Liquid cooling solutions for rotating permanent magnet synchronous machines

In the design of electrical machines, efficiency improvements have become very important. However, there are at least two significant cases in which the compactness of electrical machines is critical and the tolerance of extremely high losses is valued: vehicle traction, where very high torque density is desired at least temporarily; and direct-drive wind turbine generators, whose mass should be acceptably low. As ever higher torque density and ever more compact electrical machines are developed for these purposes, thermal issues, i.e. avoidance of over-temperatures and damage in conditions of high heat losses, are becoming of utmost importance. The excessive temperatures of critical machine components, such as insulation and permanent magnets, easily cause failures of the whole electrical equipment. In electrical machines with excitation systems based on permanent magnets, special attention must be paid to the rotor temperature because of the temperature-sensitive properties of permanent magnets. The allowable temperature of NdFeB magnets is usually significantly less than 150 ˚C. The practical problem is that the part of the machine where the permanent magnets are located should stay cooler than the copper windings, which can easily tolerate temperatures of 155 ˚C or 180 ˚C. Therefore, new cooling solutions should be developed in order to cool permanent magnet electrical machines with high torque density and because of it with high concentrated losses in stators. In this doctoral dissertation, direct and indirect liquid cooling techniques for permanent magnet synchronous electrical machines (PMSM) with high torque density are presented and discussed. The aim of this research is to analyse thermal behaviours of the machines using the most applicable and accurate thermal analysis methods and to propose new, practical machine designs based on these analyses. The Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) thermal simulations of the heat transfer inside the machines and lumped parameter thermal network (LPTN) simulations both presented herein are used for the analyses. Detailed descriptions of the simulated thermal models are also presented. Most of the theoretical considerations and simulations have been verified via experimental measurements on a copper tooth-coil (motorette) and on various prototypes of electrical machines. The indirect liquid cooling systems of a 100 kW axial flux (AF) PMSM and a 110 kW radial flux (RF) PMSM are analysed here by means of simplified 3D CFD conjugate thermal models of the parts of both machines. In terms of results, a significant temperature drop of 40 ̊C in the stator winding and 28 ̊C in the rotor of the AF PMSM was achieved with the addition of highly thermally conductive materials into the machine: copper bars inserted in the teeth, and potting material around the end windings. In the RF PMSM, the potting material resulted in a temperature decrease of 6 ̊C in the stator winding, and in a decrease of 10 ̊C in the rotor embedded-permanentmagnets. Two types of unique direct liquid cooling systems for low power machines are analysed herein to demonstrate the effectiveness of the cooling systems in conditions of highly concentrated heat losses. LPTN analysis and CFD thermal analysis (the latter being particularly useful for unique design) were applied to simulate the temperature distribution within the machine models. Oil-immersion cooling provided good cooling capability for a 26.6 kW PMSM of a hybrid vehicle. A direct liquid cooling system for the copper winding with inner stainless steel tubes was designed for an 8 MW directdrive PM synchronous generator. The design principles of this cooling solution are described in detail in this thesis. The thermal analyses demonstrate that the stator winding and the rotor magnet temperatures are kept significantly below their critical temperatures with demineralized water flow. A comparison study of the coolant agents indicates that propylene glycol is more effective than ethylene glycol in arctic conditions.

Oxygen reduction on PtFe/C electrocatalysts prepared in microemulsions

PtFe/C nanocatalysts of different compositions and nearly constant particle size were prepared by a microemulsion method. Crystallite sizes and degree of alloying were determined by X-ray diffraction. Particle size and distribution were characterized by transmission electron microscopy and average composition was determined by energy dispersive X-ray analysis. Measurements of electrocatalytic activity for oxygen reduction were done using the rotating disk electrode technique in O2 saturated 0.5 mol L-1 sulfuric acid solutions, at room temperature. For all catalysts oxygen reduction begins at ̃ 0.90V. Tafel plots show slopes of c.a. 60 and 120 mV dec in the regions of low and high overpotentials, respectively. The best results for the ORR were obtained for the PtFe/C catalyst of composition Pt:Fe 70:30. This catalyst was also found to exhibit the largest methanol tolerance. © The Electrochemical Society.

