Measured Dissipated-Energy in Switching-off by Electric Contacts

The measurement of the dissipated energy in switching-off has been attempted to make clear the function of spark on electric contacts, which may unfortunately cause the combustible gas, such as propane gas etc, to catch fire and result in fire accidents. By utilizing the "Memoriscope" has been the meaurement carried out and the feature of this method is to provide the information on not only the amount of dissipated energy involved in one action but also on the trace of its instantaneous power which can affect catching fire delicately. Presented in this paper are the discussion of this measuring method and the measured results which are obtained experimentally in order to investigate the dependence of the energy dissipation on variety of contacts, contacts' deterioration and circuit arrangements

Analysis of Three-Phase Thyristor Phase Control Circuit with Series RLC Elements

An ac phase control circuit by thyristor is widely used in industry, The characteristics of the singlephase circuit with series RLC elements are numerically analyzed, and is reported the interesting phenomenon of step-up voltage without transformer. However, the performance of three phase phase control circuit with series RLC elements is not made clear. In this paper, the performance of three-phase control circuit of a balanced and an unbalanced load with series RLC elements is described. The analytical programs with each load are developed, and it is clarified that the calculated by this analytical program agree well with the measured. The calculated results, e.g. waveforms, RMS values of voltage and current, power, and power factor are illustrated and discussed the step-up phenomenon in three phase

Formation and collapse of gas hydrate deposits in high methane flux area of the Joetsu Basin, Eastern Margin of Japan Sea

A number of extensive methane plumes and active methane seeps associated with large blocks of methane hydrates exposed on the seafloor strongly indicate extremely high methane flux and large accumulations of methane hydrate in shallow sediments of the Umitaka spur and Joetsu knoll of the Joetsu basin 30 km off Joetsu city, Niigata Prefecture. Crater-like depressions, incised valleys, and large but inactive pockmarks also indicate methane activities over the spur and knoll. These features imply strong expulsions of methane gas or methane-bearing fluids, and perhaps lifting and floating-up of large volumes of methane hydrate to the sea surface. \u2003High heat flow, 3c100 mK/m, deposition of organic-rich strata, 3c1.0 to 1.5%TOC, and Pliocene-Quaternary inversion-tectonics along the eastern margin of the Japan Sea facilitate thermal maturation of organic matters, and generation and migration of light-hydrocarbons through fault conduits, and accumulation of large volumes of methane as methane hydrate in shallow sediments. Microbial methane generation has also contributed to reinforcing the methane flux of the Joetsu basin. Regional methane flux as observed by the depth of the sulfate-methane interface (SMI) is significantly high, < 1 m to 3 m, when compared to classic gas hydrate fields of Blake Ridge, 15 to 20 m, and Nankai trough, 3 to 15 m. \u3b413C of methane hydrate and seep gases are mostly within -30 to -50\u2030, the range of thermogenic methane, while dissolved methane of the interstitial waters a few kilometers away from seep sites are predominated by microbial with \u3b413C of -50 to -100\u2030. \u2003Seismic profiles have revealed fault-related, well-developed gas chimney structures, 0.2 to 3.5 km in diameter, on the spur and knoll. The structures are essential for conveying methane from deep-seated sources to shallow depths as well as for accumulating methane hydrate (gas chimney type deposits). The depth of BSR, which represents the base of gas hydrate stability (BGHS), on the spur and knoll is generally 0.20 to 0.23 seconds in two-way-travel time, whereas the BSRs in gas chimneys occur at 0.14 to 0.18 seconds, exhibiting a sharp pull-up structure. The apparent shallow BGHS is due to the accumulation of large volumes of high-velocity methane hydrate in gas chimneys. \u2003The depth to BGHS is estimated to be 115 m on an experimentally determined stability diagram, based on an observed thermal gradient of 100 mK/m. Then the velocity of the sediments on the Umitaka spur is calculated to be 1000 m/s, which is anomalously low compared to normal pelagic mud of 1600-1700 m/s. This exciting finding leads to the important implication that sediments of the Umitaka spur contain significant amounts of free gas, although the sediments are well within the stability field of methane hydrate. The reasons for the existence of free gas in the methane hydrate stability field are not fully explained, but we propose the following possible mechanisms for the unusual co-existence of methane hydrate and free-gas in clay-silt of the spur. (i) High salinity effect of residual waters, (ii) degassing from ascending fluids, (iii) bound water effect and deficiency of free-waters, and (iv) micro-pore effect of porous media. All of these processes relate to the development of gas hydrate deposits of the Umitaka spur.Peer reviewed: YesNRC publication: Ye

J-PARC hadron experimental facility extension project

The J-PARC Hadron Experimental Facility was constructed with an aim to explore the origin and evolution of matter in the universe through experiments with intense particle beams. In the past decade, many results from particle and nuclear physics experiments have been obtained at the present facility. To expand the physics programs to as yet unexplored regions, the extension project of the Hadron Experimental Facility has been extensively discussed. This contribution presents the physics of the extension of the Hadron Experimental Facility to resolve issues related to strangeness nuclear physics, hadron physics, and flavor physics