A coupled near and far wake model for wind turbine aerodynamics

In this paper, an aerodynamic model consisting of a lifting line‐based trailed vorticity model and a blade element momentum (BEM) model is described. The focus is on the trailed vorticity model, which is based on the near wake model (NWM) by Beddoes and has been extended to include the effects of downwind convection and to enable a faster and more accurate computation of the induction, especially close to the blade root and tip. The NWM is introduced to model the detailed steady and unsteady induction from the first part of the trailed vorticity behind the individual rotor blades. The model adds a radial coupling between the blade sections and provides a computation of tip loss effects that depends on the actual blade geometry and the respective operating point. Moreover, the coupling of the NWM with a BEM theory‐based far wake model is presented. To avoid accounting for the near wake induction twice, the induction from the BEM model is reduced by a coupling factor, which is continuously updated during the computation to ensure a good behavior of the model in varying operating conditions. The coupled near and far wake model is compared with a simple prescribed wake lifting line model, a BEM model and full rotor computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to evaluate the steady‐state results in different cases. The model is shown to deliver good results across the whole operation range of the NREL 5‐MW reference wind turbine. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Influence of Thermo‐Mechanical Processing Parameters and Chemical Composition on Bake Hardening Ability of Hot Rolled Martensitic Steels

In recent years, the increasing demand for advanced high‐strength steels (AHSS) has mainly been driven by the automotive industry and the need to reduce weight and to improve safety. Besides good ductility and high strength, AHSS have a high bake hardening and ageing effect, giving additional contribution to the strength of structural parts, subjected to the paint baking process. This paper investigates their bake hardening behaviour in dependence of hot rolling parameters and chemical composition, however, focussing on martensitic steels. Tosimulate the finishing steps of the hot rolling process with slight changes in reduction and temperature and their influence on the final mechanical properties of hot rolled martensitic steels, different thermo‐mechanical paths were applied. The increase in strength due to bake hardening was determined for different thermo‐mechanical schedules. Additionally, samples of different chemical compositions within the characteristic industrial tolerance range were studied under variation of pre‐load conditions, simulating the thermo‐mechanical hot rolling process. The samples were then subjected to bake hardening to study the varying chemical composition on this effect. Furthermore, the local use of bake hardening and ageing in hot rolled multiphase steels was investigated. It could be shown that characteristic values integrally describing the ageing effect, depend on the deformation path and the degree of pre‐strain, as well as on temperature and duration of the subsequent heat treatment. This partial ageing is stable and has a potential to be used for local strengthening of the steels.     

Das Zügelgurt‐Fachwerk über die Mulde in Wurzen – eine Revision nach Entwurf und Ausführung

The bridle‐chord truss bridge across the river Mulde near Wurzen, Germany – a review after design and construction. At the crossing of the federal highway B6 across the river Mulde near the town Wurzen, a composite bridge with a bridle‐chord truss was adopted as design solution. With the Mulde Bridge, the in historic times often used structure type of the bridle‐chord truss was developed farther in certain essential respects. The truss was designed as a one plane structure in the medial strip of the highway and furthermore, the truss was designed strongly curved, following the curvature of the alignment. The experiences made during design and execution are presented and alternatively possible solutions, construction types and building procedures are discussed.     

Organic solar cells incorporating buffer layers from indium doped zinc oxide nanoparticles

Monodisperse, indium doped zinc oxide (IZO) nanoparticles were prepared via the polyol-mediated synthesis and incorporated into regular and inverted poly-(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl) and [6,6]-phenyl C₆₁-butyric acid methyl ester organic photovoltaic devices as buffer layers between the active layer and the cathode. Efficient hole blocking at the particle buffer layers leads to an enhanced open-circuit voltage of the solar cells. This effect is even more pronounced for inverted device architectures. Device degradation studies revealed a solar cell performance reduction upon sample exposition to ambient atmosphere. However, this degradation is fully reversible under UV illumination. In addition, the n-doped IZO particles form suitable charge carrier transport layers for an efficient recombination in an intermediate recombination zone in tandem solar cells. Accordingly we have fabricated fully solution-processed tandem solar cells and investigated their optoelectronic properties.     

