bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Quantification of the Energy Saving Associated With Early Detection of Faulty Operation of Rooftop Units
Authors: Allen-Magande Hugh , Khazaii Javad , Esmaeili Amin 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
As stated in the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s 2018 survey, commercial building space heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) operation, accounted for little more than one-half of total end-use consumption in the U.S., or approximately 3,529.24 trillion Btu. This HVAC industry contains multiple subsections and different equipment, but one of the most used equipment types with a significant market share in the commercial industry is the packaged rooftop unit (RTU). When units operate with faults, malfunctioning sensors, actuators, or airflow issues, the system will experience longer run-time to achieve and maintain conditions, thus increasing energy use and cost. Therefore, reducing energy consumption via early recognition of faults and taking prompt corrective actions will contribute to the system’s overall energy saving.
The authors of this paper will present uncertainty-based simulated (computer-based) model of multiple RTUs with selected capacities to quantify the effects of different sensor and actuators malfunctions on the overall system’s operation while evaluating the system’s energy impact under varying fault conditions. Room temperature, outdoor air temperature, and cooling coil leaving air temperature sensors are among the primary sensors the RTU’s control panel will utilize to facilitate the planned system evaluation and are analyzed in this research. The positions of the outdoor air and return air dampers are also evaluated for their respective impact on energy use. With this, the authors demonstrate the potential excess energy consumption of operating a typical RTU with faults and the potential energy savings opportunity that can be realized if units operate within the given specifications, and without faults. A novel method for detection of these malfunctions is discussed.
Inversion Method of Material Parameters in Different Areas of Automotive Tires Based on Stiffness Experiment
Authors: Lang Yuling , Wang Yizhuo , Yuan Shenglong , Luo Jintao , Kong Decai , Shan Yingchun , Xu Shiwen 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
Based on the tire stiffness test, this paper presents a method for retrieving the tire material parameters with the help of finite element software and optimization software under the condition of reasonable simplification of the tire structure.
Based on the radial stiffness and lateral stiffness test, the displacement-load curves of the tire under different tire pressure and different load conditions are obtained. Through the cyclic parameter optimization process, the material parameters of different specifications of tires are inverted. By comparing the experimental and simulation results of radial and lateral stiffness of each tire, the effectiveness of the material parameter inversion method proposed in this paper is verified, that is, the tire finite element model with the material parameters obtained can accurately reflect the overall stiffness performance of the tire. The tire model based on the proposed method can be used for the simulation of radial fatigue test, biaxial fatigue test, 13-degree and 90-degree impact test of wheels, which provides strong support for the evaluation of wheel mechanical properties. In addition, based on the stiffness test and simulation results of different sizes of tires, the influence of tire size, shape and other parameters on the stiffness characteristics is analyzed.
Industrial Fluid Degradation Monitoring With an Electromechanical Impedance Active Sensor
Authors: Lu Runye , Shen Yanfeng 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
Industrial fluids, such as lubricant oil and cutting fluid, are ubiquitous in various manufacturing situations. During the service period, the industrial fluids are vulnerable to degradation and contamination, rendering the abnormal function of the subordinate machine and product quality. This paper proposes an Electro-Mechanical Impedance Spectroscopy (EMIS) for the real-time monitoring of industrial fluids degradation. To develop a profound understanding on the interaction mechanism between the industrial fluids and the piezoelectric sensory device, a three-dimensional analytical model is established. The influence of the fluid is processed as the additional inertial load and the dissipative viscosity. Meanwhile, Finite Element (FE) analysis is performed to examine the influence of the fluid and verify the analytical model. Fluid-Structural Interaction (FSI) is utilized to introduce the interaction at the interfaces, while the spring-damper element (COMBIN 14) is employed to simulate the viscosity of the fluid. Ultimately, the experimental assessment is performed to mutually validate the analytical and FE model, and to practically demonstrate the feasibility of the EMIS methodology for the real-time monitoring of fluid degradations. EMI index is exploited to quantify the severity of the degradation.
