Search Results (133)

This study evaluates the aerodynamic performance of a modified Archimedes Spiral Wind Turbine (ASWT) using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). A baseline model was compared with different designs, including surface dimples and a trailing-edge flap. Simulations were carried out in SolidWorks Flow Simulation 2025 under a constant inlet velocity of 12 m/s and rotational speeds ranging from 50 to 500 RPM. The performance of the modified ASWTs was evaluated using key parameters, including the power coefficient ($C_p$), torque, and tip speed ratio ($TSR$). The obtained results follow the expected $C_p-TSR$ behavior, with a peak of $C_p=0.24277$ for the smooth blades and $C_p=0.2565$ for the blades with the flap at $TSR=1.63625$. While the addition of dimples along the surface of the blades resulted in reduced $C_p$ values, the trailing-edge flap consistently improved performance, yielding increased $C_p$ values in comparison to the baseline configuration. Overall, the flap modification highlighted higher aerodynamic efficiency, recognizing it as the most successful improvement among all the tested configurations. These findings shed light on the relevance of geometry-specific optimization in improving ASWT productivity for small-scale wind energy applications. Full article

High-voltage short pulse generators play a critical role in medical and industrial applications. However, the presence of residual stored energy can pose significant electrical safety hazards. To mitigate these hazards, the implementation of rapid discharge mechanisms is imperative. To address the limitations of slow passive bleeders and auxiliary-dependent active circuits, and the issue of excessive size for compact pulse generators, this study proposes a self-powered, fast-response discharge topology utilizing cascaded depletion-mode NMOS transistors. The method utilizes the inherent normally-on characteristic of depletion-mode devices to ensure fail-safe activation during power loss, employing a self-biased feedback loop to regulate a constant discharge current. The theoretical models were validated through simulations and a hardware prototype testing a 1200 V/220 nF capacitor. The experimental results demonstrate the capability to successfully discharge 1200 V to a safe level within a span of one second. Additionally, the discharge time can be programmed within the range from 72 milliseconds to 1.02 s by adjusting the current-limiting resistor. In summary, the proposed topology offers a reliable, compact, and adjustable solution for high-voltage safety, addressing the limitations of conventional discharge technologies in terms of volume and speed. Full article

Accurate power estimation is fundamental to effective tidal turbine design. While turbines are typically designed for specific Tip Speed Ratio (TSR) ranges, the Reynolds number ($Re$) can vary significantly even at a constant TSR depending on flow velocity and turbine scale. Such variations in $Re$ can fundamentally alter the flow characteristics around the blades, directly impacting performance. Conventionally, $Re$-dependent lift and drag coefficients are incorporated into Blade Element Momentum Theory (BEMT) to address these variations, often supplemented by hub and tip loss corrections. However, since BEMT relies on two-dimensional airfoil characteristics, it may not fully capture the complex three-dimensional viscous effects that occur during actual operation. Therefore, this study employs three-dimensional CFD simulations to quantitatively evaluate $Re$ effects on turbine performance. By quantifying power generation deviations across a broad $Re$ spectrum, the results show that discrepancies at identical TSRs range from 0.312% to 7.32%. Notably, these differences stabilise near 1% when $Re$ exceeds $1.0\times {10}^7$. Furthermore, the underlying causes of these scale effects were identified by decomposing the torque into shear and pressure components. These quantified indicators provide a practical basis for incorporating Reynolds number effects into the turbine design process, thereby contributing to more accurate full-scale performance prediction. Full article

When the Risley prism pair is used for target tracking, the nonlinear relationship between beam deflection and prism rotation makes tracking performance highly dependent on precise and stable motor control over a wide speed range. Although the brushless DC motor serves as the preferred drive source, its inherent commutation torque ripples directly induce beam pointing jitter, severely degrading overall tracking accuracy and stability. To address these issues, this paper proposes a three-vector-based model predictive direct speed control method. This approach establishes a direct speed-to-torque control channel by generating reference active power through dynamic equations, eliminating the need for fitting a constant flux linkage and parameter tuning. Simultaneously, combined with three-vector optimization and seven-segment modulation strategies, it achieves a dynamic balance between high-frequency, instantaneous electromagnetic power fine-tuning and inherent mechanical inertia of the rotor. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed method exhibits superior speed stability compared to the conventional double-vector-based model predictive power control method and maintains high-precision dynamic tracking over a wide speed range. Ultimately, it leads to an average reduction of over 60% in the time-weighted absolute tracking error integral under various target trajectories, providing an effective solution for drive control of target tracking in Risley prism systems. Full article

