Experimental investigation and thermodynamic calculation of the phase equilibria in the Fe–Ni–V system

The phase equilibria in the Fe–Ni–V ternary system were investigated by means of electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Three isothermal sections of the Fe–Ni–V ternary system at 1000 °C, 1100 °C and 1200 °C were established. On the basis of the obtained experimental data, the phase equilibria in the Fe–Ni–V system were thermodynamically assessed using (CALculation of PHAse Diagrams) CALPHAD method, and a consistent set of thermodynamic parameters leading to reasonable agreement between the calculated results and experimental data was obtained.     

Building it better: Applying human–computer interaction and persuasive system design principles to a monetary limit tool improves responsible gambling

In two studies, we aimed to improve the responsible gambling (RG) utility of monetary limit tools for non-disordered Electronic Gambling Machine (EGM) players – the target population for such prevention-oriented RG tools. To this end, based on feedback from focus groups with non-disordered EGM players, we created a new monetary limit tool that incorporated EGM players’ desired functionality coupled with design fundamentals of Human Computer Interaction (HCI) and Persuasive Systems Design (PSD; Study 1). We then tested the newly created HCI and PSD inspired tool and compared its RG utility (limit adherence) against a standard monetary limit tool (Study 2). Non-disordered EGM players were randomly assigned to experience the HCI and PSD inspired or the standard monetary tool prior to gambling in a virtual realty casino. As predicted, participants adhered to their pre-set monetary limits more (92%), when exposed to the HCI and PSD inspired pop-up tool than the standard monetary limit tool (62.2%). Improving RG tools through the use of HCI and PSD principles is discussed.     

Hierarchical optimization of boiler–turbine unit using fuzzy stable model predictive control

This paper develops a hierarchical control system structure based on the Takagi–Sugeno fuzzy model to achieve an optimal control of a boiler–turbine unit. In the upper layer of the hierarchy, an optimal reference governor is designed to find the optimal operating point. A disturbance term is introduced to the fuzzy model to lump the modeling mismatch and unknown disturbance. Thus, the effect of plant behavior variation can be removed and the operating point found can be feasible to control. In the lower layer, a stable model predictive controller is developed to track the optimal set-points while guaranteeing the input-to-state stability of the system. Fuzzy Lyapunov function and appropriate slack and collection matrices are used to reduce the conservatism of stability design and improve the performance. Through the estimation of the disturbance term using an observer, the two layers in the hierarchy are coupled and the integrated system can realize a dynamic optimal control of the boiler–turbine unit, even in the case of severe plant behavior variations.     

On the use of calibration sensors in source localization using TDOA and FDOA measurements

The accuracy of a source location estimate is very sensitive to the presence of the random noise in the known sensor positions. This paper investigates the use of calibration sensors, each of which is capable of broadcasting calibration signals to other sensors as well as receiving the signals from the source and other calibration sensors, to reduce the loss in the source localization accuracy due to uncertainties in sensor positions. We begin the study with deriving the Cramer–Rao lower bound (CRLB) for source localization using time difference of arrival (TDOA) and frequency difference of arrival (FDOA) measurements when a single calibration sensor is available. The obtained CRLB result is then extended to the more general case with multiple calibration sensors. The performance improvement due to the use of calibration sensors is established analytically. We then propose a closed-form algorithm that can explore efficiently the calibration sensors to improve the source localization accuracy when the sensor positions are subject to random errors. We prove analytically that the newly developed localization method attains the CRLB accuracy under some mild approximations. Simulations verify the theoretical developments.     

