A study on squeal noise reduction considering the pad shape of the disc brake system for urban railway vehicles

Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology - In this paper, to help reduce the squeal noise produced during the braking of urban railway vehicles, the shape of the disc brake pad was investigated...     

Corrosion and time dependent passivation of Al 5052 in the presence of H<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>2</Subscript>

Corrosion and time–dependent oxide film growth on AA5052 Aluminum alloy in 0.25M Na₂SO₄ solution containing H₂O₂ was studied using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, potentiodynamic polarization, chronoamperometric and open circuit potential monitoring. It was found that sequential addition of H₂O₂ provokes passivation of AA5052 which ultimately thickens the oxide film and brings slower corrosion rates for AA5052. H2O2 facilitates kinetics of oxide film growth on AA 5052 at 25° and 60 °C which is indicative of formation of a thick barrier film that leads to an increment in the charge transfer resistance. Pitting incubation time increases by introduction of H₂O₂ accompanied by lower pitting and smoother surface morphologies. At short exposure (up to 8 h) to H₂O₂–containing solution, the inductive response at low frequencies predominantly determined the corrosion mechanism of AA5052. On the other hand, at prolonged exposure times (more than 24 h) to 0.25M Na₂SO₄+1vol% H₂O₂ solution, thicker oxide layers resulted in the mixed inductive–Warburg elements in the spectra.     

Analysis of performance for centrifugal steam compressor

In this study, mean streamline and Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analyses were performed to investigate the performance of a small centrifugal steam compressor using a latent heat recovery technology. The results from both analysis methods showed good agreement. The compression ratio and efficiency of steam were found to be related with those of air by comparing the compression performances of both gases. Thus, the compression performance of steam could be predicted by the compression performance of air using the developed dimensionless parameters.     

Analysis of vehicle rollover using multibody dynamics

This study reports on the analysis of vehicle deformation due to rollover using multi-body dynamics which enables estimating motions of rigid bodies subjected to external forces. For the vehicle rollover analysis using the ADAMS, we have developed a FEA-based numerical vehicle model consisting of a rigid lower body and a deformable upper body. Here, comprehensive analysis of the static and dynamic roof strength resistance of a vehicle using our prediction model is described. We obtain the displacement of A-pillar top-end of a vehicle for each of the static and dynamic tests according to the FMVSS 216 protocol and the Controlled rollover impact system (CRIS) condition, respectively. The displacement of A-pillar top-end represents the roof intrusion causing injuries for passengers in the front seats, thereby evaluating the Strength to weight ratio (SWR) of a vehicle.

     

Developing a big data analytics platform for manufacturing systems: architecture,method, and implementation

Manufacturing industries have recently promoted smart manufacturing (SM) for achieving intelligence, connectedness, and responsiveness of manufacturing objects consisting of man, machine, and material. Traditional manufacturing platforms, which identify generic frameworks where common functionalities are shareable and diverse applications are workable, mainly focused on remote collaboration, distributed control, and data integration; however, they are limited to incorporating those characteristic achievements. The present work introduces an SM-toward manufacturing platform. The proposed platform incorporates the capabilities of (1) virtualization of manufacturing objects for their autonomy and cooperation, (2) processing of real and various manufacturing data for mediating physical and virtual objects, and (3) data-driven decision-making for predictive planning on those objects. For such capabilities, the proposed platform advances the framework of Holonic Manufacturing Systems with the use of agent technology. It integrates a distributed data warehouse to encompass data specification, storage, processing, and retrieval. It applies a data analytics approach to create empirical decision-making models based on real and historical data. Furthermore, it uses open and standardized data interfaces to embody interoperable data exchange across shop floors and manufacturing applications. We present the architecture and technical methods for implementing the proposed platform. We also present a prototype implementation to demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of the platform in energy-efficient machining.     