Surface-mounted permanent magnet synchronous motors (SPMSMs) are widely used in high-performance electric vehicles due to their power density; however, conventional field-oriented control (FOC) relies on simplified models in which electromagnetic torque is described as a function of the quadrature current component, together with constant parameters and idealized trajectories in the $i_d-i_q$ plane, limiting adaptability and reducing efficiency and operating range under real conditions. This work introduces a flux linkage vector decomposition approach for SPMSMs, in which the permanent-magnet flux is decomposed into d- and q-axis components under core saturation and integrated into an extended field-oriented control framework. An extended FOC strategy is proposed that incorporates flux linkage vector decomposition, nonlinear magnetic saturation, cross-coupling effects, and nonlinear dependencies of electrical parameters, along with resolver angle correction and dynamic modulation index management. These enhancements modify torque and voltage trajectories by shifting the voltage-limit center and improving the definition of the MTPA, FW, and MTPV regions to better match real motor behavior, enabling performance improvements. Experimental validation on an automotive powertrain using a vehicle control unit (VCU) and precalculated lookup tables (LUTs) demonstrates improvements of up to 13.5% in low-speed torque, 13.7% in high-speed power, and efficiency gains of 4–8% across operating conditions. Full article

This article presents an online additive fault-detection system for the speed sensor of a 200 W shunt-type direct current (DC) motor, integrated into a power module controlled by an Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT). The system is designed to trigger an alarm signal when an additive fault occurs by comparing the Kalman Filter (KF) residual against a predefined detection threshold. Three specific fault types in the speed sensor were analyzed: offset, disconnection, and sinusoidal noise. Experimental results demonstrate effective fault detection across a speed range of 80 to 690 rpm under no-load conditions. However, when a constant torque of 0.5 Nm is applied, both the detection threshold and the subset of reliably identifiable faults must be adjusted. The main contribution of this study is the development of a customized real-time fault detection framework and the characterization of residual variations caused by unmodeled load disturbances in actual hardware. This approach improves the monitoring and fault-diagnosis capabilities of sensor systems in DC motors by quantifying the stochastic behavior of residuals under different operating constraints. Full article

Laser-based manufacturing processes—including marking, hardening, cutting, and welding—demand the precise selection of processing parameters, as the resulting surface state is critically dependent on the delivered power density and beam–material interaction time. This study presents a unified predictive framework for estimating the critical surface power density thresholds for melting q_scm and evaporation q_scv as functions of scanning speed v for the following four technologically important metallic materials: titanium, C26000 brass, SS304 stainless steel, and 42CrMo4 alloy steel. The principal novelty of this work is twofold. First, it provides the first directly comparative analysis of these four materials under identical, standardized laser conditions (λ = 1064 nm, d = 40 μm, constant absorptivity A = 0.4), eliminating the confounding effects of variable beam geometries and optical assumptions that hinder cross-study comparisons. Second, it translates fundamental thermophysical principles into a practical engineering tool, such as a validated spreadsheet calculator that outputs material-specific threshold curves in real time, enabling rapid, physics-based parameter estimation without recourse to complex numerical simulations. The computed threshold curves exhibit a consistent non-linear increase with scanning speed for all materials, governed by the inverse relationship between interaction time and required power density. The following clear material hierarchy emerges: C26000 brass exhibits the highest thresholds (e.g., q_scm = 0.94 × 10¹⁰ W/m², q_scv = 10.74 × 10¹⁰ W/m² at v = 100 mm/s) due to its high thermal conductivity, while titanium shows the lowest (q_scm = 0.19 × 10¹⁰ W/m², q_scv = 0.48 × 10¹⁰ W/m² at v = 100 mm/s) as a consequence of strong heat confinement. SS304 and 42CrMo4 occupy intermediate positions, with 42CrMo4 demonstrating notably higher evaporation resistance than SS304 despite similar melting thresholds. The resulting dual-threshold framework delineates three distinct process regimes—sub-melting heating, melting-dominant processing, and evaporation—providing a quantitative basis for parameter selection in applications ranging from surface hardening to micromachining. By bridging the gap between theoretical material science and applied manufacturing, this work offers a robust, first-order reference for process design and establishes a methodological template for future comparative studies of laser–material interactions. Full article

