The aeroacoustics of transonic helicopter blades

One of the most important issues facing the helicopter industry today is helicopter noise, in particular transonic rotor noise. It is the main factor limiting cruise speeds, and there is real demand for efficient and reliable prediction methods which can be used in the rotor design process. This paper considers the Ffowcs Williams-Hawkings equation applied to a permeable control surface. The surface is chosen to be as small as possible, while enclosing both the blade and any transonic flow regions. This allows the problematic quadrupole term to always be neglected, and requires only near field CFD input data. It is therefore less computationally intensive than existing prediction methods, and moreover retains the physical interpretation of the sources in terms of thickness, loading and shock-associated noise. A computer program has been developed which implements the permeable surface form of retarded time formulation. The program has been validated and subsequently used to validate an acoustic 2-D CFD code. It is fast and reliable for subsonic motion, but it is demonstrated that it cannot be used at high subsonic or supersonic speeds. A second computer program implementing a more general formulation has also been developed and is presently being validated. This general formulation can be applied at high subsonic and supersonic speeds, except under one specific condition. © 2002 by the author(s). Published by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc.

Computational modelling of building damage due to tunnelling

Underground constructions in soft ground may lead to settlement damage to existing buildings. In The Netherlands the situation is particularly complex, because of the combination of soft soil, fragile pile foundations and brittle, unreinforced masonry façades. The tunnelling design process in urban areas requires a reliable risk damage assessment. In the engineering practice the current preliminary damage assessment is based on the limiting tensile strain method (LTSM). Essentially this is an uncoupled analysis, in which the building is modelled as an elastic beam subject to imposed Greenfield settlements and the induced tensile strains are compared with a limit value for the material. The soil-structure interaction is included only as a ratio between the soil and the building stiffness. In this paper, a coupled approach is evaluated. The soil-structure interaction in terms of normal and shear behaviour is represented by interface elements and a cracking model for masonry is included. This project aims to improve the existing damage classification system for masonry buildings subjected to tunnel-induced settlement, in order to evaluate the necessity of strengthening techniques or mitigation measures.

VCSEL-based parallel optical transmission module

This paper describes the design process and performance of the optimized parallel optical transmission module. Based on 1x12 VCSEL (Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser) array, we designed and fabricated the high speed parallel optical modules. Our parallel optical module contains a 1x12 VCSEL array, a 12 channel CMOS laser driver circuit, a high speed PCB (Printed Circuit Board), a MT fiber connector and a packaging housing. The L-I-V characteristics of the 850nm VCSEL was measured at the operating current 8mA, 3dB frequency bandwidth more than 3GHz and the optical output 1mW. The transmission rate of all 12 channels is 30Gbit/s, with a single channel 2.5Gbit/s. By adopting the integration of the 1x12 VCSEL array and the driver array, we make a high speed PCB (Printed Circuit Board) to provide the optoelectronic chip with the operating voltage and high speed signals current. The LVDS (Low-Voltage Differential Signals) was set as the input signal to achieve better high frequency performance. The active coupling was adopted with a MT connector (8 degrees slant fiber array). We used the Small Form Factor Pluggable (SFP) packaging. With the edge connector, the module could be inserted into the system dispense with bonding process.

移动机器人数学模型的近似线性化

针对机器人控制领域中一类多输入多输出(MIMO)仿射非线性系统,提出了一种基于平衡流形的近似线性化状态反馈镇定算法,并用此算法解决了一类完整约束轮式移动机器人(WMR)的镇定问题.仿真分析表明,此方法不仅能够实现系统的镇定,而且降低了因平衡工作点变动给系统稳定性带来的影响,同时也大大地简化了对非线性系统的综合设计过程,具有良好的控制效果和实用性.

BIST技术及其在Memory中的应用

阐述内建自检测(BIST)技术的特点、结构和原理,并介绍其在Memory单元电路中的实现过程。

基于代理模型的水下滑翔机机翼设计优化方法

在复杂工程系统的概念设计优化中,高精度数值分析方法得到广泛应用,将高精度数值分析与优化方法有机结合,对设计空间展开全面搜索与寻优,已经成为现代设计优化方法的重要发展方向。以水下滑翔机的概念设计为研究对象,引入代理模型,控制高精度分析试验的数量,有效地化解精度与效率之间的矛盾。将参数化几何建模、网格划分以及流体数值模拟分析集成为自动分析流程,并以此为基础采用试验设计理论,构建代理模型,解决水下滑翔机机翼的多目标设计优化问题。给出基于代理模型的设计优化过程,并系统地比较几种试验设计方法的适应性,重点讨论多项式响应面和径向基函数代理模型,所得代理模型相对误差小于2%。采用梯度寻优方法与遗传算法在给定设计空间内进行全面搜索,获得机翼的最佳平面构形,水下滑翔机的升阻比提高6.76%,俯仰力矩的绝对值由0.2760N•m降低为0.0015N•m,提高水下滑翔机的运动性能。

Work on the Move: mobile and nomadic working methodologies.

