Switching supervisory control based on controller falsification and closed-loop performance inference

The paper addresses two of the basic issues of switching supervisory control (SSC): controller falsification (CF) and inference of candidate loop behaviour (ICLB). CF is approached as a statistical fault detection problem in that the currently operating controller is falsified as soon as a divergence trend is detected. This is achieved by considering a statistic (or residual) in the form of a ratio of closed-loop variables, and the falsification test is carried out by comparing at each time the ratio statistic with a threshold. It is constructively shown that the thresholds can be fixed, irrespective of the disturbance intensity, in such a way that faults are detected with probability one while probability of false alarms can be made as small as we wish. The ICLB issue is approached by the virtual reference approach. This allows one to obtain an inference of the performance of a candidate loop via a mean-square average of suitably filtered prediction errors. It is shown how a supervisory logic can be built by combining the results on CF with those on ICLB.     

The analysis of flow-induced vibration and design improvement in KSNP steam generators of UCN #5, 6

The KSNP Steam Generators (Youngkwang Unit 3 and 4, Ulchin Unit 3 and 4) have a problem of U-tube fretting wear due to Flow Induced Vibration (FIV). In particular, the wear is localized and concentrated in a small area of upper part of U-bend in the Central Cavity region. The region has some conditions susceptible to the FIV, which are high flow velocity, high void fraction, and long unsupported span. Even though the FIV could be occurred by many mechanisms, the main mechanism would be fluid-elastic instability, or turbulent excitation. To remedy the problem, Eggcrate Flow Distribution Plate (EFDP) was installed in the Central Cavity region of Ulchin Unit 5 and 6 steam generators, so that it reduces the flow velocity in the region to a certain level. However, the cause of the FIV and the effectiveness of the EFDP was not thoroughly studied and checked. In this study, therefore the Stability Ratio (SR), which is the ratio of the actual velocity to the critical velocity, was compared between the value before the installation of EFDP and that after. Also the possibility of fluid-elastic instability of KSNP steam generator and the effectiveness of EFDP were checked based on the ATHOS3 code calculation and the Pettigrew’ s experimental results. The calculated results were plotted in a fluid-elastic instability criteria-diagram (Pettigrew, 1998, Fig. 9). The plotted result showed that KSNP steam generator with EFDP had the margin of Fluid-Elastic Instability by almost 25%.     

Transient analysis of hybrid rocket combustion by the zeldovich-novozhilov method

Hybrid rocket combustion has a manifestation of stable response to the perturbations compared to solid propellant combustion. Recently, it has revealed that the low frequency combustion instability about 10 Hz was occurred mainly due to thermal inertia of solid fuel. In this paper. the combustion response function was theoretically derived by use of ZN (Zeldovich-Novozhilov) method. The result with HTPB/LOX combination showed a quite good agreement in response function with previous works and could predict the low frequency oscillations with a peak around 10 Hz which was observed experimentally. Also, it was found that the amplification region in the frequency domain is independent of the regression rate exponentn but showed the dependence of activation energy. Moreover, the response function has shown that the hybrid combustion system was stable due to negative heat release of solid fuel for vaporization, even though the addition of energetic ingredients such as AP and Al could lead to increase heat release at the fuel surface.     

Particle-wave duality and coherent instability control in dense gas-solid flows

The collective effect of transport behaviors in a multibody system can either drastically enhance or deteriorate system performance depending on the nature of the internal interactions (i.e., constructive or deconstructive) and the structure established. For most powder processes, flow instability leads to poor performance. Control strategies have been attempted previously, but with limited success. The ability to drive such a system that is far from equilibrium into its “ordered” state by tuning the interactions can effectively reduce internal energy dissipation, which may lead to a technological breakthrough.By using a hybrid dynamics simulation and multiphase flow experiments, we will first elucidate two fundamental mechanisms underlying flow instabilities in a dense gas-solid flow: nonlinear drag and collisional dissipation. Then we clarify how gas-fluidized particles exhibit “particle-wave” duality (e.g., exhibit standing waves in a thin layer of granular bed that are driven by superimposed oscillating air, when the exciting frequencies of the oscillating air match the system's natural frequency). On this basis, we show experimentally that dense gas-fluidized granules can be synchronized into “ordered” structures by developing an adaptively exciting fluid wave. The introduction of an additional fluid wave enables the flow structures to be fine-tuned. Our method results in remarkably improved fluidization: highly expanded particulate beds with significantly suppressed gas bubble formation (for coarse particles) and channel formation (for ultra-fine powders), as has always prevailed in conventional dense gas-particle systems. By applying our methodology to several systems that are normally difficult to fluidize, we achieve unprecedented, well-controlled suspension of solids in gas flow.A scientific understanding of complex, dense gas-solid flows should enable the dispersion of solids in the gas flow to be controlled effectively. This work contributes to the basic science of dense gas-solid flows and would have impacts on powder technology, pharmaceutical manufacturing, and the optimum design of the third generation of fluidized bed reactors, such as the use of fast pyrolysis, to produce fuels from biomass and coal feedstock.     