Schottky barrier diodes (SBDs) based on low-dimensional materials are of interest for high-speed electronics due to their intrinsic nonlinear transport characteristics. In this work, aligned carbon nanotube Schottky barrier diodes (ACNT-SBDs) were systematically studied through electrical characterization, small-signal modeling, and large-signal nonlinear measurements. Devices with channel widths ranging from 50 to 500 µm were fabricated to examine size-dependent direct-current and high-frequency behavior. Clear Schottky rectification and pronounced geometry-dependent characteristics were observed, with the widest device achieving an intrinsic cutoff frequency of up to 282 GHz. Based on measured S-parameters, a refined small-signal model incorporating a parallel resistance–constant phase element (CPE) branch was developed, providing substantially improved agreement with measured S- and Y-parameters and phase response compared with the classical model. The extracted CPE parameters exhibit systematic dependence on channel width, indicating distributed junction charge dynamics associated with carbon nanotube interfaces. Furthermore, the large-signal nonlinear behavior was evaluated using an anti-parallel diode configuration, achieving a third-harmonic output power of −22.58 dBm at 30 GHz under zero-bias operation. This work provides a comprehensive experimental and modeling framework for understanding the high-frequency and nonlinear behavior of ACNT-SBDs. Full article

The technology development for the mass ceramic gas flow sensor (CGFS) adopted for harsh operating conditions is presented. The main characteristic of this technology is its simplicity and affordability for mass fast prototyping of CGFS with a limited set of technological equipment. Special attention is paid to the discussion of the technological and operational materials’ compatibility, flexibility, and speed of their processing to adapt the best mass flow sensor design option. The CGFS, designed and manufactured in just a few days, was tested in conditions close to the real ones and demonstrated the ability to measure gas flow in the range from 0.21 m/s to 1.25 m/s, with a constant power consumption of 152 mW@346 °C. Full article

This paper proposes an event-triggered extension of duty-ratio-based model predictive direct speed control (DR-MPDSC) for permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) drives in electric vehicle (EV) applications. The main contribution is the development of an event-triggered execution framework specifically tailored to DR-MPDSC, in which control updates are performed only when the speed tracking error violates a prescribed condition, rather than at every sampling instant. Unlike conventional MPDSC and time-triggered DR-MPDSC schemes, the proposed strategy achieves a significant reduction in control execution frequency while preserving fast dynamic response and closed-loop stability. An optimized duty-ratio formulation is employed to regulate the effective application duration of the selected voltage vector within each sampling interval, resulting in reduced electromagnetic torque ripple and improved stator current quality. An extended Kalman filter (EKF) is integrated to estimate rotor speed and load torque, enabling disturbance-aware predictive speed control without mechanical torque sensing. Furthermore, a unified field-weakening strategy is incorporated to ensure wide-speed-range operation under constant power constraints, which is essential for EV traction systems. Simulation and experimental results demonstrate that the proposed event-triggered DR-MPDSC achieves steady-state speed errors below 0.5%, limits electromagnetic torque ripple to approximately 2.5%, and reduces stator current total harmonic distortion (THD) to 3.84%, compared with 5.8% obtained using conventional MPDSC. Moreover, the event-triggered mechanism reduces control update executions by up to 87.73% without degrading transient performance or field-weakening capability. These results confirm the effectiveness and practical viability of the proposed control strategy for high-performance PMSM drives in EV applications. Full article

Drilling resistance (DR) measurement is a promising non-destructive technique for evaluating the mechanical properties of concrete. However, the reliability and repeatability of DR measurements are still limited by an insufficient understanding of how drill rotational speed influences the recorded drilling response. In addition, a systematic investigation of the influence of rotational speed on multiple drilling response parameters simultaneously is still lacking. This study investigates the relationship between imposed rotational speed and DR parameters—namely, rotational speed reduction, drilling force, and electrical power consumption—measured during controlled drilling tests in C30 and C50 concretes. A laboratory-developed DR testing methodology with constant feed rate and synchronized RPM, force, and power measurements was applied. Five nominal drilling speeds (in the range of 1400–2200 RPM) were examined. The results show clear, speed-dependent trends across all measurements. Strong correlations between nominal and in-hole rotational speeds were observed, while drilling force exhibited a nonlinear dependence on rotational speed. This study reveals distinct drilling behavioral signatures that differentiate concrete strength classes and clarify the mechanical origin of drilling-induced RPM reduction. The findings confirm that DR parameters, when analyzed collectively rather than individually, provide valuable diagnostic information and have strong potential for application in the non-destructive evaluation of concrete structures. Full article

