Search

The spatial layout and arrangement of obstacles in the built environment significantly affect its evacuation performance. However, few researchers focus on pedestrian simulation-based design optimization of built environment under emergency evacuation conditions. In this paper, we aim to evaluate the evacuation performance of optimized design solutions for traffic space in the teaching building of a primary school based on a pedestrian simulation approach and to quantify the effect of design parameters on evacuation time. Firstly, the level of traffic space design parameters was determined and optimized design solutions for the traffic space of the school building were generated. Secondly, based on the Anylogic simulation platform, the environment module and pedestrian evacuation behaviour rules of the teaching building were built to realize the evacuation behaviour simulation. Thirdly, the effect of the traffic space design parameters on the evacuation time of the teaching building was evaluated and the most significant design parameters were identified. Finally, the optimal combination of traffic space design parameters was proposed under evacuation performance orientation. The results show that the sensitivity of the traffic space design parameters to evacuation time is 31.85%. The effect of corridor width on evacuation time is 49.06 times greater than the staircase width. The optimal design combination for the traffic space in the teaching building of the primary school is a 3.0 m wide trapezoidal corridor combined with a 3.6 m wide staircase, and a 3.0 m wide fish maw corridor combined with 3.6 m wide staircase, guided by evacuation performance. The framework developed in this paper provides technical support for the development of evacuation performance-oriented design optimization of the built environment, and the results are intended to supplement the building design specifications.

The accurate analysis of key components of a spherical hinge structure directly affects bridge quality and safety during construction. Considering the key components of a spherical joint structure as the research object, a refined calculation model for the spherical joint is established to examine its stress using finite element analysis. The influence of design parameters on the mechanical characteristics of the spherical hinge structure is systematically analyzed. The response surface method (RSM), devised using a Box–Behnken design, is used to optimize the design of the spherical hinge structure parameters. A response surface model is established to derive the scheme of the optimized spherical hinge structure design. Moreover, by comparing the structural contact stress and rotational traction force before and after optimization, the effectiveness and necessity of the spherical hinge structure optimization are verified. The result comparison shows that the maximum contact stress and rotational traction force in the spherical hinge structure after optimization are reduced by 13.86% and 8.42%, respectively, compared with those before optimization. The relative error between the calculated and predicted values is approximately 3%, indicating that the RSM is feasible for optimizing key components of the spherical hinge structure. Its optimization effect is evident. Based on the identified optimal parameters of the spherical hinge structure, a range of recommended design parameters for the key structure of the rotating spherical hinge at different load carrying capacities is established using the interpolation method, which provides a valuable reference for engineering practice.

The EU’s energy transition strategy highlights the significance of developing innovative energy models to encourage the utilization of renewable energy sources in urban areas. Utilizing local urban biomasses, including food waste, sewage, and green waste, can contribute to the establishment of energy systems that harness bio-waste for energy generation, thereby promoting circular economy principles and urban metabolisms. This paper proposes using a pre-design tool (based on soft computing approaches) that incorporates an initial analysis of the multidisciplinary feasibility of such systems as an effective strategy and valuable support for preliminary studies. It focuses on validating three “biomass ratio” parameters, integrating urban morphology and district characteristics with the amount of bio-waste in a peri-urban district comprising multifamily buildings. These parameters can be incorporated into a pre-design tool that facilitates multi-criteria decision analyses, aiding the design of innovative models that promote renewable energy sources in urban areas. The findings suggest that synthetic parameters can guide initial considerations, but they may overestimate the energy potential and should be further investigated. Hence, future research should explore complementary strategies for estimating biomass energy potential and extend the application of this methodology to other types of districts.

Lightweight, high stability, and high-temperature adaptability are the primary considerations when designing the primary mirror of a micro/nano satellite remote sensing camera. In this paper, the optimized design and experimental verification of the large-aperture primary mirror of the space camera with a diameter of Φ610 mm is carried out. First, the design performance index of the primary mirror was determined according to the coaxial tri-reflective optical imaging system. Then, SiC, with excellent comprehensive performance, was selected as the primary mirror material. The initial structural parameters of the primary mirror were obtained using the traditional empirical design method. Due to the improvement of SiC material casting complex structure reflector technology level, the initial structure of the primary mirror was improved by integrating the flange with the primary mirror body design. The support force acts directly on the flange, changing the transmission path of the traditional back plate support force, and has the advantage that the primary mirror surface shape accuracy can be maintained for a long time when subjected to shock, vibration, and temperature changes. Then, a parametric optimization algorithm based on the mathematical method of compromise programming was used to optimize the design of the initial structural parameters of the improved primary mirror and the flexible hinge, and finite element simulation was conducted on the optimally designed primary mirror assembly. Simulation results show that the root mean square (RMS) surface error is less than λ/50 (λ = 632.8 nm) under gravity, 4 °C temperature rise, and 0.01 mm assembly error. The mass of the primary mirror is 8.66 kg. The maximum displacement of the primary mirror assembly is less than 10 μm, and the maximum inclination angle is less than 5″. The fundamental frequency is 203.74 Hz. Finally, after the primary mirror assembly was precision manufactured and assembled, the surface shape accuracy of the primary mirror was tested by ZYGO interferometer, and the test value was 0.02 λ. The vibration test of the primary mirror assembly was conducted at a fundamental frequency of 208.25 Hz. This simulation and experimental results show that the optimized design of the primary mirror assembly meets the design requirements of the space camera.

