Maximum Cone Research Articles

Penyelidikan Tanah Menggunakan Metode Uji Sondir Di Universitas 17 Agustus 1945 Surabaya

Cone Penetration Test (CPT) is a method designed to determine and test the strength of soil layers quickly and is one of the most widely used testing methods. The aim of this research is to determine the resulting bearing capacity and determine the hard soil layers on the Padhang-Padhang campus of West Sulawesi University using the Cone Penetration Test (CPT) or Sondir field testing tool. The method used in this research is the literature study method and direct testing in the field. From the results of this test, the Cone Penetration Test (CPT) data from 1 test point was processed and analyzed using Microsoft Excel 2019 software. The results of data processing and analysis were the maximum cone pressure (qc) value and the maximum number of sticking resistances (JHP), namely 650 kg/cm at a depth of 12.60 meters and 2496.00 kg/cm² at a depth of 15.00 meters. The maximum friction ratio (Rf) of 0.11% is at a depth of 14.00 meters, while the maximum Sticking Resistance Pressure (fs) value of 110 kg/cm² is at a depth of 14.00 meters.

Development of maximum conical shock angle limit for osculating cone waveriders

Hypersonic waveriders are special shapes with leading edges coincident with the body's shock wave, yielding high lift-to-drag ratios. The waverider geometry results from streamline tracing using the solutions of a basic flow field such as the wedge or the cone for specified shock and base curves. The base and shock curves can be independently prescribed in the osculating cone method enabling a larger design space. Generally, low values of the conical shock angle (9∘−15∘) are used. The lack of any method to limit the maximum cone angle for osculating cone waverider motivates this study. Mathematical expressions are derived for geometrical conditions that result in successful osculating cone waverider generation. A power law curve and a Bézier curve are analyzed. Closed-form expressions for the maximum cone shock angle are obtained for the power law curve. A numerical procedure to solve the same for the Bézier curve is developed. The results, for a typical Mach number of 6.0, evidently show that the maximum cone shock angle for successful waverider generation is significantly lower than the maximum angle for attached shock solutions. The limiting conditions developed will be essential in constraining the waverider sample space for automated multi-objective optimization routines. CFD simulations were conducted on waveriders designed with traditional shock angle of 12∘ and near limiting shock angle of 18∘. The analysis revealed a substantial 50% increase in volumetric efficiency, albeit with a minor decrease in aerodynamic performance. This highlights the critical need for determining the maximum conical shock angle when aiming for specific high volumetric efficiency.

Impact of Crown Closure on Cone Production and Effective Number of Parents in Natural Stands of Taurus Cedar (Cedrus libani A. Rich.)

This study was carried out to estimate the effect of crown closure classes (degraded forest, low crown coverage, medium crown coverage, and full crown coverage) and growth characteristics (three heights, diameter at base, diameter at breast height, and crown diameter) on cone production and to estimate fertility variation and its allied parameters in 130-year-old natural populations of Taurus cedar, also called cedar of Lebanon (Cedrus libani A. Rich.). The effect of biotic (e.g., growth characteristics, crown closure) and abiotic (e.g., light penetration, temperature, humidity, and soil characteristics) factors on cone production, fertility variation, and gene diversity was evaluated in two consecutive years of Taurus cedar. The factors, viz., altitude, temperature, aspect, and rainfall, varied, while some of them could be managed by cultural operations such as management of the crown and stand density. The impact of crown closure on cone production, fertility variation, and related parameters were observed in Taurus cedar’s natural populations sampled from southern Turkey. Maximum cone productions of 29 and 40/tree were recorded with full crown closure in two consecutive years, due to significant differences among individuals within crown closure class. For instance, cone productions were between 10 and 67 in the full crown closure of the first year. The sibling coefficient, which is a measure of the fertility variation in a stand, was the highest (1.16) for the full crown closure in the first (meaning 86% fertile trees) and the second years (1.55, 65%), while it was the lowest for the medium crown closure (1.09, 92%) in both years. Gene diversity decreased from a degraded patch (0.987) to that with full crown closure (0.984). Results of variance analysis showed a significant (p ≤ 0.05) difference between crown closure classes for cone production within the second year and between years. Significant positive (p ≤ 0.05) correlations were noted between years for cone production (r = 0.22) and between cone production and crown closure in the first and second years (r = 0.29). However, growth characteristics had no effect on cone productions in individual crown closure classes, while there were significant (p ≤ 0.05) correlations between the diameter at breast height and cone production for both years (r = 0.15 and 0.17) in pooled populations.