Aiming at the chattering issue in speed observation for sensorless control, this paper proposes a sliding mode observer based on an improved double-power reaching law for high-performance speed estimation in five-phase induction motors. Traditional constant-rate reaching law observers exhibit significant chattering, while the double-power reaching law, though offering certain “variable-gain” adjustment effects, still has limited chattering suppression capability. To address this, the paper introduces a state variable related to the stator current into the conventional double-power observer, further enhancing the ability of the sliding mode gain to vary with the system state. This approach effectively suppresses chattering while maintaining convergence speed. The stability of the observer system employing the new reaching law is proven using Lyapunov stability theory, and the value ranges of key parameters are determined. Simulation results demonstrate that, compared to traditional constant-rate reaching law and conventional double-power reaching law observers, the proposed improved method significantly reduces speed observation chattering and effectively enhances the observation accuracy of the observer. Full article

To address the lack of inertia in full-power converter wind turbines and the inability of existing mechanical speed regulation technologies to achieve power smoothing without converters, this paper proposes a novel hybrid wind energy storage system integrating a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) and an electromechanical flywheel. This system establishes a cascaded topology featuring “CVT-based source-side speed regulation and electromechanical flywheel-based terminal power stabilization.” By utilizing the CVT for speed decoupling and introducing the flywheel via a planetary differential branch, the system retains physical inertia by eliminating large-capacity converters and overcomes the bottleneck of traditional mechanical transmissions, which struggle to balance constant frequency with stable power output. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed system reduces the active power fluctuation range by 47.60% compared to the raw wind power capture. Moreover, the required capacity of the auxiliary motor is only about 15% of the rated power, reducing the reliance on power electronic converters by approximately 85% compared to full-power converter systems. Furthermore, during a grid voltage dip of 0.6 p.u., the system restricts rotor speed fluctuations to within 0.5%, significantly enhancing Low Voltage Ride-Through (LVRT) capability. Full article

Permanent magnet synchronous machines (PMSMs) are the preferred choice for electric vehicles (EVs), hybrid EVs, and wind turbines because of their high torque density, efficiency, and wide constant-power speed range. Conventional PMSMs rely heavily on rare-earth (RE) permanent magnets like Nd-Fe-B, which offers high remanence and coercivity but comes with high costs, supply chain issues, and environmental concerns. To address these challenges, this paper explores the potential of tetragonal Fe₂Ni₂N, a newly developed RE-free permanent magnet, as a replacement for commercial Nd-Fe-B (N35) in high-performance PMSMs. Fe₂Ni₂N shows a remanent flux density of 1.2 T and coercivity of 0.957 MA/m, closely matching those of commercial N35 magnets. Finite element analysis (FEA) in Ansys Maxwell was performed on both surface-mounted (SPM) and interior-mounted (IPM) PMSMs under EV-representative operating conditions. Results demonstrate that Fe₂Ni₂N-based machines have similar demagnetization resistance, torque, and efficiency to those with N35 magnets, with slight performance advantages at low speeds and nearly identical performance at high speeds. Furthermore, system-level parameters such as DC bus voltage and stator current were analyzed, showing that increased voltage extends the constant torque region while higher current enhances torque output but can slightly reduce efficiency at elevated speeds. These findings confirm that Fe₂Ni₂N is a promising RE-free alternative to Nd-Fe-B for sustainable, high-performance PMSMs. Results show that Fe₂Ni₂N-based machines have similar demagnetization resistance, torque, and efficiency to those with N35 magnets, with slight performance benefits at low speeds and nearly identical results at high speeds. Furthermore, system-level parameters, such as DC bus voltage and stator current, were analyzed. The results show that increased voltage extends the constant-torque region, while higher current enhances torque output but can slightly reduce efficiency at elevated speeds. These findings confirm that Fe₂Ni₂N is a promising RE-free alternative to Nd-Fe-B for sustainable, high-performance PMSMs. Full article

A video satellite has continuous imaging capabilities, which grants it great potential for tracking and monitoring moving targets. The Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) and Unscented Kalman Filter (UKF) are commonly used in the above process. However, the accuracy of EKF estimation is low, and the computational complexity of UKF estimation is high. To address the contradiction between estimation accuracy and real-time performance in mobile-target state estimation, in this paper, we propose a new Kalman Filter with a secant-approximating nonlinear function. Firstly, the truncation error mechanism in the EKF is analysed here to illustrate the limitation of the EKF in approximating the nonlinear function. Then, the paper recommended a secant method to approximate the nonlinear function, which improved fitting accuracy without excessively increasing computational complexity. In order to improve the robustness of the proposed method, an adaptive selection strategy for correction elements is designed based on the advantageous range of secant approximation. The simulation results show that, in conventional ship motion scenarios, the computational accuracy is comparable to that of the EKF. In constant-power acceleration scenarios, the target positioning accuracy was 28.6% better than that of the EKF, and the computational speed was an order of magnitude greater than that of the UKF. Full article