Inventions

As an attempt to enable a further increase in the power-to-weight ratio of an electric motor by improving its cooling performance, rotating thermosyphon loops in a rotor of a permanent magnet synchronous electric motor are proposed. The effective thermal conductivity and airflow heat-transfer rate of the rotating thermosyphon loop and the convective heat-transfer coefficient over the annular interior surface of the air chamber are measured to permit the definition of the thermal boundary conditions for simulating the temperature fields of the electric motors. The axial heat-transfer pathway with extremely high effective thermal conductivity attributing to the phase-change activities in the rotating thermosyphon loop acts synergistically with the heat convection enhancement induced by the stirring effect of the spinning condenser bend in the air chamber to improve the heat transmission out of the rotor core. The spatially average temperature gradients in the rotor with the thermosyphon loops are considerably moderated from those without the thermosyphon loop. At rotor speeds and electrical currents in the ranges of 1200–1500 rev/min and 1000–1200 A, the maximum temperatures in the rotors with the single- and twin-end rotating thermosyphon loops are, respectively, reduced 8–14 °C and 10–22 °C from those without a rotor-cooling scheme, affirming the effectiveness of a phase-change cooling device in a rotor for thermal performance improvement of an electric motor. Full article

The present study was set to validate two different suburban-type sportscar bodies with shared common underpinnings. The chosen method to develop this project was the Industrial Design Structure (IDeS), which characterizes the ability to use the different innovative techniques known within the industrial field, across the whole organization. This method is embodied by following a series of structured analysis tools, such as QFD (Quality Function Deployment), Benchmarking (BM), Top-Flop analysis (TFA), Stylistic Design Engineering (SDE), Prototyping, Testing, Budgeting and Planning. This project aims to study the present-day car market and to foresee deployment in the near future. This attempt was confirmed by delivering the complete styling and technical feasibility characteristics of two different sports cars, obtained by the IDeS methodology. This approach of embodying design together with phases of product development would provide a better engineered, target-oriented product, that uses state-of-the-art style and CAD environments to reduce product development time and, hence, overall Time to Market (TTM). Full article

Silicone rubbers are relatively new in additive manufacturing, with only a few commercial printing services and reports on custom-built printers available. Publications and standards on calibration and accuracy assessment are especially lacking. In this study, the printhead calibration process of a custom-built silicone printer is explained, and a set of test objects is proposed and evaluated. The printer in use is based on an open-source filament printer, capable of multi-material printing with silicone rubbers and thermoplastic polymers. Three different high-viscosity single-component liquid silicone rubbers and one polylactic acid thermoplastic filament were used as printing materials. First, the calibration process of the silicone printhead was conducted, and the dependency of the dosing accuracy on silicone viscosity, nozzle diameter and extrusion speed was evaluated. Second, various test specimens were proposed and printed to characterize the accuracy and geometric limitations of this printer. These test parts contained features such as thin walls, slender towers, small holes and slots, unsupported overhangs and bridges. It was concluded that silicone viscosity strongly affects geometric inaccuracies. Design recommendations were deducted from the results, advising for wall thicknesses above 1 mm, slenderness ratios below 2, bridging lengths below 2 mm and unsupported overhang angles below 30°. Full article

Three-dimensional printing has become an unchallenged method for the manufacturing of complex shape objects. Although multicolor devices in Fuse Filament Feeder category recently have shown promising developments, their number still remains limited. The present study introduces the design of a new prototype of three-dimensional printer using Fused Filament Feeder and capable of printing multicolor objects. A single-color three-dimensional printer is used as a platform and is augmented for multicolor printing by the implementation of a mechatronic device that provides two functions. First, a transmission mechanism based on planetary gears allows feeding the selected filament color toward the printing head. The second function is provided by a combination of a central cam disk and several pushing rods. It allows selecting the filament color to be fed by the transmission system. The mechatronic device has been dimensioned to manage five different filament colors and the printing head has been modified to accommodate a five-to-one diamond nozzle. The filament shifting device is integrated into the single-color three-dimensional printer and a series of validation experiments has been carried out. These tests have demonstrated the new prototype ability to print out multicolor objects and to rival with commercial three-dimensional printers in terms of dimensional accuracy. This shows the ability of the proposed design and method to be used to upgrade a standard single-color 3D printer into a multicolor one. The presented multicolor 3D printer will be available to the 3D printing community for free. Full article

Diabetes is one of the lifelong diseases that require systematic medical care to avoid life-menacing ramifications. Uncontrolled diabetes can cause severe damage to most internal body organs, probably leading to death. Particularly, nocturnal hypoglycemic that occur usually at night during sleep. Severe cases of these events can lead to seizures, fainting, loss of consciousness, and death. The current medical devices lack to give the warning to reduce the risk of acquiring nocturnal hypoglycemic events because they use only for glucose monitoring during waking times. Consequently, the main goal of this work is to design and implement a new wearable device to detect and monitor tremors, which occur when a user has hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). The device can detect a frequency range of 4–12 Hz by using the accelerometer of Arduino Nano 33 BLE. It can send a signal to the phone application (app) via Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE). Once the phone receives a signal, the phone application can activate an alarm system to wake up the patient, call three selected contacts number, and universal emergency number. In case of the user is unresponsive, the app can provide the patient’s location, name, and date of birth to the emergency contacts numbers and universal emergency number. Additionally, the device cost is economically feasible and competitive compared to other medical devices. Full article