Effect of tillage and nitrogen fertility on growth, yield, and seed chemical composition of rainfed Brassica carinata

AbstractThe combination of subsoil compaction and injudicious usage of nitrogenous fertilizers are key factors that may lower crop yields, especially in soils with a shallow hardpan. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the effects of tillage and N application on carinata productivity in rainfed conditions. A 3‐year field study was conducted at the North Florida Research and Education Center, Quincy, FL, USA. Treatments were four rates of N (0, 45, 90, and 135 kg N ha−1) and three tillage methods (disking, chiseling, and no‐tillage). Maximum cone index measurements for no‐tillage occurred at 15 cm but at 20 cm soil depth for both chisel and disk tillage. A hardpan at 15 cm restricted taproot growth but promoted lateral root growth. Subsoiling and N application improved carinata growth relative to no‐tillage. Seed yield response to N application rate depended on the tillage method. The agronomic maximum seed yield occurred at 134, 128, and 125 kg N ha−1 for chisel, disk, and no‐tilled systems. Nitrogen agronomic efficiency was greatest at 45 kg N ha−1 for the chisel method and 95 kg N ha−1 for disk and no‐tillage. Tillage has a greater potential to increase yields even at relatively low N levels. When tilled, carinata produces 8%–17% greater seed yield at 45 kg N ha−1 than no‐tilled carinata grown with 135 kg N ha−1. These results indicate that tilling the subsoil and applying 90–135 kg N ha−1 are required for carinata production in soils with a hardpan.

Assessing the influence of climate on cone production of longleaf pine forests

Longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) forests have been identified as a societal, economical, and ecological resource in the southeastern United States. One major factor inhibiting contemporary efforts to restore native forests is the sporadic cone production of longleaf pine. It is difficult to evaluate the climate contribution to seed production since the reproduction process is lengthy and complicated. Here, we utilize a quantitative method previously applied to understanding complex systems to assess the influence of climate on longleaf pine cone production at five long-term monitoring sites in the southeastern United States. Our results indicate that climatic factors (annual air temperature and annual precipitation) have a stronger influence on cone production than non-climatic factors. However, the contribution of climate to cone production varied with time at each site. Greater contribution of climate was related to low cone production at three of five sites. However, the scaling relationship between climate and cone production is not statistically significant. The potential maximum cone production can be estimated by this method, such as 250 cones per tree for Blackwater River State Forest and 150 cones for Jones Center. Our results provide a new understanding of cone production in longleaf pine forests and can be utilized to identify stands with high natural regeneration potential.

Non-axisymmetric die-less spinning using ball-crown-shape roller

The non-axisymmetric cone has broad application prospects. However, the severe wall thickness thinning has been the bottleneck problem restricting the application of non-axisymmetric parts which are manufactured via die-less shear spinning. In order to control the spun wall thickness distribution, the ball-crown-shape roller is adopted to carry out the non-axisymmetric spinning. The spun workpiece with the non-axisymmetric cone shape is obtained, and the deviation of the maximum and minimum half cone angles α and β between the experimental results and the theoretical values is no more than 4.11%. The wall thicknesses are much greater than that of the shear spinning value with the corresponding half cone angles, and basically maintain at (even locally exceed) the initial blank thickness. At the same time, the half cone angle is considered to have small effect on the wall thickness distribution. The finite element model for this spinning process is established and verified to reveal the wall thickness distribution mechanism which is illustrated as that the BCSR causes the complementary relationship between the metal outflow and circumferential replenishment in the each half cone angle direction.

