bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A Microrobot With an Attached Micro-Force Sensor for Natural Orifice Access to the Bladder Interior Wall
Authors: Adejokun Samson A. , Kumat Shashank S. , Shiakolas Panos S. 
Published: February 2023

Abstract
In this work, we present the conceptual design of a 3.5mm outside diameter cable-driven hyper-redundant robotic manipulator with an attached micro-force sensor at the tip for application in transurethral palpation of any targeted area of the bladder interior wall tissue. The stain-gauge based micro-force sensor is designed using finite element analysis (safety factor &gt; 3.5 and load capacity of 0.8N) and subsequently prototyped using additive manufacturing. Sensor components were prototyped using additive and traditional manufacturing, assembled and characterized using a data acquisition environment. The performance of the finite element and prototyped sensor was almost identical. The characterized sensor was used to evaluate tissue properties. The concept of a hyper-redundant 10-joint 6-DOF manipulator comprising of a 5-DOF rigid and a 5-DOF continuum segment is presented along with the forward and inverse kinematics analyses. The inverse kinematics is performed using a Jacobian based formulation to limit the possibilities of singularities. Studies employing the proposed inverse kinematics analysis demonstrated the ability of the manipulator to engage with any area in the bladder and especially the difficult to reach trigone area while attaining a normal pose at the point of contact. A normal pose is required for properly interrogating the tissue with the uniaxial force sensor. The proposed manipulator and force sensor system as presented suggest a probable solution for quantitatively evaluating localized biomechanical properties of the bladder interior wall tissue as a means towards improving treatment and providing better patient care. An initial limited functionality prototype demonstrates capabilities of the proposed concept and provides confidence for further research to fully realize the proposed concept.
Stereolithography Printing and Sintering of Silicon Carbide (SiC) Ceramics via Oxidation-Bonding
Authors: Kakanuru Padmalatha , Pochiraju Kishore 
Published: February 2023

Abstract
Additive manufacturing has given a way to manufacture complex-shaped ceramic parts, which is impossible with conventional manufacturing methods. This paper demonstrated stereolithography printing and sintering of Silicon Carbide (SiC) ceramics via oxidation-bonding. The commercially available SiC powder and the photopolymer resins were utilized for stereolithography printing. Experiments were designed to study the effect of printing process parameters with the increase in SiC powder loading for the photopolymer slurry. It was observed that the curing time increased drastically with SiC powder loading. The SiC green parts were sintered at 1200°C in the air. The SEM-EDS analysis of sintered parts showed evidence of bonding the SiC particles via oxidation. This study paves the way for additive manufacturing of high-density and high-strength SiC/Silica composites.
Performance Enhancement of Two Stages EHD Gas Pump in a Rectangular Channel With Uneven Voltages
Authors: Monayem H. Mazumder A. K. M. 
Published: February 2023

Abstract
In this study, performance enhancement of a two stage electrohydrodynamic (EHD) gas pump in a rectangular channel has been evaluated by experimental measurement and numerical simulations. This study is implemented by a two stage EHD gas pump with uneven voltages for 8 emitting electrodes configuration to seek the relation between the number of stages and applied voltages. The EHD pump is evaluated for a combination of three different operating voltages (20 kV, 24 kV, and 28 kV) for further enhancement in its performance. To achieve the maximum enhancement, the emitting electrodes of the EHD gas pump are flush mounted on the channel walls so that the corona wind produced directly disturbs the boundary layer thickness and improves gas pumping. Velocities are measured at three cross-sections along the tube length and then integrated to obtain the volume flow rate. The numerical results enable vivid flow visualizations inside the channel, providing a great understanding of the development of the flow. The two stages EHD gas pump, which can be produced and sustained air flows with a maximum volume flow rate is considered more efficient when it is operated with uneven applied voltages. The results show that EHD technique has a great potential for many engineering applications.
Additive Manufacturing With Ceramic Slurries
Authors: Nowicki Margaret , Sheward Sara , Zuchowski Lane , Addeo Seth , States Owen , Omolade Oreofeoluwa , Andreen Steven , Ku Nicholas , Vargas-Gonzalez Lionel , Bennett Jennifer 
Published: February 2023

