Application of a thermodynamic model with a complex chemistry to a cycle resolved knock prediction on a spark ignition optical engine

A combination of experimental and numerical methodologies is proposed for the investigation of knocking in spark ignition engines to aid in better understanding the physical and chemical processes that occur and to exploit the capabilities of a developed computational tool. The latter consists of a thermo-fluid dynamics model, which is part of an advanced 1-D fluid dynamics code for the simulation of the entire engine, and a complex chemistry model, which can be embedded into the thermo-fluid dynamics model using the same integration algorithm for the conservation equations and the reacting species. Their mutual interaction in the energy balance will be considered. The experimental activity was carried out in the combustion chamber of an optically accessible, single-cylinder P.F.I. engine equipped with a commercial head. The experimental data consisted of optical measurements correlated to the combustion and auto-ignition processes within the cylinder. The optical measurements were based on 2-D digital imaging, UV visible natural emission spectroscopy and the chemiluminescence of radical species (OH and HCO). The engine parameters, the pressure signals of the related data and optical acquisition are compared on an individual cycle basis in the simulation by running the engine at a constant speed and varying the spark advance from normal combustion to heavy knock conditions.     

Emission analysis of a compressed natural gas directinjection engine with a homogenous mixture

In an era in which environmental pollution and depletion of world oil reserves are of major concern, emissions produced by automotive vehicles need to be controlled and reduced. An ideal solution is to switch to a cleaner fuel such as natural gas, which generates cleaner emissions. In addition, control over the in-cylinder air-fuel mixture can be best achieved through a direct-injection mechanism, which can further improve combustion efficiency. This need for cleaner automobiles provides the motivation for this paper’s examination of the use of computational fluid dynamic (CFD) simulations to analyze the concentrations of the exhaust gases produced by a compressed natural gas engine with a direct-fuel-injection system. In this work, a compressed natural gas direct-injection engine has been designed and developed through a numerical simulation using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to provide an insight into complex in-cylinder behavior. The emissions analyzed in this study were carbon monoxide (CO), nitric oxide (NO) and carbon dioxide (CO₂), i.e. the main pollutants produced by natural gas combustion. Based on a stoichiometric mixture, the concentrations of CO and NO were computed using the dissociation of carbon dioxide and the extended Zeldovich mechanism. CO₂ was calculated using a mass balance of the species involved in the combustion process. The simulation results were then compared with the experimental data generated by a single-cylinder research engine test rig. A good agreement was obtained with the experimental data for the engine speeds considered for all emissions concentrations.     

An advanced theory of thin-walled girders with application to ship vibrations

The paper presents an outline of the advanced theory of thin-walled girders. The improvement includes shear influence on torsion as an extension of shear influence on bending. The analogy between bending and torsion is recognized and pointed out throughout the paper. Complete differential equations of coupled flexural and torsional vibrations for a prismatic girder are derived. In addition, the 8 d.o.f. beam finite element, utilizing the energy approach, is constituted with stiffness and mass matrices, and load vectors. The paper describes determining of geometrical properties of multi-cell open cross-sections by employing the strip element method. Numerical procedures for vibration analyses are outlined. Furthermore, dry natural vibrations of a VLCS (Very Large Container Ship) are analysed by 1D FEM model as a prerogative for hydroelastic analyses of these relatively flexible vessels. Influence of transverse bulkheads is taken into account by increasing torsional stiffness of the ship hull proportionally to their deformation energies. Validation of 1D FEM model is checked by correlation analysis with the vibration response of the fine 3D FEM model.     

Overseas Investment:The Resources Needs To Lead The Financial And Manufacturing Industries

American subprime crisis has evolved into a global financial crisis, dragging the entire economy, hitting the fictitious economy the most.Under such a situation,the world's investment environment changes inevitably as a result. In talking about the influence of the financial crisis upon China,the most immediate consequence     

Design of vehicle of on-glass 4×4 MIMO antennas for WiBro applications

This paper proposes on-glass 4×4 MIMO antennas with broad bandwidth and high radiation gain, suitable for receiving WiBro internet applications in a commercial sedan. For the individual antenna body, we used a triangular-shaped patch that most efficiently satisfies broad-matching bandwidth. Then the inside of the triangular patch was partially removed to broaden the driver’s field of view. To obtain detailed design parameters that exhibit optimum radiating performance, we used a genetic algorithm (GA) in conjunction with a full wave EM simulator and varied the feeding locations of four antennas so as to increase throughput capacity for effective data transmission. The proposed antenna showed ?10 dB matching bandwidth and a measured average gain of about 4.77 dBi along the bore-sight direction (θ = 90°, ? = 180°) in the entire WiBro band (2.3–2.4 GHz). To confirm the MIMO performance in a real situation, we measured the commercial WiBro signal using the proposed antennas in an urban environment. The correlation coefficients among the antennas were calculated, and the result revealed an average value of 0.105.     