The Tremendous Increase of Clearance–Induced Uncertainty Near the Singularity Positions of Planar Parallel Manipulators
Authors: Chan Cody Leeheng , Lai Yu-Chieh 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
This paper investigates the impact of joint clearances on the uncertainty error of five-bar linkages and explores the relationship between the error size and linkage configuration, particularly near singularities. The position uncertainty of the end-effector is characterized by the workspace of a simplified, remodeled five-bar linkage using the concepts of invariant link rotatability and the clearance link model. A numerical example involving an air-hockey robot as a five-bar linkage is analyzed. The paper presents two key scientific findings. Firstly, in general cases, the size of the uncertainty region is directly proportional to the magnitude of the clearance error. Secondly, when considering different linkage configurations, the uncertainty region significantly increases near positions corresponding to the second kind of singularity, where three passive joints align in a straight line. The engineering contribution of this study lies in providing guidance for controllers to prevent five-bar linkages with joint clearance effects from reaching the second kind of singularity.
A Hybrid Time-Varying Integrator-Gain Control Strategy for an Ultra-Precision Wafer Stage
Authors: Liu Tao , Yang Kaiming , Zhu Yu 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
The wafer stage is a crucial component in lithography machines, requiring nanometer-level motion control accuracy. To overcome the performance limitation between low-frequency trajectory tracking performance and high-frequency noise amplification of fixed-value hybrid integrator-gain system (HIGS), a novel hybrid time-varying integrator-gain control (HTVIGC) strategy is proposed for an ultra-precision wafer stage. Specially, a time-varying parameter design method is newly introduced into HIGS, and the integrator frequency and gain value in HTVIGC vary with the trajectory phase. Furthermore, the time-domain properties and approximate frequency-domain characteristics of HTVIGC are analyzed in detail, and the stability condition of the closed-loop system is obtained through an analysis similar to the circle criterion. Finally, experimental results on wafer stage demonstrate that the proposed method can achieve excellent control performance in both the acceleration and constant velocity phases of the trajectory.
Thermal Behaviour of HYPROB DEMO-0A Oxygen/Methane Rocket Engine Demonstrator
Authors: Ricci Daniele , Battista Francesco , Fragiacomo Manrico , Ferraiuolo Michele 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
The successful operation and the life cycle of liquid rocket engines need the development of reliable and performant cooling systems since very hard conditions in terms of thermal and mechanical loads must be managed. This is typically achieved by efficient cooling jackets, considering narrow axial channels surrounding the thrust chambers. A further complication is related to the use of a regenerative architecture. In the case of methane, indeed, the fuel is injected as a supercritical liquid in the cooling system and, while flowing in the jacket and dissipating the huge heat from the thrust chamber, warms up until exiting as a supercritical vapour. Thus, operation conditions of the cooling jacket change along the thrust chamber and depend also on the heat released during the combustion.
In the present paper, the thermal and the related thermo-structural analyses concerning the cooling jacket belonging to the liquid oxygen/liquid methane demonstrator, developed in HYPROB (HYdrocarbon PROpulsion test Bench) Program, are presented. Besides the methane-cooled mode, also the water-cooled mode has been investigated. In fact, the first firing campaign of the demonstrator has been conducted adopting water as refrigerant in order to validate the technology used to realize the cooling jacket.
