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The removal mechanisms of silicate using an aluminum hydroxide co-precipitation process was investigated and compared with an adsorption process, in order to establish an effective and validated method for silicate removal from wastewater. Adsorption isotherms, XRD and FT-IR analyses showed that silicate uptake occurred by adsorption to boehmite for initial Si/Al molar ratios smaller than two, but by precipitation of poorly crystalline kaolinite for the ratios larger than two, in both co-precipitation and adsorption processes. Silicate was removed by two steps: (i) an initial rapid uptake in a few seconds; and (ii) a slow uptake over several hours in both processes. The uptake rate in the first step was higher in the co-precipitation process than in adsorption process, presumably due to increased silicate adsorption to boehmite and rapid precipitation of kaolinite. These results suggest that silicate removal using aluminum salts could be effectively achieved if the pH adjustment and aluminum concentration are strictly controlled.

This work investigated the removal of selenite and selenate from water by green rust (GR) sulfate. Selenite was immobilized by simple adsorption onto GR at pH 8, and by adsorption–reduction at pH 9. Selenate was immobilized by adsorption–reduction to selenite and zero valent selenium (Se 0 ) at both pH 8 and 9. In the process, GR oxidized to a mixture of goethite (FeOOH) and magnetite (Fe 3 O 4 ). The kinetics of selenite and selenate sorption at the GR–water interface was described through a pseudo-second-order model. X-ray absorption spectroscopy data enabled to elucidate the concentration profiles of Se and Fe species in the solid phase and allowed to distinguish two removal mechanisms, namely adsorption and reduction. Selenite and selenate were reduced by GR through homogeneous solid-phase reaction upon adsorption and by heterogeneous reaction at the solid–liquid interface. The selenite reduced through heterogeneous reduction with GR was adsorbed onto GR but not reduced further. The redox reaction between GR and selenite/selenate was kinetically described through an irreversible second-order bimolecular reaction model based on XAFS concentration profiles. Although the redox reaction became faster at pH 9, simple adsorption was always the fastest removal mechanism.

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In pneumatic positioning and force-control systems, spool-type servo valves are widely used for obtaining quick responses and precise control. However, air leakage from these valves results in increased energy consumption. To address this problem, we developed a three-port poppet-type servo valve to reduce air leakage. The developed valve consists of a camshaft, two orifices, two metal balls, and a housing with two flow channels. The metal ball is pushed by fluid, and spring force closes the orifice. The port opens when the cam rotates and pushes the ball. The cam shape and orifice size were designed to provide the desired flow rate. The specifications of the DC motor for rotating the camshaft were determined considering the fluid force on the ball. Static and dynamic characteristics of the valve were measured. We experimentally confirmed that air leakage was 0.1 L/min or less. The ratio of air leakage to maximum flow rate was only 0.37%. Dynamic characteristic measurements showed that the valve had a bandwidth of 30 Hz. The effectiveness of the valve was demonstrated through experiments involving pressure and position control.

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In this paper, a forceps manipulator for minimally invasive surgery is developed. The developed forceps has 4-DOF inside the abdominal cavity so that pivoting motion around the entry point is reduced, avoiding the interference with other manipulators or surgeons. The 4-DOF motion is realized using flexible joints that are driven by push-pull wire of superelastic alloy, which make the mechanism of the forceps simple and, thus, low cost and reliable. Since the wires of the forceps are driven by compact pneumatic cylinders, the manipulator is lightweight and achieves high power-to-weight ratio. Kinematic and dynamic models of the proposed forceps are derived considering the flexibility of the joints and friction of the wires. A position control law of the endpoint of the forceps is shown and tracking performance is confirmed by an experiment.Index Terms-Forceps manipulator, pneumatic system, surgical robot, wire-driven mechanism.1083-4435 . His recent work is on surgical robots with force display, power assist robots, and teleoperation of robotics. His research interests include robotics, fluid measurement, and control.

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