In order to study the deformation characteristics of the retaining structure under the coupled effect of excavation and dewatering in the affected area of fault zones, this paper takes a deep excavation project in the F1322 fault zone influence area in Shenzhen as an example. The research methods of theoretical analysis, numerical simulation and field measurement are used to conduct in-depth research on the deformation of the retaining structure caused by the excavation and dewatering of the foundation pit. The results show that considering the coupled effect of dewatering in the foundation pit, the energy method based on elastic theory is more accurate in solving the deformation of the retaining pile. By comparing and analyzing the theoretical calculation results, numerical analysis results, and field measurement values, we found that the numerical laws of the three are basically the same. Simplified calculations that only consider rotational deformation and ignore the translational deformation of the wall lead to large deviations between the theoretical calculation results and the measured values of the wall bottom deformation. In order to reduce the deviation between numerical results and measured values, the construction of the foundation pit should strictly adopt measures such as “sectional excavation, avoiding peripheral loads, and optimizing construction deployment”, strengthen construction monitoring, and reduce the impact on the deformation of the retaining pile. The maximum deformation growth rate k (ΔSmax/Δ) of the retaining pile decreases approximately exponentially with the increase of the structural stiffness parameters (E and I) and the embedment ratio within a certain range. The sensitivity analysis of the lateral displacement of the retaining pile to different geological parameters is conducted, and the sensitivity factors of the geological parameters to the deformation of the retaining structure are obtained, namely the maximum internal friction angle, followed by the cohesion, and the elastic modulus is the smallest. Based on the original design plan, an optimization of the excavation design is proposed by reducing the stiffness of the support structure. Therefore, the research findings in this paper have significant theoretical and practical implications for the engineering design of excavation projects located in fault zones. By optimizing the excavation support system, not only can standardized construction procedures be achieved, but also investment costs can be reduced, and construction time shortened, which fully aligns with the current safety, economic, and sustainable design principles of excavation projects aiming to conserve resources.

In order to improve the safety and reliability of electric vehicle wireless charging, foreign object detection is an indispensable auxiliary function. In this paper, the equivalent model of foreign object detection circuit is firstly established, and then the foreign object detection principle based on active detection coil is analyzed from the angle of the circuit and magnetic circuit. Then the optimization scheme of metal foreign object detection coil is proposed through simulation comparison and analysis. The results show that the design proposed in this paper can increase the maximum value of |Bz| to 3.6 mT, effectively improving the accuracy of metal foreign object detection.

China is a large flax-growing country, with planting area and production ranking among the top three in the world. However, the cultivation range of flax in China is very broad, complex, and diverse, resulting in different planting scales and patterns, making it difficult to apply foreign large combine harvesters, and China lacks a dedicated flax combine harvester. This research improved the design of the 4LZ-4.0 crawler-type flax combine harvester for the regional features and flax cropping patterns in China. First, the structure, technical parameters, and working principles of the machine were introduced; second, the theoretical analysis and optimization of key components were performed; and finally, with the advancing speed of the machine, the speed of the threshing drum, and the speed of the suction fan as independent variables and the rate of removal and the total loss rate as response values, a three-factor, three-level response surface analysis method was used. For each component and response value, a mathematical model was created, and the factors and their interactions were evaluated and confirmed. The results demonstrated that the three parameters impact the threshing drum speed, advancing speed, and centrifugal fan speed in that order of priority, as well as the total loss rate in that order of priority. The machine’s optimal operating settings were 1.5 m·s−1 advancing speed, 788.49 r·min−1 threshing drum speed, and 885.34 r·min−1 centrifugal fan speed, and the validation test results indicated that under the typical dryland dense flax cultivation mode, it had a 97.46% threshing rate and 2.99% total loss rate after the test. This demonstrated that optimizing operational parameters may decrease losses in the process of mechanical flax harvesting, enhance harvesting efficiency, and satisfy the marketable flax harvesting standards.

A novel frame-embedded track (NFET) with additional beams between the prefabricated rail seats before was proposed, but its geometric parameters need to be further optimized, in order to solve the problem of difficulty in adjustment, due to the independence of the two prefabricated rail seats during the construction of tram. Based on the finite element method, the geometric parameters of the NFET structure are systematically studied and optimized. The research shows: (1) As the width of the beams and the thickness of the lower slab increases, the mechanical characteristics of the NFET structure does not change significantly; therefore, the recommended design reference value for these two are 240 and 80 mm, respectively. (2) When considering the cable and the drainage facilities, the stress state of the NFET structure is less affected (or even improved), which proves that the layout of the cable and the drainage facilities is feasible. (3) According to the analysis during different construction stages, the stress of the NFET rail seats is generally greater than the stress of the cast-in-place concrete. It is recommended that the intensity of the cast-in-place concrete should be greater than that of the prefabricated frame structure.

