Conventional techniques for generating plasmas aren't suitable for plasma reactions in liquids such as gasoline or diesel fuels. They are inefficient and can result in significant heat and unwante...
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An adjustable speed drive (ASD) is a power electronics device that controls the speed of machinery. These devices also save energy for industrial processes that require adjustable speed or controlling...
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Exhaust emission and fuel economy standards have put increased pressure on the auto industry to improve the efficiency of internal combustion engines. While higher standards help protect the environme...
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Rare earth magnets, like neodymium and dysprosium, are used in permanent magnet (PM) motors found in wind turbines and hybrid/electric vehicles. The cost of rare earth materials is escalating because ...
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Nitrogen oxides (NOx) and soot cause acid rain and smog. They are pollutants that commonly result from the burning of fuel in diesel engines. Engine conditions that reduce NOx emissions tend to increa...
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Patch clamping is a well-known technique for investigating the movement of ions and molecules through cellular membranes via ion channels. To create an extremely high-resistance ‘gigaseal’ around ...
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The induction machine is by far the most heavily used industrial motor, and ranges in size from a fraction of a horsepower to more than a megawatt. It produces torque by the electromagnetic interactio...
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Formaldehyde-based adhesives have been used to make interior plywood and particle board for decades. These synthetic adhesives, which are derived from petroleum, are inexpensive and perform well. Howe...
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Nitrogen oxides (NOx) and soot are two common pollutants that result from the burning of fuel in diesel engines. Cooler engine conditions tend to reduce NOx emissions but increase soot. Due to this �...
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Load bearing structures experience stresses and/or strains that deform the material from which they are made. Regardless of a building component’s size, exposure to or tolerance for stress and strai...
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DC-DC converters are used in a variety of devices to raise or lower voltage. They are used in the power systems of hybrid and electric vehicles to boost the battery’s output voltage. In these system...
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Articulated mechanisms, such as walking robots or robotic arms, can be understood as a set of rigid links connected to each other by joints. The joints are put into motion using motors, sensors that i...
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UW–Madison researchers previously disclosed a Reactivity Controlled Compression Ignition (RCCI) system for improving fuel efficiency and lowering emissions in compression ignition, internal combusti...
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Permanent magnet synchronous machines are one type of electrical rotating machine (i.e., motor or generator), which are common in hybrid vehicles and wind turbines. Although these machines have a high...
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Terahertz (THz) electromagnetic radiation penetrates cloth, paper and partially into the skin without the damaging effects of X-rays. Portable electronic devices capable of generating this radiation w...
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Pulsed laser polishing (PLP) helps smooth metal and other material. The technique employs lasers to irradiate a surface, melting small areas with each pulse. In these molten areas, rough surface protr...
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In ultrasonic welding, work pieces are clamped between a horn and anvil and then joined using high-frequency vibration energy. Friction and heat between the surfaces causes them to soften and meld tog...
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Approximately half of all diseases affect the function of ion channels in cell membranes. Testing the flow of ions and molecules through these membranes clearly is vital to drug discovery and research...
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Articulated mechanisms like robot arms can be understood as a set of rigid segments linked by joints. The motions of each joint are related in a type of movement chain. For example, a wrist joint may ...
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3-D printing, or rapid prototyping, makes use of additive manufacturing to produce a 3-D object. Additive manufacturing is the transformation of a virtual design into a physical object by creating suc...
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Many commonly used machines require moving and stationary parts to generate electricity. Conventional rotating electrical machines utilize magnetic fields and/or a change in inductance between moving ...
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The finite nature of fossil fuels along with rising oil prices has prompted a need for alternative fuel sources. One alternative involves the conversion of biomass materials into biofuel. But current ...
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Diesel engines, also known as compression ignition engines, are among the most energy-efficient engines available, with high power output per fuel consumption. Unfortunately, they are also among the �...
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A carburetor is used to generate the air/fuel mixture in engines by drawing air through a venturi during the intake stroke of an engine. The influx of air lowers the pressure, drawing fuel from a smal...
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Electromagnetic radiation may be generated by the acceleration or deceleration of charged particles such as electrons. Synchrotron radiation occurs when the trajectory of high-speed electrons is curve...
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