Mechanics of Scorpion-Inspired Curved Tip Needle Moving in Soft Tissue
Authors: Kim Doyoung , Hutapea Parsaoran 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
Soft tissue biopsy is a necessary diagnostic and therapeutic procedure, but traditional biopsy needles can cause harm to the patient, including tissue damage, bleeding, and pain. These can compromise the accuracy of the sample and negatively impact the patient’s well-being. Hence, there has been a growing interest in developing bio-inspired surgical needles that are safer, more effective, and more comfortable for the patient. The scorpion-inspired curved tip needle study focuses on analyzing the mechanics of needle-tissue interaction and creating needles that travel through soft tissue with minimum resistance at the tip. An essential aspect of the study is the mechanics and geometry of the needle tip, which plays a crucial role in its performance. The study incorporates structures of curved scorpion’s stinger to balance between penetration and minimal needle-tissue interaction forces. In this study, various parameters of curved tip geometry are explored to decrease the insertion and extraction forces. Tests are initially performed on brain tissue mimicking medical gelatin with Young’s modulus of 2kPa. It is observed that the insertion force with curved tip needles is decreased by up to 21.7%, and the extraction force is decreased by up to 28.2%. This study shows that a scorpion-inspired tip design can minimize insertion and extraction forces, leading to less tissue damage and deformation. Furthermore, the proposed tip design has great potential to improve surgical needles for more effective minimally invasive percutaneous procedures with various applications such as biopsy, brachytherapy, tumor ablation, and drug delivery to the brain.
Rapid Cross-Plane Thermal Conductivity Characterization From Data Automation and System Miniaturization
Authors: Nakamura Matthew , Okura Kailer , Murillo Andrea , Brown Joseph J. 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
Advancing work continues to push the limits of material science, requiring more cutting-edge sensor measuring techniques to better characterize emerging materials. Meanwhile, improvements in microelectrical/mechanical systems (MEMS) and sensors have opened new avenues to acquire data. Traditional work on heat flow characterization requires large-scale and expensive testing, which is not ideal for most sample sizes. Preliminary work has shown that integrating MEMS heat flow meters with commercial bulk measurement systems has allowed for the testing of small bulk samples. This method has provided an accurate and reliable way to acquire thermophysical properties of small samples that could not be sampled utilizing traditional systems.
This work reports a system for analyzing small bulk-scale samples (25.4 mm × 25.4 mm area) to determine the effective thermal conductivity of a material. The apparatus implements ISO 8301:1991 and ASTM C518-21 and utilizes low-cost components to achieve a compact measurement system, fitting into a 200 mm × 300 mm footprint and using a MEMS heat flow meter. Additionally, the system had an average error across insulators and conductors of 4.15% from the commonly accepted values. The device provides rapid thermal characterization measurements of material samples, with potential applications in coatings for packaging and integrating with new materials in multiscale designs.
Study of the Water-Responsive Material Strain With Piezoelectric Sensor
Authors: Fang Shuo , Chen Xi , Voiculescu Ioana 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
Water-responsive (WR) materials have shown potential for use in artificial muscle designs, thanks to their impressive load ability and energy density. However, the integration of WR materials with sensors is an area that requires further investigation. This paper presents a study on the integration of a commercial piezoelectric sensor and WR cellulose paper for detecting WR actuation. The sensor was employed to sense the WR paper actuation under different humidity levels. Initially, the WR paper elongation as a response to humidity was small and the piezoelectric sensor response was weak. Therefore, we developed a simple mechanism to amplify the paper actuation. The amplification mechanism was inserted in the testing setup, between the WR paper and the piezoelectric sensor. Using the amplification mechanism, we demonstrated that the displacement of the WR paper under different levels of humidity can be monitored by the polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) sensor. The results of this study provide valuable insight into the use of WR materials and sensors for actuation detection, with the possibility of designing artificial muscles from WR material and using a control system with the PVDF signal as feedback. The integration of PVDF sensors and WR materials will contribute to the development of soft robotics.
Numerical Investigation of the Effect of the Spark Plug Electrode Gap on Flame Propagation Under Engine-Like Conditions
Authors: Pinheiro Martins Fernanda , Teixeira Lacava Pedro 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
To attend the high demand for high performance, low fuel consumption, and low emissions, ethanol has become a potential candidate to replace gasoline applications worldwide. In this scenario, ethanol market share has increased in two spaces, blended with gasoline, where the goal is just to increase the knock limit during engine operation, and then leverage the thermal efficiency, or in its pure form, where the benefits of its green characteristics contribute significantly to Green House Gas (GHG) credits benefitting car manufacturers.