This study presents a cost-based optimization model for the design of isolated foundations in cohesive soils. The optimization algorithm not only incorporates safety requirements in the form of ultimate limit state (ULS) and serviceability limit state (SLS) criteria but also deals with the economics simultaneously. In that regard, the generalized reduced gradient (GRG) method is used for the optimization purpose to achieve the least construction cost of an isolated foundation along with the integration of design parameters as optimization variables. The optimization technique is elaborated using a design example in silty clayey soil and the results of the optimized design are compared with those of the conventional design. The optimization model shows that the optimized design can reduce the construction cost by up to 44% as compared to the conventional design cost for the particular example. Moreover, a sensitivity analysis is also performed to evaluate the quantitative impact of cohesive soil properties, design load, and groundwater table on the construction cost. The results indicate that the construction cost majorly depends on the combined effect of four key parameters: Young’s modulus, recompression index, design load, and groundwater table.

Designing efficient acoustic stack and elements for high-frequency (HF) medical ultrasound (US) transducers involves various interrelated parameters. So far, optimizing spatial resolution and acoustic field intensity simultaneously has been a daunting task in the area of HF medical US imaging. Here, we introduce optimized design for a 50-MHz US probe for skin tissue imaging. We have developed an efficient design and simulation approach using Krimholtz, Leedom and Matthaei (KLM) equivalent circuit model and spatial impulse response method by means of Field II software. These KLM model and Field II software are integrated, and a GA algorithm is used to optimize the design of the US transducer to obtain the best imaging performance. As a result, a 50-MHz single element probe is effectively optimized with 5 mm acoustic focal length, 72 $$\upmu {\text{m}}$$ μ m lateral, and 42 $$\upmu {\text{m}}$$ μ m axial imaging resolution, with an enhancement in imaging resolution over the conventionally designed and simulated probe by 10%. This work has the potential to benefit many applications that require a fast, high-resolution and strong US focus in skin imaging.

As the High Flux Advanced Neutron Application Reactor (HANARO) has been recently required to support new R&D relevant to future nuclear systems requiring a much higher neutron fluence, the development of irradiation capsule technology for long-term irradiation testing was performed in three steps (3, 5, 10 dpa). At first, several design improvements of a standard capsule were suggested based on a failure analysis of the capsule and successfully applied for irradiation testing at HANARO at up to eight reactor operation cycles equivalent to 3 dpa. Based on a schematic stress analysis of the vulnerable parts of the previous capsule, an optimized design of the capsule was made for 5 dpa irradiation. The newly designed capsule was safely out-pile tested up to 450 days, which was equivalent to 5 dpa irradiation in the reactor. The test results were submitted to the Reactor Safety Review Committee of HANARO and irradiation testing for 5 dpa was approved. The capsule was also successfully out-pile tested to evaluate the possibility of irradiation testing for 10 dpa. For a higher neutron fluence exceeding 10 dpa, new capsule technologies, including a new capsule that has a different bottom design and neutron flux boosting capsule, were also suggested.

Usually the planters used in agricultural machinery face two problems: The planters have to spread the soil twice using the tray seed planter, and it is difficult for them to dig the holes before planting. This study has designed a spiral digging end-effector to dig holes in parallel effectively and quickly so that the seeds can be planted in the holes easily. A spiral digging end-effector was designed with five spiral bits, a synchronous belt, a cylinder, a gear motor, and a connecting plate based on the tray size and the pumpkin seed characteristics. Before the optimization of the end-effector’s parameters, the substrate discrete element model parameters were calibrated using the method of “material funneling” applied for the EDEM discrete element model simulation. The contact parameters and model parameters (substrate–substrate static friction coefficient, substrate–substrate rolling friction coefficient, and surface energy) that have significant impacts on the substrate AOR (angle of repose) were selected by applying the Plackett–Burman Design and the path of steepest ascent method, and their respective optimal value range were determined. The optimal parameter values were obtained through the Central Composite Design response surface analysis test, and the parameters of the spiral digging end-effector were optimized combining the substrate particle simulation. The verification test results indicate that the substrate discrete element model parameters were accurate and reliable if the substrate static friction coefficient was 0.427; the substrate rolling friction coefficient was 0.039, and the surface energy was 0.228. When the cone angle is 30°, the spiral angle is 80°, and the rotational speed is 240 r/min, the section width at the hole depth of 13 mm is 23.1 mm, and the particle overflow proportion is about 2.05%. Compared with the protrusions penetrating end-effector, soil porosity is increased, and soil aeration is improved. Therefore, the spiral digging end-effector can effectively and quickly dig holes in the seedling substrate and can sow pumpkin seeds, which provides a research basis for the design and improvement of automatic pumpkin seed sowing equipment.

Suspension system is one of the key parts of vehicle, the performance of suspension system has great influence on vehicle handling stability and safety. In order to improve the performance of suspension system, the Macpherson suspension of a vehicle is taken as the research object, the suspension model is established by ADAMS/Car, and carried out parallel wheel travel simulation to analyze the key parameters variation of camber angle, toe angle, caster angle, kingpin inclination angle and scrub radius. Simulation results show that camber angle and scrub radius are beyond normal design range and require optimization. Wheel alignment parameters are determined by sensitivity analysis, and optimized by ADAMS/Insight. Then carried out simulation to analyze the performance of optimized suspension system. Results show that optimized suspension system satisfies the requirements of vehicle stability and safety.