Synthesis and Luminescence Properties of Blue‐Emitting Phosphor Eu2+‐Doped Zinc Fluoro‐Phosphate Zn2[PO4]F

Eu²⁺‐doped zinc fluoro‐phosphate Zn₂[PO₄]F was synthesized by the conventional high‐temperature solid‐state reaction. The phase formation was confirmed by X‐ray powder diffraction measurements and the structure refinement. The photoluminescence excitation and emission spectra, and the decay curves were measured. The natures of the Eu²⁺ emission in inorganic hosts, e.g., the emission and excitation properties, the chromaticity coordinates, the Stokes shifts, the absolute quantum efficiency, and the luminescence thermal stability were reported. Under the excitation of near‐UV light, Eu²⁺‐doped Zn₂[PO₄]F presents a narrow blue‐emitting band centered at 423 nm. The thermal stability of the blue luminescence was evaluated by the luminescence intensities as a function of temperature. The phosphor shows an excellent thermal stability on temperature quenching effects.     

Analyses of structurally modified quasi‐solid‐state electrolytes using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy for dye‐sensitized solar cells

Electrochemical properties of structurally modified quasi‐solid‐state electrolytes were examined using porous substrates (PSs). The PS was prepared into two categories by a phase inversion method with a brominated poly(phenylene oxide) (BPPO): the sponge and finger types. Effects of the humidification and cosolvent compositions on the morphology of the PS were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy. In all cases of the PSs, a higher V_OC was observed of about 0.1 V than that of a liquid electrolyte owing to a suppressed back electron charge transfer. In addition, the PS prepared by the polymer solution of 1 : 4 : 1 (BPPO : N‐methyl‐2‐pyrrolidone : butyl alcohol) with the humidification process showed better photovoltaic properties in terms of the current density and conversion efficiency owing to the appropriate combinations of pore size, tortuosity, and interconnectivity. Effects of the pore structures were intensively examined using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The impedance results revealed that large pores at the surface layers are advantageous for a lower R_S and R_TiO2. Meanwhile, the straight inner structure is beneficial for the facile I^?/I₃^? diffusion, thus lowering R_Pt. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014 , 131, 39739.     

Low‐Temperature Sintering and Piezoelectric Properties of CuO‐Added KNbO3 Ceramics

Dielectric and piezoelectric properties of CuO‐added KNbO₃ (KN) ceramics were investigated. The CuO reacted with the Nb₂O₅, formed a CuO–Nb₂O₅‐related liquid phase during the sintering, and assisted the densification of the KN ceramics at low temperatures. Moreover, some of the Cu²⁺ ions replaced the Nb⁵⁺ ions in the matrix and behaved as a hardener. The dielectric and piezoelectric properties of the KN ceramics were considerably influenced by the relative density. The 1.0 mol% CuO‐added KN ceramic sintered at 960°C for 1.0 h, which showed a maximum relative density, exhibited a high phase angle of 86.9°, P_r of 14.8 μC/cm², and E_c of 1.8 kV/mm. This specimen also exhibited good dielectric and piezoelectric properties: ε^T₃₃/ε_o of 364, d₃₃ of 122 pC/N, k_p of 0.29, and Q_m of 611.     

Fabrication of Titanium Bipolar Plates by Rubber Forming Process and Evaluation Characteristics of TiN coated Titanium Bipolar Plates

In this study, the rubber forming process is used to fabricate a micro‐channel titanium plate for a PEM fuel cell. The micro‐channel plate is fabricated using a 200 ton hydraulic press, and various parameters (punch speed, press pressure, rubber thickness, rubber hardness) are investigated in order to evaluate the formability. TiN films are deposited by reactive DC magnetron sputtering (DCMS) with an electromagnetic field system (EMFS). For the uncoated titanium and TiN‐coated titanium substrates, the hardness, surface roughness, and corrosion resistance are estimated by nano‐indentation and electrochemical methods, respectively. The improved corrosion resistance of the TiN films can be attributed to the densification of the film caused by enhancement of nitrification with increasing high reactive nitrogen radicals. The uncoated titanium and TiN‐coated titanium bipolar plates are combined with a unit cell for a performance test, and respective current densities of 0.396 and 0.888 A cm⁻² at 0.6 V are obtained.