Principles and Synthesis of Hydractive CRONE Suspension

Mechatronic subsystems have been extensively developed in automotive applications as they increase performance compared to passive components. The Hydractive CRONE suspension based on fractional differentiation is presented as a hybrid system undergoing an infinite sequence of autonomous switchings. The modelling and operation of Hydractive CRONE suspension as a hybrid system are presented. The stability of Hydractive CRONE suspension is demonstrated using the maximum principle extended to hybrid systems. Finally, comfort mode synthesis is proposed using the third generation CRONE control system design.     

Quantification of stable minor species in confined flames by cavity ring-down spectroscopy: application to NO

Cavity ring-down spectroscopy (CRDS) is used to measure the NO mole fraction formed in the burnt gases of low-pressure premixed flames. It is shown that the line-of-sight absorption is greatly increased by the contribution of the NO molecules surrounding the burner. This contribution has been quantified by developing a mathematical procedure taking into account the spatial and spectral features of the CRDS measurement. Calculations have been undertaken in the general case of a stable species not consumed in the flame. The most sensitive parameter is the temperature both in the flame and outside the flame. Simulations allow the selection of the best spectroscopic transitions for a given flame (i.e. a given temperature profile), ensuring the weakest influence of the inaccuracy affecting the temperature determination. High quantum states belonging to the A–X (0–1) band of NO have been found to be the most valuable and have led to a NO mole fraction determination with an accuracy of ±13%. NO absorption in the flame was completely masked using the A–X (0–0) band. Finally, the prompt-NO mole fraction formed in a methane/air flame stabilized at 33 Torr is obtained by combining CRDS and laser induced fluorescence techniques. Received: 12 October / Revised version: 1 February 2002 / Published online: 14 March 2002     

The CRONE Suspension: Management of the Dilemma Comfort-Road Holding

The CRONE suspension, French acronym of “suspension à Comportement Robuste d’Ordre Non Entier”, results from a traditional suspension system whose spring and damper are replaced by a mechanical and hydropneumatic system defined by a fractional (so-called non-integer) order force–displacement transfer function. ‘ling, frequency-domain robust control design methodology, optimal approach, stability analysis and performance are presented in this paper.     

Lamellar Organo-Bridged Silicones

The acid-hydrolysis of an organo-bridged bisdiethoxysilylated molecular precursor bearing urea groups, (EtO)₂MeSi(CH₂)₃NHCONH(CH₂)₁₂NHCONH(CH₂)₃SiMe(OEt)₂, has been performed in pure aqueous medium. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis of the resulting insoluble solid revealed plate-like forms with a lamellar structure as determined by powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) studies with a sharp peak at 28.5 Å. The solid state ²⁹Si MAS-NMR spectrum of this bridged siloxane hybrid is consistent with a moderately condensed material with complete preservation of the Si–C bonds throughout the hybrid network. In comparison, the classical sol–gel hydrolysis-condensation of the molecular precursor in ethanol with stoichiometric amount of water and fluoride anion as catalyst produced an amorphous featureless solid.     

Thermodynamic behavior of water-acetonitrile mixtures excess volumes and viscosities

Densities of water+acetonitrile mixture have been measured from 308.15 to 278.15 K over the entire composition range. Partial molal volumes of both components of the mixed system have been calculated and deviations from ideal volumes of mixing have been evaluated. Literature data on viscosity have also been treated by a least square method and activation thermodynamic functions of viscous flow computed. Structural correlations have been made with previous results on acid-base properties; they allow to distinguish several interaction regions between components of binary systems.     

Kinetics of diffusion-limited catalytically activated reactions: an extension of the Wilemski-Fixman approach

We study the kinetics of diffusion-limited catalytically activated A+B-->B reactions taking place in three-dimensional systems, in which an annihilation of diffusive A particles by diffusive traps B may happen only if the encounter of an A with any of the Bs happens within a special catalytic subvolumen: these subvolumens being immobile and uniformly distributed within the reaction bath. Suitably extending the classical approach of Wilemski and Fixman [J. Chem. Phys. 58, 4009 (1973)] to such three-molecular diffusion-limited reactions, we calculate analytically an effective reaction constant and show that it comprises several terms associated with the residence and joint residence times of Brownian paths in finite domains. The effective reaction constant exhibits a nontrivial dependence on the reaction radii, the mean density of catalytic subvolumens, and particles' diffusion coefficients. Finally, we discuss the fluctuation-induced kinetic behavior in such systems.