Redes neurais artificiais aplicadas à manutenção baseada na condição

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Functional photoactive and electroactive nanodevices

Most of current ultra-miniaturized devices are obtained by the top-down approach, in which nanoscale components are fabricated by cutting down larger precursors. Since this physical-engineering method is reaching its limits, especially for components below 30 nm in size, alternative strategies are necessary. Of particular appeal to chemists is the supramolecular bottom-up approach to nanotechnology, a methodology that utilizes the principles of molecular recognition to build materials and devices from molecular components. The subject of this thesis is the photophysical and electrochemical investigation of nanodevices obtained harnessing the principles of supramolecular chemistry. These systems operate in solution-based environments and are investigated at the ensemble level. The majority of the chemical systems discussed here are based on pseudorotaxanes and catenanes. Such supramolecular systems represent prototypes of molecular machines since they are capable of performing simple controlled mechanical movements. Their properties and operation are strictly related to the supramolecular interactions between molecular components (generally photoactive or electroactive molecules) and to the possibility of modulating such interactions by means of external stimuli. The main issues addressed throughout the thesis are: (i) the analysis of the factors that can affect the architecture and perturb the stability of supramolecular systems; (ii) the possibility of controlling the direction of supramolecular motions exploiting the molecular information content; (iii) the development of switchable supramolecular polymers starting from simple host-guest complexes; (iv) the capability of some molecular machines to process information at molecular level, thus behaving as logic devices; (v) the behaviour of molecular machine components in a biological-type environment; (vi) the study of chemically functionalized metal nanoparticles by second harmonic generation spectroscopy.

InUse – Intelligente Unterlegscheibe zur Messung der Kräfte in Schraubverbindungen

Die lösbare Verbindung von mechanischen Komponenten innerhalb von Maschinen und Anlagen wird zumeist über Schraubverbindungen realisiert. Um eine ausreichende Verbindung zu erzielen werden derzeit die Klemmkräfte durch ein definiertes Anzugsmoment aufgebracht. Bei der Berechnung des Momentes entsprechend der benötigten Kraft finden Reibbeiwerte innerhalb der Schraubverbindung Berücksichtigung, welche nur bedingt ermittelt werden können. In kritischen Maschinenkomponenten wird daher eine Überdimensionierung der Schrauben zur Erhöhung der Sicherheit akzeptiert. Die direkte Kraftmessung mittels einer intelligenten Unterlegscheibe und eine transpondergestützte Datenübertragung ermöglicht es, die Kräfte genau einzustellen und somit die Sicherheit zu erhöhen.

The prediction of vibration in large electric machines

This thesis reports the development of a reliable method for the prediction of response to electromagnetically induced vibration in large electric machines. The machines of primary interest are DC ship-propulsion motors but much of the work reported has broader significance. The investigation has involved work in five principal areas. (1) The development and use of dynamic substructuring methods. (2) The development of special elements to represent individual machine components. (3) Laboratory scale investigations to establish empirical values for properties which affect machine vibration levels. (4) Experiments on machines on the factory test-bed to provide data for correlation with prediction. (5) Reasoning with regard to the effect of various design features. The limiting factor in producing good models for machines in vibration is the time required for an analysis to take place. Dynamic substructuring methods were adopted early in the project to maximise the efficiency of the analysis. A review of existing substructure- representation and composite-structure assembly methods includes comments on which are most suitable for this application. In three appendices to the main volume methods are presented which were developed by the author to accelerate analyses. Despite significant advances in this area, the limiting factor in machine analyses is still time. The representation of individual machine components was addressed as another means by which the time required for an analysis could be reduced. This has resulted in the development of special elements which are more efficient than their finite-element counterparts. The laboratory scale experiments reported were undertaken to establish empirical values for the properties of three distinct features - lamination stacks, bolted-flange joints in rings and cylinders and the shimmed pole-yoke joint. These are central to the preparation of an accurate machine model. The theoretical methods are tested numerically and correlated with tests on two machines (running and static). A system has been devised with which the general electromagnetic forcing may be split into its most fundamental components. This is used to draw some conclusions about the probable effects of various design features.