A numerical study of stochastic larval settlement in the California Current system

Key to the predictive understanding of many nearshore marine ecosystems is the transport of larvae by ocean circulation processes. Many species release thousands to billions of larvae to develop in pelagic waters, but only a few lucky ones successfully settle to suitable habitat and recruit to adult life stages. Methodologies for predicting the larval dispersal are still primitive, and simple diffusive analyses are still used for many important applications. In this study, we investigate mechanisms of larval dispersal using idealized simulations of time-evolving coastal circulations in the California Current system with Lagrangian particles as models for planktonic larvae. Connectivity matrices, which describe the source-to-destination relationships for larval dispersal for a given larval development time course, are used to diagnose the time–space dynamics of larval settlement. The resulting connectivity matrices are shown to be a function of several important time scales, such as the planktonic larval duration, the frequency and duration of larval release events and inherent time scales for the coastal circulations. Many important fishery management applications require knowledge of fish stocks on a year-to-year or generation-to-generation basis. For these short time scales (typically less than 1 year), larval dispersal is generally far from a simple diffusive process and the consideration of the stochastic and episodic nature of larval dispersal is required. This work provides new insights into the spatial–temporal dynamics of nearshore fish stocks.     

Thermo-oxidative degradation of a carbon black compounded EPDM rubber hose

A method to measure the crosslink density of carbon black was used to analyze the aging behavior of a radiator hose made of carbon black filled EPDM (ethylene-propylene diene monomer) rubber under thermo-oxidative stresses. The crosslink density and the strength of the skin of the rubber specimens initially decreased slightly but then increased over time. The elongation at the break considerably reduced and did not show any similarity to the behaviors of the crosslink density. A possible cause of this reaction might be from the formation of rigid sulphoxide crosslinks and the crosslinks produced by the reaction of unvalcunized sulfurs. Aging the rubber specimens at 180°C caused a slight increase in the crosslink density and a large decrease in tensile strength and elongation. The aging experiment also caused a rapid increase of microhardness in the surface skin region. The formation of carbonyl groups in EPDM molecule chains and the formation of rigid sulphoxide crosslink, rather than the crosslink density variation, may have had a large influence. The changing behaviours of the mechanical properties, molecule chains and crosslinks showed significantly different characteristics in the skin and the interior with aging temperature and time.     

La diffusion du permis de conduire en France

Transportation has undergone extraordinary growth during the last century, and has continued to do so throughout the twenty-first century. The knowledge of mobility in France is partly based on National Travel Surveys. These surveys have been conducted on five occasions in France (1966–1967, 1973–1974, 1981–1982, 1993–1994 and 2007–2008), and have provided five photographies of the level of mobility for French households. The paper aims at analyzing the distribution of driving licenses amongst the French population during the past 40 years, and to study the inequality of access to driving licenses according to several socio-demographic criteria. The results emphasize, firstly, the increase in the number of driving license holders from among the elderly and a decrease for those under 25 years and, secondly, the reduction in gender inequalities, whilst these however continue to exist. The paper additionally highlights that the area of residence played a bigger role in 2007 compared to 1993.     

Effect of fuel metering on combustion and emissions of a PFI gasoline engine during fast startup under an HEV-like mode

In this paper, the transient conditions during fast startup are investigated to develop a fuel metering strategy under HEV-like mode. The fuel mixture preparation and its effects on the combustion are analyzed in detail. Specifically, the combustion in the first cycle is characterized under both conventional low-speed cranking startup and HEV-like fast startup modes. The test results show that the enhancement of cranking speed has marginal effects on mixture preparation in the first cycle. However, it prolongs the combustion duration and reduces HC emissions. The sensitivity of the fuel metering is evaluated for the initial cycles. The combustion in the 3rd ~ 5th cycles during startup is found to be fairly sensitive to the fuel metering due to the effects of transient fuel film vaporization. The fuel metering in the first cycle has the most significant effect on the combustion and emissions during fast startup. Optimized fuel metering in the first cycle shows effective reduction of HC emissions during fast startup process.     

Safety, security, the environment and shipping: The problem of making effective policies

This paper examines where problems of shipping policy jurisdiction between international, supra-national and national levels have occurred. These range across the issues of public goods — safety, security and environment— and show up inadequacies in the current shipping policy-making processes. New frameworks — commonly termed “polycentric governance” and “multi-level governance”— sensitive to the complexities of the maritime industry and its associated political structure urgently need to be adopted. The paper is based upon research work recently carried out across the European Union supported by a number of publications and will include examples from Greece, the United Kingdom, Spain, France and also the new member states. Suggestions for improvements in policy-making structures will be made and recommendations put forward for consideration by policy-makers in the maritime sector at all jurisdictional levels