Evaluation of the Grounding Resistance of Conductors Buried in Steplike Terrain

Availability of land for conventional air-insulated substations is becoming increasingly difficult not only in urban but also in semiurban areas. When the land made available is highly uneven, the associated technoeconomic factors favors the erection of substations on a steplike-formed ground surface and such constructions are in service for more than ten years in some parts of southern India. Noting that the literature on the performance of ground grids in such a construction is rather scarce, the present work was taken up. Evaluation of the performance of earthing elements in steplike ground forms the main goal of the present work. For the numerical evaluation, a suitable boundary-based methodology is employed. This method retains the classical Galerkin approach for the conductors, while the interfaces are replaced by equivalent fictitious surface sources defined over unstructured mesh. Details of the implementation of this numerical method, along with special measures to minimize the computation, are presented. The performance of basic earthing elements, such as the driven rod, counterpoise, and simple grids buried in steplike ground, are analyzed and compared with that for the case with uniform soil surface. It is shown that more than the earthing resistances, the step potentials can get significantly affected.

Effects of environment on surface-wave characteristics of a dielectric-coated conductor .4.

The problem of excitation of 11zultilayercd-graded-dielectric-coatedc onductor by a magnetic ring source is fornzulated in the ,form of a contour integrul which is rolved by using the method of steepest descent. Numerical evaluation of launching efiiency shows that high value of about 90 percent can be attained by choosing proper dimensions of the launcher with respect to the dimension of the surface wave line.

Excitation energy transfer from a fluorophore to single-walled carbon nanotubes

We study the process of electronic excitation energy transfer from a fluorophore to the electronic energy levels of a single-walled carbon nanotube. The matrix element for the energy transfer involves the Coulombic interaction between the transition densities on the donor and the acceptor. In the Foumlrster approach, this is approximated as the interaction between the corresponding transition dipoles. For energy transfer from a dye to a nanotube, one can use the dipole approximation for the dye, but not for the nanotube. We have therefore calculated the rate using an approach that avoids the dipole approximation for the nanotube. We find that for the metallic nanotubes, the rate has an exponential dependence if the energy that is to be transferred, h is less than a threshold and a d(-5) dependence otherwise. The threshold is the minimum energy required for a transition other than the k(i,perpendicular to)=0 and l=0 transition. Our numerical evaluation of the rate of energy transfer from the dye pyrene to a (5,5) carbon nanotube, which is metallic leads to a distance of similar to 165 A degrees up to which energy transfer is appreciable. For the case of transfer to semiconducting carbon nanotubes, apart from the process of transfer to the electronic energy levels within the one electron picture, we also consider the possibility of energy transfer to the lowest possible excitonic state. Transfer to semiconducting carbon nanotubes is possible only if>=epsilon(g)-epsilon(b). The long range behavior of the rate of transfer has been found to have a d(-5) dependence if h >=epsilon(g). But, when the emission energy of the fluorophore is in the range epsilon(g)>h >=epsilon(g)-epsilon(b), the rate has an exponential dependence on the distance. For the case of transfer from pyrene to the semiconducting (6,4) carbon nanotube, energy transfer is found to be appreciable up to a distance of similar to 175 A degrees.

Molecular theory of dielectric relaxation in a dense binary dipolar liquid

A molecular theory of dielectric relaxation in a dense binary dipolar liquid is presented. The theory takes into account the effects of intra- and interspecies intermolecular interactions. It is shown that the relaxation is, in general, nonexponential. In certain limits, we recover the biexponential form traditionally used to analyze the experimental data of dielectric relaxation in a binary mixture. However, the relaxation times are widely different from the prediction of the noninteracting rotational diffusion model of Debye for a binary system. Detailed numerical evaluation of the frequency-dependent dielectric function epsilon-(omega) is carried out by using the known analytic solution of the mean spherical approximation (MSA) model for the two-particle direct correlation function for a polar mixture. A microscopic expression for both wave vector (k) and frequency (omega) dependent dielectric function, epsilon-(k,omega), of a binary mixture is also presented. The theoretical predictions on epsilon-(omega) (= epsilon-(k = 0, omega)) have been compared with the available experimental results. In particular, the present theory offers a molecular explanation of the phenomenon of fusing of the two relaxation channels of the neat liquids, observed by Schallamach many years ago.

