Modelling and experimental validation of the deflection of a leveller for hot heavy plates

In order to successfully automate levelling processes, in particular for heavy plates, the deflection of the leveller has to be compensated based on a deflection model. In this work, a detailed mathematical deflection model of a hot leveller with bending mechanism and its experimental validation are presented. The roll intermesh profiles are calculated based on the deflection of the work rolls that are elastically supported by support rolls, frames, posts and adjustment screws. The deflection model is suited to compensate the effect of deflection on the roll intermesh and the plate flatness as well as to assess the loads of critical parts, for example the support rolls. A new experimental design to measure the deflection of a leveller is presented and successfully applied for model validation. The work roll deflection is measured directly by means of displacement sensors that are inserted in cut-outs of test plates. These test plates are modelled as linear elastic stripes. For normal load levels, the relative accuracy (repeatability) of the roll intermesh prediction of the model is better than 0.08 mm.     

Inversion-based trajectory planning for the heat equation with temperature-dependent parameters and radiation boundary conditions

This contribution is concerned with the trajectory planning for the nonlinear heat equation with radiation boundary conditions (BCs). For this, the infinite-dimensional model is spatially discretized using finite differences. The discretized finite-dimensional model serves as a basis for a flatness-based feedforward control design. In the case of constant physical parameters, it is shown that the thus obtained feedforward controller converges to the feedforward controller for the original infinite-dimensional problem in the limit as the discretization step size tends to zero. In the case of temperature-dependent parameters, simulation results illustrate the convergence behavior. (© 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Adsorption and Kinetics Studies of Cr (VI) by Graphene Oxide and Reduced Graphene Oxide-Zinc Oxide Nanocomposite

In this work, graphene oxide (GO) and its reduced graphene oxide-zinc oxide nanocomposite (rGO-ZnO) was used for the removal of Cr (VI) from aqueous medium. By employing a variety of characterization techniques, morphological and structural properties of the adsorbents were determined. The adsorption study was done by varying concentration, temperature, pH, time, and amount of adsorbent. The results obtained confirmed that rGO-ZnO is a more economical and promising adsorbent for removing Cr (VI) as compared to GO. Kinetic study was also performed, which suggested that sorption of Cr (VI) follows the pseudo-first-order model. For equilibrium study, non-linear Langmuir was found a better fitted model than its linearized form. The maximum adsorption capacity calculated for GO and rGO-ZnO nanocomposite were 19.49 mg/g and 25.45 mg/g, respectively. Endothermic and spontaneous nature of adsorption was detected with positive values of ΔS (change in entropy), which reflects the structural changes happening at the liquid/solid interface.     

Precursor-Boosted Production of Metabolites in Nasturtium officinale Microshoots Grown in Plantform Bioreactors,and Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activities of Biomass Extracts

The study demonstrated the effects of precursor feeding on the production of glucosinolates (GSLs), flavonoids, polyphenols, saccharides, and photosynthetic pigments in Nasturtium officinale microshoot cultures grown in Plantform bioreactors. It also evaluated the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of extracts. L-phenylalanine (Phe) and L-tryptophan (Trp) as precursors were tested at 0.05, 0.1, 0.5, 1.0, and 3.0 mM. They were added at the beginning (day 0) or on day 10 of the culture. Microshoots were harvested after 20 days. Microshoots treated with 3.0 mM Phe (day 0) had the highest total GSL content (269.20 mg/100 g DW). The qualitative and quantitative profiles of the GSLs (UHPLC-DAD-MS/MS) were influenced by precursor feeding. Phe at 3.0 mM stimulated the best production of 4-methoxyglucobrassicin (149.99 mg/100 g DW) and gluconasturtiin (36.17 mg/100 g DW). Total flavonoids increased to a maximum of 1364.38 mg/100 g DW with 3.0 mM Phe (day 0), and polyphenols to a maximum of 1062.76 mg/100 g DW with 3.0 mM Trp (day 0). The precursors also increased the amounts of p-coumaric and ferulic acids, and rutoside, and generally increased the production of active photosynthetic pigments. Antioxidant potential increased the most with 0.1 mM Phe (day 0) (CUPRAC, FRAP), and with 0.5 mM Trp (day 10) (DPPH). The extracts of microshoots treated with 3.0 mM Phe (day 0) showed the most promising bacteriostatic activity against microaerobic Gram-positive acne strains (MIC 250–500 µg/mL, 20–21 mm inhibition zones). No extract was cytotoxic to normal human fibroblasts over the tested concentration range (up to 250 μg/mL).     

Model-based estimation of the stress-strain curve of metal strips

The identification of the stress-strain curve of metal strips is a common task in the metals industry. As an alternative to commonly used tensile test machines, an inexpensive, model-based optical measurement method is presented. Particular importance was placed on the cost and usability of the method. The indirect approach computes the stress-strain curve based on a measured strip bending line. For the measurement, a metal strip is bent over a solid roll. A defined weight can be mounted at the end of the strip to control the local bending moment in the strip. The bending line of the strip is optically measured by a camera. The identification is carried out based on an optimization problem, where the quadratic error between the measured and the modelled strip bending line is minimized. Experimental results and measurements from a tensile test machine show a good agreement and thus verify the proposed identification method.     

Image features in medical vibro-acoustography: in vitro and in vivo results

Vibro-acoustography is an imaging method based on audio-frequency harmonic vibrations induced in the object by the radiation force of focused ultrasound. The purpose of this study is to investigate features of vibro-acoustography images and manifestation of various tissue structures and calcifications in such images. Our motivation for this study is to pave the way for further in vitro and in vivo applications of vibro-acoustography. Here, vibro-acoustography images of excised prostate and in vivo breast are presented and compared with images obtained with other modalities. Resulting vibro-acoustography images obtained with a 3 MHz ultrasound transducer and at a vibration frequency of 50-60 kHz show soft tissue structures, tissue borders, and microcalcifications with high contrast, high resolution, and no speckle. It is concluded that vibro-acoustography offers features that may be valuable for diagnostic purposes.     

Ordinary Mode Instability in a Cairns Distributed Electron Plasma

Employing the linearized Vlasov-Maxwell equations, a generalized dispersion relation for the ordinary mode is derived by employing the Cairns distribution function. The instability of the mode and its threshold condition is investigated. It is found that the temperature anisotropy χ = T_∥/T_⊥ 1 required to excite the instability varies with density values whereas the growth rate is dependent on various parameters like non-thermality Λ, equilibrium number density n_0 and temperature anisotropy. It is found that with the increase in the values of any of the parameters Λ, n_0 and χ, the growth rate is enhanced and the k-domain is enlarged. The results are applicable for space plasma environments like solar wind.     

Heat capacity,electrical and thermal conductivity of silicene

We investigate the electronic heat capacity, electrical and thermal conductivity ofmonolayer planar and buckled silicon sheets (silicene) through tight binding approximationand Kubo-Greenwood formula. Applying and increasing dopant atoms to the system leads toopening a gap in the band structures and density of states that causes to decrease(increase) the heat capacity before (after) the Schottky anomaly. The electrical andelectronic thermal conductivity of doped silicene reduces with increasing impuritystrength.