Abstract
Additive manufacturing (AM) is a growing field in which products are created through the addition of materials in a layer-by-layer fashion. Ceramics are typically manufactured using powder compaction and sintering. Ceramic AM is typically executed using Selective Lase Sintering (SLS) techniques to fuse powders using a laser. As with many AM techniques this process allows for the inclusion of unique and complex geometries but does not easily allow for gradient or composite material features. Conclusions from previous investigations indicate chaotic mixing, achieved through integrating a disrupted nubbed section on a traditional screw auger, was more effective for achieving composite homogeneity. However, channel depth results conflicted upon integration of nubbed sections: the existing simulation does not accurately match this inconsistency in the test data. Current work strives to close the gap between test data and simulation, and specifically match this inconsistency between the effect of channel depth and nubbed sections independently, and when combined. The goal is to seamlessly transition between mixtures while minimizing or eliminating waste. To achieve this, it will be necessary to not only understand how print head volume and geometries impact transport, but also determine the impact of gcode on improving transition speed while minimizing material waste.
A Novel Fuzzy-BELBIC Structure for the Adaptive Control of Satellite Attitude
Authors: Safari Kosar , Imani Farhad 
Published: February 2023

Abstract
The performance of the satellite not only relies on environmental factors but also is impacted by internal disturbances. The influential factors complicate the design of accurate controllers for attitude adjustments. The proposed research addresses this control problem by introducing a Brain Emotional Learning Based Intelligent Controller (BELBIC) tuned by a fuzzy inference system. Here, the learning weights and the gain inputs of the BELBIC are adjusted using a fuzzy inference system. In contrast, the initial parameters of the fuzzy inference system are adapted through the whale optimization algorithm. We validate and evaluate the performance of the proposed intelligent controller utilizing simulation studies. The results demonstrate the applicability and satisfactory performance of the proposed controller compared to the PID-BELBIC.
A Data Driven Analysis on the Energy Performance and Efficiency of Water Treatment Plants
Authors: Callinan Alex , Najafi Hamidreza , Fabregas Aldo , Nguyen Troy 
Published: February 2023

Abstract
Water treatment plants are responsible for over 30 terawatt-hours per year of electricity consumption in the United States with an annual cost of nearly $2 billion [1]. Understanding the energy consumption in water treatment plants as well as the potential energy efficiency measures (EEMs) for these facilities can help the municipalities to prioritize the relevant energy efficiency projects based on their payback period and potential impact on their energy bill. In the present paper, the energy performance data for 192 water treatment plants is obtained from the U.S. Department of Energy Industrial Assessment Center (IAC) database. Energy audits were performed in these 192 sites between 2009 and 2022. The database includes the approximate location, square footage, annual energy use, annual plant production, identified EEMs, and their associated energy/cost savings as well as estimated payback period. The annual energy consumed per unit of production (EUP) and per unit of plant area (EUI) are calculated. The mean EUI and EUP for all the plants are found as 267.32 kBTU/ft2/Year and 265.97 kBTU/Thousand Gallons/Year, respectively. Also, the median EUI and EUP are evaluated as 42.4776 kBTU/ft2/Year and 8.203 kBTU/Thousand Gallons/Year, respectively. The analysis is also extended to understand the most promising EEMs for water treatment plants. An artificial neural network (ANN) is then developed to facilitate energy forecasting of water treatment plants using basic inputs including plant area and annual production. The outputs include estimated annual energy consumption and estimated potential savings that can be identified through conducting an energy audit. The training, testing and validation was satisfactory, but expected to much improve in the future with the addition of more assessment data to the IAC database. The ANN model will be the core of a basic energy analysis tool that can help the municipalities to easily evaluate the performance of their water treatment plants and estimate the potential savings that may be achieved as the result of performing an energy audit.
Microscopic Optical Acoustic Sensors for Intracranial Measurements
Authors: Maupin David B. , Dumm Christopher M. , Klinzing George E. , Balaban Carey D. , Vipperman Jeffrey S. 
Published: February 2023

