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.     

Fuel consumption of fuel cell hybrid vehicles considering battery SOC differences

Fuel cell hybrid vehicles (FCHVs) have become one of the most promising candidates for future transportation due to current energy supply problem and environmental problem. Fuel economy is an important factor in FCHVs. In order to properly evaluate the fuel economy of an FCHV, the initial battery state of charge (SOC) and the final battery SOC have to be identical so that the effect of the battery energy usage on the fuel economy is neglected. In the simulation or in the real driving, however, the final battery SOC is usually different from the initial battery SOC, and the final battery SOC often depends on the power management strategy. To consider the difference between the two battery SOC values, the concept of equivalent fuel consumption is presented by two methods. One is based on the relationship between delta SOC and delta fuel consumption, and the other is based on the optimal control theory. Two rule-based power management strategies for an FCHV are presented, and for each strategy, the fuel economy is evaluated based on the two methods. The characteristics of the two methods are discussed and compared, and the superior one is selected based on the comparison.     

Topology optimization of gas flow channel routes in an automotive fuel cell

An efficient topology optimization method for fluid-structure problems was developed in an effort to determine the optimum flow channel route in a fuel cell bipolar plate from first principles. This study describes the derivation and solution of new mathematical equations for topology optimization combining a density-based algorithm, the interpolation method of moving asymptotes (MMA), and the incompressible Navier-Stokes equation with a term representing the chemical reaction between hydrogen and the catalyst. The present method is based on the finite element method with a newly developed reaction rate equation. In this model, a topology variable of 0 represents viscous flow, whereas a value of 1 indicates porous flow. The flow velocity and pressure were obtained from the Navier-Stokes equation and constraints and element matrices for sensitivity analyses during the optimization. MMA was utilized to calculate the optimum flow routes in the design domain. The influence of the key design parameter q and the pressure drop on the optimum topology were also investigated. The channel topology became smoother with decreasing q, and the number of channels increased with increasing pressure drop.     

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.     

SWAN和MOHID联合模型在连云港港30万吨级航道建设中的应用

根据连云港海域的特点,建立能考虑风浪影响的三维潮流、泥沙数学模型,对真实的"韦帕"台风作用下的潮流场和泥沙场进行模拟,力求更合理地反映近岸泥沙运动规律。数学模型计算得到的流场、含沙量场和航道回淤结果与现场实测资料进行验证,二者吻合较好。在此基础上,对连云港港30万吨级航道在"韦帕"台风作用下的回淤情况进行了预测,给出了航道的沿程淤强分布,为航道的设计提供依据。     

Formal Safety Assessment: an updated review

The method of Formal Safety Assessment (FSA) was devised several years ago with the intent to help the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and other policy makers formulate policies and regulations by the proper use of the scientific method in matters pertaining to maritime safety and the protection of the marine environment. A host of FSA studies have been submitted over the last several years and have been reviewed by the IMO. Also, progress has been recently accomplished as regards incorporating environmental risk evaluation criteria within FSA. On the basis of these developments, revisions of the FSA guidelines have been proposed and adopted. This paper presents a review of the FSA method in light of these developments. This review updates an earlier review of FSA by Kontovas and Psaraftis [Marine Technol 46(1):45?C59, (2009)]. It also takes this opportunity to identify some deficiencies of FSA, either due to an incorrect application of the method or to the method itself, and makes some suggestions for further action in this area.     

Mixing over the steep side of the Cycladic Plateau in the Aegean Sea

Intensive microstructure sampling over the southern slope of the Cycladic Plateau found very weak mixing in the pycnocline, centered on a thin minimum of diapycnal diffusivity with Kρ=1.5×¹⁰−6 m² s^− 1. Below the pycnocline, Kρ increased exponentially in the bottom 200 m, reaching 1 × 10^− 4 m² s^− 1 a few meters above the bottom. Near-bottom mixing was most intense where the bottom slope equaled the characteristic slope of the semi-diurnal internal tide. This suggests internal wave scattering and/or generation at the bottom, a conclusion supported by near-bottom dissipation rates increasing following rising winds and with intensifying internal waves. Several pinnacles on the slope were local mixing hotspots. Signatures included a vertical line of strong mixing in a pinnacle's wake, an hydraulic jump or lee wave over a downstream side of the summit, and a ‘beam’ sloping upward at the near-inertial characteristic slope. Because dissipation rate averages were dominated by strong turbulence, ?/νN² > 100, the effect on Kρ of alternate mixing efficiencies proposed for this range of turbulent intensity is explored.     

Impact of phytoplankton community size on a linked global ocean optical and ecosystem model

We isolated the effect phytoplankton cell size has on varying remote sensing reflectance spectra (R_rs(λ)) in the presence of optically active constituents by using optical and radiative transfer models linked in an offline diagnostic calculation to a global biogeochemical/ecosystem/circulation model with explicit phytoplankton size classes. Two case studies were carried out, each with several scenarios to isolate the effects of chlorophyll concentration, phytoplankton cell size, and size-varying phytoplankton absorption on R_rs(λ). The goal of the study was to determine the relative contribution of phytoplankton cell size and chlorophyll to overall R_rs(λ) and to understand where a standard band ratio algorithm (OC4) may under/overestimate chlorophyll due to R_rs(λ) being significantly affected by phytoplankton size. Phytoplankton cell size was found to contribute secondarily to R_rs(λ) variability and to amplify or dampen the seasonal cycle in R_rs(λ), driven by chlorophyll. Size and chlorophyll were found to change in phase at low to mid-latitudes, but were anti-correlated or poorly correlated at high latitudes. Phytoplankton size effects increased model calculated R_rs(443) in the subtropical ocean during local spring through early fall months in both hemispheres and decreased R_rs(443) in the Northern Hemisphere high latitude regions during local summer to fall months. This study attempts to tease apart when/where variability about the OC4 relationship may be associated with cell size variability. The OC4 algorithm may underestimate [Chl] when the fraction of microplankton is elevated, which occurs in the model simulations during local spring/summer months at high latitudes in both hemispheres.     

余弦载荷作用下圆锥壳的动力屈曲研究

本文采用数值方法对圆锥壳在余弦载荷作用下的动力屈曲问题进行了探讨.利用非线性几何方程建立了锥壳的基本动力屈曲方程.采用级数展开和伽辽金法等方法对方程进行了简化,使之成为常微分方程.方程的求解则采用龙格库塔法,最后给出临界冲击载荷值.