Health Monitoring Of Composite Structures Based On Acoustic Wave Sensing Using Fiber Optic Sensors

Structural Health Monitoring has gained wide acceptance in the recent past as a means to monitor a structure and provide an early warning of an unsafe condition using real-time data. Utilization of structurally integrated, distributed sensors to monitor the health of a structure through accurate interpretation of sensor signals and real-time data processing can greatly reduce the inspection burden. The rapid improvement of the Fiber Optic Sensor technology for strain, vibration, ultrasonic and acoustic emission measurements in recent times makes it feasible alternative to the traditional strain gauges, PVDF and conventional Piezoelectric sensors used for Non Destructive Evaluation (NDE) and Structural Health Monitoring (SHM). Optical fiber-based sensors offer advantages over conventional strain gauges, and PZT devices in terms of size, ease of embedment, immunity from electromagnetic interference (EMI) and potential for multiplexing a number of sensors. The objective of this paper is to demonstrate the acoustic wave sensing using Extrinsic Fabry-Perot Interferometric (EFPI) sensor on a GFRP composite laminates. For this purpose experiments have been carried out initially for strain measurement with Fiber Optic Sensors on GFRP laminates with intentionally introduced holes of different sizes as defects. The results obtained from these experiments are presented in this paper. Numerical modeling has been carried out to obtain the relationship between the defect size and strain.

Ru(4+) ion in CeO(2) (Ce(0.95)Ru(0.05)O(2-delta)): A non-deactivating, non-platinum catalyst for water gas shift reaction

Hydrogen is a clean energy carrier and highest energy density fuel. Water gas shift (WGS) reaction is an important reaction to generate hydrogen from steam reforming of CO. A new WGS catalyst, Ce(1-x)Ru(x)O(2-delta) (0 <= x <= 0.1) was prepared by hydrothermal method using melamine as a complexing agent. The Catalyst does not require any pre-treatment. Among the several compositions prepared and tested, Ce(0.95)Ru(0.05)O(2-delta) (5% Ru(4+) ion substituted in CeO(2)) showed very high WGS activity in terms of high conversion rate (20.5 mu mol.g(-1).s(-1) at 275 degrees C) and low activation energy (12.1 kcal/mol). Over 99% conversion of CO to CO(2) by H(2)O is observed with 100% H(2) selectivity at >= 275 degrees C. In presence of externally fed CO(2) and H(2) also, complete conversion of CO to CO(2) was observed with 100% H(2) selectivity in the temperature range of 305-385 degrees C. Catalyst does not deactivate in long duration on/off WGS reaction cycle due to absence of surface carbon and carbonate formation and sintering of Ru. Due to highly acidic nature of Ru(4+) ion, surface carbonate formation is also inhibited. Sintering of noble metal (Ru) is avoided in this catalyst because Ru remains in Ru(4+) ionic state in the Ce(1-x)Ru(x)O(2-delta) catalyst.

Ce(0.67)Fe(0.33)O(2-delta) and Ce(0.65)Fe(0.33)Pt(0.02)O(2-delta): New water gas shift (WGS) catalysts

Ce(0.65)Fe(0.33)Pt(0.02)O(2-delta) and Ce(0.67)Fe(0.33)O(2-delta) have been synthesized by a new low temperature sonochemical method using diethylenetriamine as a complexing agent. Due to the substitution of Fe and Pt ions in CeO(2), lattice oxygen is activated in Ce(0.67)Fe(0.33)O(2-delta) and Ce(0.65)Fe(0.33)Pt(0.02)O(2-delta). Hydrogen uptake studies show strong reduction peaks at 125 C in Ce(0.65)Fe(0.33)Pt(0.02)O(2-delta) against a hydrogen uptake peak at 420 degrees C in Ce(0.67)Fe(0.33)O(2-delta). Fe substituted ceria, Ce(0.67)Fe(0.33)O(2-delta) itself acts as a catalyst for CO oxidation and water gas shift (WGS) reactions at moderate temperatures. The rate of CO conversion in WGS with Pt free Ce(0.65)Fe(0.33)O(2-delta) is 2.8 mu mol g(-1) s(-1) at 450 C and with Pt substituted Ce(0.65)Fe(0.33)Pt(0.02)O(2-delta) is 4.05 mu mol g(-1) s(-1) at 275 degrees C. Due to the synergistic interaction of the Pt ion with Ce and Fe ions in Ce(0.65)Fe(0.33)Pt(0.02)O(2-delta), the catalyst showed much higher activity for CO oxidation and WGS reactions compared to Ce(0.67)Fe(0.33)O(2-delta). A reverse WGS reaction does not occur over Ce(0.65)Fe(0.33)Pt(0.02)O(2-delta). The catalyst also does not deactivate even when operated for a long time. Nearly 100% conversion of CO to CO(2) with 100% H(2) selectivity is observed in WGS reactions even up to 550 degrees C. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A design methodology for selecting and placement of sensors in multimedia surveillance systems

This paper addresses the problem of how to select the optimal number of sensors and how to determine their placement in a given monitored area for multimedia surveillance systems. We propose to solve this problem by obtaining a novel performance metric in terms of a probability measure for accomplishing the task as a function of set of sensors and their placement. This measure is then used to find the optimal set. The same measure can be used to analyze the degradation in system 's performance with respect to the failure of various sensors. We also build a surveillance system using the optimal set of sensors obtained based on the proposed design methodology. Experimental results show the effectiveness of the proposed design methodology in selecting the optimal set of sensors and their placement.