Abstract
Optical acoustic sensors provide a potential means for making accurate intracranial pressure measurements. Complex cranial geometries consisting of bone, tissue, and fluid filled spaces pose problematic conditions for the use of conventional acoustic sensors. This research investigates the potential limitations of previously devised optical acoustic sensors in addition to introducing a novel procedure utilizing micro-scale additive manufacturing to fabricate such sensors with a bandwidth on the order of 20kHz to 200kHz. The significance of individual parameters describing the sensor geometry are discussed as a basis for developing sensors with desired characteristics. Results are obtained through finite element modeling comparing mechanical sensitivities and frequency response arising from diaphragm geometric design and optical fiber positioning within a sensor body. Fabrication techniques and sensor performance are reported.
A Proof-of-Concept Study of a Magnetorheological Micropump
Authors: Cesmeci Sevki , Hassan Rubayet , Thompson Mark 
Published: February 2023

Abstract
In this paper, we studied a flap valve micro-fluidic pump that relies on an electromagnetic actuation mechanism. The upper wall pump chamber is made of a smart material called magnetorheological elastomer (MRE). Under a magnetic field, the upper wall contracts, and the amount of contraction depends on the intensity of the applied magnetic field, which can be controlled via electromagnets. Moreover, flap valves mounted inside this micropump can convey fluids unidirectionally. A Finite Element Analysis (FEA)/Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)-based approach was embraced for the design of the device due to the coupled electromagnetic-fluid-structural interactions in the device. Simulations were carried out in COMSOL Multiphysics software. The performance characteristics of the pump were presented and discussed. In addition, a parametric study was conducted to see the effects of important design parameters on the net pumped volume, results of which were also presented and discussed. After the simulation studies, a working prototype pump with a 10.22 × 7.67 × 51.11 mm (W × H × L) was 3D printed. The experimental plan for the working prototype was discussed for further studies. The presented study lays the foundation for future studies where the pump size will be reduced to under 1 mm. The proposed micropump could potentially be used in a broad range of applications, such as an insulin dosing system for Type 1 Diabetic patients, artificial organs to transport blood, organ-on-chip applications, and so on.
Fume Flow Analysis Generated From Landfill Fire, A Case Study
Authors: González Vivian , Esquivel Liz , Espínola Elías , García Abdías , Burgos Víctor , Coronel Fabio , Gómez Francisco , Cañete Pedro , Gusto Luis , Vázquez Juan , González Diego , Villalba Rossana , Kurita Jorge 
Published: February 2023

Abstract
Toxic gasses generated as a result of landfill fire are a big concern to human health, especially in heavily populated urban areas. Such a situation occurred on September 25, 2020, at the country’s main landfill situated in Asuncion city, the most populated urban area in Paraguay.
This is a recurrent situation, two days later; another fire started at the same landfill. It took 12 hours to control the fire. This event generated a plume of toxic smoke that spread through the urban area. This caused severe respiratory problems to the citizens living in the surrounding buildings.
This work is a case study on the analysis of the smoke plume spreading from this landfill in an eventual fire in different wind directions. The main goal was to conduct computational fluid dynamics CFD simulation to be able to map the risk zone on this surrounding urban area. In order to validate this simulation, it was important to replicate this toxic cloud flow by conducting a computational fluid dynamics CFD simulation and comparing this result with actual data. For this purpose, a satellite image taken on the September 25 of the year 2020 fire event was utilized. A good agreement was observed in this comparison. This validated the boundary conditions of this computational tool. A mesh sensitivity analysis was also carried out to ensure a reliable result was obtained.
The city hall as well as the fire departments from the city of Asuncion are now using this map as a guide to better prepare to deal with this toxic smoke by quickly evacuating or notifying residents in the risk zones. The national secretary of emergency is also provided with this map.
Future work includes the analysis of not only other landfills but also warehouse or electric power substations where toxic fuel, such as askarel is present in a latent mode. A recent fire at community markets is also on the list of the potential smoke sources to be analyzed. This undergraduate student research paper is a work in progress. More data is being analyzed. The usefulness and practical use of this kind of computational tool are getting the interest of local authorities.
This work helps to promote students’ motivation in the field of fluid dynamics. The impact on STEM education was noted in this case study. It is planned to compare other software and schemes to better understand computational tools. Finally, a result comparison between cases is expected to be presented.
Assessment of Unilateral Transtibial Amputee Gait Deviations Through Instrumented Gait Analysis: A Review
Authors: Moreno Daniel , Rendon-Velez Elizabeth , Valencia-Legarda Fanny 
Published: February 2023

