A Recursive Frequency Estimator Using Linear Prediction and a Kalman-Filter-Based Iterative Algorithm

This paper proposes a new Kalman-filter-based recursive frequency estimator for discrete-time multicomponent sinusoidal signals whose frequencies may be time-varying. The frequency estimator is based on the linear prediction approach and it employs the Kalman filter to track the linear prediction coefficients (LPCs) recursively. Frequencies of the sinusoids can then be computed using the estimated LPCs. Due to the coloredness of the linear prediction error, an iterative algorithm is employed to estimate the covariance matrix of the prediction error and the LPCs alternately in the Kalman filter in order to improve the tracking performance. Simulation results show that the proposed Kalman-filter-based iterative frequency estimator can achieve better tracking results than the conventional recursive least-squares-based estimators.     

Onset of buoyancy-driven convection in melting from below

When a horizontal homogeneous solid is melted from below, convection can be induced in a thermally unstable melt layer. In this study the onset of buoyancy-driven convection during time-dependent melting is investigated by using similarly transformed disturbance equations. The critical Rayleigh numbers based on the melt-layer thickness are found numerically for various conditions. For small superheats, the present predictions approach the well known results of classical Rayleigh-Bénard problems, that is, critical Rayleigh numbers are located between 1,296 and 1,708, regardless of the Prandtl number. However, for high superheats the critical Rayleigh number increases with an increase in phase change rate but with decrease in Prandtl number.     

Cyclic oxidation response of multiphase niobium-based alloys

Cyclic oxidation tests were performed on multiphase Nb-based alloys containing silicide, Laves, and Nb solid solution phases. In particular, the oxidation resistance of six alloys with various compositions (Nb, Ti, Hf, Cr, Ge, and Si) and microstructures was characterized by thermal cycling from ambient temperature to a peak temperature that ranges from 900 °C to 1400 °C. Weight change data were obtained and the corresponding spalled oxides were collected and identified by X-ray diffraction. The results indicated that Nb-based alloys formed a mixture of CrNbO₄, Nb₂O₅, and Nb₂O₅ · TiO₂, with possibly small amounts of SiO₂ or GeO₂. The oxidation resistance was improved when CrNbO₄ formed instead of Nb₂O₅ and Nb₂O₅ · TiO₂. These results were used to assess the influence of microstructure and composition on the oxidation resistance of multiphase Nb-based alloys.     

Ice-slurry production using direct contact heat transfer

An ice slurry generation system was developed using direct contact heat transfer between water and the coolant, Fluroinert FC-84. The location of the coolant nozzle is an important design consideration to avoid clogging due to freezing of water. An ice fraction of up to about 40 percent was obtained with the nozzle located at the bottom of the ice slurry tank and the jet directed upwards into the water. Two simplified model were developed to extract the heat transfer coefficient between the coolant drops and the water. The first model requires as input the average drop diameter and the residence time while the second model uses the measured drop diameter distribution. The estimated heat transfer coefficients are much smaller than those computed using single-sphere correlations.     

Control of calcium hexaluminate grain morphology in in-situ toughened ceramic composites

The influence of processing conditions on the morphology of calcium hexaluminate (CA₆) grains in Al₂O₃: 30 vol% CaO·6Al₂O₃ (CA₆) ceramic composites was investigated. Specimens were prepared by in-situ reaction sintering using precursor powders of alumina, and either calcium carbonate or calcium oxide. In some samples, 1 vol% anorthite glass was added as a sintering aid. X-ray diffraction was used to study the phase development in the as-calcined and sintered states. The resultant microstructures were characterized using both scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and imaging secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). It was found that the CA₆ grains developed a platelike morphology when CaCO₃ was used as the starting calcium-rich powder. In contrast, samples prepared using CaO resulted in equiaxed CA₆ grains. This result was observed to be independent of the anorthite glass addition. The findings are rationalized in terms of distinct CA₆ reaction mechanisms, resulting from differences in the reactivity of the powders during the early stages of calcining.Cement Nomenclature C CaO - A Al₂O₃     

An eight‐node hybrid‐stress solid‐shell element for geometric non‐linear analysis of elastic shells

This paper presents eight‐node solid‐shell elements for geometric non‐linear analysis of elastic shells. To subdue shear, trapezoidal and thickness locking, the assumed natural strain method and an ad hoc modified generalized laminate stiffness matrix are employed. A selectively reduced integrated element is formulated with its membrane and bending shear strain components taken to be constant and equal to the ones evaluated at the element centroid. With the generalized stresses arising from the modified generalized laminate stiffness matrix assumed to be independent from the ones obtained from the displacement, an extended Hellinger–Reissner functional can be derived. By choosing the assumed generalized stresses similar to the assumed stresses of a previous solid element, a hybrid‐stress solid‐shell element is formulated. Commonly employed geometric non‐linear homogeneous and laminated shell problems are attempted and our results are close to those of other state‐of‐the‐art elements. Moreover, the hybrid‐stress element converges more readily than the selectively reduced integrated element in all benchmark problems. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.