Auslegung von Blasensäulen mithilfe von Compartmentmodellen

In bubble columns, the phenomena of mass and heat transfer as well as the reaction are closely linked to the complex fluid dynamics. Compartment modeling offers the opportunity to integrate these phenomena while enabling an axial and radial distribution with acceptable computing effort. This article includes methods for generating the compartment geometry and fluid dynamic parameters of this modeling approach, facilitating the opportunity to optimize an industrial bubble column.     

Vergleich des Stofftransports von hängenden und akustisch levitierten Wassertropfen in CO2

High‐pressure acoustic levitation devices allows a contact‐free investigation of liquids. Here, acoustically levitated water droplets and pendant water droplets were examined in regards to the mass transfer coefficient in a static CO₂‐atmosphere under elevated pressures. Based on the droplet geometry and the decrease of the droplet volume over time, it was possible to calculate the mass transfer coefficient of water into CO₂ at any given time. Additionally, open questions regarding possible differences between pendant and acoustically levitated water droplets were discussed.     

Toward methods for supporting the anticipation-feedback loop in user interface design

Recent research has compared different usability evaluation methods with respect to their effectiveness and efficiency. The paper analyses the impact of different usability evaluation methods on design problem-solving processes of individual designers and evaluators. It is proposed that usability evaluation methods have to be divided into two categories according to their fundamentally different way of supporting the design for usability: (1) guideline-based methods and (2) methods based on the mental generation of scenarios and anticipation of user goals. We present data from an experimental study that shows that these two types of methods entail differences in the perspective-taking processes. Furthermore, the results indicate that the methods have a differential impact on the general problem-solving strategy, i.e. whether to use a top-down, breadth-first or a depth-first approach. Possible implications for the development of techniques that support the design of usable systems are discussed.     

Unconstrained model predictive control and suboptimality estimates for nonlinear continuous-time systems

This paper presents a continuous-time version of recent results on unconstrained nonlinear model predictive control (MPC) schemes. Based on a controllability assumption and a corresponding infinite-dimensional optimization problem, performance estimates and stability conditions are derived in terms of the prediction horizon and the sampling time of the MPC controller. Moreover, improved estimates for small sampling times are discussed and a comparison to the application of the discrete-time results in a sampled-data context is provided.     

Accelerated Fretting Wear Tests for Contacts Exposed to Atmosphere

Engineering components can be subjected to normal and/or rotational fretting wear with contacts that are intermittently exposed to the atmosphere. Exposure to the environment may lead to the alteration at the contact due to the changing role of third body particles such as hard oxides which can result in abrasion. The abrasion due to hard oxide particles differs for the closed contact and intermittently opened contact. In the former scenario, the oxides are compacted into tribo-film, while in the latter case they remain loose, leading to bigger role of abrasion. Standard fretting test setup employed to estimate the fretting wear characteristic operates with a constant load such that the contact remains closed between the counter surfaces and does not simulate the opening and closing of the contacts as observed in certain applications. The forceful interruptions to the experiments to simulate open and close condition of the contact require considerable amount of time and effort. In this paper, an accelerated test procedure is proposed and investigated to capture the effect of intermittent opening of the contact without stopping the experiments. A test rig is designed to simulate the opening and closing conditions, and tests were performed with abrasive diamond-like particles. Friction and wear results are compared with those of intermittently contact opening conditions along with operating wear mechanisms. Scanning electron microscope analysis showed that the wear mechanism observed in the case of fretting with intermittent opening of contact is similar to that of fretting with diamond-like abrasives at the contact.