High birefringence photonic bandgap fiber with elliptical air holes

In this paper, we proposed a high birefringence photonic bandgap fiber (PBGF) with elliptical air holes in cladding and circular air hole in core. The forbidden gaps of the honeycomb structure are calculated when the circular air holes are deformed to the elliptical shape. And the birefringence of the PBGFs is investigated by using a full-vector finite element method (FEM) and the numerical results are presented.     

直线电机抽油机与游梁式抽油机性能对比

攻克了直线电机大推力的关键技术,研制成功了具有国际领先水平的直线电机抽油机。这种抽油机最大特点是改变了过去各种抽油机将电能转变为旋转运动,再通过机械方式转变为直线往复运动的方式,通过变频和控制直接将电能转变为直线往复运动。与游梁式抽油机相比,直线电机抽油机不但提高了机械效率,而且能够实现抽汲参数的无级调整,进而能够根据抽油的需要调整悬点运动规律,具备智能化控制和远程监控的有利条件。     

Mechanics of plain-woven fabrics for inflated structures

Pressurized fabric tubes, pressure-stabilized beams (known as air beams) and air-inflated structures are considered to be valuable technologies for lightweight, rapidly deployable structures. Design optimization of an inflated structure depends on a thorough understanding of woven fabric mechanics. In this paper the bending response of woven pressure-stabilized beams have been experimentally tested and analytically investigated. Additionally, the micromechanical effects of interacting tows have been studied through finite element models containing contact surfaces and nonlinear slip/stick conditions. Local unit cell models consisting of pairs of woven tows were created to characterize the effective constitutive relations. The material properties from the unit cell models were then used for the global continuum model subjected to 4-point flexure. An experimental set-up was designed and manufactured for testing of Vectran and PEN air beams. The air beam mid-span deflections were measured as functions of inflation pressure and bending load. Plots of the elastic and shear moduli with respect to the pressure and coefficient of friction have been generated. It was determined that the effective elastic and shear moduli were functions of inflation pressure, the material used and the geometry of the weave. It was shown that pneumatic or pressurized tube structures differ fundamentally from conventional metal structures.     

Computation of lower-bound elastic buckling loads using general-purpose finite element codes

This paper investigates ways to have a computational implementation of a lower bound approach for the buckling of imperfection-sensitive shells using general purpose finite element codes. This approach was developed by Croll and others, and has been mainly employed by developing special purpose programs or analytical solutions. However, it is felt that this limits the possibilities of the user, and this shortcoming is addressed in the paper. First, the formulation is presented in a way to highlight what computations can be done following a reduced energy approach. Then, a methodology is implemented in conjunction with a general purpose program to compute the lower bound buckling load for cylindrical shells with different geometric configurations under uniform pressure. The accuracy of the procedure and the difficulties in the implementation, depending on the finite element chosen for the discretization are shown. Results demonstrate that the proposed reduced energy model can predict the lower bound load for cylindrical shells under uniform pressure distributions.     

欠平衡钻井过程中的井控新设备

文章简述了欠平衡钻井中不压井操作的设备和方法,介绍了威得福公司的井下套管阀和海底泥浆举升钻井工业联合项目在深水钻井中研发的新钻杆阀在欠平衡钻井中的应用。通过在钻杆上安装钻杆阀和在套管上安装套管阀解决接单根及起下钻操作时因压井可能破坏欠平衡状态的问题,使全过程的欠平衡钻井得以实现。     

Using direct competition to select for competent controllers in evolutionary robotics

Evolutionary robotics (ER) is a field of research that applies artificial evolution toward the automatic design and synthesis of intelligent robot controllers. The preceding decade saw numerous advances in evolutionary robotics hardware and software systems. However, the sophistication of resulting robot controllers has remained nearly static over this period of time. Here, we make the case that current methods of controller fitness evaluation are primary factors limiting the further development of ER. To address this, we define a form of fitness evaluation that relies on intra-population competition. In this research, complex neural networks were trained to control robots playing a competitive team game. To limit the amount of human bias or know-how injected into the evolving controllers, selection was based on whether controllers won or lost games. The robots relied on video sensing of their environment, and the neural networks required on the order of 150 inputs. This represents an order of magnitude increase in sensor complexity compared to other research in this field. Evolved controllers were tested extensively in real fully-autonomous robots and in simulation. Results and experiments are presented to characterize the training process and the acquisition of controller competency under different evolutionary conditions.     

起升中四腿落地式K型井架及底座的应力分析

针对在用四腿落地式K型井架在起升中井架与底座存在的问题,文章以JJ162/42-K型井架为例,采用I-DEAS有限元软件对起升过程中处于各角度时的井架及底座做了应力分析,并将其结果与两腿落地式K型井架进行了比较。分析表明,四腿落地式K型井架及底座在井架刚起升时,应力值较大,存在安全隐患。为了增强在井架起升过程中底座的安全性,建议在底座上井架2个铰支座之间加焊加强钢板,并加大井架前立柱铰支座的尺寸。     

Finite element analysis of femoral components paper III – hip joints

Finite element analysis of the hip implant is conducted in this paper for representative femoral cross-section geometries and development of stress in the presence of bone cement is elucidated. Differences in cement stresses generated by varying implant cross-sections were compared with conventional features derived from representative implants. The analysis was performed under idealized implant assemblies by constraining the implant movement in the assembly. The cross-sections and implant geometries used are generic and intended to be representative of available geometries. This paper is a part of student research projects, prepared from a series of activities in biomedical implant research currently underway at Ohio Northern and Arkansas Tech Universities.     

Probabilistic Weibull behavior and mechanical properties of MEMS brittle materials

The objective of this work is to present a brief overview of a probabilistic design methodology for brittle structures, review the literature for evidence of probabilistic behavior in the mechanical properties of MEMS (especially strength), and to investigate whether evidence exists that a probabilistic Weibull effect exists at the structural microscale. Since many MEMS devices are fabricated from brittle materials, that raises the question whether these miniature structures behave similar to bulk ceramics. For bulk ceramics, the term Weibull effect is used to indicate that significant scatter in fracture strength exists, hence requiring probabilistic rather than deterministic treatment. In addition, the material's strength behavior can be described in terms of the Weakest Link Theory (WLT) leading to strength dependence on the component's size (average strength decreases as size increases), and geometry/loading configuration (stress distribution). Test methods used to assess the mechanical properties of MEMS, especially strength, are reviewed. Four materials commonly used to fabricate MEMS devices are reviewed in this report. These materials are polysilicon, single crystal silicon (SCS), silicon nitride, and silicon carbide.