Abstract
The detection of gait abnormalities is a topic that has been of great interest in recent years. However, most of the reported literature has focused on healthy subjects or subjects with various pathologies. Specifically, the detection of abnormal gait patterns in lower limb amputees is a field that has not yet been widely explored. To develop a system that is capable of detecting these gait abnormalities, each of these abnormal patterns needs to be characterized. It is necessary to determine which are the most relevant features in each of these patterns.To the author’s knowledge, few abnormal gait patterns of lower limb amputees have been characterized and those reported in the literature focus on gait abnormalities in people with transfemoral amputation and not with transtibial amputation. For this reason, the objective of this article is to review the existing literature on gait deviations that were measured using instrumented gait analysis methods in order to establish which variables/features best characterize or represent the different gait patterns of transtibial amputees. A search in biomedical databases was carried out, after reviewing the literature and removing articles that did not meet the inclusion criteria, 37 articles remained. Variables that authors found of significance relative to specific gait patterns were extracted. These variables can be kinematic, kinetic, spatio-temporal, or physiological variables. In the literature found, the experiments were performed on flat surfaces, stairs, and destabilizing surfaces. Flat surfaces were the most prevalent surface used in literature. Multiple authors reported that the energy expenditure of transtibial amputees was the same as un-amputated controls. Transtibial amputee gait should be considered asymmetrical, many authors have found that persons with kinematic variables in acceptable ranges show compensatory patterns in kinematic or physiological variables. This behavior shows that to have a normal ambulation amputees generate asymmetrical loads which can lead to osteoarthritis or lower back pain. The reviewed literature provides characteristics about gait deviations of healthy transtibial amputees in different walking conditions. Additional research exploring other walking conditions or gait patterns of individuals without rehabilitation is required.
Energy and Consumption Fuel Study for a Mobile Air Conditioning System Using Ejector and R445A As a Replacement Alternative for R134a
Authors: Méndez Méndez Dario , Pérez García Vicente , Solorio Alvarado Angel Isaac , Belman Flores Juan Manuel , Ramírez Minguela José de Jesús 
Published: February 2023

Abstract
Vapor compression refrigeration systems (VCR) continue to be the most widely used type of air conditioning system for automobiles, however, they represent high energy consumption and, due to the use of R134a as a refrigerant fluid, they induce a significant environmental impact. Although investigations have increased over the last three decades, alternative automotive air conditioning systems (MACs) are not yet fully developed. Among these opportunities is the replacement of the traditional expansion device used in VCR systems with an ejector which represents low investment costs, lower losses can be achieved during the expansion process, and contribute to the recovery of work in the compressor, this reduction in the work consumption of the MACs produces a lower fuel consumption of the automobile engine.
Due to international regulations regarding the use of refrigerants in automotive air conditioning systems, R134a is a fluid that is already being phased out. Before this action, various options were proposed to match or even exceed the energy performance that R134a offered in MACs. One option that emerges from all of them is R445A, especially since it fully complies with the low GWP limit set in the Normative EU-517/2014. In this work, the basic refrigeration cycle (BRC) is modeled and compared to the refrigeration cycle configuration that uses an ejector (EC). Both models were made using R134a and R445A to compare the influence of the ejector and the low GWP refrigerant. The results show that the EC with R445A reaches increases in COP from 4.1 to 15.6%, compared to that obtained in BRC mode, in addition to reducing power consumption in the compressor from 2.7 to 11.3%. On the other hand, when comparing the COP of the EC with R445A and the BRC using R134a, increases of up to 6.3% are observed in favor of R445A and a power requirement of 14.3% less for R445A compared to R134a. In addition, when evaluating the fuel consumption in volume per unit of time, the EC configuration proposed with R445A reduces the fuel required for this system by up to 40.4% for an evaporating temperature of 5°C, in the same way, for the evaporation conditions of 10 and 15°C, lower fuel requirements were obtained between 18.1 and 35.5%, this compared to the base system, R134a in BRC mode. Finally, by varying the condensing temperature in a range from 35 to 55°C, the fuel requirement increased, however, the EC configuration maintained the trend towards savings in the required fuel flow concerning the BRC.
Numerical Simulation of Three Bubbles Interaction During Flow Boiling of Water in Microchannel
Authors: Rahman Dewan , Mukherjee Abhijit 
Published: February 2023