Calix[6]arene Derivatives as Pivotal Components of Working Devices and Molecular Machine Prototypes

This Ph.D. thesis describes the synthesis, characterization and study of calix[6]arene derivatives as pivotal components for the construction of molecular machine prototypes. Initially, the ability of a calix[6]arene wheel to supramolecularly assist and increase the rate of a nucleophilic substitution reaction was exploited for the synthesis of two constitutionally isomeric oriented rotaxanes. Then, the synthesis and characterization of several hetero-functionalised calix[6]arene derivatives and the possibility to obtain molecular muscle prototypes was reported. The ability of calix[6]arenes to form oriented pseudorotaxane towards dialkyl viologen axles was then exploited for the synthesis of two calixarene-based [2]catenanes. As last part of this thesis, studies on the electrochemical response of the threading-dethreading process of calix[6]arene-based pseudorotaxanes and rotaxanes supported on glassy carbon electrodes are reported.

The influence of Flutter (R) VRP1 components on mucus transport of patients with bronchiectasis

Background: The Flutter (R) VRP1 combines high frequency oscillation and positive expiratory pressure (PEP). Objective: To separately evaluate the effect of the Flutter (R) VRP1 components (high frequency oscillation and PEP) on mucus transportability in patients with bronchiectasis. Methods: Eighteen patients with bronchiectasis received sessions with the Flutter (R) VRP1 or PEP for 30 min daily in a randomized, crossover study. The treatment duration was four weeks with one of the therapies, one week of a ""wash-out"" period and followed by four more weeks with the other treatment. Weekly secretion samples were collected and evaluated for mucociliary relative transport velocity (RTV), displacement in a simulated cough machine (SCM) and contact angle measurement (CAM). For the proposed comparisons, a linear regression model was used with mixed effects with a significance level of 5%. Results: The Flutter (R) VRP1 treatment resulted in greater displacement in SCM and lower CAM when comparing results from the first (9.6 +/- 3.4 cm and 29.4 +/- 5.7 degrees, respectively) and fourth weeks of treatment (12.44 +/- 10.5 cm and 23.28 +/- 6.2, respectively; p < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the RTV between the treatment weeks for either the Flutter (R) VRP1 or PEP. Conclusion: The use of the Flutter (R) VRP1 for four weeks is capable of altering the respiratory secretion transport properties, and this alteration is related to the high frequency oscillation component. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Application of Gage R&R methodology for improving the training and evaluation of automatic optical inspection machine operators

The current level of demand by customers in the electronics industry requires the production of parts with an extremely high level of reliability and quality to ensure complete confidence on the end customer. Automatic Optical Inspection (AOI) machines have an important role in the monitoring and detection of errors during the manufacturing process for printed circuit boards. These machines present images of products with probable assembly mistakes to an operator and him decide whether the product has a real defect or if in turn this was an automated false detection. Operator training is an important aspect for obtaining a lower rate of evaluation failure by the operator and consequently a lower rate of actual defects that slip through to the following processes. The Gage R&R methodology for attributes is part of a Six Sigma strategy to examine the repeatability and reproducibility of an evaluation system, thus giving important feedback on the suitability of each operator in classifying defects. This methodology was already applied in several industry sectors and services at different processes, with excellent results in the evaluation of subjective parameters. An application for training operators of AOI machines was developed, in order to be able to check their fitness and improve future evaluation performance. This application will provide a better understanding of the specific training needs for each operator, and also to accompany the evolution of the training program for new components which in turn present additional new difficulties for the operator evaluation. The use of this application will contribute to reduce the number of defects misclassified by the operators that are passed on to the following steps in the productive process. This defect reduction will also contribute to the continuous improvement of the operator evaluation performance, which is seen as a quality management goal.

