Prediction of the dimensional deformation of the addendum and dedendum after the warm shrink fitting process using a correction coefficient

The warm shrink fitting process is generally used to assemble automobile transmission parts (shafts/gears). However, this process causes a deformation in the addendum and dedendum of the gear depending on the fitting interference and gear profile, and this deformation causes additional noise and vibration between the gears. To address these problems, the warm shrink fitting process is analyzed by considering the error in the dimensional deformation of the addendum and dedendum found when comparing the results of a theoretical analysis and finite element analysis (FEA). A correction coefficient that reduces this error is derived through an analysis of the difference in the cross-sectional area between the shapes used for the theoretical analysis and that of the actual gear, and a closed-form equation to predict the dimensional deformation of the addendum and dedendum is proposed. The FEA method is proposed to analyze the thermal-structural-thermal coupled field analysis of the warm shrink fitting process (heating-fitting-cooling process). To verify the closed-form equation using the correction coefficient, measurements are made of actual helical gears used in automobile transmissions. The results are in good agreement with those given by the closed-form equation.     

Major sources of hydrocarbon emissions in a premixed charge compression ignition engine

Although premixed charge compression ignition (PCCI) combustion engines are praised for potentially high efficiency and clean exhaust, experimental engines built to date emit more hydrocarbons (HCs) and carbon monoxide (CO) than the conventional machines. These compounds are not only strictly controlled components of the exhaust gas of road vehicles but are also an energy loss indicator. The prime objective of this study was to investigate the major sources of the HCs formed in the combustion chamber of an experimental PCCI engine in order to suggest some effective technologies for HC reduction. In this study, to explore the dominant sources of HC emissions in both operation modes, a single cylinder engine was prepared such that it could operate using either conventional diesel combustion or PCCI combustion. Specifically, the contributions of the top-ring crevice volume in the combustion chamber and the bulk quenching of the lean mixture were investigated. To understand the influence of the shape and magnitude of the crevice on HC emissions, the engine was operated with 12 specially prepared pistons with different top-ring crevices installed one after another. The engine emitted proportionally more HCs as the depth of the crevice increased as long as the width remained narrower than the prevailing quench distance. The top-ring-crevice-originated exhaust HCs comprised approximately 31% of the total HC emissions in the baseline condition. In a series of tests to estimate the effects of bulk quench on exhaust HC emissions, intake air was heated from 300K to 400K in steps of 25K. With the intake air heated, HC and CO emissions decreased with a gradually diminishing rate to zero at 375K. In conclusion, the most dominant sources of HC emissions in PCCI engines were the crevice volumes in the combustion chamber and the bulk quenching of the lean mixtures. The key methods for reducing HC emissions in PCCI engines are minimizing crevice volume in the combustion chamber and maximizing intake air temperature allowed based on the permissible NOx level.     

A self-powering system based on tire deformation during driving

Tire intelligence is vital in the improvement of the safety of vehicles because the tire supports the car body and is the contact point between the vehicle and the road. To create an intelligent tire, sensors must be installed to measure the behavior of the tire. However, it is difficult to apply a wired sensor system on the wheel of the tire. Hence, it is necessary to implement a self-powering, wireless system (a type of energy harvesting system) that can be mounted inside the tire. The purpose of this study is to convert the strain energy caused by deformation of the tire while driving into useful electrical energy to supply the sensor system. A flexible piezofiber is utilized for the energy conversion. The variation in strain, due to changes in speed, load, and the internal pressure of the tire, was measured along two axial directions to evaluate the amount of available strain energy. The amount of strain changed from 0.15% to 0.8%. To predict the amount of available energy from a tire, we perform an analysis of the relationship between the strain and the voltage. In addition, experiments for impedance matching between piezofiber and related circuits were conducted to optimize the external loads for transferring energy efficiently. Based on the procedure mentioned above, at least 0.58 mJ of electrical energy can be generated by using the laterally oriented strain (1500 to 2500 micro strain). The result of this study is expected to enhance the potential realization of self-generating wireless sensor systems for so-called ??intelligent?? tires.     

