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At least 847 records · Page 47

Extended FFT-based micromechanical formulation to consider general non-periodic boundary conditions

Here, this paper presents a new approach for applying non-periodic boundary conditions in the context of FFT-based methods to solve micromechanical problems in heterogeneous solids. The domain of the original problem is extended to satisfy the periodicity requirements at the boundary of the extended domain. The velocity constraint on the boundary of the original domain is replaced by a corresponding constraint on the velocity gradient in the extended volume, and a two-level augmented Lagrangian method is used to enforce the constraint. The proposed method is implemented as an extension of the large-strain elasto-viscoplastic FFT-based (LS-EVPFFT) model of Zecevic et al. (2022). The proposed method is verified in the cases of fully imposed velocity boundary conditions and mixed velocity/traction-free boundary conditions. The accuracy and convergence of the method are studied next, followed by applications to bending and indentation of polycrystals that illustrate the extended capabilities of the proposed formulation.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Simplified Space Conditioning in Low-Load Homes: Results from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, New Construction Unoccupied Test House

Field testing was performed in a new construction unoccupied test house in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Four air-based heating, ventilation, and air conditioning distribution systems--a typical airflow ducted system to the bedrooms, a low airflow ducted system to the bedrooms, a system with transfer fans to the bedrooms, and a system with no ductwork to the bedrooms--were evaluated during heating, cooling, and midseason conditions. The relative ability of each system was assessed with respect to relevant Air Conditioning Contractors of America and ASHRAE standards for house temperature uniformity and stability, respectively.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

Simplified Space Conditioning in Low-Load Homes: Results from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, New Construction Unoccupied Test House

Field testing was performed in a new construction unoccupied test house in Pittsburgh, PA. Four air-based heating, ventilation, and air conditioning distribution systems—a typical airflow ducted system to the bedrooms, a low airflow ducted system to the bedrooms, a system with transfer fans to the bedrooms, and a system with no ductwork to the bedrooms—were evaluated during heating, cooling, and midseason conditions. The relative ability of each system was assessed with respect to relevant Air Conditioning Contractors of America and ASHRAE standards for house temperature uniformity and stability, respectively.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

Joint Modeling of Wind Speed and Wind Direction Through a Conditional Approach

Atmospheric near surface wind speed and wind direction play an important role in many applications, ranging from air quality modeling, building design, wind turbine placement to climate change research. It is therefore crucial to accurately estimate the joint probability distribution of wind speed and direction. In this work, we develop a conditional approach to model these two variables, where the joint distribution is decomposed into the product of the marginal distribution of wind direction and the conditional distribution of wind speed given wind direction. To accommodate the circular nature of wind direction, a von Mises mixture model is used; the conditional wind speed distribution is modeled as a directional dependent Weibull distribution via a two-stage estimation procedure, consisting of a directional binned Weibull parameter estimation, followed by a harmonic regression to estimate the dependence of the Weibull parameters on wind direction. A Monte Carlo simulation study indicates that our method outperforms two other approaches in estimation efficiency: one that utilizes periodic spline quantile regression and another that generates data from the commonly used Abe-Ley distribution for cylindrical data. We illustrate our method by using the output from a regional climate model to investigate how the joint distribution of wind speed and direction may change under some future climate scenarios. Our method indicates significant changes in the variation of wind speed with respect to some directions.

17 WIND ENERGY↗

A Deep Quench Approach to the Optimal Control of an Allen–Cahn Equation with Dynamic Boundary Conditions and Double Obstacles

In this paper, we investigate optimal control problems for Allen-Cahn variational inequalities with a dynamic boundary condition involving double obstacle potentials and the Laplace-Beltrami operator. The approach covers both the cases of distributed controls and of boundary controls. The cost functional is of standard tracking type, and box constraints for the controls are prescribed. We prove existence of optimal controls and derive first-order necessary conditions of optimality. The general strategy is the following: we use the results that were recently established by two of the authors for the case of (differentiable) logarithmic potentials and perform a so-called “deep quench limit”. Using compactness and monotonicity arguments, it is shown that this strategy leads to the desired first-order necessary optimality conditions for the case of (non-differentiable) double obstacle potentials.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Slip Boundary Conditions for the Compressible Navier–Stokes Equations