Self-Compacting Concrete and Concreting Technology for Foundation Block Using 9000 Cubic Meters of Concrete

. The paper presents the results of the development and implementation of the technology of self-compacting heavy structural concrete and the technology of concreting with its use of the largest foundation slab in Belarus (concrete volume ~9100 m3) of a high-rise building at the facility “Construction of a multifunctional complex in Minsk within the boundaries of Filimonova Street – Avenue Nezavisimosty – Makayonka Street”. The results of research are shown, which ensured the production of self-compacting concrete of class C35/45 with water resistance up to W20 (with the required W12 according to the project) from concrete mixtures of the maximum cone expansion of the PK6 (RK6) grade for three zones of the foundation slab different in degree of reinforcement: lower, middle and upper, with a total structure height of 3.5 m and plan dimensions ~(83´34) m. The technology of continuous (seamless) concreting has been developed and implemented, which made it possible to lay ~9100 m3 of concrete into the structure without defects within 42 hours of continuous operation, and a system of technological measures that prevented temperature cracking in concrete. The homogeneity of the physical and mechanical properties of concrete, confirmed by control tests, is ensured due to the uniform supply of the concrete mixture (from six concrete pumps at the same time) in layers 200–300 mm high with a distance between the supply points of about 5–6 m and the vertical arrangement of the “trunks” of the concrete pipes during delivery of concrete to each point, as well as the fact that the time for feeding the next volume of concrete was significantly less than the setting time of the previously laid concrete (with a total concreting speed £0.1 m/h). Standardized and original test methods for concrete mixtures, hardening kinetics and properties of hardened concrete have been used during the development, research and implementation of the project. Control tests of physical and mechanical properties and characteristics of concrete, carried out at BNTU together with authorized organizations controlling the progress of construction, as well as in independent (third-party) organizations, have confirmed their compliance with the design requirements.

Evaluating topographic variation as a guide to Cassia crossbill refugia

The Cassia crossbill (Loxia sinesciuris) feeds exclusively on seeds held in serotinous cones of lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta latifolia). Its population, confined to 67 km2 of pine in southern Idaho, declined by ~ 80% between 2003 and 2011 apparently because an increase in the occurrence of hot summer days (≥32 °C) caused the serotinous cones to open and shed their seeds. We hypothesized that the propensity for serotinous cones to open varies across the landscape depending on the maximum temperatures cones experienced. We tested a suite of abiotic variables for predicting the occurrence of open serotinous cones among 1547 trees at 170 sites. The best-supported model indicated that trees with open cones were less frequent on northeastern aspects and as slope increased. Fewer open cones were expected on northeast aspects because they receive less direct solar radiation. However, the decrease in trees with open cones as slope increased on southwest aspects was unexpected. Increased convection on slopes could reduce maximum cone temperatures and account for the decrease of open cones on steeper slopes, regardless of aspects. Although cones are less likely to open on steeper slopes, slopes with southerly aspects are likely the least favorable for pine recruitment and survival. The most favorable sites for both lodgepole pine and the persistence of closed cones are slopes on northeast aspects. Such locations are often dominated by subalpine fir (Abies bifolia). Reforestation of fir-dominated areas with lodgepole pine, therefore, provides a means to expand microclimatic refugia for Cassia crossbills.