Investigation of the load reduction potential of two trailing edge flap controls using CFD

In this work, a 2D aero‐servo‐elastic model of an airfoil section with 3 degrees of freedom (DOF) based on the 2D CFD solver EllipSys2D to calculate the aerodynamic forces is utilized to calculate the load reduction potential of an airfoil equipped with an adaptive trailing edge flap (ATEF) and subjected to a turbulent inflow signal. The employed airfoil model corresponds to a successfully tested prototype airfoil where piezoelectric actuators were used for the flapping. In the present investigation two possible control methods for the flap are compared in their ability to reduce the fluctuating normal forces on the airfoil due to a 4 s turbulent inflow signal and the best location of the measurement point for the respective control input is determined. While Control 1 uses the measurements of a Pitot tube mounted in front of the leading edge (LE) as input, Control 2 uses the pressure difference between the pressure and suction side of the airfoil measured at a certain chord position. Control 1 achieves its maximum load reduction of R_Std(Fy) = 76.7% for the shortest Pitot tube of the test, i.e. a Pitot tube with a length of 0.05% of the chord length. Control 2 shows the highest load reduction of R_Std(Fy) = 77.7% when the pressure difference is measured at a chord position of approximately 15%. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Biosilica-glass formation using enzymes from sponges [silicatein]: Basic aspects and application in biomedicine [bone reconstitution material and osteoporosis]

In the last 15 years biomineralization, in particular biosilicification (i.e., the formation of biogenic silica, SiO₂), has become an exciting source of inspiration for the development of novel bionic approaches, following “Nature as model”. Among the silica forming organisms there are the sponges that have the unique property to catalyze their silica skeletons by a specific enzyme termed silicatein. In the present review we summarize the present state of knowledge on silicatein-mediated “biosilica” formation in marine sponges, the involvement of further molecules in silica metabolism and their potential application in biomedicine. Recent advancements in the production of bone replacement material and in the potential use as a component in the treatment of osteoporosis are highlighted.     

Impacts of forebrain neuronal glycine transporter 1 disruption in the senescent brain: Evidence for age-dependent phenotypes in Pavlovian learning.

Genetic deletion of glycine transporter 1 (GlyT1) in forebrain neurons gives rise to multiple-procognitive phenotypes, presumably due to enhanced N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) functions. However, concerns over possible harmful excitotoxic effects under lifelong elevation of synaptic glycine have been raised. Such effects might accelerate the aging process, weakening or even reversing the procognitive phenotypes identified in adulthood. Here, we examined if one of the most robust phenotypes in the mutant mouse line (CamKIIαCre;GlyT1tm1.2fl/fI), namely, enhanced aversive Pavlovian conditioning, might be modified by age. Comparison between 3-month-old (adult) and 22-month-old (aged) mutants confirmed the presence of this phenotype at both ages. However, the temporal expression of the Pavlovian phenotype was modified in senescence; while adult mutants showed a pronounced within-session extinction, aged mutants did not. Expression of NR2B subunits of NMDAR and neural proliferation were examined in the same animals by immunohistochemistry. These were reduced in the aged mice as expected, but not exacerbated by the mutation. Thus, our results do not substantiate the concerns of neurotoxic effects through lifelong GlyT1 disruption in forebrain neurons, but provide evidence for a modification of phenotypic expression as a function of age. The latter points to the need to further investigate other procognitive phenotypes identified at adulthood in this mutant line. In addition, we revealed here for the first time a clear increase in the number of immature neurons in the hippocampus of the mutants, although the behavioral significance of this phenotype remains to be determined. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Depth-Dependent Dispersion Coefficient for Modeling of Vertical Solute Exchange in a Lake Bed under Surface Waves

Variable pressure at the sediment/water interface due to surface water waves can drive advective flows into or out of the lake bed, thereby enhancing solute transfer between lake water and pore water in the lake bed. To quantify this advective transfer, the two-dimensional (2D) advection-dispersion equation in a lake bed has been solved with spatially and temporally variable pressure at the bed surface. This problem scales with two dimensionless parameters: a “dimensionless wave speed” (W) and a “relative dispersivity” (λ). Solutions of the 2D problem were used to determine a depth-dependent “vertically enhanced dispersion coefficient” (DE) that can be used in a 1D pore-water quality model which in turn can be easily coupled with a lake water quality model. Results of this study include a relationship between DE and the depth below the bed surface for W>50 and λ ? 0.1. The computational results are compared and validated against a set of laboratory measurements. An application shows that surface waves may increase the sediment oxygen uptake rate in a lake by two orders of magnitude.