The slip boundary conditions for the compressible Navier–Stokes equations are derived systematically from the Boltzmann equation on the basis of the Chapman–Enskog solution of the Boltzmann equation and the analysis of the Knudsen layer adjacent to the boundary. The resulting formulas of the slip boundary conditions are summarized with explicit values of the slip coefficients for hard-sphere molecules as well as the Bhatnagar–Gross–Krook model. These formulas, which can be applied to specific problems immediately, help to prevent the use of often used slip boundary conditions that are either incorrect or without theoretical basis.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Numerical Simulation of Bulging Deformation for Wide-Thick Slab Under Uneven Cooling Conditions

In the present work, the bulging deformation of a wide-thick slab under uneven cooling conditions was studied using finite element method. The non-uniform solidification was first calculated using a 2D heat transfer model. The thermal material properties were derived based on a microsegregation model, and the water flux distribution was measured and applied to calculate the cooling boundary conditions. Based on the solidification results, a 3D bulging model was established. The 2D heat transfer model was verified by the measured shell thickness and the slab surface temperature, and the 3D bulging model was verified by the calculated maximum bulging deflections using formulas. The bulging deformation behavior of the wide-thick slab under uneven cooling condition was then determined, and the effect of uneven solidification, casting speed, and roll misalignment were investigated.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Layer potential approach for fast eigenvalue characterization of the Helmholtz equation with mixed boundary conditions

Our goal is to propose an efficient approach to characterize the eigenvalues and eigenfunctions of the Helmholtz equation with mixed (Dirichlet and Neumann) boundary conditions. Our approach is based on layer potentials. We extend the eigenvalue characterization known for Neumann boundary conditions to the case of mixed boundary conditions. The problem is motivated by the need of such methods for real-time wave-field shaping by electronically tunable surfaces.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Explicit solution for a two-phase fractional Stefan problem with a heat flux condition at the fixed face

A generalized Neumann solution for the two-phase fractional Lamé–Clapeyron–Stefan problem for a semi-infinite material with constant initial temperature and a particular heat flux condition at the fixed face is obtained, when a restriction on data is satisfied. The fractional derivative in the Caputo sense of order α∈(0,1) respect on the temporal variable is considered in two governing heat equations and in one of the conditions for the free boundary. Furthermore, we find a relationship between this fractional free boundary problem and another one with a constant temperature condition at the fixed face and based on that fact, we obtain an inequality for the coefficient which characterizes the fractional phase–change interface obtained in Roscani and Tarzia (Adv Math Sci Appl 24(2):237–249, 2014). We also recover the restriction on data and the classical Neumann solution, through the error function, for the classical two-phase Lamé–Clapeyron–Stefan problem for the case α=1.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Tool-workpiece stick-slip conditions and their effects on torque and heat generation rate in the friction stir welding

Friction stir welding (FSW) has found increased applications in automotive and aerospace industries due to its advantages of solid-state bonding, no fusion and melting, and versatility in various working conditions and material combinations. However, the relationship among processing parameters, material properties, and bonding extent and fidelity remains largely empirical, primarily because of the lack of the mechanistic understanding of the tool-workpiece frictional behavior that affects our subsequent understanding of microstructural evolution and interface bonding formation. While the tool-workpiece stick-slip condition is believed to dictate the resulting torque and heat generation rate during the welding process, it remains rare and elusive to conduct a quantitative experimental measurement of such interfacial field. On the other hand, numerical simulations based on Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) rely on ad hoc assumptions of interfacial pressure and shear-stress conditions, but predictions can only be validated via the medium- and far-range temperature field which is known to be insensitive to the interfacial frictional behavior. This work first presents a comparison among two CFD-based simulation methodologies and the Coupled Eulerian Lagrangian (CEL) model in finite element method, the last of which uses the Coulomb friction so that the stick-slip is naturally developed. Based on the Hill-Bower similarity relationship in the contact analysis, an analytical model is developed here to prove why a constant stick-slip fraction will be developed in the steady state, to correlate the stick-slip fraction to processing parameters such as the tool spin rate, and further to derive dimensionless functions for torque and heat-generation-rate predictions. Pros and cons of various numerical approaches in predicting stick-slip are discussed, and our analytical model has been found to agree well with our numerical simulation and literature experimental results. These analyses provide the critical strain-rate and temperature fields that are needed for the bonding analysis in our future work.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Sensitivity analysis of an automated fault detection algorithm for residential air-conditioning systems

