Genetic approach to the minimization of the coupling between aircraft antennas

In this study, the optimization of the electromagnetic interference (EMI) induced by two aircraft onboard VHF–UHF transreceiver antennas is aimed. The EMI reduction is implemented by varying the antenna positions and orientations. The transreceiver antennas are modelled as single monopole antennas therefore the problem is reduced to antenna-to-antenna coupling optimization. The Method of Moments (MoM) is selected for the EMI analysis and the continuous parameter Genetic Algorithm (CPGA) is chosen for the optimization method. The results of the numerical analysis are verified by the measurement on a 1:10 scaled model in an anechoic chamber.     

Behaviour ofYersinia enterocolitica andAeromonas hydrophila in skim milk during fermentation by various lactobacilli

In this study, behaviour ofYersinia enterocolitica andAeromonas hydrophila in skim milk during fermentation by various_{lactobacillus} sp. were determined. pH values of the skim milk samples were also examined during fermentation. The amount of produced lactic acid and diacetyl/acetoin productions of theLactobacillus sp. were estimated. Antimicrobial effects of the lactobacilli onY. enterocolitica andA. hydrophila were also determined by an agar diffusion method. WhileY. enterocolitica was not inhibited and grew during fermentation,A. hydrophila was inhibited, in part, and the growth was retarded. Results were supported by the agar diffusion method forY. enterocolitica, whereas inhibition activity was not found forA. hydrophila. The highest lactic acid productions were estimated inL. bulgaricus (7.50 mg/ml) andL. acidophilus (5.63 mg/ml) and four out of sixLactobacillus sp. were found to be diacetyl/acetoin producers.     

Fluid–structure interaction modeling of ringsail parachutes

In this paper, we focus on fluid–structure interaction (FSI) modeling of ringsail parachutes, where the geometric complexity created by the “rings” and “sails” used in the construction of the parachute canopy poses a significant computational challenge. It is expected that NASA will be using a cluster of three ringsail parachutes, referred to as the “mains”, during the terminal descent of the Orion space vehicle. Our FSI modeling of ringsail parachutes is based on the stabilized space–time FSI (SSTFSI) technique and the interface projection techniques that address the computational challenges posed by the geometric complexities of the fluid–structure interface. Two of these interface projection techniques are the FSI Geometric Smoothing Technique and the Homogenized Modeling of Geometric Porosity. We describe the details of how we use these two supplementary techniques in FSI modeling of ringsail parachutes. In the simulations we report here, we consider a single main parachute, carrying one third of the total weight of the space vehicle. We present results from FSI modeling of offloading, which includes as a special case dropping the heat shield, and drifting under the influence of side winds.     

Properties of autoclaved lightweight aggregate concrete

Many researches have been carried out on production and properties of pre-cast concretes. Currently, most of them have focused on normal concrete, and are unable to completely represent the behavior of lightweight concrete (LWC). In this study, physical and mechanical properties of LWC produced with diatomite and pumice lightweight aggregates after autoclave curing were investigated. In the production of LWC, 0–4 mm maximum sizes of aggregates were used. Cement content and water/cement ratio were kept at 300 kg/m³ and 0.20, respectively. The specimens were prepared in 50×100 mm cylindrical shape, and after 24 h of demoulding exposed to autoclave curing for 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 h. Besides, two different cures were applied on the specimens as in water and in air at 20 °C±2, respectively. At the end of autoclaving and environmental cure, compressive strength in 7, 28 and 590 d, unit weight, specific porosity, thermal conductivity and water absorption were tested. Also, microstructures of LWC produced with diatomite and pumice aggregate were investigated. As a result, it is concluded that by autoclaving of specimens in 8–10 h, especially, compressive strength of specimens have increased 75% of strength of 28 aged specimens cured in water.     

Impact of second harmonic injection on the linearity and linear gain of RF/microwave amplifiers

This article reviews the development and applications of harmonic injection technique. It discusses the impact of second harmonic injection on the linearity and linear gain of amplifiers. It reveals that amplifier characteristics and input drive level determine whether second harmonic injection enhances or reduces the linear gain of an amplifier. Furthermore, a method has been developed to predict this behaviour which can be used to identify amplifiers that are best suited to harmonic injection or build amplifiers that may particularly be used with harmonic injection. For experimental investigation, a second harmonic injected amplifier was used that employs a frequency-doubler. In laboratory experiments, third-order intermodulation distortion was suppressed by 18?dB at the expense of 0.7?dB linear gain whereas theoretical analysis has predicted that second harmonic injection could compromise the linear gain of the amplifier by up to 1.3?dB for 20?dB distortion suppression.     

