N.N. Ilyukhin. The hardware and software approach to identify damaged cables in railway power supply systems [more] [back]
Objective: to implement a diagnostic method for power-supply cables by improving the accuracy of detecting the electromagnetic field components on the ground surface generated by cable currents. The project tasks included developing the device schematic, creating a prototype, conducting laboratory tests, and refining the prototype based on the test outcomes. Methods: the approach involved creating a structural diagram and electrical schematic, developing of a microprocessor-based prototype incorporating multiple algorithms and associated software, conducting laboratory experiments on the prototype, and assessing its metrological characteristics. Results: an electrical schematic and printed circuit board were developed; a prototype device was constructed and the accompanying software implemented; laboratory tests validated the device’s primary functions, in particular and qualified its metrological characteristics, which are critical to the effectiveness of the phase-based method under development depends. Practical significance: this research advances equipment for detecting faults in cables with metallic sheaths by synchronizing the signal generator and receiver via the GLONASS satellite system. The proposed phase-based method enables accurate localization of cable faults by abrupt perturbations in the magnetic field associated with discontinuities in buried cables at depths of several meters. Experimental studies corroborate the device’s applicability for implementing the phase-based diagnostic technique on power-supply system cables. The novelty lies in the introduction of a phase-based method that maintains reliable fault detection performance even in environments with substantial electromagnetic interference. Keywords: cable insulation breakdown monitoring, software, laboratory testing, phase-based method
E.V. Muruzina, F.M. Akhmetov, L.F. Kazanskaya. Development of a method for producing a modified bitumen-polymer binder [more] [back]
Objective: to develop a technological scheme that uses an efficient modifier to produce a bitumen-polymer mixture. This research is motivated by the lack of petroleum bitumen available domestically, poor resilience of available bitumen to Russia’s climate, and limited access to foreign production equipment, all of which necessitate new technologies for the production of bituminous binders. Polymer modification is regarded as one of the most promising alternatives to traditional oil oxidation techniques that do not consistently produce bitumen with the necessary property set. Methods: optical microscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy were used to study the structure and properties of the binder. In addition to standard bitumen testing protocols, rheological and thermal mechanical analyses were employed to assess the binder’s performance. Results: the research employed a mixed elastomeric thermoplastic as a bitumen modifier. It has been investigated how polymer-dissolving time affects variables including dispersion, temperature, and pre-dissolved polymer concentration in the plasticizer (fuel oil). Based on these parameters, a process flow diagram specifying the required equipment has been developed. Practical significance: a laboratory setup validates the effectiveness of the bitumen modifier when implemented in accordance with the proposed process diagram. For industrial production of bitumen-polymer, the modified binder should be complemented with a mineral filler as an additive, such as kaolin, dolomite flour, or talc. This technique allows for increased operational stability and reduced costs. Keywords: bitumen-polymer binder, modification, technological scheme, production, modifying additive, dispersion
K.S. Prostakevich, I.A. Sikarev, I.V. Yurin, Yu.V. Kozlov, V.M. Abramov. Conceptualization of information and communication system development for remotely operated maritime transport in Arctic region [more] [back]
Objective: to develop strategic directions for conceptualizing information and communication systems for remotely operated Arctic maritime transport, with particular emphasis on ensuring information security within contemporary project designs. Methods: analogy and abstraction methods, foresight-technologies, and open-source scanning techniques (OSINT) were applied. Results: prospective directions for information and communication system development tailored to remotely operated Arctic maritime transport have been outlined. The proposals advocate deploying communication signal-relay architectures that sustain connectivity between vessels with external crews and remote control centers under conditions of information threat, while concurrently satisfying information security requirements. Practical significance: the research offers recommendations on applying diverse signal-relay communication architectures. Keywords: information and communication systems, vessels with an external crew, maritime radio communication, information security, Arctic