Subset simulation method including fitness-based seed selection for reliability analysis

Probability estimation of rare events is a challenging task in the reliability theory. Subset simulation (SS) is a robust simulation technique that transforms a rare event into a sequence of multiple intermediate failure events with large probabilities and efficiently approximates the mentioned probability. Proper handling of a reliability problem by this method requires employing a suitable sampling approach to transmit samples toward the failure set. Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) is a suitable sampling approach that solves the SS transition phase using the failed sample of each simulation level as the seed of next samples. This paper is aimed to study the seed selection effect on the SS accuracy through several seed selection approaches inspired by the genetic algorithm and particle filter and using the main PDF of the variables to assign a mass function probability to each subset sample in the failure domain. Roulette wheel (I, II), tournament and proportional probability techniques are then employed to choose the weighed samples as seeds to be placed in the MCMC to transmit the samples. To examine the capability of each approach, reliabilities of some engineering problems were investigated and results showed that the proposed approaches could find proper failure sets better than the original SS method, especially in problems with several failure domains.

     

Phosphonated graphene oxide with high electrocatalytic performance for vanadium redox flow battery

Development of more efficient electrodes is essential to improve the competitiveness of vanadium redox flow battery (VRFB) systems. Covalent functionalization of carbon structure in graphene oxide with phosphonic acid groups was carried out to enhance the electrode wettability. The phosphonated graphene oxide (P-GO) was characterized and found displaying an improved electrocatalytic performance towards electrooxidation/electroreduction of vanadium ion pairs. The defect in P-GO structure increased the negative charge density on the surface leading to higher vanadium ions tendency for electrooxidation/electroreduction reactions. The battery performance was evaluated using electrodes made of carbon felt hosted GO and P-GO in a single cell VRFB and 180 charge-discharge cycles were recorded. The VRFB with P-GO displayed an improved performance and stable coulombic, voltage and energy efficiency compared to VRFB with GO.     

Performance Analysis of Location Based Smart Catastrophe Monitoring System Using WSN

Wireless Personal Communications - Sudden accident in factories causes huge damage to human life and property which is a serious problem. The fire incident of Baldia Town factory Karachi, Pakistan...     

Influence of particle size on spin switching properties and magnetoelectric coupling in SmFeO<Subscript>3</Subscript>

Controlling the magnetic properties of a material is of great importance for spintronics and magnetoelastic devices. We studied effect of reduced particle size on structural, dielectric and magnetic properties of SmFeO₃ nanoparticles prepared by co-precipitation method (SFO-C) and by combustion (SFO-S). Reduced particle size modified interesting magnetic features of SmFeO₃. Temperature dependent magnetic study reveal significant enhancement in magnetization reversal temperature and drop in spin reorientation transition temperature. The signature of spin reorientation transition for SFO-C (~?300 nm) is marked at ~?450 K, while this temperature drops down to ~?400 K for SFO-C (~?50 nm). The magnetization reversal temperature is achieved at 30.5 K for SFO-C, much higher than 4 K, reported for the single crystal and bulk SmFeO₃. The presence significant anomalies in the temperature dependent dielectric behavior of SmFeO₃ samples across spin reorientation transition temperature indicate magneto electrical coupling. Strong exchange–bias effect is observed at low temperature for both the samples. The lowering of spin reorientation/switching transition temperature due to reduction in particle size and the signature of magnetoelectric coupling at this temperature are useful for room temperature devices. The observed experimental results establish that the spin switching properties of SmFeO₃ can be modified for practical applications in devices.     

Numerical simulations of ultrathin CdTe solar cells with a ZnxCd1−xS window layer and a Cu2O hole transport layer

CdTe solar cells are investigated using a solar cell capacitance simulator software. First, a conventional fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO)/i-SnO₂/CdS/CdTe structure is simulated using input experimental data to verify the simulation process. To make the cell more economical, the thickness of the CdTe layer is decreased, resulting in a degradation of the device performance. To decrease the minority-carrier recombination loss of the designed structure, a p-type Cu₂O layer is exploited at the back contact as a hole transport electron blocking layer (HT–EBL). To address the performance degradation, a ZnS/CdS bilayer is used as the window layer. The interdiffusion of Cd into the ZnS due to annealing treatment and the formation of Zn_xCd_1?xS compound are also studied. Cell parameters include the thickness, doping concentration, and carrier lifetime are then optimized to enhance the power conversion efficiency (PCE). The proposed FTO/i-SnO₂/Zn_0.5Cd_0.5S/CdTe/Cu₂O configuration shows the best PCE of 17.5%, short-circuit current density (J_sc) of 27.8 mA/cm², open-circuit voltage (V_oc) of 0.87 V, and fill factor of 72.34% under AM1.5G illumination.

     

A framework for coupled consolidation-desiccation behaviour of clay slurries

A framework is proposed to understand coupled consolidation-desiccation in clay slurries using effective stress and soil suction as state variables. Constitutive surfaces were derived from best-fit equations for reference curves where one state variable was kept at 1 kPa and the other was varied up to 10~6 kPa.Results indicated that volume compressibility comprises of apparent pre-consolidation up to 100 kPa beyond which a single best-fit curve is valid. Similarly, the theoretical virgin compression line(specific gravity dependant), indicated that both state variables have the same effect up to the air entry value(1000 kPa at a void ratio of 1.8) beyond which void ratio reduces more readily under effective stress than under soil suction. Likewise, hydraulic conductivity remained saturated up to the air entry value and varied from 10~(-9)m/s to 10~(-12)m/s. Finally, the unsaturated hydraulic conductivity correlated well with empirical relationship up to 10~(-14) m/s bevond which vapor flow became dominant.