The objective of this research is to analyze the effects of different spark plug conditions, representing nominal and outwearing conditions, on flame propagation in engine-like conditions applying numerical modeling. The commercial software STAR-CD is adopted for the 3D Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model mimicking the Direct Injection Spark Ignition (DISI) optical engine adopted for the experimental tests. The numerical model adopts a 3-Zones Extended Coherent Flame (ECFM-3Z) and Imposed Stretch Spark Ignition Model (ISSIM), for the combustion and the spark plug modeling, respectively.
The engine operating conditions adopted consist of direct injection of ethanol (E100) partial load and low speed. The model was built and validated according to experimental measurements. Afterward, the tuned model was used to study a set of cases intended to evaluate how different spark plug discharge energy and electrode gaps influence flame propagation in engine-like conditions.
The results obtained identified the influence of non-optimal spark plug conditions in combustion propagation and indicated the influence of the parameters studied in engine performance.
Analytical and Numerical Investigations on the Stator Guide Vanes for Low-Pressure Axial Fans
Authors: Fritsche Manuel , Epple Philipp , Delgado Antonio 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
Due to the regulation (EU) Nr. 327/2011 for fans, higher and higher efficiencies are required in order to save energy. In the future, low-pressure axial fans in particular will must generally be designed with stator guide vanes in order to achieve the required level of efficiency. The guide vanes can be installed in front of the impeller or behind the impeller. In front of the impeller, it has the task of deflecting the flow in order to generate a pre-swirl. After the impeller, it has the task of reducing the swirl and to transform it into static pressure.
In the present study, the theoretical characteristic curves are derived analytically with the dimensionless variables considering a pre-swirl. From this it can be seen that a negative pre-swirl leads to an increase in the pressure coefficients (total-to-total and total-to-static) and the ideal total-to-static efficiency. On the other hand, a positive pre-swirl leads to a reduction in the characteristic curves. These analytical results have been validated performing numerical CFD simulations.
The design of the impeller and the guide vanes is performed with an extended design strategy for the entire blade channel, specifying the work distribution in the radial and axial directions. Using the concept of radial equilibrium, the blade angles of the impeller and the guide vanes can be determined analytically. A total of 6 different designs are modeled and analyzed in detail. On the one hand, the influence of the pre-swirl is examined. On the other hand, the impact between guide vanes in front of and behind the impeller is also investigated. The CFD model is modeled with ANSYS Workbench 2022R2 and the RANS equations are solved with ANSYS CFX, after performing a detailed grid independence study based on the Richardson extrapolation.
In summary, it can be stated that the numerical CFD results qualitatively correspond to the analytical results. In addition, it can be seen that with a similar design with the equal work distribution, the guide vanes behind the impeller (outlet stator) lead to higher pressure characteristics with a larger maximum volume flow rate. In contrast, only guide vanes in front of the impeller (inlet stator) lead to higher total-to-static efficiency in comparison. Whether guide vanes are installed in front of or behind the impeller or even both is therefore a question of the target values to be optimized and the production costs.
A Comparative Study of Different Optimization Techniques in Modelling and Predictive Controls
Authors: Abu-Ayyad Ma'moun , Lad Yash , Attaluri Anilchandra 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
This study summarizes different optimization techniques in modeling and predictive controls. Optimization plays an important role in Model Predictive Control (MPC). The optimization techniques help to evaluate the best solution to a mathematical model by comparing it with visual data. The different optimization techniques include the Polak method, Cauchy method, Newton method, Modified Newton method, Steep Decent method, David-Fletcher-Powell (DFP) method, and Momentum method. These optimization techniques can fit linear and non-linear models with n-number input variables. This can help to improve the performance of the MPC controller by addressing the challenges of the data being controlled. The solution to this problem is addressed in this study, including the mathematical modeling of optimization techniques. Simulation is conducted to verify the comparison test and model a nonlinear dynamic process. The output of the MPC controller shows a linear agreement with the open-loop test, for all the optimization techniques, with some deviation in the overshoot, rise times and settling times.