The development and utilization of renewable energy sources can not only effectively reduce carbon dioxide emissions, but also provide access to electricity to more parts of the world. A standalone hybrid system based on renewable sources is a promising way to supply reliable and continuous power in remote areas to which the grid has not extended. This paper designs and investigates a photovoltaics (PV)-wind-hydropower station with pumped-storage installation (HSPSI) hybrid energy system in Xiaojin, Sichuan, China as case of study. HSPSI can use the available flow of the river and store surplus energy generated from wind and PV by pumping water from the lower reservoir to the upper one. From the perspective of the investors, the techno-economic index is usually used to design the PV-wind-HSPSI hybrid energy system which aims to find the optimal configure with maximum power supply reliability and minimum investment cost. The trade-off analysis between the two objectives is based on Pareto optimality theory by means of Multi-Objective Particle Swarm Optimization (MOPSO). Besides, this paper takes the curtailment rate (CR) of the wind and PV power into consideration due to policy requirements. The relationship between the two objectives under various CR are analyzed and compared. Several results can be obtained as follows: 1) Comparing with the PV-HSPSI and wind-HSPSI hybrid energy system, the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) of the PV-wind-HSPSI hybrid energy system can reduce by 32.8% and 45.0% respectively. 2) For the PV-wind-HSPSI hybrid energy system, the LCOE can be as low as 0.091 $/kWh when 5% LPSP can be acceptable. 3) The policy of CR is unfavorable for the investors which leads to a higher investment cost. 4) Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) performs better than genetic algorithm (GA) and Simulated Annealing method (SA) with a least LCOE. 5) both MOPSO and weighted sum approach (WSA) have a good performance to find the Pareto fronts and its hypervolume indicator (HV) is calculated.

Typically, closed-type impellers are more efficient than open-type impellers, but in the manufacture of closed-type impellers, cost of wheels is higher. This paper describes the development of cost-effective and simple impeller wheel for a fluid pump in the truck cooling system. To perform this task, the numerical computations of a standard impeller wheel were carried out, its characteristics were also obtained from a test bench, the standard impeller wheel model was verified. The open-type impeller wheel was developed according to the current dimensions of standard impeller wheel and then analyzed with the numerical computations by the software ANSYS CFX (Academic license) computational fluid dynamics. The developed open-type impeller wheel works very effectively in spite of performance degradation by 5% in comparison to the closed-type impeller wheel. When working as a part of engine, the pump efficiency is 0.552-0.579. The maximum value of the pump efficiency is 0.579, it can be achieved at the highest speed of the pump (4,548 rpm and 655 l/min).

To increase the cutting efficiency for castor stem, the castor harvester cutting device was developed. The structure of the disc cutting device was designed. Cutting blade angle, sufficient working and minor cutting edge lengths were determined, which were 20°, 73 mm and 19.8 mm, respectively. The finite element model of disc cutter for castor stem was established. The incision volume was selected as the cutting performance evaluation index. The cutting process of the cutter was simulated. The results show that the cutting performance of the trapezoidal cutter is preferable to that of the rectangular and the curved cutters. When cutting blade cuts the stem, the volume of the incision decreases first and then increases, and the size of the incision increases with the increase of cutting edge angle. When the blade angle is 10°, the cutter has the ideal cutting quality. Considering the blade angle, the slip angle, and the angle of the cutter head as factors, the virtual test of the cutter was made with the incision volume as the index. The response surface analysis was used to obtain the cutter structure parameters when the incision volume was the least. The result for the blade, slip and cutter head inclination angles are 14.06°, 19.93°, and 10.54°, respectively. The cutting efficiency evaluation index (one-time cutting) was established to optimize the cutter running parameters. The results show that when the cutter moving speed was 1.011 m/s and the cutter rotation speed was 282.0 r/min, the maximum cutting efficiency is 2.25 castor stems/s.

The saving and re-use of energy has acquired great relevance in recent years, being of great importance in the automotive sector. In the literature, it is possible to find different proposals for energy-harvesting damper systems (EHSA)—the electromagnetic damper being a highly recurrent but still poorly defined proposal. This article specifically focuses on studying the concept and feasibility of an electromagnetic suspension system that is capable of recovering energy, using a damper formed by permanent magnets and a system of coils that collect the electromotive force generated by the variation of the magnetic field. To study the feasibility of the system, it is necessary to know the maximum energy that can be recovered through the winding system; however, the difficulties in obtaining the derivative of the magnetic flux and its derivative for each position make the analytical method very tedious. This paper presents an experimental method with which to maximize energy recovery by defining the optimum relative position between magnet and coil.

The saving and re-use of energy has acquired great relevance in recent years, being of great importance in the automotive sector. In the literature, it is possible to find different proposals for energy-harvesting damper systems (EHSA)—the electromagnetic damper being a highly recurrent but still poorly defined proposal. This article specifically focuses on studying the concept and feasibility of an electromagnetic suspension system that is capable of recovering energy, using a damper formed by permanent magnets and a system of coils that collect the electromotive force generated by the variation of the magnetic field. To study the feasibility of the system, it is necessary to know the maximum energy that can be recovered through the winding system; however, the difficulties in obtaining the derivative of the magnetic flux and its derivative for each position make the analytical method very tedious. This paper presents an experimental method with which to maximize energy recovery by defining the optimum relative position between magnet and coil. Sitio web de la revista (Consulta: 17-10-2022)