Turbulence and mixing across gravitationally unstable interface by tank-overturn experiment

Turbulence and mixing across gravitationally unstable interface were studied in the laboratory by overturning a tank of two-layer fluids initially of stable stratification. As the dense fluid fell under gravity to mix with the lighter fluid from below, highly unsteady exchange of fluids across the unstable interface was produced by the buoyancy force. The exchange was captured in the experiment by a video camera using dye in the dense fluid as tracer. Absorption of light by the dye determined the excess mass at every pixel of the digitized images. The position of the excess-mass center and the speed of the center were computed from the excess-mass profiles as parameters to characterize the mixing across the unstable interface. With positive feedback by the buoyancy force, mixing across the interface rapidly intensified. It increased linearly from zero to a maximum in an acceleration regime and then asymptotically toward a terminal state, as the total buoyancy in the layer stayed constant. In the terminal state, the excess-mass center advanced at a terminal speed in proportion to the square root of the layer's total buoyancy.     

Elastic buckling of elliptical tubes

Hot-rolled and cold-formed structural steel tubular members of elliptical cross-section have recently been introduced into the construction sector. However, there is currently limited knowledge of their structural behaviour and stability, and comprehensive design guidance is not yet available. This paper examines the elastic buckling response of elliptical hollow sections in compression, which has been shown to be intermediate between that of circular hollow sections and flat plates. The transition between these two boundaries is dependant upon both the aspect ratio and relative thickness of the section. Based on the results of numerical and analytical studies, formulae to accurately predict the elastic buckling stress of elliptical tubes have been proposed, and shortcomings of existing expressions have been highlighted. Length effects have also been investigated. The findings have been employed to derive slenderness parameters in a system of cross-section classification for elliptical hollow sections, and form the basis for the development of effective section properties for slender elliptical tubes.     

MELTING OF ICE AROUND A HORIZONTAL ISOTHERMAL CYLINDRICAL HEAT SOURCE

Processes during melting from a horizontal cylindrical heat source of uniform surface temperature embedded in ice have been studied experimentally. The volume of the melt and its shape were photographed at different times for various constant temperatures of the heat source. At early times and under all conditions, the melt occupied a cylindrical annulus. At later times free convective motion caused pear-shaped melt contours which pointed downward when the temperatures of the heat source were below 7°C and upward when the temperatures were above 8°C. Instabilities in cellular natural convection motion resulted in waviness of the interface. The location and magnitude of these ripples were found to depend on the temperature of the heat source and the melt layer thickness. Shadowgraph techniques were used to determine local heat transfer coefficients at the heat source surface.     

Flow Instabilities Associated With Impeller Clearance Changes In Stirred Vessels

Flow instabilities associated with changes in the clearance (C) of a Rushton impeller from the bottom of a stirred vessel of diameter T?=?294?mm were studied experimentally with laser Doppler anemometry. It is shown that for C/T?=?0.17–0.18 flow changes from a double- to a single-loop pattern occur randomly. The transition from one regime to the other is characterized by periodic oscillations at a frequency (f) related to the impeller speed (N) by f/N?=?0.135. The lifetimes of the stable and unstable patterns were found to be affected by fluid density and viscosity as well as clearance. The implications of the results for both mixing processes in stirred vessels and related predictions of the flows are discussed.     

用1／f噪声表征MOSFET的负温偏不稳定性

负温偏不稳定性是ＭＯＳ顺件最重要的可靠问题之一。本文实验上发现ＭＯＳＦＥＴ的Ａ／ｆ噪声与其负温偏不稳定性相关，初始１／ｆ噪声谱密度正比于负温偏应力下的跨导退化量。     

Instabilities generated by friction in a pad–disc system during the braking process

This paper presents a numerical and experimental study of a pad–disc tribometer. The explicit dynamic finite element software PLAST 3 in 3-D is used to simulate the behaviour of the two bodies involved. Coulomb's friction law is used at the contact surface with a constant coefficient. For this application, temporal simulations show that separation occurs between surfaces, proof of instabilities. This unstable state is characterized by a stick–slip–separation wave. We show that instabilities describe a periodic shock phenomenon at the contact interface. Consequently, the acceleration spectrum recorded on the surface of the pad reveals periodicity in the frequency domain. It shows also that, in this case, the vibrations responsible for the instability are localized in the pad. The mode responsible for squealing can be obtained by a modal analysis of the pad–disc system by assuming that the interface is stuck. We highlight the importance of the pad Poisson's ratio in the occurrence of this unstable state. A numerical/experimental comparison has been performed and the fundamental frequency of squeal obtained experimentally and its magnitude agree with those calculated numerically with PLAST 3.