Destruction mechanisms of meteoroids and heat transfer to their surfaces

The phenomena of the movement and destruction of celestial bodies in the Earth’s atmosphere are investigated based on the advanced equations of meteor physics. The movement of meteorites in Kunya-Urgench (1998) and Chelyabinsk (2013) is analyzed as an example taking into account changes in the ablation along the trajectory. Different mechanisms of destruction of these meteorites are described.     

A methodology to assess the availability of next-generation data centers

The Journal of Supercomputing - Cloud data center providers benefit from software-defined infrastructure once it promotes flexibility, automation, and scalability. The new paradigm of...     

A methodology to assess the impact of design patterns on software quality

Context

Software quality is considered to be one of the most important concerns of software production teams. Additionally, design patterns are documented solutions to common design problems that are expected to enhance software quality. Until now, the results on the effect of design patterns on software quality are controversial.

Aims

This study aims to propose a methodology for comparing design patterns to alternative designs with an analytical method. Additionally, the study illustrates the methodology by comparing three design patterns with two alternative solutions, with respect to several quality attributes.

Method

The paper introduces a theoretical/analytical methodology to compare sets of “canonical” solutions to design problems. The study is theoretical in the sense that the solutions are disconnected from real systems, even though they stem from concrete problems. The study is analytical in the sense that the solutions are compared based on their possible numbers of classes and on equations representing the values of the various structural quality attributes in function of these numbers of classes. The exploratory designs have been produced by studying the literature, by investigating open-source projects and by using design patterns. In addition to that, we have created a tool that helps practitioners in choosing the optimal design solution, according to their special needs.

Results

The results of our research suggest that the decision of applying a design pattern is usually a trade-off, because patterns are not universally good or bad. Patterns typically improve certain aspects of software quality, while they might weaken some other.

Conclusions

Concluding the proposed methodology is applicable for comparing patterns and alternative designs, and highlights existing threshold that when surpassed the design pattern is getting more or less beneficial than the alternative design. More specifically, the identification of such thresholds can become very useful for decision making during system design and refactoring.     

The influence of slip conditions, wall properties and heat transfer on MHD peristaltic transport

The effects of both wall slip conditions and heat transfer on peristaltic flow of MHD Newtonian fluid in a porous channel with elastic wall properties have been studied under the assumptions of long-wavelength and low-Reynolds number. The analytical solution has been derived for the stream function and temperature. The results for velocity, temperature, stream function and heat transfer coefficient obtained in the analysis have been evaluated numerically and discussed briefly. The numerical result shows that more trapped bolus appears with increasing Knudsen number.     

发动机舱对流换热CFD模拟的基础问题

为合理选择进出口尺寸及布置发动机舱各部件,进一步降低舱内最高温度,对比标准k-ε模型、RNG k-ε模型和可实现的k-ε模型等3种湍流模型及2种壁面函数对温度场模拟的精度.由模拟与实验对比可知：可实现的k-ε湍流模型、增强型壁面函数更适合模拟热流场.利用CFD计算不同进出口尺寸及换热器与发动机间距对舱内温度场的影响,结果表明进出口尺寸对舱内最高温度影响较大.     

A dynamic methodology and associated tools to assess organizational capabilities

The assessment of organizational capabilities becomes a great challenge in extended and flexible organizations. This assessment is generally independent from the evaluation of operational results and could become isolated from the rest of the global performance system and face validity issues.     

A coupled model of water,heat and mass transfer using object orientation to improve flexibility and functionality

The challenge of our software development is to introduce user-friendly document-orientation and graphical features that are typical in Windows software and to retain the possibility of easily extending existing legacy Fortran code. Keys to this development were the use of five development tools and our special management of shared memory. Numerical development of the code was thus continued in Fortran while the newly introduced multiple-document interface allows the new graphical features that are considered more user friendly (e.g. tool bar, status bar, animation, etc.) can be further refined and adjusted using Visual C++6.0 and the MS Visual Studio. Object orientation makes it possible to include modules with different type of dependencies that restrict the user interface to the specific use of the model. A large number of sub-models are combined and all input/output data have been adapted to an object-oriented standard. Multiple-run features and built-in links to a common database are new important features.     

Industrial application of topology optimization for combined conductive and convective heat transfer problems

This paper presents an industrial application of topology optimization for combined conductive and convective heat transfer problems. The solution is based on a synergy of computer aided design and engineering software tools from Dassault Systèmes. The considered physical problem of steady-state heat transfer under convection is simulated using SIMULIA-Abaqus. A corresponding topology optimization feature is provided by SIMULIA-Tosca. By following a standard workflow of design optimization, the proposed solution is able to accommodate practical design scenarios and results in efficient conceptual design proposals. Several design examples with verification results are presented to demonstrate the applicability.     

