Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Review of Power Cylinder Friction for Diesel Engines

Power cylinder friction is a major contributor to overall engine friction. For engines of the future to become more fuel efficient it will be necessary to reduce power cylinder friction. To be able to reduce the friction it is important to fully understand it. This paper is a review of power cylinder friction with a specific emphasis on diesel engines. This paper first describes how significant the contribution of power cylinder friction is compared to all the other losses of the engine. It compares the mechanical friction of the engine to the total energy produced by the engine. Then a comparison is made of the power cylinder friction to overall mechanical friction. A comparison of different methods of friction measurement is be made. The advantages and disadvantages are given for each method. There is also a comparison of motoring versus firing friction tests. An equation is given to estimate the effect of bore and stroke on power cylinder friction. Other equations for estimating power cylinder friction are also shown. More sophisticated cylinder kit models are reviewed. Finally a review is made of methods for reducing friction. These are based on a broad review from various companies.
Identifying design opportunities for reduced household resource consumption: exploring practices of thermal comfort

Heating of dwellings forms a large portion of society’s energy use. To avoid the lock-in infrastructures and increasingly demanding expectations of comfort caused by technologies that aim to offer comfort in more energy efficient ways, design should consider comfort as a variable social construct. Such a view on comfort requires a focus on social practices – the fundamental unit of analysis in theories of practice – rather than on technologies or behaviours. This paper proposes and illustrates a practice-oriented approach in which design opportunities to offer people a wider variety of ways to achieve thermal comfort are identified and explored. A study into current practices, placed into a historical and wider cultural context, revealed that there are opportunities for design in (re-)introducing person heating as an addition to increasingly dominant space heating. A ‘trigger-product’ study involved participants to further explore possible ways of person heating in the context of their own homes.
Dynamic Pavement-Strain Histories from Moving Traffic Load

This paper presents the formulation and the application of a continuum-based finite-layer approach to evaluate dynamic pavement strains under moving traffic load. The dynamic material properties (complex shear modulus and Poisson’s ratio) of the asphalt-concrete (AC) layer can be varied as a function of the loading frequency. The predictive capability of the model is illustrated through a parametric study in which two typical thin and thick pavement sections were subjected to a semitrailer moving at different speeds. The results are very similar to those reported earlier from a field-testing program. The results show that the pavement strains are strong functions of the pavement thickness and the vehicle speed, and they reduce substantially with the increase in the speed of the vehicle. Also, a substantial compressive-strain component is present at the bottom of AC layer that may be important for any realistic fatigue-life estimation of the pavement. The ratio between the maximum compressive strain to the maximum tensile strain at the bottom of the AC layer can be as high as 1.01 for the thick pavements under tandem axles.
The understandings about learners and learning that are imparted in Certificate IV level courses for VET teachers and trainers

Abstract Much of the literature on Vocational Education and Training (VET) professional development for teachers and trainers in Australia has been descriptive, outlining the development, construction and outcomes of a range of initiatives or analysing the nature and extend of initial and ongoing professional development for teacher sand trainers. There has been little critical analysis of curricula which led to the attainment what has been the most common Australian initial VET teacher/trainer qualification – the Certificate IV in Assessment and Workplace Training, either in terms of the intended or enacted curricula as it was delivered in many hundreds of locations across Australia. This paper addresses this gap. It presents the outcomes of research that examined ways in which learners and processes of learning were constructed, understood and embedded in the delivery of the Certificate IV in Assessment and Workplace Training (AWT). This qualification was delivered from 1998 until November 2006. In late 2004 a new Certificate IV in Training and Assessment (TAA) was introduced, but there was a ‘teach-out period’ of two years on the old qualification. The study involved 16 case studies of registered training organisations that delivered the Certificate IV in AWT. The paper updates the study by examining how the changes associated with the new qualification may affect understandings of learners and learning.
Thermoeconomic optimisation of endoreversible heat engine under maximum modified ecological criterion

AbstractWithin the context of finite time thermodynamics (FTT) an endoreversible power plant model (the so called Curzon and Ahlborn engine) under thermoeconomical criteria was analysed based on the concepts of profit function and the costs involved in the performance of the power plant. The analysis is made by means of two FTT optimisation criteria: the maximum power regime and the so called modified ecological criterion. The authors calculate the optimal thermoeconomical efficiency under ecological conditions and show how this optimum efficiency reduces the heat rejected to the environment to approximately a half of that rejected to the environment under maximum power conditions.
Manufacturing strategy, the business environment, and operations performance in small low-tech firms