Distributed replicated macro-components

Dissertação para obtenção do Grau de Mestre em Engenharia Informática

Ontology-based representation and generation of workflows for micro-task human-machine computation

Doctoral Program in Computer Science

Identification of Some Additional Loss Components in High-Power Low-Voltage Permanent Magnet Generators

Permanent magnet generators (PMG) represent the cutting edge technology in modern wind mills. The efficiency remains high (over 90%) at partial loads. To improve the machine efficiency even further, every aspect of machine losses has to be analyzed. Additional losses are often given as a certain percentage without providing any detailed information about the actual calculation process; meanwhile, there are many design-dependent losses that have an effect on the total amount of additional losses and that have to be taken into consideration. Additional losses are most often eddy current losses in different parts of the machine. These losses are usually difficult to calculate in the design process. In this doctoral thesis, some additional losses are identified and modeled. Further, suggestions on how to minimize the losses are given. Iron losses can differ significantly between the measured no-load values and the loss values under load. In addition, with embedded magnet rotors, the quadrature-axis armature reaction adds losses to the stator iron by manipulating the harmonic content of the flux. It was, therefore, re-evaluated that in salient pole machines, to minimize the losses and the loss difference between the no-load and load operation, the flux density has to be kept below 1.5 T in the stator yoke, which is the traditional guideline for machine designers. Eddy current losses may occur in the end-winding area and in the support structure of the machine, that is, in the finger plate and the clamping ring. With construction steel, these losses account for 0.08% of the input power of the machine. These losses can be reduced almost to zero by using nonmagnetic stainless steel. In addition, the machine housing may be subjected to eddy current losses if the flux density exceeds 1.5 T in the stator yoke. Winding losses can rise rapidly when high frequencies and 10–15 mm high conductors are used. In general, minimizing the winding losses is simple. For example, it can be done by dividing the conductor into transposed subconductors. However, this comes with the expense of an increase in the DC resistance. In the doctoral thesis, a new method is presented to minimize the winding losses by applying a litz wire with noninsulated strands. The construction is the same as in a normal litz wire but the insulation between the subconductors has been left out. The idea is that the connection is kept weak to prevent harmful eddy currents from flowing. Moreover, the analytical solution for calculating the AC resistance factor of the litz-wire is supplemented by including an end-winding resistance in the analytical solution. A simple measurement device is developed to measure the AC resistance in the windings. In the case of a litz-wire with originally noninsulated strands, vacuum pressure impregnation (VPI) is used to insulate the subconductors. In one of the two cases studied, the VPI affected the AC resistance factor, but in the other case, it did not have any effect. However, more research is needed to determine the effect of the VPI on litz-wire with noninsulated strands. An empirical model is developed to calculate the AC resistance factor of a single-layer formwound winding. The model includes the end-winding length and the number of strands and turns. The end winding includes the circulating current (eddy currents that are traveling through the whole winding between parallel strands) and the main current. The end-winding length also affects the total AC resistance factor.

Analysis of open CNC architecture for machine tools

The evolution of digital circuit technology, leadind to higher speeds and more reliability allowed the development of machine controllers adapted to new production systems (e.g., Flexible Manufacturing Systems - FMS). Most of the controllers are developed in agreement with the CNC technology of the correspondent machine tool manufacturer. Any alterations or adaptation of their components are not easy to be implemented. The machine designers face up hardware and software restrictions such as lack of interaction among system's elements and impossibility of adding new function. This is due to hardware incompatibility and to software not allowing alterations in the source program. The introduction of open architecture philosophy propitiated the evolution of a new generation of numeric controllers. This brought the conventional CNC technology to the standard IBM - PC microcomputer. As a consequence, the characteristics of the CNC (positioning) and the microcomputer (easy of programming, system configuration, network communication etc) are combined. Some researchers have addressed a flexible structure of software and hardware allowing changes in the hardware basic configuration and all control software levels. In this work, the development of open architecture controllers in the OSACA, OMAC, HOAM-CNC and OSEC architectures is described.

Design and Drive-Cycle Based Analysis of Direct-Driven Permanent Magnet Synchronous Machine for a Small Urban Use Electric Vehicle

A direct-driven permanent magnet synchronous machine for a small urban use electric vehicle is presented. The measured performance of the machine at the test bench as well as the performance over the modified New European Drive Cycle will be given. The effect of optimal current components, maximizing the efficiency and taking into account the iron loss, is compared with the simple id=0 – control. The machine currents and losses during the drive cycle are calculated and compared with each other.

