (4–6 dB). At the southern deciduous site, NSCAT backscatter rose from −11 to −9.2 dB during spring leaf-out. All sites showed 1–2 dB backscatter shifts corresponding to changes in landscape water state coincident with brief midwinter thaws, snowfall, and extreme cold (Tmax\u3c−25°C). Freeze/thaw detection algorithms developed for other radar instruments gave reasonable results for the northern site but were not successful at the two southern sites. We developed a change detection algorithm based on first differences of 5-day smoothed NSCAT backscatter measurements. This algorithm had some success in identifying the arrival of freezing conditions in the autumn and the beginning of thaw in the spring. Changes in surface freeze/thaw state generally coincided with the arrival and departure of the seasonal snow cover and with simulated shifts in the directions of net carbon exchange at each of the study sites

Machine Design Considerations for the Future Energy Challenge

Motors consume a significant fraction of electricity in the United States and in the world. As part of the International Future Energy Challenge, student teams are endeavoring to improve the efficiency of fractional-horsepower machines. The present work summarizes the motor design and construction process for a 500 W prototype induction machine targeting efficiency above 80%. Analytical and finite-element results are shown

Transformer Leakage Inductance Design Methodology

The leakage inductance exhibited by a transformer depends on its winding geometry, which generally involves the selection of several key design parameters in addition to the winding structure and the interleaving configuration. With few resources explaining the effects of these design choices on the observed leakage inductance, numerous trial-and-error iterations become necessary to realize the desired leakage inductance. This paper explores more than a hundred winding geometries feasible in a 2- winding transformer comprising the same magnetic core, number of turns, and wire gauge, and finds the leakage inductance for each unique design using 2-D finite element method (FEM) simulations in association with the semi-analytical double-2-D model. These leakage inductances are plotted and further analyzed to understand the effects of different design parameters on the effective leakage inductance. The results presented herein, and the conclusions drawn from this research can serve as a valuable resource for future design practitioners from both industry and academia

New Hybrid Model for Evaluating the Frequency-Dependent Leakage Inductance of a Variable Inductance Transformer (Vit)

Skin and proximity effects can cause a significant drop in the effective leakage inductance of a transformer when the operating frequency is increased. Although the magnetic image method-based double-2-D model can calculate the low-frequency leakage inductance with sufficient accuracy, it is inherently a frequency-independent model. While Dowell\u27s 1-D model uses frequency-dependent relations to account for both skin and proximity effects, its accuracy is severely affected by the assumed winding geometry. In this paper, a hybrid model is proposed that uses superposition to combine a modified Dowell\u27s model with the double-2-D model. The proposed model is investigated on a variable inductance transformer (VIT)-a partially-filled transformer whose leakage inductance can be varied by moving one of the windings mechanically. The frequency-dependent leakage inductances of the VIT evaluated using the hybrid model are in excellent agreement with the corresponding finite element method (FEM) simulated and experimentally measured values, thereby validating the proposed hybrid model