This paper reports on a ten-year study of ten manufacturing companies in New Zealand. Over the period the firms endured a turbulent environment where they were subject to large changes in exchange rate, and some faced forced changes in products, and markets as a result of changes in ownership and government policy. The paper examines the stability of manufacturing strategies in such an environment, the emphasis placed on improvement initiatives and what impact these decisions had on manufacturing performance. The study uses a multi-case, longitudinal approach. It found the strategy configurations were not stable and many firms moved towards a price-based configuration, contrary to other literature. The more successful firms put greater investments into infrastructural categories of their operations strategy in accordance with the resource-based view. Operations performance indicators showed some improvement on manufacturing costs but other indicators showed no real pattern.
Shoreline evolution from the Late Cretaceous to the Miocene: A record of eustasy, tectonics and palaeoceanography in the Gippsland Basin

Well‐developed clastic shoreline systems have been deposited in the Gippsland Basin over a 70 Ma period, from the latest Cretaceous to the present day. Twenty‐three stacked coastal units have been mapped and described in the Traralgon and Balook formations of the Latrobe and Seaspray groups. These units are made up of prograding and backstepping shoreface deposits, which, in plan view, display well‐developed strandline geometries at the terrestrial–marine interface. Shoreface deposits are interpreted to include prograding beach, barrier island and transgressive beach deposits. The lower coastal plain is characterised by persistent deposition of coals despite changes in shoreface type and significant palaeoclimate fluctuations. These coastal deposits display approximately 123 km of transgression from the Late Cretaceous shoreline at the base of the study interval to the mid Miocene Yallourn Formation near the top. The Late Cretaceous and Palaeocene shoreline deposits individually prograde and are separated by flooding surfaces reflecting eustatic changes. Overall they display long‐term backstepping behaviour (retrogradation) as a result of basin subsidence. Though shorelines of the Eocene–Miocene are distinctly transgressional, probably reflecting basin subsidence, in the mid‐Miocene they become individually and collectively progradational. A series of unconformities in the Oligocene, coupled with Miocene progradation, likely reflects a combination of a compressional tectonic regime and glacioeustatic fluctuations. Despite major changes in the tectonics and palaeoclimate, basin subsidence appears to be the dominant driver for changes in shoreline location.
Performance Characteristics of Lithium-ion Batteries of Various Chemistries for Plug-in Hybrid Vehicles

This paper is concerned with the testing and evaluation of various battery chemistries for use in PHEVs. Test data are presented for lithium-ion cells and modules utilizing nickel cobalt, iron phosphate, and lithium titanate oxide in the electrodes. The energy density of cells using NiCo (nickelate) in the positive electrode have the highest energy density being in the range of 100-170 Wh/kg. Cells using iron phosphate in the positive have energy density between 80-110 Wh/kg and those using lithium titanate oxide in the negative electrode can have energy density between 60-70 Wh/kg. The situation regarding the power capability (W/kg) of the different chemistries is not as clear because of the energy density/power capability trade-offs inherent in battery design. Simulations of Prius plug-in hybrids were performed with Advisor utilizing lithium-ion batteries of the different chemistries. The UC Davis test data were used to prepare the battery input files needed in Advisor. Simulations were made for battery packs weighing 60 kg and 120 kg. The simulation results show that the selection of the battery chemistry for plug-in hybrids is closely linked to the details of the vehicle design and performance specifications and expected driving cycle. Economic factors such as cycle life and battery cost and battery management and safety issues must also be considered in selecting the most appropriate battery chemistry of plug-in hybrids.
Experimental study of a variable-capacitance micromotor with electrostatic suspension

A variable-capacitance micromotor where the rotor is supported electrostatically in five degrees of freedom was designed, fabricated and tested in order to study the behavior of this electrostatic motor. The micromachined device is based on a glass/silicon/glass stack bonding structure, fabricated by bulk micromachining and initially operated in atmospheric environment. The analytical torque model is obtained by calculating the capacitances between different stator electrodes and the rotor. Capacitance values in the order of 10−13 pF and torque values in the order of 10−10 N m have been calculated from the motor geometry and attainable drive voltage. A dynamic model of the motor is proposed by further estimating the air-film damping effect in an effort to explain the experimental rotation measurements. Experimental results of starting voltage, continuous operation, switching response and electric bearing of the micromotor are presented and discussed. Preliminary measurements indicate that a rotor rotating speed of 73.3 r min−1 can be achieved at a drive voltage of 28.3 V, equivalent to a theoretical motive torque of 517 pN m. Starting voltage results obtained from experimental measurement are in agreement with the developed dynamic model.
An Exploratory Study on the Working Principles of Energy Saving Devices (ESDs): PIV, CFD Investigations and ESD Design Guidelines