Fractionation, chemical and toxicological characterization of tobacco smoke components

La fumée du tabac est un aérosol extrêmement complexe constitué de milliers de composés répartis entre la phase particulaire et la phase vapeur. Il a été démontré que les effets toxicologiques de cette fumée sont associés aux composés appartenant aux deux phases. Plusieurs composés biologiquement actifs ont été identifiés dans la fumée du tabac; cependant, il n’y a pas d’études démontrant la relation entre les réponses biologiques obtenues via les tests in vitro ou in vivo et les composés présents dans la fumée entière du tabac. Le but de la présente recherche est de développer des méthodes fiables et robustes de fractionnement de la fumée à l’aide de techniques de séparation analytique et de techniques de détection combinés à des essais in vitro toxicologiques. Une étude antérieure réalisée par nos collaborateurs a démontré que, suite à l’étude des produits de combustion de douze principaux composés du tabac, l’acide chlorogénique s’est avéré être le composé le plus cytotoxique selon les test in vitro du micronoyau. Ainsi, dans cette étude, une méthode par chromatographie préparative en phase liquide a été développée dans le but de fractionner les produits de combustion de l’acide chlorogénique. Les fractions des produits de combustion de l’acide chlorogénique ont ensuite été testées et les composés responsables de la toxicité de l’acide chlorogénique ont été identifiés. Le composé de la sous-fraction responsable en majeure partie de la cytoxicité a été identifié comme étant le catéchol, lequel fut confirmé par chromatographie en phase liquide/ spectrométrie de masse à temps de vol. Des études récentes ont démontré les effets toxicologiques de la fumée entière du tabac et l’implication spécifique de la phase vapeur. C’est pourquoi notre travail a ensuite été focalisé principalement à l’analyse de la fumée entière. La machine à fumer Borgwaldt RM20S® utilisée avec les chambres d’exposition cellulaire de British American Tobacco permettent l’étude in vitro de l’exposition de cellules à différentes concentrations de fumée entière du tabac. Les essais biologiques in vitro ont un degré élevé de variabilité, ainsi, il faut prendre en compte toutes les autres sources de variabilité pour évaluer avec précision la finalité toxicologique de ces essais; toutefois, la fiabilité de la génération de la fumée de la machine n’a jamais été évaluée jusqu’à maintenant. Nous avons donc déterminé la fiabilité de la génération et de la dilution (RSD entre 0,7 et 12 %) de la fumée en quantifiant la présence de deux gaz de référence (le CH4 par détection à ionisation de flamme et le CO par absorption infrarouge) et d’un composé de la phase particulaire, le solanesol (par chromatographie en phase liquide à haute performance). Ensuite, la relation entre la dose et la dilution des composés de la phase vapeur retrouvée dans la chambre d’exposition cellulaire a été caractérisée en utilisant une nouvelle technique d’extraction dite par HSSE (Headspace Stir Bar Sorptive Extraction) couplée à la chromatographie en phase liquide/ spectrométrie de masse. La répétabilité de la méthode a donné une valeur de RSD se situant entre 10 et 13 % pour cinq des composés de référence identifiés dans la phase vapeur de la fumée de cigarette. La réponse offrant la surface maximale d’aire sous la courbe a été obtenue en utilisant les conditions expérimentales suivantes : intervalle de temps d’exposition/ désorption de 10 0.5 min, température de désorption de 200°C pour 2 min et température de concentration cryogénique (cryofocussing) de -75°C. La précision de la dilution de la fumée est linéaire et est fonction de l’abondance des analytes ainsi que de la concentration (RSD de 6,2 à 17,2 %) avec des quantités de 6 à 450 ng pour les composés de référence. Ces résultats démontrent que la machine à fumer Borgwaldt RM20S® est un outil fiable pour générer et acheminer de façon répétitive et linéaire la fumée de cigarette aux cultures cellulaires in vitro. Notre approche consiste en l’élaboration d’une méthodologie permettant de travailler avec un composé unique du tabac, pouvant être appliqué à des échantillons plus complexes par la suite ; ex : la phase vapeur de la fumée de cigarette. La méthodologie ainsi développée peut potentiellement servir de méthode de standardisation pour l’évaluation d’instruments ou de l’identification de produits dans l’industrie de tabac.