‘Work on the move’ is a design, process-driven methodology, which uses multiple locations within an outdoors setting and movement between locations, all of which function as learning places, confined to a specified time period. Between 2012 and 2015, a team of international Higher Education product design educators (all members of Carousel, a co-operation of Erasmus members in Zwolle, Edinburgh, Nantes, Rome, Kortrijk and Oslo), industry professionals and product design students developed and tested four case studies. Each case study was conducted in a different international location and was constructed with a different focus, to help define and refine a definitive working methodology. ‘Work on the move’ explores the influence of ‘place’ upon design, in terms of the impact it has on productivity and creative problem-solving, when working away from the traditional studio/office-based environment. It also explores the significance of shared place, when working directly with a client in situ, and experiencing the place-based influences upon their businesses. While identifying location as part of the design process, the study also seeks to understand the effects of time restriction and working in transit upon creativity and productivity, within the context of specific projects.

Hybrid integration and packaging of grating-coupled silicon photonics

This thesis covers both the packaging of silicon photonic devices with fiber inputs and outputs as well as the integration of laser light sources with these same devices. The principal challenge in both of these pursuits is coupling light into the submicrometer waveguides that are the hallmark of silicon-on-insulator (SOI) systems. Previous work on grating couplers is leveraged to design new approaches to bridge the gap between the highly-integrated domain of silicon, the Interconnected world of fiber and the active region of III-V materials. First, a novel process for the planar packaging of grating couplers with fibers is explored in detail. This technology allows the creation of easy-to-use test platforms for laser integration and also stands on its own merits as an enabling technology for next-generation silicon photonics systems. The alignment tolerances of this process are shown to be well-suited to a passive alignment process and for wafer-scale assembly. Furthermore, this technology has already been used to package demonstrators for research partners and is included in the offerings of the ePIXfab silicon photonics foundry and as a design kit for PhoeniX Software’s MaskEngineer product. After this, a process for hybridly integrating a discrete edge-emitting laser with a silicon photonic circuit using near-vertical coupling is developed and characterized. The details of the various steps of the design process are given, including mechanical, thermal, optical and electrical steps. The interrelation of these design domains is also discussed. The construction process for a demonstrator is outlined, and measurements are presented of a series of single-wavelength Fabry-Pérot lasers along with a two-section laser tunable in the telecommunications C-band. The suitability and potential of this technology for mass manufacture is demonstrated, with further opportunities for improvement detailed and discussed in the conclusion.

Sectoral impacts on the diversity of carabid beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) and their associated ecosystem service of biocontrol

This thesis aimed to provide an understanding of how human-induced changes in the economic sectors of agriculture and transport affect carabid diversity, potential carabidmediated biocontrol and predator-pest interactions. The research involved both observational and manipulative laboratory and field-based studies. Observational research consisted of two large-scale investigations of (1) the impact of Miscanthus and oilseed rape production (n=45) and (2) the impact of horticultural and ecological based landscaping of roadside verges (n=64). This research is the first record of carabid diversity, potential biocontrol and community assemblage with respect to bioenergy crop production and roadside landscaping in an Irish context and it is also an important addition to the limited knowledge of carabid populations in these ecosystems internationally. Manipulative work involved the examination of the role predator identity, diversity and biomass play in the suppression of pollen beetle larvae (an economically damaging insect pest of oilseed rape in Europe), using a novel experimental design called ‘simplex’. To complement this research, an additional field study on the impact of low and high oilseed rape pesticide management on carabid species richness and abundance, and crop yield, was also conducted. This research is a great contribution to the existing understanding of what constitutes the important components of predator biodiversity and expands the knowledge of the usefulness of carabid predators in the context of pollen beetle larvae control. In particular, the work shows that the abundance or biomass of beetles has an effect that is far larger than the effect of diversity on the capacity of beetles to consume prey. In turn, the field study showed that pesticide applications had little impact on yield, or carabid richness, but that carabid abundance/biomass declined drastically. The work provides compelling evidence that management practices erode the useful components of biodiversity that are essential for the delivery of biocontrol services.