The state of the art of fault detection and diagnosis (FDD) for residential air-conditioning systems is expensive and not yet amenable to widespread implementation. FDD for homes can significantly reduce utility costs, and increase the lifespan of the equipment. The cost barriers currently, however, make FDD for homes economically unviable for large scale implementation. In prior work, we offered a solution to reduce FDD costs by proposing an automated fault detection algorithm to serve as a screening step before more expensive FDD tests can be conducted. The algorithm uses only the home thermostat and local weather information to identify thermodynamic parameters and detect high-impact air-conditioning faults, including those that occur during equipment installation. We had tested the algorithm on a single EnergyPlus™ model of a home in Orlando, Florida. The thermodynamic parameter identification process is highly nonconvex involving several local optimal solutions. In this paper we propose a novel method to select the best model for fault detection from among the list of local optimal solutions to make the algorithm more robust to homes of different construction, without which the fault detection process would be infeasible. Another unique contribution of the paper is implementing the solution on real-world data. We also bring the algorithm closer to market by testing it on real-world data. We implement the algorithm on data obtained from experiments conducted by the Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC) on a laboratory home equipped with a heat pump where faults were intentionally added for a period of seven months. The algorithm successfully detected an undercharge fault with 70.6% accuracy, concurrent duct leakage and undercharge faults with 85.2% accuracy, and duct leakage faults with 69.1% accuracy. A sensitivity analysis is also performed on EnergyPlus models of nine types of homes that vary in construction to demonstrate the robustness of the algorithm. Finally, the algorithm achieves an average accuracy of 71% for no-fault condition, 77% for 40% undercharge fault, and 76% for duct-leak fault.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

Hydroxyl radical generation by dissociation of water molecules during 1.65 MHz frequency ultrasound irradiation under aerobic conditions

The dissociation of water molecules by ultrasound irradiation under aerobic conditions was demonstrated experimentally. To be able to detect the dissociation of water molecules, we performed the ultrasound irradiation of {sup 17}O-labelled water (H{sub 2}{sup 17}O) under aerobic conditions. The hydroxyl and hydrogen radicals generated during the ultrasound irradiation process were trapped with 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline-N-oxide (DMPO), and electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy was performed on the DMPO spin adducts. In the ESR spectrum, a 15-line signal attributable to the trapping of the hydroxyl radicals containing {sup 17}O ({sup 17}OH radicals) by DMPO together with a 4-line signal attributable to the trapping of the hydroxyl radicals containing {sup 16}O ({sup 16}OH radicals) by DMPO were observed. The generation of {sup 17}OH radicals indicated that H{sub 2}{sup 17}O was dissociated by the sonolysis process under aerobic conditions. On the other hand, the ESR signal attributable to the trapping of hydrogen radicals by DMPO was not observed, suggesting that hydrogen radicals were not generated during the dissociation of water molecules. - Highlights: • OH radicals was observed in air-saturated water under 1.65 MHz ultrasound. • The OH radicals were originated from both H{sub 2}O and O{sub 2.} • The H{sub 2}O sonolysis was detected by using {sup 17}O-labelled water.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Integral boundary conditions in phase field models

