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Inventions, Volume 5, Issue 2 (June 2020) – 10 articles

Cover Story (view full-size image): This paper presents fundamental parameters such as material removal rates in through-feed centerless grinding, and analyzes the grinding system with feedback loops including regenerative functions and the machine dynamic functions. Further, the characteristic roots of the system are identified at each grinding position from entry to exit. To evaluate the grinding process stability, a rounding stability index (RSI) is proposed. It is demonstrated that the analytical tool modeled in this paper can provide the optimum operational conditions by the RSI for achieving desired the grinding productivity and accuracy. View this paper
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16 pages, 5937 KiB  
Article
Experimental Performance of a Two-Phase Ejector: Nozzle Geometry and Subcooling Effects
by Khaled Ameur, Zine Aidoun and Mehdi Falsafioon
Inventions 2020, 5(2), 23; https://doi.org/10.3390/inventions5020023 - 18 Jun 2020
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 4143
Abstract
This paper presents the results of an experimental study on a two-phase ejector. The main objective is to assess the effects of the nozzle’s divergent and the throat diameter on performance under various working conditions. Under the same conditions, ejector operation with a [...] Read more.
This paper presents the results of an experimental study on a two-phase ejector. The main objective is to assess the effects of the nozzle’s divergent and the throat diameter on performance under various working conditions. Under the same conditions, ejector operation with a convergent nozzle, results in higher critical primary mass flow rate and lower critical pressure than with a convergent-divergent nozzle version. Experiments show as well that the flow expansion is higher in the convergent-divergent nozzle. The throat diameter turns out to have an important impact only on the amount of the critical mass flow rate. The nozzle geometry has no impact on its optimal position in the ejector. Globally, the ejector with the convergent-divergent nozzle provides a higher entrainment ratio, due to a reduced primary mass flow rate and an increased secondary flow induction. Tests also show that the ejector with a lower throat diameter provides a higher entrainment ratio, due to better suction with less primary flow. Unlike the convergent-divergent nozzle, the convergent nozzle permits an entrainment ratio almost insensitive to a wide range of primary inlet sub-cooling levels. Primary and secondary mass flow rates increase proportionally with the subcooling level and result in a quasi-constant entrainment ratio. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fluid Mechanics and Transport Phenomena)
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15 pages, 1297 KiB  
Article
Conveyor-Belt Dryers with Tangential Flow for Food Drying: Mathematical Modeling and Design Guidelines for Final Moisture Content Higher Than the Critical Value
by Dario Friso
Inventions 2020, 5(2), 22; https://doi.org/10.3390/inventions5020022 - 06 Jun 2020
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 7068
Abstract
The mathematical modeling presented in this work concerns the conveyor-belt dryer with the tangential flow of air with respect to food. This dryer, if operating in co-current, has the advantage of well preserving the organoleptic and nutritional qualities of the dried product. In [...] Read more.
The mathematical modeling presented in this work concerns the conveyor-belt dryer with the tangential flow of air with respect to food. This dryer, if operating in co-current, has the advantage of well preserving the organoleptic and nutritional qualities of the dried product. In fact, it has a low air temperature in the final stretch where the product has low moisture content and is therefore more temperature sensitive. It is a bulkier dryer than the continuous through-circulation conveyor dryer with a perforated belt. The latter is therefore more frequently used and has received greater study attention from researchers and designers of the industry. With the aim to propose guidelines for a rational design of the conveyor-belt dryer with tangential flow, a mathematical model was developed here through the differentiation of the drying rate equation followed by its integration performed along the dryer belt. Consequently, and with the assumption that the final moisture content XF of the product is higher than the critical moisture content XC, the relationships between the intensive quantities (temperatures, humidity and enthalpies), the extensive quantities (air and product flow rates) and the dimensional ones (length and width of the belt), were obtained. Finally, on the basis of these relationships, the rules for an optimized design for XF > XC were obtained and experimentally evaluated. Full article
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13 pages, 3477 KiB  
Article
Using a Digital Microfluidic System to Evaluate the Stretch Length of a Droplet with a L-DEP and Varied Parameters
by Hsiang-Ting Lee, Ying-Jhen Ciou and Da-Jeng Yao
Inventions 2020, 5(2), 21; https://doi.org/10.3390/inventions5020021 - 05 Jun 2020
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2698
Abstract
Digital microfluidics has become intensively explored as an effective method for liquid handling in lab-on-a-chip (LOC) systems. Liquid dielectrophoresis (L-DEP) has many advantages and exciting prospects in driving droplets. To fully realize the potential benefits of this technique, one must know the droplet [...] Read more.