Study of an optimized gas strut layout to improve opening and closing quality

The most important factor in gas strut design is determining an optimized layout. If the layout is not optimized, vehicle operators will have a suboptimal experience when opening and closing the tailgate. A poor layout of the gas struts causes operators to work excessively when they open/close the tailgate, and vehicle owners will incur additional expenses due to deterioration in the body quality of the vehicle. Thus, an optimized gas strut layout is very important, even if it does not seem interesting. This paper describes the tailgate operation process and focuses on determining an optimized gas strut layout for opening/closing the tailgate easily.     

High-strain-rate fracture of adhesively bonded composite joints in DCB and TDCB specimens

Double-cantilever beam (DCB) and tapered double-cantilever beam (TDCB) specimens are the test configurations most commonly used to measure the fracture toughness of composites and adhesive joints. Strain rates of 1 to 18.47 m/s were applied to the test specimens via high-speed hydraulic test equipment. Because the fracture occurs through the adhesively bonded joints and the cracks grow rapidly, the crack length and beam displacement were recorded by a high-speed camera. An energy range from 0 to 10 J was often observed in the high-strain-rate fracture experiments for nonlinear plastic behavior of the dynamically loaded adhesively bonded DCB and TDCB specimens. The range of energy release rates (fracture energy) for TDCB specimen was 2 to 3 times higher than that of a DCB specimen for all high strain rates. The fracture energy of automotive adhesive joints can be estimated using the experimental results in this study for the fracture toughness (G_IC) under high rates of loading. The crack grows as the applied fracture energy exceeds the value of the critical energy release rate (G_IC) at the crack tip. The energy release rate was calculated using the fracture mechanics formula. The key fracture mechanics parameter, the fracture energy GIC, was ascertained as a function of the test rate and can be used to assess and model the overall joint performance.     

Fuzzy-logic applied to yaw moment control for vehicle stability

In this paper, we propose a new yaw moment control based on fuzzy logic to improve vehicle handling and stability. The advantages of fuzzy methods are their simplicity and their good performance in controlling non-linear systems. The developed controller generates the suitable yaw moment which is obtained from the difference of the brake forces between the front wheels so that the vehicle follows the target values of the yaw rate and the sideslip angle. The simulation results show the effectiveness of the proposed control method when the vehicle is subjected to different cornering steering manoeuvres such as change line and J-turn under different driving conditions (dry road and snow-covered).     

Distributed support modelling for vertical track dynamic analysis

The finite length nature of rail-pad supports is characterised by a Timoshenko beam element formulation over an elastic foundation, giving rise to the distributed support element. The new element is integrated into a vertical track model, which is solved in frequency and time domain. The developed formulation is obtained by solving the governing equations of a Timoshenko beam for this particular case. The interaction between sleeper and rail via the elastic connection is considered in an analytical, compact and efficient way. The modelling technique results in realistic amplitudes of the ‘pinned–pinned’ vibration mode and, additionally, it leads to a smooth evolution of the contact force temporal response and to reduced amplitudes of the rail vertical oscillation, as compared to the results from concentrated support models. Simulations are performed for both parametric and sinusoidal roughness excitation. The model of support proposed here is compared with a previous finite length model developed by other authors, coming to the conclusion that the proposed model gives accurate results at a reduced computational cost.     

Effect of ABCA1-V771M polymorphism on plasma lipid levels and its relationship with coronary atherosclerotic heart disease