A review: Exergy analysis of PEM and PEM fuel cell based CHP systems

In recent years, growing attention has been given to new alternative energy sources and exergy analysis since fossil fuels cause emissions that have some negative impacts on earth such as global warming, greenhouse effect etc. New power generation systems have been developed in order to reduce or eliminate these impacts as possible. So that, new alternative energy systems have been taken place instead of fossil fuel based systems with nearly zero emission levels. One of them is solid polymer electrolyte or proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell. Although it has significant advantages, there are some disadvantages such as cost, and hydrogen is not a fuel that can be easily obtained. For these reasons, efficiency of a PEM fuel cell has a great significance. Energy efficiency of a system is the most important parameter for utilization. But, energy analysis does not always show the capacity to do work potential of energy of a system. Exergy analysis must be investigated for a system in order to see available work of the system. Because of disadvantages of the PEM fuel cell, exergy analysis has quite importance. In this paper PEM fuel cell and exergy analysis of PEM fuel cell are combined and investigated. A detailed review of the past and recent research activities has been documented. The review focuses on exergy analysis of both PEM fuel cells and PEM based combined heat and power (CHP) systems at different operating parameters. It is concluded that there are a lot of parameters which effects the exergy efficiencies of systems.     

Methods for parallel computation of complex flow problems

This paper is an overview of some of the methods developed by the Team for Advanced Flow Simulation and Modeling (TAFSM) [http://www.mems.rice.edu/TAFSM/] to support flow simulation and modeling in a number of “Targeted Challenges”. The “Targeted Challenges” include unsteady flows with interfaces, fluid–object and fluid–structure interactions, airdrop systems, and air circulation and contaminant dispersion. The methods developed include special numerical stabilization methods for compressible and incompressible flows, methods for moving boundaries and interfaces, advanced mesh management methods, and multi-domain computational methods. We include in this paper a number of numerical examples from the simulation of complex flow problems.     

Space–time fluid mechanics computation of heart valve models

Fluid mechanics computation of heart valves with an interface-tracking (moving-mesh) method was one of the classes of computations targeted in introducing the space–time (ST) interface tracking method with topology change (ST-TC). The ST-TC method is a new version of the Deforming-Spatial-Domain/Stabilized ST (DSD/SST) method. It can deal with an actual contact between solid surfaces in flow problems with moving interfaces, while still possessing the desirable features of interface-tracking methods, such as better resolution of the boundary layers. The DSD/SST method with effective mesh update can already handle moving-interface problems when the solid surfaces are in near contact or create near TC, if the “nearness” is sufficiently “near” for the purpose of solving the problem. That, however, is not the case in fluid mechanics of heart valves, as the solid surfaces need to be brought into an actual contact when the flow has to be completely blocked. Here we extend the ST-TC method to 3D fluid mechanics computation of heart valve models. We present computations for two models: an aortic valve with coronary arteries and a mechanical aortic valve. These computations demonstrate that the ST-TC method can bring interface-tracking accuracy to fluid mechanics of heart valves, and can do that with computational practicality.     

FSI modeling of the reefed stages and disreefing of the Orion spacecraft parachutes

Orion spacecraft main and drogue parachutes are used in multiple stages, starting with a “reefed” stage where a cable along the parachute skirt constrains the diameter to be less than the diameter in the subsequent stage. After a period of time during the descent, the cable is cut and the parachute “disreefs” (i.e. expands) to the next stage. Fluid–structure interaction (FSI) modeling of the reefed stages and disreefing involve computational challenges beyond those in FSI modeling of fully-open spacecraft parachutes. These additional challenges are created by the increased geometric complexities and by the rapid changes in the parachute geometry during disreefing. The computational challenges are further increased because of the added geometric porosity of the latest design of the Orion spacecraft main parachutes. The “windows” created by the removal of panels compound the geometric and flow complexity. That is because the Homogenized Modeling of Geometric Porosity, introduced to deal with the flow through the hundreds of gaps and slits involved in the construction of spacecraft parachutes, cannot accurately model the flow through the windows, which needs to be actually resolved during the FSI computation. In parachute FSI computations, the resolved geometric porosity is significantly more challenging than the modeled geometric porosity, especially in computing the reefed stages and disreefing. Orion spacecraft main and drogue parachutes will both have three stages, with computation of the Stage 1 shape and disreefing from Stage 1 to Stage 2 for the main parachute being the most challenging because of the lowest “reefing ratio” (the ratio of the reefed skirt diameter to the nominal diameter). We present the special modeling techniques and strategies we devised to address the computational challenges encountered in FSI modeling of the reefed stages and disreefing of the main and drogue parachutes. We report, for a single parachute, FSI computation of both reefed stages and both disreefing events for both the main and drogue parachutes. In the case of the main parachute, we also report, for a 2-parachute cluster, FSI computation of the disreefing from Stage 2 to Stage 3. With results from these computations, we demonstrate that we have to a great extent overcome one of the most formidable challenges in FSI modeling of spacecraft parachutes.