The Maritime Research Institute Netherlands (MARIN) has recently started a Joint Industry Project (JIP) called ESD-JILI, investigating the working principles of energy saving devices (ESDs). Within the framework of this JIP, three ESDs have been selected and thoroughly investigated. They are a Pre-Duct with an inner Stator (PDS), a Pre-Swirl Stator (PSS) with asymmetric blade design and Hub Fins (HFs). The investigations have been carried out by using dedicated force and moment sensors to measure all the components of the ESDs independently during the propulsion tests, by using Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) to measure the flow before, in-plane and behind the propeller and the ESDs, and by using Smart Ship Model technology (Wijngaarden 2011) to simulate the full-scale wake field during the model tests to gain insights on scale effects of the ESDs. At the same time, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) calculations are also carried out in order to further deepen the understanding of the working principles of the selected ESDs, and to assist the ESDs designs under certain guidelines. Some of the results of the study have been published to the Greenship’2011 Conference (Dang et al 2011). The flow details around the propulsion system with the PDS, which were obtained by both PIV measurements and CFD calculations, and the energy balance of the ship-propulsion system with a PDS are further investigated and reported here. Based on the results of the studies, the principle guidelines for ESD designs for single screw merchant ships have been proposed.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Questioning a tradition: A French way of excellence

The following article was written in French as a keynote speech at the IGIP Symposiumat the Biel School of Engineering (University of Applied Sciences, in Biel, Switzerland), held in March 2000. The topic of this symposium was 'Unique and Excellent'. It aimed to show that engineering education cannot really head towards unification, but will reach uniqueness and excellency if there are many different ways of educating engineers. What happens on the spot, in each technical university, in each course, is much more important for excellence than the fact that all curricula can be compared directly at an international level. Owing to the very particular way of educating engineers in France, it was considered most important to learn about this particular organization. André Béraud accepted presenting it to the audience. His contribution had a very lively echo. The text presents a short outline of the history of French engineering education and its very particular ways and means. Engineering is not taught at technical universities but at Grandes Ecoles (Grand Schools), which represent a very high level of education open only to the very best. They will form the élite of the public servants of France, much more than what is generally considered the task of an engineer. In consequence, the education is broadly based with humanities as an important element in it; it is also very scientific, with mathematics and theoretical physics as central topics. The disadvantage of such a system lies in the fact that it is most rigid, not very open to the needs of industry and of foreign students. There have been, however, some changes.
Random Sample, Quota Sample

The EVS survey comprised in France two subsamples, one built randomly, the other according to the method of “enhanced quotas”. This article first presents the mechanism implemented by emphasizing the difficulties to obtain random interviews. Then it compares the two samples, first for variables entering the quota, and for other background variables, finally for dependent variables. The quota sample proves better than the random sample. Too educated, too rural, too old, the latter is also more politicized than the quota sample, which contradicts the usual critics of this methodology. The article finally shows that after weightings, the two parts of the sample have results sufficiently close to constitute an entity regarded as representative of the French population.
The importance of muscle tension on the outcome of impacts with a major vertical component

The hypothesis that muscle tension protects the spine from injuries in helicopter scenarios was tested using a finite-element model of the human head and neck. It was compared with cadaver crash sled experiment with good correlation. Then, simulations were performed with a sinusoidal velocity (5–22 G) applied at T1 60° to the horizontal plane. The model with relaxed muscle activation had delayed and decreased peak head rotation compared with passive properties only. Full muscle activation decreased the injury risk for the 13.5–22 G impacts. A sensitivity study of the impact angle showed a very slight variation of the resulting neck flexion, and 1° change affected all ligament injury predictions less than 4%. Finally, simulations with helmets resulted in increased ligament and disc strains with increasing helmet mass and with an anterior or inferior shift of the centre of gravity. It is concluded that the hypothesis seems to hold.
Air-Bar cotton Lint Cleaner