Objective To explore the risk association of ABCA1-V771M polymorphism with coronary heart disease (CHD) in Hart nationality in Northwest of China. Methods With case-control study, ABCA1-V771M polymorphism was detected in 204 unrelated Hart nationality people in Northwest of China, and all the subjects by coronary angiography were grouped into 106 cases and 98 controls. The genotypes and alleles frequency distribution of ABCA1-V771M polymorphisms were analyzed by PCR-RFLP analysis, and the clinical statistics of serum lipids were compared and its effects of ABCA1-V771M polymorphism on the plasma lipid levels and coronary atherosclerotic heart disease were analyzed. Results The genotypic frequencies of ABCA1-V771M polymorphism matched well under Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (P>0.05), V and M allelic frequencies were 33.3% and 66.7%. In comparison with VV VM genotype carriers, MM genotypes carriers had much lower plasma levels of HDL-C (P<0. 001) and much higher plasma levels of TG (P<0. 05). M allelic frequency in CHD group was significantly higher than V allelic frequency (P<0. 05). M allele was related with more severity of atherosclerosis in the coronary artery than V allele (P<0.05). However, there was no obvious difference in the incidence of AMI among carriers with three genotypes of ABCA1-V771M polymorphism (P>0.05). Conclusion ABCA1-V771M polymorphism was not only associated with the plasma levels of HDL-C and TG, but also related to the susceptibility and severity of coronary atheroselerotic heart disease. Moreover, M771 allele appeared to be atherogenie among Han population in Northwest of China.     

Ground truthing sediment profile imagery with traditional benthic survey data along an established disturbance gradient

Macrobenthic surveys are an expensive, slow and labour intensive means to establish the health of benthic communities. Sediment profile imagery (SPI) is a means of rapid reconnaissance for monitoring large areas of the benthos. SPI has often been used to monitor gross anthropogenic disturbance. The aim of this study is to determine if SPI can be used as a tool to reliably map change in communities along natural estuarine gradients. Macrobenthic sampling was carried out at five stations along an established estuarine gradient. This faunal data was analysed using standard multivariate techniques and to ground truth a concurrent SPI survey. Faunal analysis showed that habitat quality in Inner Galway Bay was generally good, with some localised disturbance from the River Corrib and the sewage out flow exterior to the city dock. Four distinct groups were identified with a degree of overlap occurring between stations 3 and 4. While existing SPI indices mapped habitat quality in the same manner as the faunal data for end member stations, the level of distinction between the habitats of an intermediate staging was found to be poor. This lack of distinction amongst the stage 2 and 3 stations was overcome by developing a tailored index, the Galway Bay index of habitat quality (GBHQ). This index was derived from the 5 observed variables in the SPI data that were determined to best match the faunal distribution by permutative mantel testing. The 5 observed variables from the SPI data were the depth of the apparent redox potential discontinuity (aRPD), the depth of penetration by the prism, and the presence/absence of infauna, surface faecal pellet layer and biogenic mounding. The GBHQ was able to distinguish between the 5 stations to a greater extent than previously described indices, showing clearly the separate groupings defined by the faunal data. The index was tested on a follow up SPI survey and shown to be applicable in mapping a broader range of habitats in Galway Bay. Indices generated for localised mapping of estuarine gradients should be derived from observed features and be ground truthed using faunal data. Some aspects of the GBHQ should be generally applicable to fine grained boreal estuarine sediments (aRPD/penetration), while others may be of limited utility in other locations depending on the digging characteristics of the particular SPI camera, and local factors influencing the persistence of biogenic features in the profile. This derivation technique provides a simple way to optimise SPI to particular studies and localities.     

On the observability of the fortnightly cycle of the Tagus estuary turbid plume using MODIS ocean colour images

Using three years (2003 to 2005) of MODIS-Aqua normalized water-leaving radiance at 551 nm this paper shows a fortnightly cycle in the Tagus estuary turbid plume. The Tagus estuary is one of the largest estuaries of the west coast of Europe and is located in the most populated area of Portugal, including the capital Lisbon. The turbid plume has been detected by the backscattering characteristics of the surface waters in the vicinity of the estuary mouth. In fortnightly scales, the turbid plume has smaller dimensions during and after neap tides and higher dimensions during and after spring tides. This is most probably associated with the fortnightly spring–neap tidal cycle and the consequent increase in turbidity inside the estuary during spring tides. During the summer weak spring tides (tidal amplitude approximately 2.5 m) no turbid plume is observed for an entire fortnightly cycle. Outside the summer months, precipitation, river discharge and winds, were found to increase the turbid area, but the fortnightly cycle appears to be superimposed on the large time-scale variability, and present throughout the year.