Digital microfluidics has become intensively explored as an effective method for liquid handling in lab-on-a-chip (LOC) systems. Liquid dielectrophoresis (L-DEP) has many advantages and exciting prospects in driving droplets. To fully realize the potential benefits of this technique, one must know the droplet volume accurately for its distribution and manipulation. Here we present an investigation of the tensile length of a droplet subjected to a L-DEP force with varied parameters to achieve precise control of the volume of a droplet. Liquid propylene carbonate served as a driving liquid in the L-DEP experiment. The chip was divided into two parts: an electrode of width fixed at 0.1 mm and a total width fixed at 1 mm. Each had a variation of six electrode spacings. The experimental results showed that the stretching length decreased with decreasing electrode width, but the stretching length did not vary with an increased spacing of the electrode. When the two electrodes were activated, the length decreased because of an increase in electrode spacing. The theory was based on the force balance on a droplet that involved the force generated by the electric field, friction force, and capillary force. The theory was improved according to the experimental results. To verify the theoretical improvement through the results, we designed a three-electrode chip for experiments. The results proved that the theory is consistent with the results of the experiments, so that the length of a droplet stretched with L-DEP and its volume can be calculated. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microfluidic Devices)
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15 pages, 3851 KiB  
Article
IEC61800-9 System Standards as a Tool to Boost the Efficiency of Electric Motor Driven Systems Worldwide
by João Fong, Fernando J. T. E. Ferreira, André M. Silva and Aníbal T. de Almeida
Inventions 2020, 5(2), 20; https://doi.org/10.3390/inventions5020020 - 20 May 2020
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 5281
Abstract
Recognition of the energy savings potential in motor driven systems has led to the development of energy efficiency testing and classification standards for motors and end-use equipment (e.g., pumps and fans) and the implementation of minimum energy performance regulations targeting them worldwide. However, [...] Read more.
Recognition of the energy savings potential in motor driven systems has led to the development of energy efficiency testing and classification standards for motors and end-use equipment (e.g., pumps and fans) and the implementation of minimum energy performance regulations targeting them worldwide. However, these standards and regulations have been limited to components, disregarding the interaction between them. The energy savings achievable by addressing and improving the entire system are potentially much higher in relation to those achievable when considering individual components. Recently, an effort to develop standards in this regard was carried out by standardization bodies (IEC and ISO) leading to the publication of the IEC61800-9 Power Drive System standard series. The paper, in its first part, describes recent evolutions in electric motor energy-efficiency standards and in the implementation of related regulations worldwide. In the second part of the paper, using the latest energy efficiency test and classification standards, a comparative analysis of different energy-efficient motor technologies is presented. Using results from laboratory tests combined with data provided by manufacturers, different power drive systems are compared considering different operating points in two typical pumping systems. Estimated economic savings from a total cost of ownership perspective are presented. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Developments of Electrical Machines and Motor Drives)
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19 pages, 5101 KiB  
Article
Digital Twins-Assisted Design of Next-Generation Advanced Controllers for Power Systems and Electronics: Wind Turbine as a Case Study
by Meisam Jahanshahi Zeitouni, Ahmad Parvaresh, Saber Abrazeh, Saeid-Reza Mohseni, Meysam Gheisarnejad and Mohammad-Hassan Khooban
Inventions 2020, 5(2), 19; https://doi.org/10.3390/inventions5020019 - 08 May 2020
Cited by 28 | Viewed by 4843
Abstract
This paper proposes a novel adaptive controller based on digital twin (DT) by integrating software-in-loop (SIL) and hardware-in-loop (HIL). This work aims to reduce the difference between the SIL controller and its physical controller counterpart using the DT concept. To highlight the applicability [...] Read more.
