On a category of module bundles

It is shown, that the category ℰ _A (X) ofA-bundles over a topological spaceX is an additive pseudo-Abelian category for each Waelbroeck algebraA. This research was supported by Greek State Scholarship Foundation and Estonian Science Foundation grant 6205.     

Experimental investigation and theoretical modeling of liquid entrainment in a horizontal tee with a vertical-up branch

This article describes a comprehensive literature review of liquid entrainment in horizontal pipes with vertical-up branches. Deficiencies in the available data and correlations were identified. The Air–water Test Loop for Advanced Thermal–hydraulic Studies (ATLATS) was constructed and entrainment onset and steady-state data were collected for a wide range of flow conditions. Using new insights gained from experimental testing, the authors developed a model for predicting the onset of entrainment and steady-state entrainment rate. Previously published correlations, along with the new model, are compared against all available data. The new model shows very good agreement with the onset data, but is not very good at predicting branch quality at high liquid flow rates.     

Concerning seven and eight mutually orthogonal Latin squares

In this paper, three new direct Mutually Orthogonal Latin Squares (MOLS) constructions are presented for 7 MOLS(24), 7 MOLS(75) and 8 MOLS(36); then using recursive methods, several new constructions for 7 and 8 MOLS are obtained. These reduce the largest value for which 7 MOLS are unknown from 780 to 570, and the largest odd value for which 8 MOLS are unknown from 1935 to 419. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Surface free energies of electroless Ni–P based composite coatings

Surface free energy of a solid surface gives a direct measure of intermolecular interactions at interfaces and has a strong influence on adsorption and adhesion behaviour. However few data are available for the surface free energies of electroless Ni–P based composition coatings. In this paper, the electroless Ni–P, Ni–P-surfactant, Ni–Cu–P, Ni–P–PTFE and Ni–Cu–P–PTFE composite coatings were prepared under various coating conditions. The chemical compositions, surface morphology and thickness of the coatings were measured using an energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis (EDX), a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and a digital micrometer respectively. The contact angles of water, diiodomethane and ethylene glycol on the coatings were measured automatically using dataphysics OCA-20 contact angle analyser. The surface free energy of the coatings and their components (e.g. dispersion, polar or acid/base portions) were calculated using various methods. The experimental results showed that the incorporation of surfactant or PTFE particles into Ni–P matrixes has a significant influence on the surface free energy of the coatings, while the incorporation of copper into Ni–P matrixes has no significant influence on the surface free energy of the coatings.     

Representations of bornological algebras

Bounded representations of bornological algebras are considered. The left and right bornological radicals in bornological algebras are introduced. It is shown that the left (right) bornological radical of a bornological algebra A is equal to the intersection of all bornologically closed maximal regular left (respectively, right) ideals of A, and both these radicals of A and the Jacobson radical of A coincide if A is an advertive and simplicial bornological algebra (in particular, a bornological Q-algebra). Bibliography: 16 titles. Published in Zapiski Nauchnykh Seminarov POMI, Vol. 326, 2005, pp. 9–22.     

A complete asymptotic expansion of power means

The complete asymptotic expansion of power means in terms of Bell polynomials is obtained. Some results recently obtained by M. Bjelica are generalized.     

Scheduling Parts in a Combined Production-transportation Work Cell

This paper is concerned with a combined production-transportation scheduling problem. The problem comprises a simple, two-machine, automated manufacturing cell, which either stands alone or is a subunit of a complete flexible manufacturing system. The cell consists of two machines in series with a dedicated part-handling device such as a crane or robotic arm for transferring parts from the first machine to the second. The loading of a new piece on the first machine and the ejection of a finished piece from the second machine are performed by dedicated automated mechanisms. The introduction of parts into the system is done n at a time, whereby the parts are reshuffled into a sequence that minimizes completion time. All processing and transfer times are considered deterministic—a reasonable assumption for a cell comprising a robotic transfer device and two CNC machining units. What complicates the problem is the assumption of a non-negligible time for the transfer device to return (empty) from the second machine to the first. The operation is a generalization of a two-machine flowshop problem, and is formulated as a specially structured, asymmetric travelling salesman problem. An approximate polynomial time 0(n log n) algorithm is proffered. The procedure incorporates a lower bound using the Gilmore–Gomory algorithm for the no-wait, two-machine flowshop problem.     

Automated separation and measurement of radioxenon for the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty

A fully automatic radioxenon sampler/analyzer (ARSA) has been developed and demonstrated for the collection and quantitative measurement of the four xenon radionuclides,^131mXe(11.9 d),^133mXe(2.2 d),¹³³Xe(5.2 d), and¹³⁵Xe(9.1 hr), in the atmosphere. These radionuclides are important signatures in monitoring for compliance to a Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT). Activity ratios of these radionuclides permit source attribution. Xenon, continuously and automatically separated from the atmosphere, is automatically analyzed by electron-photon coincidence spectrometry providing a lower limit of detection of about 100 μBq/m³. The demonstrated detection limit is about 100 times better than achievable with reported laboratory-based procedures for the short-time collection intervals of interest.