A new analytical and dynamical model of a scroll compressor with experimental validation

This paper deals with the scroll compressor, which is a machine used for compressing air or refrigerant. By using a novel reference frame, it proposes an original way of describing the geometry of the scroll wraps (represented as circle involutes) in which the symmetries are exploited in order to establish a thermodynamic model of the scroll compressor. This approach allows the chamber volumes to be analytically described without any special assumption and takes into account the discharge as a non-symmetrical process.The proposed geometric model is aimed to be coupled with the thermodynamic model by using the standardized VHDL-AMS language and should be then considered as preliminary to the scroll overall simulation and design of a functional virtual prototype.Simulations and experiments have shown good agreement.     

Experimental impact of magnet and regenerator design on the refrigeration performance of first-order magnetocaloric materials

The first-order magnetic transition material LaFeSiMn(H) is used to create multi-stage regenerators to investigate the importance of regenerator and magnet design on magnetocaloric refrigeration performance. Aspect ratio, magnetic field strength, particle size, and staging are varied while keeping overall span and material mass at a constant level. Tests carried out on these regenerators show that the regenerator and magnetic systems play a key role in determining the performance of a magnetocaloric refrigerator. A one-dimensional numerical machine model using both measured material data and data reconstructed from a mathematical material model is used to predict test results. The machine model and material model make predictions with less than 5% average error over the range of experimental parameters.     

关于多孔材料的新模型

指出了多孔材料的经典性模型-Gibson-Ashby模型的不足,如孔隙单元非密积、棱柱状态不等价等,提出了一个能弥补Gibson-Ashby模型这些不足的新模型．应用这个新模型,可获得与实验结果符合良好的三维网状泡沫材料电阻率关系和力学关系的表征．实验结果证明,应用于多孔材料时,由新模型所得的有关数理关系明显优于Gibson-Ashby模型。     

微液滴铺展动力学模型及实验验证

为了研究壁面的润湿动力学行为,通过对离散化的液膜进行力学平衡方程推导,提出了一种液滴沿壁面铺展的动力学模型;模型以加速度方程表示铺展的动态变化,避免从能量角度计算复杂性的问题;利用动态接触角分析仪进行润湿实验,比较数值计算与实验结果。计算结果表明:得到的接触角随时间呈指数规律变化;液滴表面张力越小液膜越容易铺展,且所需的铺展时间越短;液滴度对铺展起阻碍作用,且缩短铺展时间;接触角动态变化规律整体一致,标准偏差在1.5°以内,说明本模型能够准确地反映液滴铺展的动态过程。     

Lidar system model for use with path obscurants and experimental validation

When lidar pulses travel through a short path that includes a relatively high concentration of aerosols, scattering phenomena can alter the power and temporal properties of the pulses significantly, causing undesirable effects in the received pulse. In many applications the design of the lidar transmitter and receiver must consider adverse environmental aerosol conditions to ensure the desired performance. We present an analytical model of lidar system operation when the optical path includes aerosols for use in support of instrument design, simulations, and system evaluation. The model considers an optical path terminated with a solid object, although it can also be applied, with minor modifications, to cases where the expected backscatter occurs from nonsolid objects. The optical path aerosols are characterized by their attenuation and backscatter coefficients derived by the Mie theory from the concentration and particle size distribution of the aerosol. Other inputs include the lidar system parameters and instrument response function, and the model output is the time-resolved received pulse. The model is demonstrated and experimentally validated with military fog oil smoke for short ranges (several meters). The results are obtained with a lidar system operating at a wavelength of 0.905 microm within and outside the aerosol. The model goodness of fit is evaluated using the statistical coefficient of determination whose value ranged from 0.88 to 0.99 in this study.     

A finite element model for simulating acoustic streaming in cystic breast lesions with experimental validation

Streaming detection is an ultrasonic technique that can be used to distinguish fluid-filled lesions, or cysts, from solid lesions. With this technique, high intensity ultrasound pulses are used to induce acoustic streaming in cyst fluid, and this motion is detected using Doppler flow estimation methods. Results from a pilot clinical study were recently published in which acoustic streaming was successfully induced and detected in 14 of 15 simple breast cysts and four of 14 sonographically indeterminate breast lesions in vivo. In the study, the detected velocities were found to vary considerably among cysts and for different pulsing regimes. A finite element model of streaming detection is presented. This model is utilized to investigate methods of increasing induced acoustic streaming velocity while minimizing patient exposure to high intensity ultrasound during streaming detection. Parameters studied include intensity, frequency, acoustic beam shape, cyst-diameter, cyst fluid protein concentration, and cyst fluid viscosity. The model, which provides both transient and steady-state solutions, is shown to predict trends in streaming velocity accurately. Experimental results from studies investigating the potential for nonlinear streaming enhancement in cysts are also provided.     

