Force ripple compensation in a tubular linear generator for marine renewable generation

Tubular permanent magnet linear generators are a promising generator technology for use in marine renewables. One aspect of their design relates to the conditions necessary for achieving a smooth thrust response from the generator, free from cogging and periodic variations due to spatial harmonics of the flux cutting the generator coils. This paper presents an experimental and finite element study of the sources of thrust ripple in a prototype linear generator for marine generation. A simple self-commutated control scheme is shown, which uses linear Hall-effect sensors and look-up-table based feed-forward compensation to derive the excitation currents required to drive the machine with constant force. Details of the controller's FPGA based implementation are given, including its strategy for detecting sensor failure. © 2011 IEEE.

Faecal pellets in deep marine soft clay crusts: Implications for hot-oil pipeline design

In recent years, the presence of crusts within near surface sediments found in deep water locations off the west coast of Angola has been of interest to hot-oil pipeline designers. The origin for these crusts is considered to be of biological origin, based on the observation of thousands of faecal pellets in natural crust core samples. This paper presents the results of laboratory tests undertaken on natural and faecal pellet-only samples. These tests investigate the role faecal pellets play in modifying the gemechanical behaviour of clayey sediments. It is found that faecal pellets are able to significantly alter both the strength and the average grain-size of natural sediments, and therefore, influence the permeability and stiffness. Hot-oil pipelines self-embed into and subsequent shear on crusts containing faecal pellets. Being able to predict the time required for installed pipelines to consolidate the underlying sediment and thus, how soon after pipe-laying, the interface strength will develop is of great interest to pipeline designers. It is concluded from wet-sieving samples before and after oedometer tests, that the process of pipe laying is unlikely to destroy pellets. They will therefore, be a major constituent of the sediment subject to soil-pipeline shearing behaviour during axial pipe-walking and lateral buckling. Based on the presented results, a discussion highlighting the key implications for pipeline design is therefore provided. Copyright © 2011 by ASME.

Thermal modelling of a tubular linear machine for marine renewable generation

A lumped parameter thermal model has been constructed for a tubular linear machine that has been designed for use in a marine environment. It shows good correlation to both steady state and transient experimental tests on the machine. The model has been developed for a stationary machine in a laboratory environment - the modelling techniques used and enhancements to enable the application of the model directly to marine scenarios are discussed.

Detailed thermal modelling of a tubular linear machine for marine renewable generation

A detailed lumped-parameter thermal model is presented for a tubular linear machine that has been designed for use in a marine environment. The model has been developed for a static machine, the worst-case thermal scenario, and is used to establish a rating for the machine. The model has been validated against a large range of experimental tests and shows good correlation to both steady-state and transient experimental results. The model was constructed from a mostly theoretical basis with very little calibration, suggesting that the techniques used are applicable in a more general sense. © 2013 IEEE.

Sensorless commutation of a two-phase linear machine for marine renewable power generation

A sensorless scheme is presented for a two-phase permanent-magnet linear machine targeted for use in marine wave-power generation. This is a field where system reliability is a key concern. The scheme is able to extract the effective inductance and back-emf of the machine's phases simultaneously from measurements of the current ripple present on the power electronic converter. These measurements can then be used to estimate position. An enhancement to the scheme in the presence of spatially-varying mutual inductance between phases allows more accurate and reliable tracking from indutance-based measurements than would otherwise be expected. This scheme is able to operate at any speed including, critically, when stationary. Experimental results show promise for the scheme, although some work to reduce the level of noise would be desirable. © 2013 IEEE.

Characterisation of a high plasticity marine clay using a T-bar penetrometer

A series of laboratory-scale T-bar penetrometer tests have been conducted on a clay bed virgin consolidated from reconstituted high plasticity marine clay. This investigation was mainly concerned with the effects on the penetration resistance of rate of penetration and the presence of free water on the surface of the clay bed. The rate of penetration varied between 0.005mm/s and 50mm/s. The results showed that the nature of soil resistance was 'undrained' over the range of speeds studied, and the resistance showed a marked viscous rate effect. The virgin consolidated clay bed exhibited an increase in penetration resistance by up to 35% for a factor 10 increase in rate of penetration much larger than values previously reported for kaolin. The presence of water on the surface of clay bed had a profound impact on penetration resistance, particularly on the remoulded strength obtained by taking the T-bar through successive penetration and extraction cycles. This was true even when the remoulding cycles were conducted without the T-bar breaking through the clay surface.