This paper proposes a novel adaptive controller based on digital twin (DT) by integrating software-in-loop (SIL) and hardware-in-loop (HIL). This work aims to reduce the difference between the SIL controller and its physical controller counterpart using the DT concept. To highlight the applicability of the suggested methodology, the regulation control of a horizontal variable speed wind turbine (WT) is considered for the design and assessment purposes. In the presented digital twin framework, the active disturbance rejection controller (ADRC) is implemented for the pitch angle control of the WT plant in both SIL and HIL environments. The design of the ADRC controllers in the DT framework is accomplished by adopting deep deterministic policy gradient (DDPG) in two stages: ( i ) by employing a fitness evaluation of wind speed error, the internal coefficients of HIL controller are adjusted based on DDPG for the regulation of WT plant, and ( ii ) the difference between the rotor speed waveforms in HIL and SIL are reduced by DDPG to obtain a similar output behavior of the system in these environments. Some examinations based on DT are conducted to validate the effectiveness, high dynamic performance, robustness and adaptability of the suggested method in comparison to the prevalent state-of-the-art techniques. The suggested controller is seen to be significantly more efficient especially in the compensation of high aerodynamic variations, unknown uncertainties and also mechanical stresses on the plant drive train. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Intelligent Control Theory and Applications)
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18 pages, 8069 KiB  
Article
Aerodynamic Simulations for Floating Darrieus-Type Wind Turbines with Three-Stage Rotors
by Mohamed Amine Dabachi, Abdellatif Rahmouni, Eugen Rusu and Otmane Bouksour
Inventions 2020, 5(2), 18; https://doi.org/10.3390/inventions5020018 - 29 Apr 2020
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 5615
Abstract
Growing energy demand is causing a significant decrease in the world’s hydrocarbon stock in addition to the pollution of our ecosystem. Based on this observation, the search for alternative sorts of energy to fossil fuels is being increasingly explored and exploited. Wind energy [...] Read more.
Growing energy demand is causing a significant decrease in the world’s hydrocarbon stock in addition to the pollution of our ecosystem. Based on this observation, the search for alternative sorts of energy to fossil fuels is being increasingly explored and exploited. Wind energy is experiencing a very important development, and it offers a very profitable opportunity for exploitation since the wind is always available and inexhaustible. Several technical solutions exist to exploit wind energy, such as floating vertical axis wind turbines (F-VAWTs), which provide an attractive and cost-effective solution for exploiting higher resources of offshore wind in deep water areas. Recently, the use of the Darrieus vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT) offshore has attracted increased interest because it offers significant advantages over horizontal axis wind turbines (HAWTs). In this context, this article presents a new concept of floating Darrieus-type straight-bladed turbine with three-stage rotors. A double-multiple stream tube (DMST) model is used for aerodynamic simulations to examine several critical parameters, including, solidity turbine, number of blades, rotor radius, aspect ratio, wind velocity, and rotor height. This study also allows to identify a low solidity turbine (σ = 0.3), offering the best aerodynamic performance, while a two-bladed design is recommended. Moreover, the results also indicate the interest of a variable radius rotor, as well as the variation of the height as a function of the wind speed on the aerodynamic efficiency. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Advances and Challenges in Wind Energy Extraction)
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13 pages, 3434 KiB  
Article
Dynamic Rounding Stability in Through-Feed Centerless Grinding
by Fukuo Hashimoto
Inventions 2020, 5(2), 17; https://doi.org/10.3390/inventions5020017 - 29 Apr 2020
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3840
Abstract
The through-feed method in centerless grinding allows manufacturers to produce cylindrical parts at much higher levels of productivity than can be achieved with in-feed grinding, so it has been extensively employed in industry. However, its rounding mechanism is not yet well understood due [...] Read more.
The through-feed method in centerless grinding allows manufacturers to produce cylindrical parts at much higher levels of productivity than can be achieved with in-feed grinding, so it has been extensively employed in industry. However, its rounding mechanism is not yet well understood due to the complexity of the through-feed process. This paper presents the fundamental parameters, such as material removal rates, forces, and so on in the through-feed grinding, and analyses on the grinding system with feedback loops, including regenerative functions and the machine dynamic functions. Further, the characteristic roots of the system, representing the number of waves and the growth rates of the harmonics in roundness, are identified at each grinding position from entry to exit. To evaluate the grinding process stability, a rounding stability index (RSI) was proposed. It was demonstrated that the analytical tool modeled in this paper can identify the optimum operational conditions by the RSI for achieving desired grinding productivity and accuracy. Finally, the model is verified with grinding tests, and the nm-order roundness obtained by the tests is shown. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modern Grinding Technology and Systems 2019)
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12 pages, 2833 KiB  
Article
Human Gender Classification Using Transfer Learning via Pareto Frontier CNN Networks
by Md. Mahbubul Islam, Nusrat Tasnim and Joong-Hwan Baek
Inventions 2020, 5(2), 16; https://doi.org/10.3390/inventions5020016 - 13 Apr 2020
Cited by 21 | Viewed by 5144
Abstract
Human gender is deemed as a prime demographic trait due to its various usage in the practical domain. Human gender classification in an unconstrained environment is a sophisticated task due to large variations in the image scenarios. Due to the multifariousness of internet [...] Read more.