A scalable model for trilayer conjugated polymer actuators and its experimental validation

Conjugated polymers are promising actuation materials for bio/micromanipulation systems, biomimetic robots, and biomedical devices. For these applications, it is highly desirable to have predictive models available for feasibility study and design optimization. In this paper a scalable model is presented for trilayer conjugated polymer actuators based on J. Madden's diffusive-elastic-metal model. The proposed model characterizes actuation behaviors in terms of intrinsic material parameters and actuator dimensions. Experiments are conducted on polypyrrole actuators of different dimensions to validate the developed scaling laws for quasi-static force and displacement output, electrical admittance, and dynamic displacement response.     

A molecular dynamics-stochastic model for thermal conductivity of nanofluids and its experimental validation

A model to predict the enhanced thermal conductivity of water based copper nanofluid on the basis of molecular dynamics simulation coupled with stochastic simulation shows for the first time that the temperature of a copper nanoparticle colliding with a heat source can rise rapidly within the short collision period (e.g., 10-50 ps) estimated by impact dynamics due to phonon transfer. Thereafter the particles undergo Brownian movement in the base fluid and transfer the excess heat in about 2 to 3 ms to the surrounding fluid resulting in an appreciable enhancement of the thermal conductivity of the fluid. Microconvection has minor contribution to the enhanced thermal conductivity of nanofluids. The predicted thermal conductivity of nanofluid and its variation with the volume fraction of the nanoparticles agree well with the present experiments, as well as, with the data reported in the literature.     

A test stand to study the possibility of using magnetocaloric materials for refrigerators

A laboratory test stand for magnetocaloric effect investigations has been developed. The test stand is compact and easily reconfigurable. Gadolinium in the form of particles is used as a refrigerant. The material is magnetized/demagnetized due to the reciprocating motion of a magnetic bed. A Halbach array of permanent magnets is employed as a magnetic field source. It generates a magnetic field of about 1 T. In order to decrease the distance along which the magnetic bed has to move, a magnetic shield was used which limits the range of external magnetic field influence. The effectiveness of the shielding and the decrease in magnetic field intensity were shown in the form of magnetic field distribution maps. The paper presents first experimental results which are measured as the temperature difference between the two outermost reservoirs. The achieved results are promising – the temperature span between the heat exchangers amounts to about 2 °C.     

A new model of shear creep and its experimental verification

Mechanics of Time-Dependent Materials - Creep exerts a significant role in rock engineering safety. In engineering practice, it is helpful to develop a mathematical model representing rock creep...     

Crack propagation analyses with CTOA and cohesive model: Comparison and experimental validation

Two numerical models, namely an R-curve approach based on the crack tip opening angle (CTOA) and a cohesive model, are compared regarding their ability to predict ductile crack extension in thin aluminium sheets, which can be simulated under the assumption of plane stress. The experimental database is presented, the measuring techniques for the various quantities (optically and with clip gauges) are shown and the identification and validation of the respective model parameters are explained. A general concept for their identification is then derived for the case of thin walled structures under Mode I conditions.In order to investigate the performance of the models under different constraint conditions and the transferability of their parameters, C(T) specimens are used for parameter identification and M(T) specimens for validation. It is shown that for both models a single set of parameters describes the mechanical behaviour of both types of specimens. Cross-checking the two models, the crack tip opening angle is determined from the cohesive model calculations and compared with the experimental values.     

A review and new perspectives for the magnetocaloric effect: New materials and local heating and cooling inside the human body

Nowadays, the magnetocaloric effect (MCE) is considered to be one of the most important fundamental thermodynamic effects to be employed in various technological applications. At present researchers focus mainly on environmentally-friendly magnetic materials and their applications in heating, refrigeration and magnetic energy conversion technologies. However, one must also pay attention to the increasing number of medical applications of the MCE, as e.g. controllable delivery and release of drugs and biomedical substances to defined locations in the human body, and applications of magnetic hyperthermia (cancer treatment). The first method demands local cooling of thermo-sensitive polymers in the body and the second induces local heating by a magnetic mechanism. In the first part of this article the recent progress in magnetocalorics (mainly on materials) is reviewed and the possibilities to increase the effect, e.g. by studying the interactions of magnetic and structural subsystems of magnetic materials in the vicinity of magnetic phase transitions and critical points, are outlined. To determine such and other important phenomena in the MCE, dynamic measurements have been developed. In the second part of the article the applications of the MCE in new methods, developed for applications in medical fields, as briefly mentioned above, are introduced and discussed. It is clear that a comprehensive overview on all important developments cannot be given here. Therefore, only the most important works are cited with a focus on important developments of Russian research. We ask those authors, who have contributed to the MCE and stay unmentioned in this review article, for their understanding.     

Forward-adjoint fluorescence model: Monte Carlo integration and experimental validation

The adjoint form of the photon transport equation is applied to a generalized fluorescence detection problem, and its accuracy is empirically tested. This approach can be interpreted as mathematically reversing the temporal flow of fluorescent photons; that is, they are tracked from the detector back to potential sites of origin in the scattering medium. The result is a distribution of potential fluorescing sites that, when properly normalized, gives a probability field of the relative importance of the photon starting position and direction to the resulting signal. This adjoint solution can be combined with the temporally forward-derived distribution of absorbed excitation photons to evaluate the fluorescence excitation detection scheme. This bypasses the normal, temporal derivation wherein the fluorescence transport solution is dependent on the result of the excitation transport solution.     