Standing tree pruning in fast-growing forests is an essential part of the targeted nurturing of quality fast-growing forests. Because of the high risk and low efficiency of traditional pruning methods, a climbing and pruning robot was developed, its design was optimized, and related experimental research was carried out. This paper describes the design scheme of the Monkeybot mechanical structure and control system and theoretically analyzes the clamping mechanism, walking mechanism, cutting mechanism, and obstacle avoidance mechanism to determine the critical design parameters. On the premise of ensuring a good pruning effect, Ansys Workbench Gui Explicit Dynamics was used for the cutting simulation experiment. The test adopts a three-factor and three-level orthogonal test method to explore the best design parameter combination when reducing the maximum shear stress on branches. A forest work performance evaluation was carried out using prototypes designed with the best variety of parameters. The forest test results show that the Monkeybot could prune trees with a diameter at breast height of 10~20 cm, the average operation time for pruning a tree was less than 30 s, the winter pruning effect was ideal, the maximum climbing height could reach 7.18 m, and the maximum pruning diameter could reach 2.79 cm. The development of the machine can provide equipment support for the research of fast-growing forest standing tree pruning and nurturing technology.

The present work deals with environmental sustainability and specific engineering solutions able to cope with such a global issue. Attention is focused on renewable energy and innovative fuels as effective strategies in contributing valuable techniques in order to face the need of mitigating environmental problems concerning climate change and global warming. The research study is targeted on optimized design and management of fluid machinery, and extensively on optimized energy conversion systems, conceptualized in accordance with current standards and regulations, governing the reference sector. The analysis investigates small energy supply from renewables (wind power) and innovative marine propulsion (alternative fuels and unconventional propulsion systems). Regulations and technical design are constantly focused for the study. The work proposes case solutions for energy design and management actions dealing with the theme of environmental sustainability: engineering analyses (design, technical-economical evaluation, performance results) for hybrid wind powered plants empowering SWRO (Sea Water Reverse Osmosis) desalination processes; engineering analyses (design, technical evaluation, performance results) for wind turbine rotors operating in sites characterized by a small wind resource; engineering analyses (design, technical evaluation, performance results) for marine ship propulsion empowered by LNG as an alternative sustainable fuel and by gas turbines as prime movers coupled to combined cycles as an innovative propulsion system (COGES configuration).

An electromagnet and a float are needed to be designed for a magnetic suspension system. In this paper an optimized design of an electromagnet is being carried out based on minimum flux leakage and maximum amount of force that can be imparted on the float. This paper also compares different designs to find out advantages and disadvantages of these designs. Design starts from a simple and naive design of electromagnet and then gradually improved until a satisfactory design is obtained. Different shapes of floats were also considered for an optimum design of float. Electromagnetic analysis is carried with commercial FEM (Finite Element Method) software to calculate different parameters of design. Later the result from the FEM software is verified by analytical calculation.

In view of the flow instability problem caused by the strong shock wave and secondary flow in the channel of the high-load counter-rotating compressor, this paper adopts the design method of coupling aerodynamic optimization technology and CFD and establishes a three-dimensional aerodynamic optimization design platform for the blade channel based on an artificial neural network and genetic algorithm. The aerodynamic optimization design and internal flow-field diagnosis of a high-load counter-rotating compressor with a 1/2 + 1 aerodynamic configuration are carried out. The research indicates that the optimized blade channel can drive and adjust the flow better, and the expected supercharging purpose and efficient energy conversion process are achieved by controlling the intensity of the shock wave and secondary flow in the channel. The total pressure ratio at the design point of the compressor exceeds 2.9, the adiabatic efficiency reaches 87%, and the aerodynamic performance is excellent at the off-design condition, which is on the advanced design level of the same type of axial compressor. The established aerodynamic optimization design platform has important practical engineering applications for the development of high thrust-to-weight ratio aero-engine compression systems.

In electric motors, the use of rare-earth magnets has been increasing rapidly. A stronger magnet force of the magnet enables the motor’s higher performance, resulting in the most high-performance motors generally using rare-earth magnets. However, these magnets have two crucial disadvantages: the potential restrictions on the supply of rare-earth magnetic materials and the sharp fluctuation in price. Thus, many recent researches focus on developing high-performance electric motors and reducing the use of critical rare-earth magnets. By increasing the torque density of the motor, we can reduce the use of permanent magnets. Focusing on this point, and we presented a double half permanent magnet (DHPM)-type vernier motor. This paper proposed a new saddle coil permanent magnet vernier motor with improved performance compared to its predecessor. The main feature of the proposed motor is that the permanent magnet and coil in the stator of a DHPM-type vernier motor is replaced by salient poles and saddle coils, respectively. We also investigate its characteristics through various simulations.

We leverage the crucial hyperelastic properties of a multifunctional structured surface to optimize the reconfigurability of the electromagnetic transmission under large nonlinear mechanical deformations. This multiphysics, multifunctional, hyperelastic structured surface (HSS) offers two simultaneous intriguing functionalities, tunability and switchability. It is made of copper resonators and a Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) substrate, which is one of the most favorable deformable substrates due to its hyperelastic behavior. The proposed HSS is fabricated via an original cost-effective technique and the multiphysics functionalities are captured in both experimental tests and numerical simulations. Leveraging the hyperelastic behavior, we demonstrate up to 8% percent shift in the resonance frequency in the GHz range, for average applied mechanical strains of around 17%. The hyperelastic deformations can continuously increase/decrease the magnitude of the scattering parameter S21 in the frequency range of 10.9 GHz to 11.8 GHz by more than 40 dB, changing from being largely transparent to opaque and vice versa. The potential of hyperelastic behavior to account for the multifunctionality of the HSS is validated experimentally.

