Investigación de mezclas de caucho, con bajo contenido en cloro, para bandas transportadoras con características ignífugas

El objeto de la tesis doctoral se centra en la obtención de una banda transportadora de minería exenta de halógenos o al menos con el menor contenido posible, es por ello que se ha realizado un estudio de diferentes matrices poliméricas sin halógenos y se han evaluado diferentes sistemas ignifugantes. Se ha partido de mezclas con base polimérica de caucho natural y de estireno butadieno ya que son cauchos sin halógenos y con los que se pueden obtener mezclas de buenas propiedades mecánicas. Los resultados obtenidos durante el desarrollo de la tesis han sido muy satisfactorios, ya que se fabricaron bandas a gran escala para poder realizar los ensayos descritos en la normativa UNE EN 14973. La clasificación adquirida, categoría B1, alcanza dos de los objetivos marcados al inicio de los trabajos de investigación, y por tanto puede dar lugar a: - La fabricación a nivel industrial - La comercialización de una banda retardante de llama para minería y obra subterránea, formulada con un nuevo aditivo que reduce notablemente el contenido en cloro. - Disminución de la contaminación derivada de los humos tóxicos producidos cuando una banda transportadora arde accidentalmente. Los aditivos retardantes de llama sin halógenos, son muy efectivos en dosis elevadas, para la obtención de mezclas con propiedades ignífugas, pero las propiedades mecánicas de las mezclas se debilitan. Se ha buscado un compromiso entre las propiedades ignífugas y mecánicas, por lo que resulta adecuado obtener aditivos que posean un tamaño de partícula tal que actúen como cargas semi-reforzantes para poder utilizarlos en mayor proporción y así poder conseguir las propiedades ignífugas deseadas sin alterar de forma significativa las demás propiedades de la mezcla. ABSTRACT The purpose of this thesis is to obtain a mining conveyor belt with minimal halogen content, with the final objective of being halogen-free. Several polymer matrices without halogen and as well as fireproof systems have been analyzed to achieve this goal. The polymer mixtures studied are based on natural rubber and styrene butadiene, due to the fact that are rubbers without halogens and which their mixtures have good mechanical properties. The outcome of the thesis research is satisfactory, since the results are manufactured conveyor belts that comply with the tests described in the UNE EN 14973. The obtained B1 classification achieves two objectives set at the beginning of the research, and therefore can lead to: - Manufacturing at industrial level - Marketing of a flame retardant conveyor belt for mining and underground works formulated with a new additive that significantly reduces the chlorine content - Reduce pollution produced of the toxic fumes generated when a conveyor accidentally burns Additive flame retardant halogen-free are very effective in high doses to obtain blends with flame retardant properties, but the mechanical properties of the blends are below standards. A compromise between the fire retardant and mechanical properties has been successfully obtained, making possible to obtain additives that show a particle size that act as semi-reinforcing load in order to use a greater extent and thus be able to achieve the pursued fire retardant properties without altering significant other properties of mixture.

OSIRIS – The scientific camera system onboard Rosetta

The Optical, Spectroscopic, and Infrared Remote Imaging System OSIRIS is the scientific camera system onboard the Rosetta spacecraft (Figure 1). The advanced high performance imaging system will be pivotal for the success of the Rosetta mission. OSIRIS will detect 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko from a distance of more than 106 km, characterise the comet shape and volume, its rotational state and find a suitable landing spot for Philae, the Rosetta lander. OSIRIS will observe the nucleus, its activity and surroundings down to a scale of ~2 cm px−1. The observations will begin well before the onset of cometary activity and will extend over months until the comet reaches perihelion. During the rendezvous episode of the Rosetta mission, OSIRIS will provide key information about the nature of cometary nuclei and reveal the physics of cometary activity that leads to the gas and dust coma. OSIRIS comprises a high resolution Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) unit and a Wide Angle Camera (WAC) unit accompanied by three electronics boxes. The NAC is designed to obtain high resolution images of the surface of comet 7P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko through 12 discrete filters over the wavelength range 250–1000 nm at an angular resolution of 18.6 μrad px−1. The WAC is optimised to provide images of the near-nucleus environment in 14 discrete filters at an angular resolution of 101 μrad px−1. The two units use identical shutter, filter wheel, front door, and detector systems. They are operated by a common Data Processing Unit. The OSIRIS instrument has a total mass of 35 kg and is provided by institutes from six European countries

Osiris— The optical, spectroscopic and infrared remote imaging system for the Rosetta orbiter

The scientific objectives, design, and implementation of the Optical, Spectroscopic, and Infrared Remote Imaging System (OSIRIS) for the International Rosetta Mission are described. The instrument comprises two camera systems with a common electronics box. A narrow angle camera will provide high resolution images of the structure and morphology of the nucleus of a comet. A wide angle camera with high straylight rejection and dynamic range will be used to investigate the innermost coma and the emission process at the surface of the comet. An infrared imaging system, which dramatically enhances the scientific return has been included in the narrow angle camera at little extra cost.