Drag reduction is an ever-present challenge within the aeronautical engineering industry. This paper presents two substantial wing modifications: the addition of a winglet of a freighter aircraft and a dimpled wing on the NACA 0017 aerofoils. Studies on nine (9) different geometries of dimpled aerofoils were performed against a control model of an aerofoil without any dimple. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis was performed using two (2) commercial CFD platforms. This paper also explored two novel solutions of aircraft optimisation to mitigate the effects of drag and leading-edge pressure, while increasing the effect of lift. The optimised performance model of a freighter aircraft increased its aerodynamic efficiency. The study found that at take-off velocity of 82 m/s, winglets decreased pressure on the wing by 16.31%, through flow redirection and better flow integration into aerofoils wake. The study also analysed the separation layer and its effect through the appropriate use of the dimple effect. Increased lift effects were observed on a NACA 0017 aerofoil. Despite the low increase in drag of 6% from the modifications, the resultant L/D ratio was highly increased. This study also faced some challenges with validating the model. Hence some validation approaches were taken, and some other approaches suggested for future studies. Full article

In these post COVID times, the world is going through a massive restructuring which India can use to its benefit by attracting foreign industrial investment. The major requirement is a reliable and ecofriendly electrical power source. Of late, renewable energy sources have increasingly become popular as alternative source of electricity. They can provide immense aid in improving the reliability of the power system, when placed properly. The alternative integrated energy sources along with FACTS devices can provide a promising future for reliable power systems. In this paper, an effective location for the solar power unit and Interline Power Flow Controller using Line Severity Index is proposed in order to avoid contingencies. An Indian 62 bus system and IEEE 57 bus system are considered for the study. The Firefly algorithm is used to tune the IPFC in the Integrated Energy Systems scenario, for a dual objective function. The effect of placement of the solar unit and the optimized IPFC is analyzed and studied in detail in this paper. Full article

The article is devoted to modification of the impact devices of Leeb hardness testers for the implementation of the dynamic instrumented indentation method. The results obtained made it possible to construct a load–displacement curve using primary EMF signals and made it possible to determine the values of the dissipated and elastic impact body energy, the maximal load of indentation, the maximal and residual penetration depth and the geometric parameters of the indentation region, namely the contact area of the indenter with the surface and the volume of the displaced material. The listed parameters of the indentation process allow us to measure the contact and volume hardness, the elastic modulus and the yield strength of test objects with portable hardness testers. Full article

This study investigates the low mechanization level of grape picking, and the problems associated with the difficult location of grape picking points in three-dimensional space. A method for rapidly locating the picking points of table grapes based on an infrared tube was proposed in this paper. Firstly, the Otsu algorithm and the maximum connected domain were used to obtain the image of the target grape, which realized the fast recognition and segmentation of the target grape in two-dimensional space. Secondly, a location device for grape-picking points based on an infrared tube was designed, which resolved the technical problem related to the difficulty of locating picking points in three-dimensional space, and realized the accurate positioning of picking points for table grapes. Finally, the experimental results show that the proposed method can quickly and accurately locate the picking points of table grapes in three-dimensional space. The average running time of the proposed algorithm is 0.61 s, and the success rate of location identification is 90.0%. It provides a feasible scheme for the mechanized picking of table grapes. Full article

The manufacturing of a granular fertilizer based on organic slurry (OS) and sorptive materials aims to enhance the circular economy. This article describes a technology that was conceived after appraising the chemistry of the anaerobic digestate and wood ash and the synergies of combining both materials. The information available in the literature about similar materials such as cattle slurry and lime was also considered to build a better understanding of the underlying science. The processes and machinery designed were optimized from the points of view of energy and material consumption, cost of storage, transportation and land application. The system was sized to process 1 tonne of OS (97% moisture) in a 10 h batch-shift, consuming 140 kg of wood pellets and 0.55 kW of electricity for the fan blowing preheated air. The results of the market research allowed us to reach the most economically viable routes for the commercialization of granular fertilizers. Based on the financial study, an initial investment of GBP 20,000 is needed to successfully implement the value proposition and business plan. The wide adoption of the composite fertilizer improves the management of the OS and reduces the contamination of air, soil, and water derived from intensive agricultural practices. Full article

The potential to use Subsurface Water Retention Systems (SWRSs) to combat desertification and improve agriculture in arid and semiarid areas has already been investigated and proved promising. Nevertheless, a lack of specific machinery has prevented this technology from demonstrating its effectiveness on vast areas. In the present study, a specific prototype is presented along with the results obtained from a preliminary study conducted to assess effectiveness, performance and associated cost. During the test, the machinery permitted the construction of a SWRS 100 cm belowground using a 140 kW tractor. The effective field capacity (EFC) averaged at 0.19 ha h⁻¹ whilst total cost was estimated to be as high as 4800.00 € ha⁻¹. However, 93% of the cost was associated with the purchase cost of the removable impermeable film. A removal operation was also investigated using a 42 kW excavator for evaluating the EFC and cost which averaged at 0.2 ha h⁻¹ and 655.79 € ha⁻¹, respectively. Full article