Karakteristik Beton Scc (Self Compactibility Concrete) dengan menggunakan Limbah Kaca dan Limbah Bauksit sebagai Bahan Tambah

The use of SCC (Self Compactibility Concrete) concrete in Indonesia is increasing in the field, especially for a variety of buildings that require large compaction speeds or use concrete that can compact itself. SCC Concrete Technology in the construction industry is growing, especially in meeting the needs of the construction world. Added material is an alternative material used to increase the strength characteristics of the concrete. Likewise the addition of glass powder waste, and bauxite waste in making SCC concrete is expected to increase the compressive strength concrete. Fresh concrete, which belongs to the self-compacting concrete (SCC) group, has a very high slump value (more than 20 cm), so measurements with cone abrams are no longer effective. The use of these materials as substitute materials and added based on the thought to utilize glass waste and , bauxite waste in order to reduce the impact of environmental pollution and provide economic value. This study uses glass powder as glass waste and bauxite waste as added material for cement. This study uses four kinds of mixed compositions, namely 0% (ordinary concrete); 2.5% mixture; 5% and 7.5% by weight of cement as added material from glass waste and bouksit waste, where each composition consists of 3 cylindrical specimens with a diameter of 15 cm and a height of 30 cm. Until now there has never been any research from mananpun to test the 2 (two) mixtures, therefore we want to test it so that glass waste and bauxite waste are not wasted and can be reused, especially in making SCC concrete. From the research results it was found that the maximum slum cone test results were in the 2.5% variation that is equal to 44.3 cm, while the minimum at 0% was 29.3 cm. The maximum compressive strength at the age of 3 days is 455,418 kg / cm2 for variations of 7.5% while the minimum is at a variation of 2.5% of 200.469 kg / cm2 at 7 days of concrete.

Research on the Characteristics of Greases of Nano - Modified MoS2 Additive on the Basis of CTAB

The effects of nano-MoS2 as additive and CTAB modified MOS2 as additive on the properties and mechanism of Lithium Grease were investigated. The maximum bite-free load (PB), sintering load (PD), cone penetration, Shear Stability, drop point and Steel Mesh separation of grease were tested according to the performance test standard of Grease Quality Index. The effects of nano-MoS2 and CTAB on the physical and chemical properties of lithium-based Grease were studied by comparing the physical and chemical data of three samples: lithium-based Grease without additives, lithium-based grease with nano-MoS2 and lithium-based grease with CTAB. The surface structure of nano-MoS2 modified by CTAB was analyzed by Scanning electron microscope method. The results showed that CTAB was uniformly adhered to the surface of nano-MoS2, and the surface energy of nano-MoS2 was decreased, it helps to disperse the grease more evenly and stably. The results show that CTAB can modify the surface of MOS2 and reduce the surface energy of MOS2, and the surface energy of MOS2 can be decreased by using Fourier infrared scanner. Combining the physical and chemical properties of the Lithium Grease with the SEM and Fourier infrared scanning data, the nano-MoS2 modified by CTAB as additive can improve the performance of lubricating grease better than nano-MoS2 without surface modification, and disperse in lubricating grease more evenly and stably, thus, the colloidal structure of the lubricating grease is more stable.

Numerical and Experimental Comparative Analysis of Ballistic Performance of Packages Made of Biaxial and Triaxial Kevlar 29 Fabrics

Abstract The objective of this study is a comparative analysis of the ballistic effectiveness of packages made of biaxial and triaxial Kevlar 29 fabrics under the hitting of Parabellum 9×19 bullet. We conduct both numerical simulations using the LS-Dyna program and experimental research in a ballistic research laboratory. Based on the comparative analysis of the results from the numerical and experimental research, demonstrated differences exist in the ballistic effectiveness between the packages made of biaxial fabrics and the packages consisting of triaxial fabrics. For this purpose, the residual velocity of the bullet is analyzed in detail in terms of the maximum deformation cone, the shape of the deformation cone, and the distribution of stress for the textile ballistic packages. It is established that the packages made of triaxial fabric show a considerably smaller deformation cone compared with the packages made of biaxial fabric, a more favorable shape of the deformation cone from the perspective of ballistic trauma and distribution of stress similar to materials with isotropic properties. Poorer properties are recorded for these packages in the case of the minimum number of layers necessary for stopping the bullet, which arises from the open-work structure of the fabric.