A computational model for reinforced concrete members confined with fiber reinforced polymer lamina: Implementation and experimental validation

This study presents a computational model to simulate the behavior of confined concrete in column plastic hinge zones. The model describes the distribution of confining stresses within a circular column cross-section and the hysteretic behavior of concrete under passive confinement. Of particular interest is the ability of the model to predict the maximum circumferential strains and thus estimate the limit state of the confining medium rather than relying on empirical limits such as concrete compressive strain or drift ratio. This is performed with fiber-discretized beam column analysis without the computational expenses of a continuum finite element (FE) model. The confined section and material model are implemented in an object-oriented computational platform for structural analysis. New classes are developed and presented for a confined fiber section, a confined concrete material, and associated hysteretic behavior rules. Finally, the results from two experimental programs on columns strengthened using fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) lamina are reproduced using the developed computational model. Comparison of simulation and experiment shows that the computational model can closely match the observed response characteristics and can adequately predict the deformation level leading to FRP rupture.     

A hybrid transient model for simulation of air-cooled refrigeration systems: Description and experimental validation

In this paper are described a hybrid dynamic model for transient simulation of refrigeration systems as well as dynamic experiments that have been performed on an air/water heap pump. The machine under consideration is made of an evaporator, a condenser, an expansion valve, a variable speed scroll compressor and a receiver. The refrigerant and second fluid flows in heat exchangers are approximated by a cascade of Continuous Stirred Tank Reactors (CSTRs). This model is quite flexible since a unique structure is used for the evaporator and the condenser models according to different boundary conditions. This is due to the use of a switching procedure between different configurations based on a phase stability test that is designed to ensure the continuity of the system simulation. An analytical thermodynamic model of the refrigerant based on an equation of state is used. Good agreement between simulation results and experimental data is achieved.     

A simple but effective FE model with plastic shot for evaluation of peening residual stress and its experimental validation

We propose a practical finite element (FE) model for evaluation of peening residual stress. The model aims to produce a solution approaching the endeavored 3D FE solution. We investigate the effect of physical factors including material damping, dynamic friction and strain rate. The kinematical factors including shot diameter and impact velocity are also considered. Integrating those factors and plastic shots, we set up an effective FE model. Based on the arc height and coverage matching with the Almen saturation curve, impact velocity needed for FE analysis is determined. The model is found to provide the solution comparable with the 3D multi-impact FE solution and the experimental XRD result.     

Nanoporous polymeric materials: A new class of materials with enhanced properties

Nanoporous polymeric materials are porous materials with pore sizes in the nanometer range (i.e., below 200 nm), processed as bulk or film materials, and from a wide set of polymers. Over the last several years, research and development on these novel materials have progressed significantly, because it is believed that the reduction of the pore size to the nanometer range could strongly influence some of the properties of porous polymers, providing unexpected and improved properties compared to conventional porous and microporous polymers and non-porous solids.In this review, the key properties of these nanoporous polymeric materials (mechanical, thermal, dielectric, optical, filtration, sensing, etc.) are analyzed. The experimental and theoretical results obtained up to date related to the structure–property relations are presented. In several sections, in order to present a more compressive approach, the trends obtained for nanoporous polymers are compared to those for metallic and ceramic nanoporous systems. Moreover, some specific characteristics of these materials, such as the consequences of the confinement of both gas and solid phases, are described. Likewise, the main production methods are briefly described. Finally, some of the potential applications of these materials are also discussed in this paper.     

Modeling and experimental validation of a new type of tuned liquid damper

This paper introduces a new type of tuned liquid damper (TLD) having a relatively simple, easy-to-model behavior and high effectiveness in controlling structural vibrations. It consists of a traditional TLD with addition of a floating roof. Since the roof is much stiffer than water, it prevents wave breaking, hence making the response linear even at large amplitudes. The roof also facilitates the incorporation of supplemental devices with which the level of damping of the liquid vibration can be substantially augmented. This newly proposed TLD, denoted as tuned liquid damper with floating roof (TLD-FR), maintains the traditional advantages of TLDs (low cost, easy installation and tuning), but its numerical characterization is much simpler because the floating roof suppresses higher sloshing vibration modes, resulting in a system that can be represented by a single-degree-of-freedom model. An efficient numerical scheme, where the dynamic behavior of the TLD-FR is expressed as a second-order lineal system of equations, is discussed and validated by scaled experimental tests. The equations of motion of a structure equipped with a TLD-FR are then derived and manipulated to offer a unifying representation dependent upon only four model characteristics of the TLD-FR: The first three (mass, frequency and damping ratios) are common for all type of mass dampers, whereas the final one, termed efficiency index, is related to a similar parameter used to characterize liquid column dampers. Through this approach, the behavior of the proposed TLD-FR can be easily correlated with the behavior of other well-known linear mass damper devices. The relationship between these parameters and the geometrical characteristics of the TLD-FR is also examined. Finally, the identification of the optimal characteristic of the TLD-FR (natural frequency and damping) under stationary stochastic excitation is discussed.