Utility of stereoscopic displays for indirect-vision driving and robot teleoperation

The effectiveness of an active shutter-glasses stereoscopic display (SD) and a passive polarised SD was evaluated in a live robot-teleoperation task and a simulated indirect-vision driving task in various terrains. Overall, participants completed their tasks significantly faster with the SDs in three-dimensional (3D) mode than with the SDs in the baseline 2D mode. They also navigated more accurately with the SDs in 3D mode. When the effectiveness of the two types of SDs was examined separately, results showed that the active shutter-glasses SD resulted in faster responses and task completion times than the passive polarised SD, though most of the differences failed to reach statistical significance. Perceived workload when interacting with the two SD systems did not differ significantly between the active versus passive display types or between the 3D and 2D modes of operation; however, participants reported more severe discomfort after interacting with the passive polarised SD.     

Proportional integral-fractional filter controller design for first order lag plus time delay system

In this work, a design approach of proportional integral-fractional filter (PI-FF) controller for first order plus time delay (FOPTD) system is proposed in order to enhance the feedback control system performances characteristics. The controller design method is drawn up such that the transfer function of the overall closed-loop system is equivalent to the transfer function of the general fractional Bagley–Torvik reference model whose behaviour ranges from relaxation to oscillation for different values of the fractional order derivative and the damping ratio-like parameter. The tuning parameters of the PI-FF controller are derived analytically from the FOPTD process model and the general fractional Bagley–Torvik reference model parameters. Illustrative examples were presented to test the effectiveness and the usefulness of the proposed PI-FF controller on the feedback control system performance characteristics enhancement.     

The space–time CESE scheme for shallow water equations incorporating variable bottom topography and horizontal temperature gradients

The effects of bottom topography and horizontal temperature gradients on the shallow water flows are theoretically investigated. The considered systems of partial differential equations (PDEs) are non-strictly hyperbolic and non-conservative due to the presence of non-conservative differential terms on the right hand side. The solutions of these model equations are very challenging for a numerical scheme. Thus, our primary goal is to introduce an improved numerical scheme which can handle the non-conservative differential terms efficiently and accurately. In this paper, the space–time conservation element and solution element (CESE) method is extended to approximate these model equations. The proposed scheme has capability to overcome all difficulties posed by this nonlinear system of PDEs. The performance of the scheme is analyzed by considering several case studies of practical interest and the results of suggested scheme are compared with those of central NT scheme. The accuracy of the scheme is verified qualitatively and quantitatively.     

A finite difference/finite element technique with error estimate for space fractional tempered diffusion-wave equation

An efficient numerical technique is proposed to solve one- and two-dimensional space fractional tempered fractional diffusion-wave equations. The space fractional is based on the Riemann–Liouville fractional derivative. At first, the temporal direction is discretized using a second-order accurate difference scheme. Then a classic Galerkin finite element is employed to obtain a full-discrete scheme. Furthermore, for the time-discrete and the full-discrete schemes error estimate has been presented to show the unconditional stability and convergence of the developed numerical method. Finally, two test problems have been illustrated to verify the efficiency and simplicity of the proposed technique.     

A semi analytical method for the free vibration of doubly-curved shells of revolution

In this paper, a semi analytical method is used to investigate the free vibration of doubly-curved shells of revolution with arbitrary boundary conditions. The doubly-curved shells of revolution are divided into their segments in the meridional direction, and the theoretical model for vibration analysis is formulated by applying Flügge’s thin shell theory. Regardless of the boundary conditions, the displacement functions of shell segments are composed by the Jacobi polynomials along the revolution axis direction and the standard Fourier series along the circumferential direction. The boundary conditions at the ends of the doubly-curved shells of revolution and the continuous conditions at two adjacent segments were enforced by the penalty method. Then, the natural frequencies of the doubly-curved shells are obtained by using the Rayleigh–Ritz method. For arbitrary boundary conditions, this method does not require any changes to the mathematical model or the displacement functions, and it is very effective in the analysis of free vibration for doubly-curved shells of revolution. The credibility and exactness of proposed method are compared with the results of finite element method (FEM), and some numerical results are reported for free vibration of the doubly-curved shells of revolution under classical and elastic boundary conditions. Results of this paper can provide reference data for future studies in related field.