A review of the equations used to predict the velocity distribution within a ship’s propeller jet

Predicting the velocity within the ship’s propeller jet is the initial step to investigate the scouring made by the propeller jet. Albertson et al. (1950) suggested the investigation of a submerged jet can be undertaken through observation of the plain water jet from an orifice. The plain water jet investigation of Albertson et al. (1950) was based on the axial momentum theory. This has been the basis of all subsequent work with propeller jets. In reality, the velocity characteristic of a ship’s propeller jet is more complicated than a plain water jet. Fuehrer and Römisch (1977), Blaauw and van de Kaa (1978), Berger et al. (1981), Verhey (1983) and Hamill (1987) have carried out investigations using physical model. This paper reviews the state-of-art of the equations used to predict the time-averaged axial, tangential and radial components of velocity within the zone of flow establishment and the zone of established flow of a ship’s propeller jet.

Critical assessment of two-qubit post-Markovian master equations

A post-Markovian master equation has been recently proposed as a tool to describe the evolution of a system coupled to a memory-keeping environment [A. Shabani and D. A. Lidar, Phys. Rev. A 71, 020101 ( R) ( 2005)]. For a single qubit affected by appropriately chosen environmental conditions, the corresponding dynamics is always legitimate and physical. Here we extend such a situation to the case of two qubits, only one of which experiences the environmental effects. We show how, despite the innocence of such an extension, the introduction of the second qubit should be done cum grano salis to avoid consequences such as the breaking of the positivity of the associated dynamical map. This hints at the necessity of using care when adopting phenomenologically derived models for evolutions occurring outside the Markovian framework.

Cold-formed steel sections with web openings subjected to web crippling under two-flange loading conditions - Part II: Parametric study and proposed design equations

A parametric study of cold-formed steel sections with web openings subjected to web crippling was undertaken using finite element analysis, to investigate the effects of web holes and cross-section sizes on the web crippling strengths of channel sections subjected to web crippling under both interior-two-flange (ITF) and end-two-flange (ETF) loading conditions. In both loading conditions, the hole was centred beneath the bearing plate. It was demonstrated that the main factors influencing the web crippling strength are the ratio of the hole depth to the flat depth of the web, and the ratio of the length of bearing plates to the flat depth of the web. In this paper, design recommendations in the form of web crippling strength reduction factors are proposed, that are conservative to both the experimental and finite element results.

Optimal proportional-integral-derivative control of shape memory alloy actuators using genetic algorithm and the Preisach model

Shape memory alloy (SMA) actuators, which have the ability to return to a predetermined shape when heated, have many potential applications in aeronautics, surgical tools, robotics, and so on. Although the number of applications is increasing, there has been limited success in precise motion control owing to the hysteresis effect of these smart actuators. The present paper proposes an optimization of the proportional-integral-derivative (PID) control method for SMA actuators by using genetic algorithm and the Preisach hysteresis model.

R-matrix-Floquet theory of multiphoton processes:VIII. A linear equations method

A new linear equations method for calculating the R-matrix, which arises in the R-matrix-Floquet theory of multiphoton processes, is introduced. This method replaces the diagonalization of the Floquet Hamiltonian matrix by the solution of a set of linear simultaneous equations which are solved, in the present work, by the conjugate gradient method. This approach uses considerably less computer memory and can be readily ported onto parallel computers. It will thus enable much larger problems of current interest to be treated. This new method is tested by applying it to three-photon ionization of helium at frequencies where double resonances with a bound state and autoionizing states are important. Finally, an alternative linear equations method, which avoids the explicit calculation of the R-matrix by incorporating the boundary conditions directly, is described in an appendix.

A comparison of stress intensity factors through crack closure integral and other approaches using eXtended element-free Galerkin method

In this paper, a new approach for extracting stress intensity factors (SIFs) by the extended element-free Galerkin method, through a crack closure integral (CCI) scheme, is proposed. The CCI calculation is used in conjunction with a local smoothing technique to improve the accuracy of the computed SIFs in a number of case studies of linear elastic fracture mechanics. The cases involve problems of mixed-mode, curved crack and thermo-mechanical loading. The SIFs by CCI, displacement and stress methods are compared with those based on the M-integral technique reported in the literature. The proposed CCI method involves very simple relations, and still gives good accuracy. The convergence of the results is also examined.