Modeling the chemical, electric and thermal transport as well as phase transitions and the accompanying mesoscale microstructure evolution within a material in an electronic device setting involves the solution of partial differential equations often with integral boundary conditions. Employing the familiar Poisson equation describing the electric potential evolution in a material exhibiting insulator to metal transitions, we exploit a special property of such an integral boundary condition, and we properly formulate the variational problem and establish its well-posedness. Next, we compare our method with the commonly-used Lagrange multiplier method that can also handle such boundary conditions. Numerical experiments demonstrate that our new method achieves optimal convergence rate in contrast to the conventional Lagrange multiplier method. Furthermore, the linear system derived from our method is symmetric positive definite, and can be efficiently solved by Conjugate Gradient method with algebraic multigrid preconditioning.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Automated fault detection of residential air-conditioning systems using thermostat drive cycles

Residential air conditioning equipment comprises a significant portion of the total energy consumption of a home. Unfortunately, air-conditioning systems can be susceptible to faulty operation either from installation errors or faults that accrue over the equipment’s lifetime. This paper presents a novel automated fault detection algorithm for residential air-conditioning systems that can alert the homeowner of the presence of these faults. The proposed algorithm utilizes only the home’s thermostat and outside air temperature to perform automated fault detection over the course of the equipment’s lifetime, including immediately after installation. The algorithm uses an extended Kalman filter approach to identify a three-resistor, two-capacitor (3R2C) electrical equivalent thermodynamic model. The identified 3R2C model is used to predict cooling times during a testing period comprising of a series of thermostat drive-cycle experiments. We tested the algorithm on an EnergyPlus™ model of a typical residential building in Orlando, Florida. Duct faults, indoor airflow faults, and refrigerant undercharge faults were introduced into the building model one at a time. The algorithm was able to accurately determine duct-leak faults, 40% airflow faults, 40% undercharge faults, and no-fault cases with an accuracy of 70%, 77%, 82%, and 87%, respectively.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

Cost-Performance Trade-off in thermoelectric air conditioning system with graded and constant material properties

Thermoelectric (TE) air cooling is a solid-state technology that has the potential to replace conventional vapor compression-based air conditioning. In this paper, we present a detailed system-level modeling for thermoelectric air conditioning system with position-dependent (graded) and constant material properties. Strategies for design optimization of the system are provided in terms of cost-performance trade-off. Realistic convection heat transfer at both sides of the system are taken into account in our modeling. Here, the effects of convection heat transfer coefficients, air flowrate, and thermoelectric material properties are investigated with varying key parameters such as TE leg thickness, module fill factor, and input current. Both constant material properties and graded properties are considered for the TE materials, and they are compared in terms of the degree of cooling, coefficient of performance (COP), and power consumption. For graded materials, we employ one-dimensional finite element methods to solve the coupled electrical and thermal current equations with arbitrary profile of material properties varying with position along the TE legs. We find that graded materials can enhance the degree of cooling, but only at the expense of COP, compared to the case of constant property materials. With constant material properties of ZT = 1 and relatively low electric current, the power consumption of TE coolers can be lower than those of conventional air conditioners at an equivalent cooling capacity. Considering additional advantages such as demand-flexible operation, low noise, and high scalability, thermoelectric cooling could be a competitive technology for future air conditioning applications.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

Effects of crystallographic orientation on calcite dissolution under alkaline conditions

Here, this study investigates the dissolution of calcite’s (104) and (100) surfaces under alkaline conditions (pH 8.8–13.1) using vertical scanning interferometry under flow-through conditions. The dissolution rate of (100) surfaces decreases with increasing pH. For example, the dissolution rate at pH 8.8 is more than 20 times higher than that at pH 13.1. In contrast, the dissolution rate of (104) surfaces is far less sensitive to pH. We explain these observations as being on account of the preferential adsorption of [OH – ] on (100) surfaces, inhibiting their dissolution. Particularly, this is because Ca-surface sites on (100) surfaces are less coordinated and have a stronger tendency for [OH – ] adsorption. As a result, (100) surfaces dissolve nearly twice as fast as (104) surfaces at pH 8.8, whereas (104) surfaces dissolved ~4.5 times faster than (100) surfaces at pH 13.1; indicating an inversion in dissolution behavior. The dissolution rate of (104) surfaces at pH 13.1 is 60 % of the rate at pH 10–12 because of the formation of slow dissolving microfacets of other orientations. The rhombohedral dissolution etch-pits formed on (104) surfaces, at lower pH’s, disappeared upon exposure to solutions with pH > 12 and were replaced by protrusions. The addition of up to 4m (molality) NaCl enhances the dissolution of (104) surfaces at pH 8.8–13.1 and (100) surfaces at pH 8.8–11.0, and inhibited the dissolution of (100) surfaces at pH = 12.0–13.1. In addition, the competing adsorption between OH – and CO 3 2– species mitigates the inhibition effects of CO 3 2– on both surfaces at pH 13.1 compared to pH 11, and the dissolution of (100) surfaces is far less affected by CO 3 2– than (104) surfaces. These results provide new insights into the rates and mechanisms of how crystallographic orientations affect calcite’s dissolution at alkaline pH conditions.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