Photoreceptor assessment in focal laser-treated central serous chorioretinopathy using adaptive optics and fundus autofluorescence.

This study analyzed cone density, cone mosaic, and fundus autofluorescence (FAF) images in patients with focal laser-treated central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC).Observational case series.Forty-two eyes of 21 patients with unilateral treated CSC and bilateral best-corrected visual acuity of 1.0 (decimal fraction) were included. FAF and cone mosaic images were obtained in all patients with an adaptive optics fundus camera. Densities were recorded at 20 points throughout the macula, and choroidal thicknesses were measured.Mean choroidal thicknesses were 419.95 ± 110.33 μm in normal eyes, 459.09 ± 90.07 μm in eyes with active CSC, and 438.61 ± 107.57 μm in treated eyes. The highest density of cones in healthy eyes was 38146 cones/mm2, with a 5.66-μm intercellular space (IS), at 700 μm temporal to the center. In eyes with treated CSC, the highest density was 32749 cones/mm2, with a 6.13-μm IS, at 500 μm nasal to the center. In all quadrants, median values of maximum cone density were significantly higher in healthy eyes (P = .02, P = .003, P = .0001, and P = .001). Three types of lesions were identified on FAF and were correlated with those on cone mosaic images. Strong correlations were detected between the presence of hypoautofluorescent lesions on the first FAF image and a greater difference between maximum values of photoreceptor density (r 2 = 0.46, P = .03), as well as between the presence of hypoautofluorescent lesions and the duration of pathology (r 2 = 0.68, P < .001).The presence of hypoautofluorescent lesions and the duration of pathology were negative prognostic factors in CSC. Laser treatment could prevent photoreceptor loss.

Design and analysis of five probe flow analyser for subsonic and supersonic wind tunnel calibration

The flow angularity in a wind tunnel plays a major role in test section when testing models. The models are being tested at a mixture of flow velocity. Usually a subsonic wind tunnel is calibrated using a normal Pitot tube and supersonic wind tunnels with high efficiency probes. The calibration of a wind tunnel includes determining the Mach number range ad pressure range throughout the test section of the flow throughout the pattern of operating velocity. In the analysis it is noted that the sensitivities of the calibrating instruments are maximum when it is either cone or wedge shaped. When the wedge or cone angles are maximum, more accurate results are also obtained, but it’s not possible to have a maximum angle cone or wedge because of the detached wave and tunnel blockage factors. Hence in order to overcome this difficulties in measurement, a five probe flow analyzer has been designed. The five probe flow analyzer is used to determine the wind tunnel test section parameters like flow angularity, Pitot pressures, static pressures, wave angles, and the presence of test section noise. Over to these parameter, the stagnation states can also be determined using this analyzer. The proposed model is designed by getting optimum solutions from previous analysis and the existing data by considering all the aerodynamic and mechanical loading. This instrument designed is to be tested experimentally after carrying two and three dimensional computational analysis for Mach number ranging from 0.5 of 3. Also it is designed to fit successfully for 0.3m and 0.6m test section wind tunnel to obtain reasonably merging solution with theoretical and experimental results.

Mission Analysis for Vesta and Ceres Exploration Using Electric Sail With Classical and Advanced Thrust Models

The electric sail is an innovative concept for spacecraft propulsion, which can generate continuous thrust without propellant by reflecting solar wind ions. In previous studies, the thrust of an electric sail is described by a classical model that neglects the effects of the electric sail attitude on the propulsive thrust modulus and direction. This paper reappraised the performance of the electric sail in the Vesta and Ceres exploration mission with an advanced thrust model that considers the effect of the spacecraft attitude on both the thrust modulus and direction. By using a hybrid optimization method, the trajectory optimization of the electric-sail-based spacecraft from earth to Vesta and Ceres is implemented in an optimization framework. Numerical results show that the minimal flight time with the advanced thrust model is longer than that with the classical model. The difference in performance between the classical and advanced models is attributable to overestimation of the maximum thrust cone angle and the thrust modulus by the classical model.

