The large variability and unpredictability of energy production from photovoltaic power microinstallations results from the dependence on the current weather conditions. These conditions depend on a number of factors and are variable over the time. Despite this specificity, photovoltaic micro-installations are becoming more and more popular in the world and in Poland. This is mainly due to the fact that the generation of energy from renewable sources has numerous advantages, the energy is free, renewable in time and ecological, and its production on its own gives partial independence from energy supplies from the power grid. In addition, the observed significant prices decrease of solar modules has further accelerated the development of the use of this energy source. Concern for this method of energy production among households has increased significantly in Poland after introducing the prosumer in the legal framework and the use of administrative and financial support. The implemented prosumer mechanisms allowed, for example, the net balancing of the energy consumed and produced by the micro-installation through storage in the power grid. The article describes the problem of balancing sources using solar energy, based on micro-installation used in the household (the so-called prosumer installation). The conducted analyses compared the load profile of a typical household and the energy generation profile from a photovoltaic installation, determining the real balancing formation level of such a system.
Passive radar does not have its own emitter. It uses so-called signals of opportunity emitted by non-cooperative illuminators. During the detection of reflected signals, a direct signal from a non-cooperative emitter is used as the reference signal. Detection of electromagnetic echoes is, in present day radars, performed by finding the maximum of the cross ambiguity function. This function is based on the multiplication of the received signal and the reference signal. Detection of echoes by means of a quadrature microwave phase discriminator QMPD was proposed in the work as an alternative solution for ambiguity function evaluation. This discriminator carries out vectorial summing of the received and the reference signals. The summing operations in QMPD are carried out with the aid of microwave elements and without the use of expensive digital signal processors. Definitions of the phase and phase difference of the so-called simple signals and noise signals were described. A proposal of a passive radar equipped with several independent quadrature microwave phase discriminators was presented. Ideas of algorithms of object detection and of the distance-to-object estimation designed for this radar have been also sketched.
Consecutive casting of bimetallic applies consecutive sequences of pouring of two materials into a sand mold. The outer ring is made of NiHard1, whereas the inner ring is made of nodular cast iron. To enable a consecutive sequence of pouring, an interface plate made of low carbon steel was inserted into the mold and separated the two cavities. After pouring the inner material at the predetermined temperature and the interface had reached the desired temperature, the NiHard1 liquid was then poured immediately into the mold. This study determines the pouring temperature of nodular cast iron and the temperature of the interface plate at which the pouring of white cast iron into the mold should be done. Flushing the interface plate for 2 seconds by flowing nodular cast iron liquid as inner material generated a diffusion bonding between the inner ring and interface plate at pouring temperatures of 1350 °C, 1380 °C, and 1410 °C. The interface was heated up to a maximum temperature of 1242 °C, 1260 °C, and 1280 °C respectively. The subsequent pouring of white cast iron into the mold to form the outer ring at the interface temperature of 1000 °C did not produce a sufficient diffusion bonding. Pouring the outer ring at the temperature of 1430°C and at the interface plate temperature of 1125 °C produced a sufficient diffusion bonding. The presence of Fe3O2 oxide on the outer surface of the interface material immediately after the interface was heated above 900 ⁰C has been identified. Good metallurgical bonding was achieved by pouring the inner ring at the temperature of 1380°C, interface temperature of 1125 °C and then followed by pouring of the outer ring at 1430⁰C and flushing time of 7 seconds.