Using drift nets to capture early life stages and monitor spawning of the Yangtze River Chinese sturgeon (Acipenser sinensis)

P>A sampling system for capturing sturgeon eggs using a D-shaped bottom anchored drift net was used to capture early life stages (ELS) of Chinese sturgeon, Acipenser sinensis, and monitor annual spawning success at Yichang on the Yangtze River, 1996-2004, before and just after the Three Gorges Dam began operation. Captured were 96 875 ELS (early life stages: eggs, yolk-sac larvae = eleuthero embryos, and larvae); most were eggs and only 2477 were yolk-sac larvae. Most ELS were captured in the main river channel and inside the bend at the Yichang spawning reach. Yolk-sac larvae were captured for a maximum of 3 days after hatching began, indicating quick dispersal downstream. The back-calculated day of egg fertilization over the eight years indicated a maximum spawning window of 23 days (20 October-10 November). Spawning in all years was restricted temporally, occurred mostly at night and during one or two spawning periods, each lasting several days. The brief temporal spawning window may reduce egg predation by opportunistic predators by flooding the river bottom with millions of eggs. During 1996-2002, the percentage of fertilized eggs in an annual 20-egg sample was between 63.5 to 94.1%; however, in 2003 the percentage fertilized was only 23.8%. This sudden decline may be related to the altered environmental conditions at Yichang caused by operation of the Three Gorges Dam. Further studies are needed to monitor spawning and changes in egg fertilization in this threatened population.

Impacts of CO2 enrichment on growth and photosynthesis in freshwater and marine diatoms

The physiological responses of Nitzschia palea Kutzing, a freshwater diatom, to elevated CO2 were investigated and compared with those of a marine diatom, Chaetoceros muelleri Lemmermann previously reported. Elevated CO2 concentration to 700 mu l/L increased the dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) and lowered the pH in the cultures of N. palea, thus enhancing the growth by 4%-20% during the whole growth period. High CO2-grown N. palea cells showed lower levels of dark respiration rates and higher I (k) values. Light-saturated photosynthetic rates and photosynthetic efficiencies decreased in N. palea with the doubling CO2 concentration in airflow to the bottom of cultures, although the doubling CO2 concentration in airflow to the surface cultures had few effects on these two photosynthetic parameters. N. palea cells were found to be capable of using HCO3 (-) in addition to gaseous CO2, and the CO2 enrichment decreased their affinity for HCO3 (-) and CO2. Although doubled CO2 level would enhance the biomass of N. palea and C. muelleri to different extents, compared with the marine diatom, it had a significant effect on the specific growth rates of N. palea. In addition, the responses of photosynthetic parameters of N. palea to doubled CO2 concentration were almost opposite to those of C. muelleri.

Light histories influence the impacts of solar ultraviolet radiation on photosynthesis and growth in a marine diatom, Skeletonema costatum

Phytoplanktonic species acclimated to high light are known to show less photoinhibition. However, little has been documented on how cells grown under indoor conditions for decades without exposure to UV radiation (UVR, 280-400 nm) would respond differently to solar UVR compared to those in situ grown under natural solar radiation. Here, we have shown the comparative photosynthetic and growth responses to solar UVR in an indoor-(IS) and a naturally grown (WS) Skeletonema costatum type. In short-term experiment (<1 day), phi(PSII) and photosynthetic carbon fixation rate were more inhibited by UVR in the IS than in the WS cells. The rate of UVR-induced damages of PSII was faster and their repair was significantly slower in IS than in WS. Even under changing solar radiation simulated for vertical mixing, solar UVR-induced higher inhibition of photosynthetic rate in IS than in WS cells. During long-term (10 days) exposures to solar radiation, the specific growth rate was much lower in IS than WS at the beginning, then increased 3 days later to reach an equivalent level as that of WS. UVR-induced inhibition of photosynthetic carbon fixation in the IS was identical with that of WS at the end of the long-term exposure. The photosynthetic acclimation was not accompanied with increased contents of UV-absorbing compounds, indicating that repair processes for UVR-induced damages must have been accelerated or upgraded. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Establishment, characterization, and virus susceptibility of a new marine cell line from red spotted grouper (Epinephelus akaara)

A marine fish cell line from the snout of red spotted grouper Epinephelus akaara, a protogynous hermaphrodite, was established, characterized, and subcultured with more than 60 passages. The grouper snout cell line (GSC) cells multiplied well in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium (DMEM) medium supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum. The optimal growth temperature was 25 degrees C, and morphologically the cells were fibroblastic. Chromosome analysis revealed that the GSC cell line has a normal diploid karyotype with 2n = 8st + 40t. A virus titration study indicated that the cells were susceptible to turbot Scophthalmus Maximus rhabdovirus (SMRV) (10(8.5) TCID50 ml(-1)), while the viral titer of frog Rana grylio virus 9807 (RGV(9807)) reached 10(3.5) TCID50 ml-1. The infection was confirmed by cytopathic effect (CPE), immunofluorescence, and electron microscopy experiments, which detected the viral particles in the cytoplasm of virus-infected cells, respectively. Further, significant fluorescent signals were observed when the GSC cells were transfected with pEGFP vector DNA, indicating their potential utility for transgenic and genetic manipulation studies.