Modular and Reconfigurable Multiple Drive-Unit Based Rover - Design and Control
Authors: Sharma Manoj , Kitts Christopher A. 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
This paper proposes a rover prototype designed for our ongoing work in the area of field robotics. The rover consists of a drive-unit as a fundamental building block. Two or more drive-units can be linked mechanically to form a rover with a desired shape and form. Here, we present a kinematic model for the rover in a generalized form for a given shape and form of the rover. This model allows us to translate the high level rover motion (linear and/or angular) commands into motor-level motion commands. We present our approach to design the modular rover system using Robot Operating System as a control framework. Furthermore, we present a ‘follow-the-leader’ mode where the follower rover uses a vision system to track and follow the leader at a predefined offset. In the later section we discuss the viability of this research for future field work in the human technology frontier by leveraging the advancements in robotics.
Integration of Printed Circuit Board (PCB) Interface to Quartz Crystal Microbalance (QCM) for Gas Adsorption Testbed
Authors: Pham Thi Kieu Ngan , Nakamura Matthew , Brown Joseph J. 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
In the past 20 years, many computational and theoretical works have set a foundation for the effect of thin film electrical properties on gas adsorption, and vice versa. However, there has been limited experimental work to explain this relationship, especially at the high sensitivity scale. In this work, we present packaging and interfacing adaptations that enable surface experiments on a commercially available quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) via mechanical and electrical integration with a printed circuit board. A van der Pauw measurement of resistance change of a metal (60:40 Au:Pd) film under a controlled ethanol vapor environment was conducted. The electrical resistance slightly decreases at a partial pressure of 0.01, then increases with increasing ethanol partial pressures. At room temperature, the Au:Pd film electrical resistivity was measured to be 3 × 10−8 Ω · m.
A Sensor-Integrated Textile for the Acquisition of Upper Extremity Electromyographic Signals
Authors: Ilg Julian , Hinderer Lukas , Struebig Konstantin , Lueth Tim C. 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
This paper presents a novel sensor-integrated wearable textile for the acquisition of upper extremity (UE) electromyographic (EMG) signals. The device utilizes dry high-density electrodes that are non-invasive, comfortable to wear, and do not require exact positioning over the respective muscles due to the high number and density of electrodes. The wearable EMG-textile was designed for ease of use and can be easily donned and doffed by the user. The authors tested the device on a group of 10 participants to recognize hand gestures via the acquired EMG signals. To enable gesture recognition, the authors compared various deep learning models and conventional classifiers, observing that a convolutional neural network (CNN) trained on Willison Amplitude (WAMP) features produced the most promising results. The trained CNN achieved an accuracy of 82.7% in recognizing 14 different hand gestures. Overall, the results of this study suggest that the proposed sensor-integrated wearable textile has the potential to be a convenient and effective tool for the acquisition and analysis of EMG signals. Further studies are needed to evaluate the effectiveness of the device in real-world scenarios and to investigate its potential for use in other applications.
Characterization and Numerical Modelling of Underwater Sound Transmission Through Periodically Structured Polyurethane Tiles
Authors: Hacquebard Luke R. P. , Drover Vincent J. , Szabo Jeffrey P. 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
Accurate modelling of underwater sound transmission through periodically structured acoustic tiles relies on the proper characterization of dynamic material properties. In this work, the measured dynamic response of a polyurethane resin was used to numerically predict the transmission and reflection loss spectra of tiles containing periodic cylindrical inclusions of different orientation and material. Model results are compared with experimentally measured values and the findings confirm the accuracy of the methods used for material characterization, tile fabrication, acoustic response measurement, and numerical modelling.