Relationship between microscopic and macroscopic orientational relaxation times in polar liquids

Microscopic relations between single-particle orientational relaxation time (T, ) , dielectric relaxation time ( T ~ )a,n d many-body orientational relaxation time ( T ~o)f a dipolar liquid are derived. We show that both T~ and T~ are influenced significantly by many-body effects. In the present theory, these many-body effects enter through the anisotropic part of the two-particle direct correlation function of the polar liquid. We use mean-spherical approximation (MSA) for dipolar hard spheres for explicit numerical evaluation of the relaxation times. We find that, although the dipolar correlation function is biexponential, the frequency-dependent dielectric constant is of simple Debye form, with T~ equal to the transverse polarization relaxation time. The microscopic T~ falls in between Debye and Onsager-Glarum expressions at large values of the static dielectric constant.

Biorthogonal series method for Oseen type flows

A biorthogonal series method is developed to solve Oseen type flow problems. The theory leads to a new set of eigenfunctions for a specific class of linear non-selfadjoint operators containing the biharmonic one. These eigenfunctions differ from those given earlier in the literature for the biharmonic operator. The method is applied to the problem of thermocapillary flow in a cylindrical liquid bridge of finite length with axial through flow. Flow and temperature distributions are obtained at leading order of an expansion for small surface tension Reynolds number and Prandtl number. Another related problem considered is that of cylindrical cavity flow. Solutions for both cases are presented in terms of biorthogonal series. The effect of axial through flow on velocity and temperature fields is discussed by numerical evaluation of the truncated analytical series. The presence of axial through flow not only convectively shifts the vortices induced by surface forces in the direction of the through flow, but also moves their centers toward the outer cylindrical boundary. This process can lead to significantly asymmetric flow structures.

Optimizing Delay in Sequential Change Detection on Ad Hoc Wireless Sensor Networks

We consider the classical problem of sequential detection of change in a distribution (from hypothesis 0 to hypothesis 1), where the fusion centre receives vectors of periodic measurements, with the measurements being i.i.d. over time and across the vector components, under each of the two hypotheses. In our problem, the sensor devices ("motes") that generate the measurements constitute an ad hoc wireless network. The motes contend using a random access protocol (such as CSMA/CA) to transmit their measurement packets to the fusion centre. The fusion centre waits for vectors of measurements to accumulate before taking decisions. We formulate the optimal detection problem, taking into account the network delay experienced by the vectors of measurements, and find that, under periodic sampling, the detection delay decouples into network delay and decision delay. We obtain a lower bound on the network delay, and propose a censoring scheme, where lagging sensors drop their delayed observations in order to mitigate network delay. We show that this scheme can achieve the lower bound. This approach is explored via simulation. We also use numerical evaluation and simulation to study issues such as: the optimal sampling rate for a given number of sensors, and the optimal number of sensors for a given measurement rate

A Markov Decision Theoretic Approach to Pilot Allocation and Receive Antenna Selection

This paper considers antenna selection (AS) at a receiver equipped with multiple antenna elements but only a single radio frequency chain for packet reception. As information about the channel state is acquired using training symbols (pilots), the receiver makes its AS decisions based on noisy channel estimates. Additional information that can be exploited for AS includes the time-correlation of the wireless channel and the results of the link-layer error checks upon receiving the data packets. In this scenario, the task of the receiver is to sequentially select (a) the pilot symbol allocation, i.e., how to distribute the available pilot symbols among the antenna elements, for channel estimation on each of the receive antennas; and (b) the antenna to be used for data packet reception. The goal is to maximize the expected throughput, based on the past history of allocation and selection decisions, and the corresponding noisy channel estimates and error check results. Since the channel state is only partially observed through the noisy pilots and the error checks, the joint problem of pilot allocation and AS is modeled as a partially observed Markov decision process (POMDP). The solution to the POMDP yields the policy that maximizes the long-term expected throughput. Using the Finite State Markov Chain (FSMC) model for the wireless channel, the performance of the POMDP solution is compared with that of other existing schemes, and it is illustrated through numerical evaluation that the POMDP solution significantly outperforms them.

Evaluation of strain-rate effects in transitional round jets using direct numerical simulation

The coherent flame model uses the strain rate to predict reaction rate per unit flame surface area and some procedure that solves for the dynamics of flame surfaces to predict species distributions. The strainrate formula for the reaction rate is obtained from the analytical solution for a flame in a laminar, plane stagnation point flow. Here, the formula's effectiveness is examined by comparisons with data from a direct numerical simulation (DNS) of a round jetlike flow that undergoes transition to turbulence. Significant differences due to general flow features can be understood qualitatively: Model predictions are good in the braids between vortex rings, which are present in the near field of round jets, as the strain rate is extensional and reaction surfaces are isolated. In several other regions, the strain rate is compressive or flame surfaces are folded close together. There, the predictions are poor as the local flow no longer resembles the model flow. Quantitative comparisons showed some discrepancies. A modified, consistent application of the strain-rate solution did not show significant changes in the prediction of mean reaction rate distributions.

