Towards SoC Validation Through Prototyping: A Systematic Approach Based on Reconfigurable Platform

Hardware/software covalidation is becoming one of the most critical issues in current System-on-Chip (SoC) design. Nowadays, covalidation is usually performed by cosimulation which is slow and lacks accuracy. The other alternative is to build a hardware prototype specific to the application. However, this alternative is expensive in terms of time, man-power, and cost. As SoCs increase in complexity, validation becomes more and more difficult, time consuming and error prone. Thus, a new approach for covalidation is inescapable. In this paper, we present a novel efficient prototyping approach for complex SoC covalidation. The proposed approach enables systematic prototyping of embedded applications on a reconfigurable platform. The process starts from the RT level model of the application. The application and the reconfigurable platform have to be adapted to obtain the prototype. We decompose the prototyping process into four steps, in order to match the application and the platform. Besides, we propose adapted solutions to deal with constraints typically encountered in existing reconfigurable platforms. The main advantages of this method are: fast and accurate validation, systematic prototyping flow, and large application field. Prototyping of a subset of VDSL using the ARM Integrator platform illustrates the effectiveness of our approach.     

Energetic and exergetic aspects of cotton stalk production in establishing energy policies

Exergy analysis is important for energy resource utilization, because exergy, which is a way to a sustainable future, is a part of the energy analysis. Exergy analysis starts to play a role in several countries in developing energy policy. This paper deals with the exergetic assessment of the cotton stalk (CS) production. In this regard, Turkey, which is one of the eight countries producing 85% of the world's cotton, is given as an application country first. Energy and exergy relations used in the analysis are then presented. Finally, the Turkish CS production in 2003 is evaluated using energy and exergy analyses method, while the results obtained are discussed. The values for the net energy and exergy gained are obtained to be about 49,146 and 59,395 MJ/ha, respectively. Turkey's total energy and exergy are estimated to be 75.45 and 81.87 PJ. It may be concluded that this amount of energy is equal to 7.77% and 2.38% of Turkey's primary energy production and consumption in the same year, respectively. The overall mean energy and exergy efficiencies of the cotton production in the year studied are found to be 33.06% and 33.12%, respectively. It is also expected that the results of this study will be helpful in developing highly applicable and productive planning for energy policies.     

Metallic nanowire-graphene hybrid nanostructures for highly flexible field emission devices

We report a simple but efficient method to prepare metallic nanowire-graphene (MN-G) hybrid nanostructures at a low temperature and show its application to the fabrication of flexible field emission devices. In this method, a graphene layer was transferred onto an anodic alumina oxide template, and vertically aligned Au nanowires were grown on the graphene surface via electrodeposition method. As a proof of concept, we demonstrated the fabrication of flexible field emission devices, where the MN-G hybrid nanostructures and another graphene layer on PDMS substrates were utilized as a cathode and an anode for highly flexible devices, respectively. Our field emission device exhibited stable and high field emission currents even when bent down to the radius of curvature of 25 mm. This MN-G hybrid nanostructure should prove tremendous flexibility for various applications such as bio-chemical sensors, field emission devices, pressure sensors and battery electrodes.     

Finite element evaluation of clearance effect on tube-to-tubesheet joint strength

Tube-to-tubesheet joint strength is measured in terms of residual contact pressure between the tube's outer surface and the tubesheet hole surfaces. The joint integrity is affected by several design parameters, including the type of material and the initial radial clearance.

The present work complements an experimental program on the effect of over-tolerance on heat exchanger tube-to-tubesheet joint strength. Finite element analyses address the effect of initial clearance on contact pressure and percent tube wall reduction. Results show that for low strain hardening materials the initial clearance effect is negligible. However, higher levels of strain hardening have a significant effect on residual stress and percent wall reduction. For low clearances, the calculated residual contact pressure compares well with an analytical result and with that inferred from the experimentally measured pull out force. The variation of the percent wall reduction with initial clearance is found to be similar to that measured.     

Jitter‐minimized reliability‐maximized management of networks

We propose a joint optimization network management framework for quality‐of‐service (QoS) routing with resource allocation. Our joint optimization framework provides a convenient way of maximizing the reliability or minimizing the jitter delay of paths. Data traffic is sensitive to droppage at buffers, while it can tolerate jitter delay. On the other hand, multimedia traffic can tolerate loss but it is very sensitive to jitter delay. Depending on the type of data, our scheme provides a convenient way of selecting the parameters which result in either reliability maximization or jitter minimization. We solve the optimization problem for a GPS network and provide the optimal solutions. We find the values of control parameters which control the type of optimization performed. We use our analytical results in a multi‐objective QoS routing algorithm. Finally, we provide insights into our optimization framework using simulations. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Investigation of Concretions from the Baltic Sea

The composition and specific features of the dissolution of iron manganese concretions from the Baltic Sea are investigated using an echelle spectrometer and atomic absorption spectrometry. The concretion samples used in the analysis are treated in diluted solutions of hydrochloric and nitric acids with additives of hydrogen peroxide. The as-analyzed ratio Mn : Fe in the samples studied is equal to 1.7, which is an important characteristic of the ratio of d elements involved in concretions from the Baltic Sea. The results of the investigations performed can be used to develop more efficient methods for selective extraction of manganese from similar concretions and to determine the isotope content in noble gases of ancient artifact origin that survive in concretions of the World Ocean.     

Reduction Annealing for Cast Iron Powder and Its Effect on Sintered Antifriction Material Properties

The effect of reduction annealing for powder obtained from cast iron shavings on powder specimen properties is studied. An approximate mechanism is suggested for the oxidation-reduction process during annealing of cast iron powder. An increase in annealing temperature leads to an increase in carbon gasification rate and change in absolute powder weight. Prior reduction annealing for cast iron powder improves its compactability, and increases the mechanical properties of sintered material. The best mechanical properties were obtained for specimen made from cast iron powder reduced at 1000°C. Alloying an iron-cast iron charge with 3 mass% of nickel-chromium alloy leads to a marked improvement in the mechanical properties of a sintered composite.     

Energy and exergy analysis of Salihli geothermal district heating system in Manisa,Turkey

This study deals with an energy and exergy analysis of Salihli geothermal district heating system (SGDHS) in Manisa, Turkey. In the analysis, actual system data are used to assess the district heating system performance, energy and exergy efficiencies, specific exergy index, exergetic improvement potential and exergy losses. Energy and exergy losses throughout the SGDHS are quantified and illustrated in the flow diagram. The exergy losses in the system, particularly due to the fluid flow, take place in the pumps and the heat exchanger, as well as the exergy losses of the thermal water (e.g. geothermal fluid) and the natural direct discharge of the system. As a result, the total exergy losses account for 2.22, 17.88 and 20.44%, respectively, of the total exergy input to the entire SGDHS. The overall energy and exergy efficiencies of the SGDHS components are also studied to evaluate their individual performances and determined to be 55.5 and 59.4%, respectively. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.