Solar UV radiation drives CO2 fixation in marine phytoplankton: A double-edged sword

Photosynthesis by phytoplankton cells in aquatic environments contributes to more than 40% of the global primary production (Behrenfeld et al., 2006). Within the euphotic zone (down to 1% of surface photosynthetically active radiation [PAR]), cells are exposed not only to PAR (400-700 nm) but also to UV radiation (UVR; 280-400 nm) that can penetrate to considerable depths (Hargreaves, 2003). In contrast to PAR, which is energizing to photosynthesis, UVR is usually regarded as a stressor (Hader, 2003) and suggested to affect CO2-concentrating mechanisms in phytoplankton (Beardall et al., 2002). Solar UVR is known to reduce photosynthetic rates (Steemann Nielsen, 1964; Helbling et al., 2003), and damage cellular components such as D1 proteins (Sass et al., 1997) and DNA molecules (Buma et al., 2003). It can also decrease the growth (Villafane et al., 2003) and alter the rate of nutrient uptake (Fauchot et al., 2000) and the fatty acid composition (Goes et al., 1994) of phytoplankton. Recently, it has been found that natural levels of UVR can alter the morphology of the cyanobacterium Arthrospira (Spirulina) platensis (Wu et al., 2005b). On the other hand, positive effects of UVR, especially of UV- A (315-400 nm), have also been reported. UV- A enhances carbon fixation of phytoplankton under reduced (Nilawati et al., 1997; Barbieri et al., 2002) or fast-fluctuating (Helbling et al., 2003) solar irradiance and allows photorepair of UV- B-induced DNA damage (Buma et al., 2003). Furthermore, the presence of UV-A resulted in higher biomass production of A. platensis as compared to that under PAR alone (Wu et al., 2005a). Energy of UVR absorbed by the diatom Pseudo-nitzschia multiseries was found to cause fluorescence (Orellana et al., 2004). In addition, fluorescent pigments in corals and their algal symbiont are known to absorb UVR and play positive roles for the symbiotic photosynthesis and photoprotection (Schlichter et al., 1986; Salih et al., 2000). However, despite the positive effects that solar UVR may have on aquatic photosynthetic organisms, there is no direct evidence to what extent and howUVR per se is utilized by phytoplankton. In addition, estimations of aquatic biological production have been carried out in incubations considering only PAR (i. e. using UV-opaque vials made of glass or polycarbonate; Donk et al., 2001) without UVR being considered (Hein and Sand-Jensen, 1997; Schippers and Lurling, 2004). Here, we have found that UVR can act as an additional source of energy for photosynthesis in tropical marine phytoplankton, though it occasionally causes photoinhibition at high PAR levels. While UVR is usually thought of as damaging, our results indicate that UVR can enhance primary production of phytoplankton. Therefore, oceanic carbon fixation estimates may be underestimated by a large percentage if UVR is not taken into account.

Effects of solar ultraviolet radiation on photosynthesis of the marine red tide alga Heterosigma akashiwo (Raphidophyceae)

In order to assess the short- and long-term impacts of UV radiation (LTVR, 280-400 nm) on the red tide alga, Heterosigma akashiwo, we exposed the cells to three different solar radiation treatments (PAB: 280-700 rim, PA: 320-700 nm, R 400-700 nm) under both solar and artificial radiation. A significant decrease in the effective quantum yield () during high irradiance periods (i.e., local noon) was observed, but the cells partially recovered during the evening hours. Exposure to high irradiances for 15, 30, and 60 min under a solar simulator followed by the recovery (8 h) under dark, 9 and 100 mu mol photons m(-2) s(-1) of PAR, highlighted the importance of the irradiance level during the recovery period. Regardless the radiation treatments, the highest recovery (both in rate and total Y) was found at a PAR irradiance of 9 mu mol photons m(-2) s(-1), while the lowest was observed at 100 mu mol photons m(-2) s(-1). In all experiments, PAR was responsible for most of the observed inhibition; nevertheless, the cells exposed only to PAR had the highest recovery in any condition, as compared to the other radiation treatments. In long-term experiments (10 days) using semi-continuous cultures, there was a significant increase of UV-absorbing compounds (UVabc) per cell from 1.2 to > 4 x 10(-6) mu g UVabc cell(-1) during the first 3-5 days of exposure to solar radiation. The highest concentration of UVabc was found in samples exposed in the PAB as compared to PA and P treatments. Growth rates (mu) mimic the behavior of UV-absorbing compounds, and during the first 5 days mu increased from < 0.2 to ca. 0.8, and stayed relatively constant at this value during the rest of the experiment. The inhibition of the Y decreased with increasing acclimation of cells. All our data indicates that H. akashiwo is a sensitive species, but was able acclimate relatively fast (3-5 days) synthesizing UV-absorbing compounds and thus reducing any impact either on photosystem 11 or on growth. (c) 2006 Published by Elsevier B.V.

C-values of seven marine mammal species determined by flow cytometry

C-values, which estimate genome size, have puzzled geneticists for years because they bear no relationship to organismal complexity. Though C-values have been estimated for thousands of species, considerably more data are required in order to better understanding genome evolution. This is particularly true for mammals, in which C-values are known for less than 8% of the total number of mammalian species. Among marine mammals, a C-value has been estimated only for the bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus). Thus examination of additional species of marine mammals is necessary for comparative purposes. It will enable a better understanding of marine mammal genome evolution, and it is also relevant to conservation, because larger genome size has been linked to increased likelihood of extinction in some plant and animal groups. Our study presents C-values of seven marine mammal species, including five cetacean species that are endangered to varying degrees. Similarly to the results for other groups, our results suggest that larger genome size in cetaceans is related to an increased likelihood of extinction.