ALBERT

Beschreibung: In this paper, an efficient inductively coupled medium pressure source for ultraviolet radiation (UV-source) is demonstrated. The lamp was operated with powers up to 3 kW while the radiation and the coldest point temperature were measured. In addition, different coil geometries were investigated. Here a symmetrical and asymmetrical winding density were compared. Also the operation pressures and DC to radiation efficiencies are presented. In this work, an operation pressure of one atmosphere and an UV-efficiency (200–380 nm) of 15.5% was achieved. This is comparable to conventional medium pressure Hg-lamp technology. The main advantage of the presented inductive lamp is the electrodeless operation and therefore the longer service life, since an electrode failure is eliminated.

Beschreibung: With the developing of high integrations in large scale systems, such as aircraft and other industrial systems, there are new challenges in safety analysis due to the complexity of the mission process and the more complicated coupling characteristic of multi-factors. Aiming at the evaluation of coupled factors as well as the risk of the mission, this paper proposes a combined technology based on the Decision Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) model and the Bayesian network (BN). After identifying and classifying the risk factors from the perspectives of humans, machines, the environment, and management, the DEMATEL technique is adopted to assess their direct and/or indirect coupling relationships to determine the importance and causality of each factor; moreover, the relationship matrix in the DEMATEL model is used to generate the BN model, including its parameterization. The inverse reasoning theory is then implemented to derive the probability, and the risk of the coupled factors is evaluated by an assessment model integrating the probability and severity. Furthermore, the key risk factors are identified based on the risk radar diagram and the Pareto rule to support the preventive measurements. Finally, an application of the take-off process of aircraft is provided to demonstrate the proposed method.

Beschreibung: The ubiquity of sound synthesizers has reshaped modern music production, and novel music genres are now sometimes even entirely defined by their use. However, the increasing complexity and number of parameters in modern synthesizers make them extremely hard to master. Hence, the development of methods allowing to easily create and explore with synthesizers is a crucial need. Recently, we introduced a novel formulation of audio synthesizer control based on learning an organized latent audio space of the synthesizer’s capabilities, while constructing an invertible mapping to the space of its parameters. We showed that this formulation allows to simultaneously address automatic parameters inference, macro-control learning, and audio-based preset exploration within a single model. We showed that this formulation can be efficiently addressed by relying on Variational Auto-Encoders (VAE) and Normalizing Flows (NF). In this paper, we extend our results by evaluating our proposal on larger sets of parameters and show its superiority in both parameter inference and audio reconstruction against various baseline models. Furthermore, we introduce disentangling flows, which allow to learn the invertible mapping between two separate latent spaces, while steering the organization of some latent dimensions to match target variation factors by splitting the objective as partial density evaluation. We show that the model disentangles the major factors of audio variations as latent dimensions, which can be directly used as macro-parameters. We also show that our model is able to learn semantic controls of a synthesizer, while smoothly mapping to its parameters. Finally, we introduce an open-source implementation of our models inside a real-time Max4Live device that is readily available to evaluate creative applications of our proposal.

Beschreibung: Mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) find tremendous applications in drug delivery due to several advantages such as their easy fabrication process, high drug loading, biodegradability, biocompatibility, and so forth. Nevertheless, despite several advantages, the use of this striking drug delivery carrier is restricted due to premature drug release owing to the porous structure. Coating of the pores using polymers has emerged as a great solution to this problem. Polymer coatings, which act as gatekeepers, avoid the premature release of loaded content from MSNs and offers the opportunity for controlled and targeted drug delivery. Therefore, in this review, we have compiled the polymer-based coating approaches used in recent years for improving the drug delivery capability of MSNs. This manuscript provides an insight into the research about the potential of polymer-coated MSNs, allowing the selection of right polymer for coating purposes according to the desired application.

Beschreibung: The paper presents the authentication of a Stradivari 1737 type violin, which belonged to the Romanian scientist Ştefan Odobleja. The analytical methods used in the study for assessing archaeometric characteristics of some component materials, along with the white degree and glycolysis rate measurements of the label that allowed an extensive evaluation of the violin, were OM, SEM–EDX, and micro-FTIR. The preparation binder (egg white from thin gypsum layers) and the varnish (identification of linseed oil and colophony components, alongside contamination impurities) were assessed in order to evaluate the artefact conservation state, as well as the restoration and counterfeiting interventions. We can conclude that the violin was done by a violin maker from the Stradivari family, and it is a replica of the violins of that period.

Beschreibung: A re-entry path planning method in omitting areas for service robots is suggested based on dynamic Inver-Over evolutionary algorithms after the robot automatically avoids obstacles. The complete coverage path planning is researched for cleaning service robots. Combined with features of dynamic travelling salesmen problem (DTSP), a local operator is employed for the path planning to enhance real-time dynamic properties of the Inver-Over algorithm. The method addresses the path planning problem that a number of cells undergo dynamic changes over time under work environment of cleaning robots. With simulations and experiments performed, it is discovered that the average relative error is 2.2% between the re-entry path planning and the best path, which validates the effectiveness and feasibility of the method.