A novel truncated cone helix energy pile: Numerical and laboratory investigations of thermal performance

As for the cylinder helix energy pile (CyHEP), in order to reduce thermal interference and improve heat transfer efficiency, a novel truncated cone helix energy pile (CoHEP) was proposed in this paper. A 3-D numerical model both considering the dynamic surface condition and the initial soil temperature distribution was developed to investigate its thermal performance, and three main influencing factors (inlet water temperature, water flow rate, cone angle) were studied by the established model. In addition, the laboratory investigation was carried out to verify the accuracy of the numerical model. The results indicate that the heat flux per unit pipe length of the 20° cone angle CoHEP is 6.16% larger than the traditional CyHEP. The whole pipe of CoHEP can be divided into four stages along the flow direction of the pipe length: the entrance stage → the thermal short circuit stage → the small temperature difference stage → the exit stage. During the design of CoHEP, the proportion of the thermal short circuit stage and the small temperature difference stage should be reduced to ensure the overall heat transfer capability. Heat flux per unit pipe length of the CoHEP increases linearly with the inlet water temperature. Increasing the water flow rate can increase the heat flux per unit pipe length of the CoHEP, but it can also reduce the flow time in the pipe, resulting in insufficient heat exchange. As for the cone angle, increasing the cone angle can effectively reduce the radial thermal interference at the upper part of CoHEP and the axial thermal interference. When the system running time is 12 h, as the cone angle increases from 0° to 10° to 20°, the growth rates of heat flux per unit pipe length are 2.54% and 3.53% respectively. Moreover, there must be an allowable maximum cone angle considering the minimum spiral radius of PE pipe, for example, the allowable optimal cone angle is 21° for the model built in the paper.

Electrically-induced ionic wind flow distribution and its application for LED cooling

Enhanced heat transfer based on electrohydrodynamic (EHD) is considered as energy efficient non-thermal technology appropriate for thermal management of microelectronic products. A ‘multiple-needles-to-mesh’ electrostatic fluid accelerator (EFA) was proposed and experiments were carried out to clarify the ionic wind distribution characteristic and to evaluate the energy efficiency of the device. A developed prototype of EFA was then manufactured and applied for cooling high power LEDs. The results revealed significant effects of discharge gap, radius of needle tip curvature, distance between adjacent needles, power polarity and corona power on ionic wind flow distribution. The electric current density is highly uneven which lead to inhomogeneous ionic wind distribution. The maximum ionic wind velocity was obtained close to the emitting electrode and the maximum cone angle of the designed EFA is 61.6°. The experimental study indicated that the designed EFA was effective for heat dissipation of high power LEDs in application. The attenuation rate of luminous flux and the rise rate of junction temperature were much lower than traditional cooling devices.

A Spray Pattern and Emission Characterisation of Enzymatic Degummed Linseed Methyl Ester on Diesel Engine

An experimental study on the characteristics of enzymatic degummed linseed methyl ester (EDLME) and Non-degummed linseed methyl ester (NDLME) spray is performed and compared with diesel spray using a single-cylinder compression ignition engine. The spray visualisation performance has been investigated on a single-hole nozzle under ambient conditions, and a high-speed camera (photron-SA5 FASTCAM) was used to capture images at a constant fuel injection pressure of 210 bar. This paper also deals with the influence of the EDLME properties on the spray and emission characteristics. On the basis of spray investigation for different diesel blends (25%, 50%, 75% and 100%) of EDLME and NDLME, fuels showed maximum spray cone angles and least spray penetration for EDLME25 as comparable to that of other blends. It was found that a decrease in spray cone angle is one of the main reasons for the increased NOX emissions.

Autorefraction Versus Manifest Refraction in Patients With Keratoconus.