Evaluation of Charges for Power Transmission and Losses in Bilateral Power Contracts

The paper presents a method for transmission loss charge allocation in deregulated power systems based on Relative Electrical Distance (RED) concept. Based on RED between the generator and load nodes and the predefined bilateral power contracts, charge evaluation is carried out. Generally through some power exchange mechanism a set of bilateral contracts are determined that facilitate bilateral agreements between the generation and distribution entities. In this paper the possible charges incurred in meeting loads like generation charge, transmission charge and charge due to losses are evaluated. Case studies have been carried out on a few practical equivalent systems. Due to space limitation results for a sample 5 bus system are presented considering ideal load/generation power contracts and deviated load/generation power contracts. Extensive numerical testing indicates that the proposed allocation scheme produces loss allocations that are appropriate and that behave in a physically reasonable manner.

Direct stability evaluation of power systems with detailed generator models using structure-preserving energy functions

Energy-based direct methods for transient stability analysis are potentially useful both as offline tools for planning purposes as well as for online security assessment. In this paper, a novel structure-preserving energy function (SPEF) is developed using the philosophy of structure-preserving model for the system and detailed generator model including flux decay, transient saliency, automatic voltage regulator (AVR), exciter and damper winding. A simpler and yet general expression for the SPEF is also derived which can simplify the computation of the energy function. The system equations and the energy function are derived using the centre-of-inertia (COI) formulation and the system loads are modelled as arbitrary functions of the respective bus voltages. Application of the proposed SPEF to transient stability evaluation of power systems is illustrated with numerical examples.

A transfer matrix approach for evaluation of the response of a multi-layer infinite plate to a two-dimensional pressure excitation

A 6 X 6 transfer matrix is presented to evaluate the response of a multi-layer infinite plate to a given two-dimensional pressure excitation on one of its faces or, alternatively, to evaluate the acoustic pressure distribution excited by the normal velocity components of the radiating surfaces. It is shown that the present transfer matrix is a general case embodying the transfer matrices of normal excitation and one-dimensional pressure excitation due to an oblique incident wave. It is also shown that the present transfer matrix obeys the necessary checks to categorize the physically symmetric multi-layer plate as dynamically symmetric. Expressions are derived to obtain the wave propagation parameters, such as the transmission, absorption and reflection coefficients, in terms of the elements of the transfer matrix presented. Numerical results for transmission loss and reflection coefficients of a two-layer configuration are presented to illustrate the effect of angles of incidence, layer characteristics and ambient media.

A simple numerical method for three-dimensional analysis of simple expansion chamber mufflers of rectangular as well as circular cross-section with a stationary medium

Three-dimensional effects are a primary source of discrepancy between the measured values of automotive muffler performance and those predicted by the plane wave theory at higher frequencies. The basically exact method of (truncated) eigenfunction expansions for simple expansion chambers involves very complicated algebra, and the numerical finite element method requires large computation time and core storage. A simple numerical method is presented in this paper. It makes use of compatibility conditions for acoustic pressure and particle velocity at a number of equally spaced points in the planes of the junctions (or area discontinuities) to generate the required number of algebraic equations for evaluation of the relative amplitudes of the various modes (eigenfunctions), the total number of which is proportional to the area ratio. The method is demonstrated for evaluation of the four-pole parameters of rigid-walled, simple expansion chambers of rectangular as well as circular cross-section for the case of a stationary medium. Computed values of transmission loss are compared with those computed by means of the plane wave theory, in order to highlight the onset (cutting-on) of various higher order modes and the effect thereof on transmission loss of the muffler. These are also compared with predictions of the finite element methods (FEM) and the exact methods involving eigenfunction expansions, in order to demonstrate the accuracy of the simple method presented here.

Analysis of Strain Rates and Microstructural Evaluation during Metal Forming: Role of Surface Texture and Friction

The surface texture of a die plays an important role in friction during metal forming. In the present study, unidirectional and random surface finishes were produced on hardened steel plate surfaces. To understand the influence of surface texture on friction, experiments were conducted using Al-Mg alloy pins that slid against steel plates of different surface textures. In the sliding experiments, a high coefficient of friction was observed when the pins slid perpendicular to the unidirectional grinding marks and low friction occurred when the pins slid on the random surfaces. Finite element simulations were performed using the measured friction values to understand the stress and strain evolutions in the deforming material using dies with various friction. The numerical results showed that the states of stress and strain rates are strongly influenced by the friction at the interface and hence would influence the final material microstructure. To substantiate the numerical results, laboratory compression tests were conducted. Different surface textures were obtained in order to experience different friction values at different locations. A large variation in the microstructure at these locations was observed during experiments, verifying that surface texture and die friction significantly influence fundamental material formation behavior.