Modified crack closure integral technique for extraction of SIFs in meshfee methods

A new approach for extracting stress intensity factors (SIFs) by the element-free Galerkin (EFG) class of methods through a modified crack closure integral (MCCI) scheme is proposed. Its primary feature is that it allows accurate calculation of mode I and mode II SIFs with a relatively simple and straightforward analysis even when a coarser nodal density is employed. The details of the adoption of the MCCI technique in the EFG method are described. Its performance is demonstrated through a number of case studies including mixed-mode and thermal problems in linear elastic fracture mechanics (LEFM). The results are compared with published theoretical solutions and those based on the displacement method, stress method, crack closure integral in conjunction with local smoothing (CCI–LS) technique, as well as the M-integral method. Its advantages are discussed.

Sound Synthesis for Contact-Driven Musical Instruments via Discretisation of Hamilton's Equations

Physical modelling of musical instruments involves studying nonlinear interactions between parts of the instrument. These can pose several difficulties concerning the accuracy and stability of numerical algorithms. In particular, when the underlying forces are non-analytic functions of the phase-space variables, a stability proof can only be obtained in limited cases. An approach has been recently presented by the authors, leading to unconditionally stable simulations for lumped collision models. In that study, discretisation of Hamilton’s equations instead of the usual Newton’s equation of motion yields a numerical scheme that can be proven to be energy conserving. In this paper, the above approach is extended to collisions of distributed objects. Namely, the interaction of an ideal string with a flat barrier is considered. The problem is formulated within the Hamiltonian framework and subsequently discretised. The resulting nonlinearmatrix equation can be shown to possess a unique solution, that enables the update of the algorithm. Energy conservation and thus numerical stability follows in a way similar to the lumped collision model. The existence of an analytic description of this interaction allows the validation of the model’s accuracy. The proposed methodology can be used in sound synthesis applications involving musical instruments where collisions occur either in a confined (e.g. hammer-string interaction, mallet impact) or in a distributed region (e.g. string-bridge or reed-mouthpiece interaction).

Prediction of integral type failures in semiconductor manufacturing through classification methods

Smart management of maintenances has become fundamental in manufacturing environments in order to decrease downtime and costs associated with failures. Predictive Maintenance (PdM) systems based on Machine Learning (ML) techniques have the possibility with low added costs of drastically decrease failures-related expenses; given the increase of availability of data and capabilities of ML tools, PdM systems are becoming really popular, especially in semiconductor manufacturing. A PdM module based on Classification methods is presented here for the prediction of integral type faults that are related to machine usage and stress of equipment parts. The module has been applied to an important class of semiconductor processes, ion-implantation, for the prediction of ion-source tungsten filament breaks. The PdM has been tested on a real production dataset. © 2013 IEEE.

A predictive maintenance system for integral type faults based on support vector machines:An application to ion implantation

In semiconductor fabrication processes, effective management of maintenance operations is fundamental to decrease costs associated with failures and downtime. Predictive Maintenance (PdM) approaches, based on statistical methods and historical data, are becoming popular for their predictive capabilities and low (potentially zero) added costs. We present here a PdM module based on Support Vector Machines for prediction of integral type faults, that is, the kind of failures that happen due to machine usage and stress of equipment parts. The proposed module may also be employed as a health factor indicator. The module has been applied to a frequent maintenance problem in semiconductor manufacturing industry, namely the breaking of the filament in the ion-source of ion-implantation tools. The PdM has been tested on a real production dataset. © 2013 IEEE.

Scaling of magneto-quantum-radiative hydrodynamic equations: From laser-produced plasmas to astrophysics

We introduce the equations of magneto-quantum-radiative hydrodynamics. By rewriting them in a dimensionless form, we obtain a set of parameters that describe scale-dependent ratios of characteristic hydrodynamic quantities. We discuss how these dimensionless parameters relate to the scaling between astrophysical observations and laboratory experiments.

Comments on “Wirtinger-based integral inequality: Application to time-delay systems [Automatica 49 (2013) 2860–2866]”

In a recent paper (Automatica 49 (2013) 2860–2866), the Wirtinger-based inequality has been introduced to derive tractable stability conditions for time-delay or sampled-data systems. We point out that there exist two errors in Theorem 8 for the stability analysis of sampled-data systems, and the correct theorem is presented.