High-current inductors for high-power automotive DC-DC converters

This thesis is focused on the investigation of magnetic materials for high-power dcdc converters in hybrid and fuel cell vehicles and the development of an optimized high-power inductor for a multi-phase converter. The thesis introduces the power system architectures for hybrid and fuel cell vehicles. The requirements for power electronic converters are established and the dc-dc converter topologies of interest are introduced. A compact and efficient inductor is critical to reduce the overall cost, weight and volume of the dc-dc converter and optimize vehicle driving range and traction power. Firstly, materials suitable for a gapped CC-core inductor are analyzed and investigated. A novel inductor-design algorithm is developed and automated in order to compare and contrast the various magnetic materials over a range of frequencies and ripple ratios. The algorithm is developed for foil-wound inductors with gapped CC-cores in the low (10 kHz) to medium (30 kHz) frequency range and investigates the materials in a natural-convection-cooled environment. The practical effects of frequency, ripple, air-gap fringing, and thermal configuration are investigated next for the iron-based amorphous metal and 6.5 % silicon steel materials. A 2.5 kW converter is built to verify the optimum material selection and thermal configuration over the frequency range and ripple ratios of interest. Inductor size can increase in both of these laminated materials due to increased airgap fringing losses. Distributing the airgap is demonstrated to reduce the inductor losses and size but has practical limitations for iron-based amorphous metal cores. The effects of the manufacturing process are shown to degrade the iron-based amorphous metal multi-cut core loss. The experimental results also suggest that gap loss is not a significant consideration in these experiments. The predicted losses by the equation developed by Reuben Lee and cited by Colonel McLyman are significantly higher than the experimental results suggest. Iron-based amorphous metal has better preformance than 6.5 % silicon steel when a single cut core and natural-convection-cooling are used. Conduction cooling, rather than natural convection, can result in the highest power density inductor. The cooling for these laminated materials is very dependent on the direction of the lamination and the component mounting. Experimental results are produced showing the effects of lamination direction on the cooling path. A significant temperature reduction is demonstrated for conduction cooling versus natural-convection cooling. Iron-based amorphous metal and 6.5% silicon steel are competitive materials when conduction cooled. A novel inductor design algorithm is developed for foil-wound inductors with gapped CC-cores for conduction cooling of core and copper. Again, conduction cooling, rather than natural convection, is shown to reduce the size and weight of the inductor. The weight of the 6.5 % silicon steel inductor is reduced by around a factor of ten compared to natural-convection cooling due to the high thermal conductivity of the material. The conduction cooling algorithm is used to develop high-power custom inductors for use in a high power multi-phase boost converter. Finally, a high power digitally-controlled multi-phase boost converter system is designed and constructed to test the high-power inductors. The performance of the inductors is compared to the predictions used in the design process and very good correlation is achieved. The thesis results have been documented at IEEE APEC, PESC and IAS conferences in 2007 and at the IEEE EPE conference in 2008.

Response Surface Modeling and Optimisation for Reliable Electronic Products

The aim of integrating computational mechanics (FEA and CFD) and optimization tools is to speed up dramatically the design process in different application areas concerning reliability in electronic packaging. Design engineers in the electronics manufacturing sector may use these tools to predict key design parameters and configurations (i.e. material properties, product dimensions, design at PCB level. etc) that will guarantee the required product performance. In this paper a modeling strategy coupling computational mechanics techniques with numerical optimization is presented and demonstrated with two problems. The integrated modeling framework is obtained by coupling the multi-physics analysis tool PHYSICA - with the numerical optimization package - Visua/DOC into a fuJly automated design tool for applications in electronic packaging. Thermo-mechanical simulations of solder creep deformations are presented to predict flip-chip reliability and life-time under thermal cycling. Also a thermal management design based on multi-physics analysis with coupled thermal-flow-stress modeling is discussed. The Response Surface Modeling Approach in conjunction with Design of Experiments statistical tools is demonstrated and used subsequently by the numerical optimization techniques as a part of this modeling framework. Predictions for reliable electronic assemblies are achieved in an efficient and systematic manner.