Saw-type lint cleaners are now the most common lint cleaners used at gins because of their higher cleaning efficiency. Saw-type lint cleaning improves the grade of the fiber and increases the market value for the farmer. However, during the cleaning process the saw-type lint cleaners damage fiber in creating short fibers and neps. An innovative air-bar lint cleaner (ABLC) was designed and built. The ABLC used pressurized air to clean non-lint materials from cotton fiber while the cotton fiber batt was on a rotating saw cylinder. Thus, non-lint materials attached to the fiber were removed by the interaction of blowing force of compressed airflow and centrifugal force created by the rotating cylinder without the fiber making mechanical contact with a solid object, such as a grid bar. The fiber quality could be preserved by reducing the damage from mechanical impact of the fiber against the grid bar during the lint cleaning process. Preliminary testing of the ABLC prototype was conducted. Compared with cotton cleaned using the conventional saw-type lint cleaner, cotton cleaned using the ABLC had better fiber quality properties, including less short fiber content, less trash content, longer fiber length by number, less immature fiber content, lower yellowness, and less lint content in the lint waste.
Sustainability and the impact of Chinese policy initiatives upon construction

The environment has been perceived as an international issue, and ways of attaining sustainability are becoming important for countries seeking sustainable development. The international community has been active in developing policy frameworks towards achieving the sustainability, such as an ecological modernization approach and environment assessment. Developing countries deserve special attention in the effort to make sustainability an operative criterion in their development activities. Given the difficulties that developing countries are facing, their perceptions of the concept and principles of sustainability differ in various contexts from those of developed countries, and the attainment of sustainability is much more difficult. Therefore, the establishment of a global partnership is important for the vision of sustainability to be realized and operationalized in the world. The current stage of economic development in China provides an opportunity to incorporate environmental provisions into the national development strategies from a relatively early stage, rather than attempt retrofit to strategies. However, at present China's policy initiatives expressed in its Agenda 21 remains only a visionary concept. A comprehensive policy framework and realistic implementation measures are needed. The environmental impacts of the construction industry are extensive, particularly in developing countries. However, as in many developing countries, China's sustainable construction is still at its primary stage and current practice is unsatisfactory.
Power distribution and radiation losses in multimode dielectric slab waveguides

Guided modes of multimode waveguides exchange power if the waveguide deviates in any way from its perfect geometry. The power exchange problem is studied for a multimode slab waveguide under the assumption that the power coupling is caused by irregularities of the core-cladding interfaces. The problem is treated by means of coupled power equations. The main result of this study is the realization that the power distribution versus mode number settles down to a steady state distribution if the waveguide is sufficiently long. The shape of the steady state distribution depends on the correlation length of the function describing the core-cladding interface irregularities. For very short correlation length only the lowest-order mode carries an appreciable amount of power while the power carried by all the other modes is orders of magnitude smaller. For very long correlation length, on the other hand, all guided modes carry equal amounts of power. The steady state distribution is achieved regardless of the way in which the power was distributed over all the modes at the beginning of the guide. However, the total power in the steady state mode distribution is dependent on the initial power distribution.
Cable sizing-avoid shortcuts and do it right

The task of selecting power cable and wire types along with the sizing of the conductors for specific applications is a very important part of the design of any electrical system. Unfortunately, this is a task that is often performed with a minimum of effort and with little consideration for all of the relevant design issues. The resulting tragedy is that improper selection and sizing can easily increase the installed cost of a facility while also reducing the reliability of the complete system. This paper outlines some of the considerations that should be applied to cable selection each and every time. It then suggests the design for a computer based tool which will facilitate the selection process without resorting to simplifications. The conclusion is that cable and wire can be readily sized properly if the power of personal computers are used to evaluate the various criteria and economic options.
Compact multiple-input–multiple-output antenna using quasi-self-complementary antenna structures for ultrawideband applications

A compact multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) antenna with a very small size of only 21 × 38 mm 2 is proposed for ultra-wideband (UWB) applications. It consists of two quasi-self-complementary antenna (QSCA) elements with an inverted T-shaped common ground plane. The QSCA elements are the mirror images of each other, having a half-circular conductor patch on one side of the substrate and a slot with the complement of the half-circular shape on the other side. To reduce mutual coupling between the two QSCA elements, two rectangular slots are cut symmetrically on the ground plane between the two elements. Simulation and measurement are used to study the performance of the MIMO antenna in terms of reflection coefficient, isolation between the two ports, radiation pattern, realised gain, efficiency and envelope correlation coefficient. The results show that the MIMO antenna has a bandwidth from 3.1 GHz to more than 10.6 GHz with a mutual coupling of less than -15 dB and a correlation of less than 0.1, respectively, making it a good candidate for portable UWB applications.