Arqueología del futuro

A través de la historia aparecen muchas y variadas manifestaciones de cambio, necesarias para afrontar el futuro2 de la humanidad; también de la arquitectura. Estas manifestaciones, alternativas, teorías y proyectos, a menudo denostados por la crítica o dejados de lado por las teorías históricas de carácter generalista, destacan por su capacidad de convertirse en herramientas críticas frente al orden establecido, promoviendo así nuevos imaginarios colectivos. En el contexto temporal que transcurre desde finales de la década de los años cincuenta hasta mediados de los setenta, esa “búsqueda del futuro” no sólo se encuentra totalmente aceptada y popularizada, sino que llega a convertirse en un acto necesario, legitimado por la incorporación de la futurología como ciencia de estudio fundamental. Este contexto resulta el marco idóneo para la aparición de una serie de predicciones arquitectónicas encaminadas a dibujar nuevos caminos posibles para el futuro de la arquitectura, o lo que es lo mismo, para una arquitectura del futuro: “Où vivrons-nous demain ?” (1963) y “Les cités de l'avenir” (1966) del historiador francés Michel Ragon, el número “AD 2000+” (1967) de la revista Architectural Design y “The Future of the Future” (1969) del artista inglés John McHale, “Architecture: action and plan” (1967) y “Experimental Architecture” (1970) de Peter Cook, “Megastructure. Urban futures of the recent past” del crítico inglés Reyner Banham, “Architecture 2000” (1971) del norteamericano Charles Jencks, “Stadstrukturen für morgen” (1971) del suizo Justus Dahinden, “Arthropods: new design futures” (1972) del editor norteamericano Jim Burns y la sección “Cosmorama” (1965-1973) de la revista inglesa Architectural Design, pueden considerarse como las más destacadas. A pesar de lo heterogéneo de sus autores y enfoques, todas ellas gravitan en torno a cuatro alternativas para una redefinición del futuro de la arquitectura: - La incorporación de la arquitectura al heterogéneo espectro formal derivado de la explosión de las artes visuales y la exuberancia y proliferación de los objetos de consumo a través de un CAMBIO DE ESCALA. - La generación de nuevas relaciones que experimenten en torno a los límites entre natural y artificial, o PERVERSIONES NATURALES. - La apertura de un nuevo camino, HACIA UNA ARQUITECTURA VIRTUAL, que experimente con una construcción de ambientes auspiciada por los avances tecnológicos derivados del control perceptivo. - LA MOVILIDAD COMO OPCIÓN DE FUTURO, una respuesta a la aparición de una nueva sociedad en continuo cambio, abogando por estructuras más flexibles en todos los campos del ámbito arquitectónico, de lo urbano a lo doméstico. ABSTRACT of humanity, and of architecture too. Those signs, alternatives, theories and projects, that were often neglected by the critics or left aside by historical theories of general-interest, have an outstanding capacity to become critical tools with regards to the established order, and to promote new collective imagery. Within the timeframe that lasts between late fifties and midseventies, that "quest for the future" is not only accepted and made popular, but it even becomes an act of necessity that is legitimized by the incorporation of futurology as a key scientific field of study. This timeframe provides the most suitable context for the appearance of a series of architectonical predictions that are aimed to define new potential paths for the future architecture to follow, in other words, an architecture of the future: "Où vivrons-nous demain?" (1963) y "Les cités de l'avenir" (1966) from French historian Michel Ragon, issue number "AD 2000+" (1967) of Architectural Design magazine and "The Future of the Future" (1969) from English artist John McHale, "Architecture: action and plan" (1967) and "Experimental Architecture" (1970) from Peter Cook, "Megastructure. Urban futures of the recent past" from English critic Reyner Banham, "Architecture 2000" (1971) from North-American Charles Jencks, "Stadstrukturen für morgen" (1971) from Swiss Justus Dahinden, "Arthropods: new design futures" (1972) from North-American editor Jim Burns and the section "Cosmorama" (1965-73) from English magazine Architectural Design, can be considered as the most prominent architectonical predictions of that time. Despite the heterogeneity of authors and approaches, all of them are built around four alternatives that are aimed to re-define the future of architecture: - The incorporation of architecture to the heterogeneous formal spectrum of visual arts and the exuberance and the proliferation of objects of massive consumerism through an operation of CHANGE IN SCALE. - The production of new relationships aimed to experiment around the limits between natural and artificial, in other words, NATURAL PERVERSIONS. - A new road TOWARDS VIRTUAL ARCHITECTURE, to enable experiences with ambiance construction that are favored by technological advances derived from the control of perception. - MOVILITY AS AN OPTION FOR THE FUTURE, a response to the appearance of a new ever changing society, a bet on more flexible structures in all areas of architecture, from urban to domestic scale.