A cryogen-free portable 3 T high-temperature superconducting magnet for an electromagnetic property measurement system has been developed to serve as a user facility at the Korea Basic Science Institute. The metallic insulation method was adopted to reduce the charging delay without sacrificing the self-protecting feature. A genetic-algorithm-aided optimized design was carried out to minimize the superconducting tape consumption while satisfying several design constraints. After the design, the compact high-temperature superconducting magnet composed of eight double-pancake coil modules was wound with high-temperature superconducting tape and stainless steel tape, and integrated with a two-stage cryo-cooler. The 3 T magnet was successfully cooled to approximately 20 K with a cryo-cooler and reached the target field of 3 T without any problems. Long-term measurements and a range of other tests were also implemented to verity the performance of the magnet. Test results demonstrated the feasibility of a cryogen-free portable high-temperature superconducting magnet system for electromagnetic property measurement experiments.

[ES] En el presente TFG se realizará un análisis de requerimientos de los timones de competición de Llaüt utilizados por algunos de los equipos de remo de competición de la Comunidad Valenciana a partir de su modelado 3D, al objeto de estudiar y analizar, mediante simulaciones CAE su integridad y mediante simulación de fluidos para observar su eficacia. A partir de dicho trabajo se estará en disposición de conocer los mejores diseños existentes en la actualidad, de tal suerte que se procederá a rediseñar dicho elemento a fin de obtener aquel diseño que mejore u optimice las características del timón mediante su comparación con los datos obtenidos de los existentes., [EN] In this TFG will realize an analysis of requirements of the rudders of competition of Llaüt used by some of the teams of rowing of competition of the Valencian Region from his modelling 3D, with the end to study and analyze, by means of simulations CAE his integrity and by means of simulation of fluids to observe his effectiveness. From this work we will be able to know the best designs currently existing, so that this element will be redesigned in order to obtain this design that improves or optimizes the characteristics of the rudder through its comparison with the data obtained from the existing ones.

The interest toward large-scale electric energy storage technologies is increasing with the large deployment of new renewable capacity. In case of several hours of storage duration, there is no consensus on which technology is the most suited. Several technologies have been recently proposed, among which is pumped thermal electricity storage (PTES), which is a technology based on the idea of storing electrical energy as heat. PTES is usually less efficient than electrochemical batteries, but it is characterized by a lower cost per kilowatt hour, which could make it a suitable alternative for applications with long storage duration. In this study, a recently proposed PTES system based on the use of heat pumps and organic Rankine cycles is investigated from a thermo-economic point of view. The system is powered by both electric and low-grade thermal energy, thus taking advantage of waste heat to increase the electric performance. As the system design both affects efficiency and cost, a trade-off must be found. In this study, this task was performed by means of a multi-objective optimization approach. The relation between electrical round-trip efficiency and system cost is analyzed, and the impact of several design specifications such as boundary conditions, nominal power rating, and storage duration is discussed. Finally, the results are generalized by defining some cost scaling correlations. Large-size configurations (5 MW of charging power for 8 h of storage) may achieve equipment purchasing costs as low as 140 €/kWh and 2,300 €/kW, with an electrical round-trip efficiency of 0.6. These results show that the investigated technology may be suitable in the context of large-scale and long-duration energy storage.

To improve the hydraulic performance in an ultra-low specific speed magnetic drive pump, optimized design of impeller based on orthogonal test was carried out. Blades number Z, bias angle in peripheral direction of splitter blades θs, inlet diameter of splitter blades Dsi, and deflection angle of splitter blades α were selected as the main factors in orthogonal test. The credibility of the numerical simulation was verified by prototype experiments. Two optimized impellers were designed through the analysis of orthogonal test data. The internal flow field, pressure fluctuation, and radial force were analyzed and compared between optimized impellers and original impeller. The results reveal that impeller 7 (Z = 5, θs = 0.4θ, Dsi = 0.75D2, α = 0°) could increase the head and efficiency, compared to the original impeller, by 2.68% and 4.82%, respectively. Impeller 10 (Z = 5, θs = 0.4θ, Dsi = 0.55D2, α = 0°) reduced the head by 0.33% and increased the efficiency by 8.24%. At design flow rate condition, the internal flow of impeller 10 was the most stable. Peak-to-peak values of pressure fluctuation at the volute tongues of impeller 7 and impeller 10 were smaller than those of the original impeller at different flow rate conditions (0.6 Qd, 1.0 Qd and 1.5 Qd). Radial force distribution of impeller 10 was the most uniform, and the radial force variance of impeller 10 was the smallest.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) relies on groundwater as well as desalinated water which are very expensive and energy-concentrated. Despite the lack of water resources, only 54% of wastewater was recycled in the UAE in 2016. In this study, a Sustainable Farming Compartment (SFC) with an evaporative cooling system is investigated as an alternative to reusing wastewater and the optimal design is identified experimentally and numerically. First, the applicability of the SFC was examined to reduce the ambient temperature in the system. A prototype SFC was tested in the environmentally constrained laboratory and field site considering an extreme climate condition (with high temperature and humidity) in Abu Dhabi to evaluate the temperature drop and humidity change of the SFC. The experimental results showed that the temperature of the SFC significantly decreases by 7&ndash, 15 &deg, C when the initial relative humidity is 50%. For validation, an energy modeling using dynamic numerical simulations was performed that shows statistically good agreement with the experimental results. Based on the parametric studies of the system components, the optimal cooling performance of the system in terms of locations of inlet and outlet, the variation of Reynolds number was evaluated. The study suggested an optimized design for the SFC with an evaporative cooling system.