To compare visual performance using autorefraction and manifest refraction assessments in patients with keratoconus and investigate whether autorefraction measurements lead to suboptimal visual performance. Corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA) was measured in 90 eyes of 61 patients with keratoconus with both autorefraction and manifest refraction, in a random order. Maximum keratometry (Kmax), cone location, and wavefront aberration were determined with Scheimpflug tomography. The difference between the autorefraction and manifest refraction outcomes was converted to vectors and a multivariable analysis was performed to identify potential underlying causes of this difference. A significantly better CDVA was achieved with manifest refraction (0.06 vs 0.29 logMAR [20/23 vs 20/38 Snellen], P < .001). After vector analysis, a mean difference of 4.83 diopters was found between autorefraction and manifest refraction. Increased Kmax was strongly and significantly associated with better visual performance of manifest refraction compared to autorefraction (B = 0.496, P = .002). This study showed that a superior CDVA is achieved with manifest refraction compared to autorefraction in patients with keratoconus. Furthermore, the difference between the two refraction methods increases as the cornea steepens. According to this study, autorefraction is unreliable in patients with keratoconus and should be avoided. [J Refract Surg. 2018;34(1):30-34.].

Cone and seed maturity indices in Pinus wallichiana under temperate conditions of Kashmir Himalayas, India

Pinus wallichiana (Blue pine) does not have a good seed every year and hence it becomes necessary to collect abundant quantity of seed during good seed year. It becomes necessary to know the exact time of seed ma-turity. To overcome this problem, the present investigation was conducted in Kashmir valley at four different altitudes and locations i.e. (1,600-2,000 masl–KFD), (2,000-2,400 masl -LFD), (2,400-2,800-PFD) and (2,800-3200 masl– SFD). The results revealed that seed collection clearly showed wide variation in the maturity of cones. Cone colour served as an indicator of maturity and it changed from light green to green and green with brown patches at maturity-ty. Seed colour changed from whitish to light brown and dark brown at maturity. The mean cone weight (118.67- 88.17gm) and specific gravity (1.13-0.90) decreased as the cones proceeded towards maturity. The mean seed weight of 21.79 to 57.13gm increased at all altitudes as the cones advanced towards maturity. Cone length, cone diameter and germination percent differed (P?0.05) significantly between altitudes and increased when the cones advanced towards maturity. The germination per cent was recorded more at altitudinal range of 1,600-2,400 masl (67.25-70.26%) at maturity, while as it was recorded lower at higher altitudes (42.12-47.25%). It is concluded that the altitudinal range of 1,600-2,400 masl is best sites for collection of phenotypically superior seeds in terms of maxi-mum cone length (18.18cm), diameter (5.23mm) and weight (108.94gm), number of seeds per cone (117.72), seed weight (79.99) and germinability (68.75).

Plausibility of variable coverage high range spraying: Experimental studies of an externally air-assisted electrostatic nozzle

A system for spraying liquid pesticides to crops and orchards combines an induction based electrostatic nozzle and externally air-assisted manually controlled mechanical device. In this paper, an innovative concept has been executed for variable coverage high range spraying through an external air-assistance system, which supplies compressed air to assist the finely divided charged liquid droplets by farming a virtual covering around the fine mist of liquid spray. External air-assistive device consists of movable support for air supplies whose variation of cone angle is from parallel spray center line (0°) to maximum spray cone angle (25°). This provides a means to transport electrostatically charged fine mist of liquid droplets to intended target with variable spray coverage angle of target, applicable in high wind and transient conditions with enhanced performance without degradation of charge-to-mass ratio. The results of applied induction electrification process were characterized by a charge-to-mass ratio as a function of applied voltage, target distance, and wind current. It has been shown that the wind current has an insignificant (p value=0.021615) and significant (p value=0.000325) effects on the performance of the electrostatic nozzle at 99% confidence level with and without external air-assistive mechanical device respectively. The experimental results are in good agreements with proposed concept.