A high efficiency rooftop air conditioning system using multi-speed compressors

This study delineates a meticulous exploration of technologies to enhance the energy efficiency of rooftop air conditioning units, employing the DOE/ORNL heat pump design model for comprehensive engineering design and optimization. A baseline rooftop air conditioning unit, featuring a 13 ton (45.7 kW) cooling capacity and a 17.9 integrated energy efficiency ratio, served as the point of departure for substantive efficiency enhancements. Key modifications included the consolidation of two refrigerant circuits into one, integrating three parallel 2-stage (dual-speed) compressors, fan replacements with high-efficiency substitutes. Notably, a lower global warming potential refrigerant, R452B, was evaluated as a substitute for R-410A, demonstrating better performance in the lab prototype. Further, the achieved measured integrated energy efficiency ratio of 21.4 in the lab prototype surpassed the baseline integrated energy efficiency ratio. Comparative evaluations between R410A and R452B indicated heightened efficiency with the latter, showcasing a lab-demonstrated integrated energy efficiency ratio of 22.4 at the rated capacity of 13.8 ton (48.5 kW) and 23.9 integrated energy efficiency ratio at the rated capacity of 10 ton (35.2 kW). This research underscores the successful development of a rigorous, energy efficient rooftop air conditioning unit prototype with noteworthy environmental and economic implications.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

Results of the 2005-2008 Association of Residents in Radiation Oncology Survey of Chief Residents in the United States: Clinical Training and Resident Working Conditions

Purpose: To document clinical training and resident working conditions reported by chief residents during their residency. Methods and Materials: During the academic years 2005 to 2006, 2006 to 2007, and 2007 to 2008, the Association of Residents in Radiation Oncology conducted a nationwide survey of all radiation oncology chief residents in the United States. Chi-square statistics were used to assess changes in clinical training and resident working conditions over time. Results: Surveys were completed by representatives from 55 programs (response rate, 71.4%) in 2005 to 2006, 60 programs (75.9%) in 2006 to 2007, and 74 programs (93.7%) in 2007 to 2008. Nearly all chief residents reported receiving adequate clinical experience in commonly treated disease sites, such as breast and genitourinary malignancies; and commonly performed procedures, such as three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy and intensity-modulated radiotherapy. Clinical experience in extracranial stereotactic radiotherapy increased over time (p < 0.001), whereas clinical experience in endovascular brachytherapy (p <0.001) decreased over time. The distribution of gynecologic and prostate brachytherapy cases remained stable, while clinical case load in breast brachytherapy increased (p = 0.006). A small but significant percentage of residents reported receiving inadequate clinical experience in pediatrics, seeing 10 or fewer pediatric cases during the course of residency. Procedures involving higher capital costs, such as particle beam therapy and intraoperative radiotherapy, and infrequent clinical use, such as head and neck brachytherapy, were limited to a minority of institutions. Most residency programs associated with at least one satellite facility have incorporated resident rotations into their clinical training, and the majority of residents at these programs find them valuable experiences. The majority of residents reported working 60 or fewer hours per week on required clinical duties. Conclusions: Trends in clinical training and resident working conditions over 3 years are documented to allow residents and program directors to assess their residency training.

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE↗