Beschreibung: Excessive accumulation of cadmium (Cd) and arsenic (As) in rice (Oryza sativa L.) poses a potential health risk to populations. Cd and As exhibit opposite geochemical behavior in paddy soil, using appropriate remediation materials to reduce their migration and inhibit their uptake by rice is a great challenge. A pot culture experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of application of silkworm excrement biochar (BC) and ferrous sulfate (Fe(II)) on available Cd and As in paddy soils and their uptake by rice. Results showed that the application of BC + Fe significantly accelerated the tillering of rice plants, and the addition of BC alone to soil did not have a significant effect on the pH of soil, while applied 1% (w/w) BC and 1% (w/w) Fe(II) (1BC-1 Fe(II)) treatment could markedly reduce the soil pH. BC+Fe(II) could reduce the content of available Cd (reduced by 10%–23%) and As (reduced by 6%–33%) in soil. BC+Fe(II) has a distinct decreasing effect on the available As, thus inhibiting As uptake in rice tissues, and the effect was more obvious with an increasing mass ratio of Fe in BC+Fe(II) treatment. BC+Fe(II) decreased bioaccumulation factors (BF) of As compared to control and BC alone treatments. Compared with As, Cd was more readily transferred from the root to the shoot and accumulated in rice eventually. These findings provide a safe and reliable remediation strategy though application of BC+Fe(II) in Cd and As co-contaminated soil. However, the improvement effect of amendments should be paid a special attention on soil pH.

Beschreibung: The paper presents results obtained by experimental and numerical research focusing on the influence of the strikers’ geometry at the images of the destruction created in hybrid composite panels after applying impact load. In the research, the authors used four strikers with different geometry. The geometries were designed to keep the same weight for each of them. The composite panels used in the experiment were reinforced with aramid and carbon fabrics. An epoxy resin was used as a matrix. The experiments were carried with an impact kinetic energy of 23.5 J. The performed microscopy tests allowed for determination of destruction mechanisms of the panels depending on the geometry of the striker. The numerical calculations were performed using the finite element method. Each reinforcement layer of the composite was modeled as a different part. The bonded connection between the reinforcement layers was modeled using bilateral constraints. That approach enabled engineers to observe the delamination process during the impact. The results obtained from experimental and numerical investigations were compared. The authors present the impact of the striker geometry on damage formed in a composite panel. Formed damage was discussed. On the basis of the results from numerical research, energy absorption of the composite during impact depending on the striker geometry was discussed. It was noted that the size of the delamination area depends on the striker geometry. It was also noted that the diameter of the delamination area is related to the amount of damage in the reinforcing layers.

Beschreibung: One of the major challenges on large-scale Multi-Terminal High Voltage Direct Current (MT-HVDC) systems is the steady-state interaction of the hybrid AC/DC grids to achieve an accurate Power Flow (PF) solution. In PF control of MT-HVDC systems, different operational constraints, such as the voltage range, voltage operating region, Total Transfer Capability (TTC), transmission reliability margin, converter station power rating, etc. should be considered. Moreover, due to the nonlinear behavior of MT-HVDC systems, any changes (contingencies and/or faults) in the operating conditions lead to a significant change in the stability margin of the entire or several areas of the hybrid AC/DC grids. As a result, the system should continue operating within the acceptable limits and deliver power to the non-faulted sections. In order to analyze the steady-state interaction of the large-scale MT-HVDC systems, an improved mixed AC/DC PF algorithm for hybrid AC/DC grids with MT-HVDC systems considering the operational constraints is developed in this paper. To demonstrate the performance of the mixed AC/DC PF algorithm, a five-bus AC grid with a three-bus MT-HVDC system and the modified IEEE 39-bus test system with two four-bus MT-HVDC systems (in two different areas) are simulated in MATLAB software and different cases are investigated. The obtained results show the accuracy, robustness, and effectiveness of the improved mixed AC/DC PF algorithm for operation and planning studies of the hybrid A/DC grids.

Beschreibung: Analyses were developed using a finite element method of the experimental measurement system for thermal conductivity of solid materials, used by the Centro Nacional de Metrología (CENAM), which operates under a condition of permanent heat flow. The CENAM implemented a thermal conductivity measurement system for solid materials limited in its operating intervals to measurements of maximum 300 ° C for solid conductive materials. However, the development of new materials should be characterised and studied to know their thermophysical properties and ensure their applications to any temperature conditions. These task demand improvements in the measurement system, which are proposed in the present work. Improvements are sought to achieve high-temperature measurements in metallic materials and conductive solids, and this system may also cover not only metallic materials. Simulations were performed to compare the distribution of temperatures developed in the measurement system as well as the radial heat leaks, which affect the measurement parameters for an aluminium bar, and uses copper bars as reference material. The simulations were made for measurements of an aluminium bar at a temperature of 150 ° C, in the plane and 3D, another at 175 ° C and one more known maximum temperature reached by a sample of the aluminium bar with a new heater acquired at 310 ° C.