Advanced evacuation simulation software and its use in warships

The newly formed Escape and Evacuation Naval Authority regulates the provision of abandonment equipment and procedures for all Ministry of Defence Vessels. As such, it assures that access routes on board are evaluated early in the design process to maximize their efficiency and to eliminate, as far as possible, any congestion that might occur during escape. This analysis can be undertaken using a computer-based simulation for given escape scenarios and replicates the layout of the vessel and the interactions between each individual and the ship structure. One such software tool that facilitates this type of analysis is maritimeEXODUS. This tool, through large scale testing and validation, emulates human shipboard behaviour during emergency scenarios; however it is largely based around the behaviour of civilian passengers and fixtures and fittings of merchant vessels. Hence there existed a clear requirement to understand the behaviour of well-trained naval personnel as opposed to civilian passengers and be able to model the fixtures and fittings that are exclusive to warships, thus allowing improvements to both maritimeEXODUS and other software products. Human factor trials using the Royal Navy training facilities at Whale Island, Portsmouth were recently undertaken to collect data that improves our understanding of the aforementioned differences. It is hoped that this data will form the basis of a long-term improvement package that will provide global validation of these simulation tools and assist in the development of specific Escape and Evacuation standards for warships. © 2005: Royal Institution of Naval Architects.

Efficient Non-Linear Idealisations of Aircraft Fuselage Panels in Compression

Aircraft fuselages are complex assemblies of thousands of components and as a result simulation models are highly idealised. In the typical design process, a coarse FE model is used to determine loads within the structure. The size of the model and number of load cases necessitates that only linear static behaviour is considered. This paper reports on the development of a modelling approach to increase the accuracy of the global model, accounting for variations in stiffness due to non-linear structural behaviour. The strategy is based on representing a fuselage sub-section with a single non-linear element. Large portions of fuselage structure are represented by connecting these non-linear elements together to form a framework. The non-linear models are very efficient, reducing computational time significantly

Aircraft Cost Modelling using the Genetic Causal Technique within a Systems Engineering Approach

The paper is primarily concerned with the modelling of aircraft manufacturing cost. The aim is to establish an integrated life cycle balanced design process through a systems engineering approach to interdisciplinary analysis and control. The cost modelling is achieved using the genetic causal approach that enforces product family categorisation and the subsequent generation of causal relationships between deterministic cost components and their design source. This utilises causal parametric cost drivers and the definition of the physical architecture from the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) to identify product families. The paper presents applications to the overall aircraft design with a particular focus on the fuselage as a subsystem of the aircraft, including fuselage panels and localised detail, as well as engine nacelles. The higher level application to aircraft requirements and functional analysis is investigated and verified relative to life cycle design issues for the relationship between acquisition cost and Direct Operational Cost (DOC), for a range of both metal and composite subsystems. Maintenance is considered in some detail as an important contributor to DOC and life cycle cost. The lower level application to aircraft physical architecture is investigated and verified for the WBS of an engine nacelle, including a sequential build stage investigation of the materials, fabrication and assembly costs. The studies are then extended by investigating the acquisition cost of aircraft fuselages, including the recurring unit cost and the non-recurring design cost of the airframe sub-system. The systems costing methodology is facilitated by the genetic causal cost modeling technique as the latter is highly generic, interdisciplinary, flexible, multilevel and recursive in nature, and can be applied at the various analysis levels required of systems engineering. Therefore, the main contribution of paper is a methodology for applying systems engineering costing, supported by the genetic causal cost modeling approach, whether at a requirements, functional or physical level.

Numerical and Experimental Study of the Performance Effects of Varying Vaneless Space and Vane Solidity in Radial Inflow Turbine Stators.

An extensive experimental program has been carried out on a 135?mm tip diameter radial turbine using a variety of stator designs, in order to facilitate direct performance comparisons of varying stator vane solidity and the effect of varying the vaneless space. A baseline vaned stator was designed using commercial blade design software, having 15 vanes and a vane trailing edge to rotor leading edge radius ratio (Rte/rle) of 1.13. Two additional series of stator vanes were designed and manufactured; one series having varying vane numbers of 12, 18, 24, and 30, and a further series with Rte/rle ratios of 1.05, 1.175, 1.20, and 1.25. As part of the design process a series of CFD simulations were carried out in order to guide design iterations towards achieving a matched flow capacity for each stator. In this way the variations in the measured stage efficiency could be attributed to the stator passages only, thus allowing direct comparisons to be made. Interstage measurements were taken to capture the static pressure distribution at the rotor inlet and these measurements were then used to validate subsequent numerical models. The overall losses for different stators have been quantified and the variations in the measured and computed efficiency were used to recommend optimum values of vane solidity and Rte/rle.