This study explores the waiting space environment of pediatric clinics in general hospitals and the relationships between the use of space, behavioral activities and overall satisfaction. Patients often spend a lot of time waiting for doctors, and child patients waiting to be seen are particularly likely to feel bored, depressed and anxious, which negatively affects their overall experience of seeking medical attention. Since the launch of China’s second-child policy, the number of children born in China has surged. As medical resources for children are in short supply and of uneven quality, it is urgently necessary to carry out research on optimizing the design of children’s waiting space in Chinese hospitals to improve their medical environment and experience. Method: This study identified four first-level indicators and twenty-seven second-level indicators in four dimensions: functional layout (layout and area), flow organization, supporting facilities and environmental details (physical and landscape environment). The research combined subjective and objective methods, including comprehensive observation, a questionnaire survey and interviews, taking three hospitals in Shenzhen as case studies. Results: The study found that the waiting space in pediatric clinics currently fails to meet key patient needs in areas such as mother and infant rooms, children’s play areas and drinking water facilities, and there are widespread problems with the creation of natural environments, such as views of natural scenery from windows and indoor green plants. Six factors were found to significantly positively influence overall satisfaction with waiting space, describing 69.76% of the changes in the respondents’ degree of satisfaction with the waiting environment. Supporting facilities and aspects of the physical environment had the greatest influence on overall satisfaction with the waiting space. Conclusion: Optimizing the design of the waiting space in pediatric clinics, with a focus on functional layout, flow organization, supporting facilities and environmental details, can improve overall satisfaction with pediatric waiting rooms. The results are preliminary, they need to be further tested in practice to complete the process of evidence-based design. This will lead to suggestions for refining the design of pediatric waiting units which can be used by architects and hospital administrators.

International audience; This paper presents an optimized design method for an filter for a grid connected photovoltaic system. This method is based on the Fast Fourier Transform () of the current and voltage which provides the current ripples thus allowing to find the filter passives elements. A trick which consists of inductances fragmentation is adopted in order to reduce the volume and the cost of the filter. Then, we do an analysis taking into account the impact of our neighbors' consumption. This system is controlled by a decoupled active and reactive power control (control) using a Phase Locked Loop () for the system's synchronization. Finally, we present and discuss the results of our simulation obtained by Matlab software (simulink and simpowersystems) in order to highlight the proposed study.

The application of LCL filters has become popular for inverters connected to the power grid due to their advantages in harmonic current reductions. However, the power grid in a distribution system is non-ideal, presenting itself as a voltage source with significant impedance. This means that an inverter using an LCL filter may interact with other grid-connected inverters via the non-ideal grid. In this paper, damping optimization of LCL filters to reduce this interaction is studied for a three-phase voltage source inverter (VSI). Simulation results show that resonant oscillation occurs in a distributed power grid, even if the VSI with an LCL filter is well designed for standalone applications. A small-signal analysis is performed to predict this stability problem and to locate the boundary of the instability using an impedance approach. Based on these analytical results, optimized damping of the LCL filter can be designed. The oscillation phenomena and optimized damping design are verified by simulations and experimental measurements.

Introduction. The method and results of the aerodynamic research of the vertical axis wind power plants (WPP) with an axisymmetric stator are considered. The work objective is to show the application perspectiveness of vertical axis wind-power plants of the specified type for the national economy. Materials and Methods. The technique of virtual aerodynamic blasting and the corresponding design optimization at the specified criterion are used to perform the tasks. Within the framework of this technique, numerical aerodynamic analysis of a single rotor of the given type, and of the “rotor + socket” system before and after the optimization at the specified parameters of the freestream and rotor spinning is performed. When comparing the power of the obtained optimized WPP design with analogs, other things being equal, the aerodynamic similarity method is used. Research Results. Representative patterns of the aerodynamic flow around the investigated WPP type are obtained before and after the optimization. The distinctive distributions of the scalar and vector fields at the given parameters of the freestream and rotor spinning are studied. Dependent graphs are plotted against the linear freestream velocity for the projections of the rotor shaft moment (with WPP standard and optimized forms), as well as for the corresponding useful and side powers. A comparison of the power of the optimized WPP under consideration, and analogues, other factors being equal, is made. Discussion and Conclusions. The application perspectiveness of the vertical axis wind turbines with an axisymmetric stator designed to create useful interference with the rotor in order to increase useful shaft power is shown. Such wind power plants meet and exceed, at any rate upon the average, the corresponding classical vertical axis structures.