The paper provides an overview of methods for determining reliability indicators and, on the basis of the analysis, proposes a new method for assessing the parametric reliability of products based on a small number of tests. The determination of the parameters and double logistic distribution based on the test results is considered, a statistical experiment was carried out, which was based on the method of statistical modeling of Monte Carlo. An example of evaluating parametric reliability by a new method is also given, on the basis of which an engineering technique is proposed. In the conclusion, remarks are made regarding the advantages of the novel method. Full article

Floating offshore structures (FOS) must be designed to be stable, to float, and to be able to support other structures for which they were designed. These FOS are needed for different transfer operations in oil terminals. However, water waves affect the motion response of floating buoys. Under normal sea states, the free-floating buoy presents stable periodic responses. However, when moored, they are kept in position. Mooring configurations used to moor buoys in single point mooring (SPM) terminals could require systems such as Catenary Anchor Leg Moorings (CALM) and Single Anchor Leg Moorings (SALM). The CALM buoys are one of the most commonly-utilised type of offshore loading terminal. Due to the wider application of CALM buoy systems, it is necessary to investigate the fluid structure interaction (FSI) and vortex effect on the buoy. In this study, a numerical investigation is presented on a CALM buoy model conducted using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) in ANSYS Fluent version R2 2020. Some hydrodynamic definitions and governing equations were presented to introduce the model. The results presented visualize and evaluate specific motion characteristics of the CALM buoy with emphasis on the vortex effect. The results of the CFD study present a better understanding of the hydrodynamic parameters, reaction characteristics and fluid-structure interaction under random waves. Full article

The difficulty of delivering electrical power to rural areas motivated the researchers to explore more accessible power sources. Hydropower is considered a desirable option due to its sustainability and lower costs. Pelton turbines have been widely used in hydropower plants because of their low installation and maintenance costs. This study provides a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model for Pelton turbine performance under various flow conditions. The model is based on the conservation of mass principle, Newton’s second law, and the first law of thermodynamics. It is used to predict the torque produced by a turbine at different rotational speeds. Previously published experimental results for the same turbine geometry and flow parameters were used to validate the model’s predictions. Validation revealed that the model can reproduce the experimental results. This provides the required robustness for its use as a tool for turbine design and modification. Full article

In the present research, an overview of the wind climate on the northwestern coast of the Black Sea basin is assessed, using a total of 6 years of data (2015–2020) provided by the National Institute of Marine Geology and Geoecology (GeoEcoMar). It is well known that the enclosed/semi-enclosed basins are complex environments and to accurately represent the features of wind and wave are necessary high resolution spatial fields. For the Black Sea, which is an enclosed basin with complicated regional geography, the main weather parameters reported (wind direction, wind speed, air temperature, air pressure) give a more comprehensive picture of how energetic the area of interest is, and represent the features of the Black Sea’s diversified marine environment. Finally, the results obtained in this paper cover a broad range of applications in marine studies, being useful for future research in the area of wind climate in the Black Sea. Full article

The cleaning of the ear canal is very important, and it is crucial that it is performed by an otolaryngologist as it requires a high level of competence and skill. The accumulation of cerumen or earwax in the ear canal is one of the most commonly observed problems in patients, and ignoring it may cause hearing loss, irritation and discomfort. There are a number of techniques that have been utilized in the past for cleaning the ear canal, including irrigation, i.e., curettage and water pick, and syringing. There are many patients who are unable to clean their ear canal through a natural self-cleaning process. The main aim of this study is to develop a unique model for ear cleaning free of irritation or discomfort, especially for those patients who have disorders of the self-cleaning ear canal process. The tool is designed specifically considering patient safety and comfort. However, the commercialization of this tool requires research and modification for improved quality results considering primarily the patient’s health. Full article

Living Labs are an innovative concept that combines research, governance, and citizens, using technology and knowledge. Using design thinking techniques as a method of approach, this innovative idea builds a bridge between decision makers and stakeholders, promoting a shared vision of growth and innovation at the community level. The coastal zone is an extremely dynamic area in terms of human and natural activities. This is a particularly sensitive area to climate change, necessitating ongoing adaptation and mitigating action. This paper aims to introduce the application of the Living lab concept in the management of the coastal area of Constanta (Romania). The concept of the Living Lab means involving citizens along with public bodies and research structures. This new coastal management model will use the design thinking approach and will consider the pressures that exist between the activities that occur in the examined coastal zone. In the study, “Multi-Criteria Analysis of the Mass Tourism Management Model Related to the Impact on the Local Community in Constanța (Romania)”, published in MDPI Inventions on 28 June 2021, a coastal management model was built that took into consideration only the data given by the government. In this paper, the authors aim to expand their research by including data from independent sources, using the concept of a Living Lab. Full article