A methodology to assess the upper extremity strength in a chair egress posture

In this paper a method is presented which can be used to analyse the force distribution resulting from the application of force on the left and right armrest of a chair during the action of sitting down or standing up. The peak data for both hands can be combined to obtain the maximum for a trial on a specific chair configuration. This method is useful to assess the upper extremity limitations of an elderly or disabled population when rising from a seated position. The method involved the instrumentation, with strain gauges, of armrests of a prototype lounge chair obtained from a manufacturer of seating for the elderly. Provision for hand placement was included and the system was appropriately calibrated. The methodology presented may have a variety of applications, such as the assessment of seating requirements for the elderly or disabled, and the relative evaluation of a range of seats for nursing homes, clinics, hospitals and rehabilitation or recreational lounges.     

Evaporation in microchannels: influence of the channel diameter on heat transfer

This paper discusses the effect of diameter on both flow boiling heat transfer and transition from macro to microchannel evaporation. A recently proposed three-zone flow boiling model based on evaporation of elongated bubbles in microchannels is briefly described and used for the present analysis. In the microscale range, the model predicts an increase in the two-phase heat transfer coefficient with a decrease of diameter for low values of vapor quality and a decrease of the heat transfer coefficient for larger values of vapor quality. This behavior is explained by the influence of the liquid film thickness, deposited periodically behind passing liquid slugs.     

Magnetohydrodynamic three-dimensional nonlinear convective flow of viscoelastic nanofluid with heat and mass flux conditions

The present research focuses on three-dimensional nonlinear convective flow of viscoelastic nanofluid. Here, the flow is generated due to stretching of a impermeable surface. The phenomenon of heat transport is analyzed by considering thermal radiation and prescribed heat flux condition. Nanofluid model comprises of Brownian motion and thermophoresis. An electrically conducting fluid is accounted due to consideration of an applied magnetic field. The dimensionless variables are introduced for the conversion of partial differential equations into sets of ordinary differential systems. The transformed expressions are explored through homotopic algorithm. Behavior of different dimensionless parameters on the non-dimensional velocities, temperature and concentration are scrutinized graphically. The values of skin friction coefficients, Nusselt and Sherwood numbers are also calculated and elaborated. It is visualized that the heat transfer rate increases with Prandtl number and radiation parameter is higher.

     

Virtual surfaces and the influence of cues to surface shape on grasp

This research compared grasps to real surfaces with grasps to virtual surfaces, and used virtual surfaces to examine the role of cues to surface shape in grasp. The first experiment investigated the kinematics of overhand grasps to real and virtual objects. The results showed that, compared with grasps to real surfaces, grasps to virtual objects were different in the deceleration phase of the grasp movement and were more variable in their endpoint position. The second experiment used several measures to examine the relationship between the visual perception of a surface and the decision to grasp the surface with either an over-or underhand grasp. It was found that visual perception of the surface was consistent with the grasping decision. The third experiment used virtual surfaces to examine how the removal of visual cues to shape affected the decision to switch from over- to underhand grasp. Results showed that the orientation at which the decision switched was dependent on the visual information content. Overall, the results showed that subtle differences existed between the reach to grasp movements towards real and virtual surfaces and that the decision to choose between grasp types was dependent on the visual information used to depict the virtual surface. These results are discussed in relation to the design and use of input devices to enable manipulation of three-dimensional objects in virtual worlds.     

A general methodology for data-based rule building and its application to natural disaster management

Risks derived from natural disasters have a deeper impact than the sole damage suffered by the affected zone and its population. Because disasters can affect geostrategic stability and international safety, developed countries invest a huge amount of funds to manage these risks. A large portion of these funds are channeled through United Nations agencies and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs), which at the same time are carrying out more and more complex operations. For these reasons, technological support for these actors is required, all the more so because the global economic crisis is placing emphasis on the need for efficiency and transparency in the management of (relatively limited) funds. Nevertheless, currently available sophisticated tools for disaster management do not fit well into these contexts because their infrastructure requirements usually exceed the capabilities of such organizations. In this paper, a general methodology for inductive rule building is described and applied to natural-disaster management. The application is a data-based, two-level knowledge decision support system (DSS) prototype which provides damage assessment for multiple disaster scenarios to support humanitarian NGOs involved in response to natural disasters. A validation process is carried out to measure the accuracy of both the methodology and the DSS.     