Human gender is deemed as a prime demographic trait due to its various usage in the practical domain. Human gender classification in an unconstrained environment is a sophisticated task due to large variations in the image scenarios. Due to the multifariousness of internet images, the classification accuracy suffers from traditional machine learning methods. The aim of this research is to streamline the gender classification process using the transfer learning concept. This research proposes a framework that performs automatic gender classification in unconstrained internet images deploying Pareto frontier deep learning networks; GoogleNet, SqueezeNet, and ResNet50. We analyze the experiment with three different Pareto frontier Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) models pre-trained on ImageNet. The massive experiments demonstrate that the performance of the Pareto frontier CNN networks is remarkable in the unconstrained internet image dataset as well as in the frontal images that pave the way to developing an automatic gender classification system. Full article
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11 pages, 3981 KiB  
Article
The Current Spectrum Formation of a Non-Periodic Signal: A Differential Approach
by Sergey Sokolov, Daniil Marshakov and Arthur Novikov
Inventions 2020, 5(2), 15; https://doi.org/10.3390/inventions5020015 - 06 Apr 2020
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3338
Abstract
The paper deals with the problem of forming spectra of non-periodic signals in real-time. The disadvantage of the existing approaches is the dependence of the formed spectrum on time as a parameter and the possibility of obtaining the signal spectrum in its original [...] Read more.
The paper deals with the problem of forming spectra of non-periodic signals in real-time. The disadvantage of the existing approaches is the dependence of the formed spectrum on time as a parameter and the possibility of obtaining the signal spectrum in its original definition only for a fixed time, as well as a high amount of computation. In this regard, a computationally efficient algorithm is proposed for forming a spectrum of non-periodic functions on a time interval that is constantly updated with a given sampling step, which ensures the invariance of the generated spectrum to time as a parameter. The algorithm is based on obtaining differential equations that are based on generalized differentiation with respect to a variable time interval of spectral components and their solving while using the fourth-order Runge–Kutta method. A numerical simulation of the developed algorithm was performed using the MATLAB mathematical modeling package using the example of a substantially non-linear function. Based on the practical results, a comparative evaluation of computational and time complexity has been performed in solving the problem. Based on the obtained experimental results, it is concluded that it is possible to effectively use the proposed algorithm to calculate the current spectrum of non-periodic functions with the requirement of small sampling steps, i.e., when calculating the spectrum in real-time. Full article
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21 pages, 3290 KiB  
Article
i-Sustainability Plus Theory as an Innovative Path towards Sustainable World Founded on Blue-Green Ubiquitous Cities (Case Studies: Denmark and South Korea)
by Hamid Doost Mohammadian and Fatemeh Rezaie
Inventions 2020, 5(2), 14; https://doi.org/10.3390/inventions5020014 - 30 Mar 2020
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 6038
Abstract
Nowadays, the new concept of urban living is required as a path to struggle with urbanization challenges in order to maintain the world and make cities better settings for living through creating high quality of life and liveability. To achieve such areas, developing [...] Read more.
Nowadays, the new concept of urban living is required as a path to struggle with urbanization challenges in order to maintain the world and make cities better settings for living through creating high quality of life and liveability. To achieve such areas, developing sustainability, urban planning based on Information Technology, Information Communication Technology infrastructure, and innovative management play important roles. So, authors try to find out new concepts of urban life concerned with these indicators through sustainability, innovation, ubiquitous, and smartness to create a sustainable and modern world through smart cities. Based on authors’ researches, Blue-Green infrastructure based on environmentally friendly, green strategies, sustainable water management, and ubiquitous services focusing on digitalization and high technologies are required to make a modern world. Fundamentally, innovation management in technology, business and marketing has important roles in designing such areas by keeping up with growing demands and low resources of energies. In this research, i-Sustainability Plus is introduced as a theory to create Blue-Green Ubiquitous cities as modern sustainable and liveable urban areas. Such areas could make the world a better place for living through sustainable development and improving quality of human life. Full article
(This article belongs to the Collection Feature Innovation Papers)
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