Abstract
A numerical study has been performed to analyze the wall heat transfer mechanisms during growth of three vapor bubbles inside a microchannel. Flow through microchannel is a subject of extensive study due to its widespread applications in thermal engineering and biological sciences. The microchannel that was used here is 200 μm square cross section and vapor bubbles begins to nucleate at certain distance apart, with liquid coming in through the channel inlet. The complete Navier-Stokes equations along with continuity and energy equations are solved using the SIMPLER method. The liquid vapor interface is captured using the level set technique. The numerical result show that bubbles with the lowest contact angle and high wall superheat temperature resulted in the highest wall heat transfer. Reynolds number don’t have any effect in the microchannel flow boiling. Finally, a comparative study was done between single bubble, two bubbles and three bubbles inside a microchannel. Experiment was done with placing bubbles at different distances, some are close to each other which eventually merged together and some are far enough which never merged. Heat transfer increases when the bubbles do not merge together compared to when they do merge.
Thermoelectric Generation From Exhaust Heat in Electrified Natural Gas Trucks - Part1: Modeling and Analysis on Engine System Efficiency Improvement
Authors: Sok Ratnak , Kusaka Jin , Nakashima Hisaharu , Minagata Hidetaka 
Published: February 2023

Abstract
Thermoelectric generator (TEG) effectiveness in boosting hybridized, compressed natural gas (CNG) 3.0 L engines is demonstrated using a model-based development approach. Measured data from the corrugated fin-type TEG under different gas temperatures and mass flow rates are used for validating the model. The accurate TEG model can reproduce measured pressure loss, heat transfer, and thermal performance characteristics. Next, the model is integrated into the spark ignited CNG engine. Predicted engine performances are well-calibrated with measured data from the twin-turbocharged, mass-production engine used in light-duty delivery trucks. The engine model is validated with measured data for 35 conditions under the JE05 cycle (800–2800 RPM, 2.6–102 kW). The results show that the engine brake thermal efficiency (BTE) is improved by 0.56% using a 7 × 9 TEG module arrangement. A 9 × 10 arrangement can enhance the BTE to 0.8%. Effective electrical power is generated up to 1.168 kW from the TEG, depending on JE05 operating regions, without significant power loss.
Unsupervised Machine Learning Algorithms for Analysis of Low Velocity Impact Damage in Composite Structures From CT Image Data
Authors: Zhupanska Olesya I. , Krokhmal Pavlo A. 
Published: February 2023

Abstract
In this work, novel unsupervised machine learning (ML) algorithms for automatic image segmentation for the analysis of the micro-CT data for impact damage assessment in the composite materials have been developed. The algorithms are based on the statistical distances including the Kullback-Leibler divergence, the Helling distance, and the Renyi divergence.
The developed algorithms have been applied to the analysis of low velocity impact damage in carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites. The grayscale images from the CT scans of the impacted CFRP specimens have been analyzed to identify and isolate impact damage and optimal statistics-based damage thresholds have been found. The results show that the developed algorithms enable not only an automatic image segmentation, but also deliver statistics-based rigorous damage thresholds.