Use of the CABS methodology to assess biomechanical stress in commercial crab fishermen

Commercial fishing is a job characterized by long hours in an unpredictable, dynamic natural environment and variable demands placed on the musculoskeletal system, requiring strength, coordination, and endurance. The focus of this project was in the quantification of the biomechanical stresses placed on the lumbar spine during the work activities of commercial crab fishermen. The continuous assessment of back stress (CABS) methodology was used to develop distributions describing the amount of time that each of the crew members on a two- or three-man crabbing crew spend at various levels of low back stress. The results of this analysis, expressed in terms of time-weighted histograms, show significant inter and intra-crewmember variability in the stress measures during regular daily work activities. For the three man crew, the captain has relatively low stress levels throughout the work day, while the mate performs high force (up to 30 kg), dynamic exertions while pulling the crab pots from the water up into the boat and high loads (20-40 kg) during the loading and unloading of the boat in the morning and evening, respectively. The third man of the crew experiences static awkward postures (forward flexed postures held for up to 5 min at a time) as he sorts and packs the crabs. For the two-man crew, the results show a more even distribution of the high stress activities between the crewmembers. The application of the results of this analysis for prioritization of work tasks for ergonomic intervention is discussed.     

Evaluation methodology and metrics employed to assess the TRANSTAC two-way,speech-to-speech translation systems

One of the most difficult challenges that military personnel face when operating in foreign countries is clear and successful communication with the local population. To address this issue, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is funding academic institutions and industrial organizations through the Spoken Language Communication and Translation System for Tactical Use (TRANSTAC) program to develop practical machine translation systems. The goal of the TRANSTAC program is to demonstrate capabilities to rapidly develop and field free-form, two-way, speech-to-speech translation systems that enable speakers of different languages to communicate with one another in real-world tactical situations without an interpreter. Evaluations of these technologies are a significant part of the program and DARPA has asked the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to lead this effort. This article presents the experimental design of the TRANSTAC evaluations and the metrics, both quantitative and qualitative, that were used to comprehensively assess the systems’ performance.     

A two-dimensional study on natural convection and heat transfer in the enclosure with heat transfer and radiation coupled in natural convection

Numerical investigation using SIMPLE algorithm with QUICK scheme for natural convection and heat transfer in the enclosure bounded by a solid wall and with heat transfer and radiation coupled in natural convection has been conducted.The various parameters are:Rayleigh number(from 103 to 105),dimensionless conductivity of bounding wall(from 0 to 100),dimensionless wall thickness(from 0 to 0.6) and radiation emissivity of all surfaces(from 0 to 1).The results suggest that flow and heat transfer are influenced...     

A methodology for quantitative evaluation of local electrical conductivity: from micron to submicron

The local electrical conductivity of aluminum thin film with dimensions from micron to submicron was quantitatively measured by a four-point atomic force microscope (AFM) technique. The technique is a combination of the principles of four-point probe method and standard AFM. A silicon nitride based AFM probe with a V-shaped two-dimensional sliced structure tip was patterned by using conventional photolithography method. The probe was then etched to four parallel electrodes isolated from each other, for the purpose of performing current input and electrical potential drop measurement. The spacing between electrodes is smaller than 1.0 μm, which facilitates the quantitative electrical conductivity measurement of ultrathin film. The four-point AFM probe technique is capable of measuring surface topography together with local conductivity simultaneously. The technique was applied to a series of 99.999% aluminum thin films with thicknesses from micron to submicron. The repeatable measurements demonstrate the capability of this technique and its possible extension to be used for fast in situ electrical properties characterization of submicron interconnects that widely applied in nanosensors and nanodevices.     

A Hough transform for detecting the location and orientation ofthree-dimensional surfaces via color encoded spots

Video-rate three-dimensional (3-D) acquisition is desirable, in particular for capturing the mouth's shape when modeling the vocal tract. In a new structured light technique, scenes are illuminated by an array of circular spots which are color encoded to resolve spatial ambiguity. The position and shape of the imaged spots depend on the location and orientation of the illuminated 3-D surface. We present a novel 3-D Hough transform (HT) to detect 3-D surface location and orientation via the imaged spots, with voting constraints applied to maximize potential accuracy. This new technique is demonstrated to successfully extract the 3-D data for a moving face from images acquired at video-rate.     

Interactions of the surface heat and moisture transfer from the human body under varying climatic conditions and walking speeds

The surface heat and moisture transfer from the human body are normally characterized by the thermal insulation and moisture vapor resistance, which are important parameters in environmental engineering. In the past, due to the limitation of measurement technology, simultaneous measurement of these two parameters was not possible and hence there is a lack of clear understanding on the interaction of surface heat and moisture transfer. In this paper, through the experimental measurements on a newly developed sweating/non-sweating fabric manikin (named WALTER) under varying climatic conditions and "walking" speeds, we show that the surface thermal insulation is little affected by moisture transfer. The surface moisture vapor resistances measured under isothermal conditions tend to be greater than those measured under non-isothermal conditions, especially when the wind velocity is less than 2.0m/s. The Lewis Relation holds under non-isothermal conditions, but should be corrected under isothermal condition when the wind velocity is small.