Dissertação de Mestrado Integrado em Engenharia Electrotécnica e de Computadores apresentada à Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia Na atualidade, com o desenvolvimento da eletrónica de potência, a máquina síncrona de relutância (SynRM) apresenta grandes benefícios, no que se refere ao seu rendimento, à sua resposta dinâmica elevada, ao seu custo e ao seu peso. De acordo com estas vantagens, e tendo em consideração a representação massiva dos motores elétricos no consumo energético nas indústrias, é importante apostar no desenvolvimento e otimização deste tipo de motores elétricos.Com esse intuito, esta dissertação foca-se no projeto de um motor síncrono de relutância de 7.5 kW, a partir de um estator de um motor de indução, proposto pela WEG.Para esse efeito recorre-se à análise dos esquemas equivalente por fase e fasorial da máquina síncrona clássica, com as respetivas adequações para o SynRM. Desta forma, é exequível determinar os parâmetros de desempenho deste motor, nomeadamente o valor do binário eletromagnético desenvolvido e sua oscilação, o fator de potência aparente ou interno e o seu rendimento.Por forma a otimizar e potenciar os parâmetros de desempenho do SynRM são implementadas soluções de otimização na estrutura rotórica anisotrópica laminada (TLA). Essas soluções incidem, essencialmente, na seleção do número ótimo de barreiras de fluxo a colocar no rotor e, consequentemente, no seu posicionamento e dimensionamento.De modo a avaliar e comprovar as alterações nos parâmetros de desempenho, por parte das soluções de otimização, é imprescindível utilizar um software de elementos finitos. Esta ferramenta permite realizar um estudo detalhado do domínio magnético, isto é, recorrendo à análise da densidade de fluxo magnético, das linhas de campo magnético e do valor das indutâncias segundo o eixo d (Ld) e q (Lq).Por fim, de forma a validar os resultados obtidos são retiradas as conclusões, com base na comparação entre as várias geometrias rotóricas (TLA). Deste modo é escolhido a geometria mais otimizada, para ser alvo de um estudo minucioso. Nowadays, with the development of power electronics, synchronous reluctance machines (SynRM) offer great benefits in terms of performance, high dynamic response, cost and weight. According to these advantages and considering the massive representation of the electric motors in the energy consumption in the industries, it is important to invest on the development and optimization of this type of electric motors.With this ambition, this dissertation focuses on the design of a 7.5 kW synchronous reluctance motor, based on a stator of an induction motor, proposed by WEG.For this purpose, we use the analysis of the phasor and phase equivalent schemes of the classical synchronous machine, with their respective adaptations for SynRM. In this way, it is feasible to determine the performance parameters of this motor, namely the value of the developed electromagnetic torque and its oscillation, apparent or internal power factor and its efficiency.In order to optimize and enhance the performance parameters of SynRM, optimization solutions are implemented in the laminated anisotropic rotor structure (TLA). These solutions essentially focus on the selection of the optimum number of flux barriers to be placed on the rotor and, consequently, on their positioning and sizing.In order to evaluate and verify the changes in the performance parameters by the optimization solutions, it is imperative to use finite element software (FEA). This tool allows to carry out a detailed study of the magnetic field, i.e., using the analysis of the magnetic flux density, the magnetic field lines and the value of the inductances according to the d (Ld) and q (Lqaxis.Finally, in order to validate the obtained results, the conclusions are drawn, based on the comparison between the various rotor geometries (TLA). In this way is chosen the most optimized geometry, to be the subject of a detailed study.

The combined cooling, heating, and power (CCHP) systems coupled with solar energy and biomass energy can meet the needs of island or rural decentralized and small-scale integrated energy use, which have become increasingly popular in recent years. This study presents a renewable energy sources integrated combined cooling, heating, and power (RES-CCHP) system, driven by a biogas fueled internal combustion engine (ICE) and photovoltaic (PV) panels, which is different from the traditional natural gas CCHP system. Owing to the solar energy volatility and the constraint of biomass gas production, the traditional optimization design method is no longer applicable. To improve the energetic, economic and environmental performances of the system, an integrated design method with renewable energy capacity, power equipment capacity and key operating parameters as optimization variables is proposed. In addition, a case study of a small farm in Jinan, China, is conducted to verify the feasibility of the proposed RES–CCHP system structure and the corresponding optimal operation strategy. The results illustrate that the implementation of the optimal design is energy-efficient, economical and environmentally-friendly. The values of primary energy saving ratio, annual total cost saving rate and carbon emission reduction ratio are 20.94%, 11.73% and 40.79%, respectively. Finally, the influence of the volatility of renewable energy sources on the optimization method is analyzed, which shows that the RES–CCHP system and the method proposed are robust.

[ES] El objetivo de este trabajo es diseñar dos componentes de microondas para un satélite real en banda K: un filtro de espúreos y un diplexor. Ambos componentes fueron encargados al Departamento de Comunicaciones por la empresa Thales Alenia Space-España (TAS-E). Los diseños presentados en este trabajo fueron fabricados por TAS-E y actualmente están embarcados en un satélite en órbita., [EN] The objective of this work is to design two microwave components for a real K-band satellite: a spurious filter and a diplexer. Both components were commissioned to the Department of Communications by Thales Alenia Space-Spain (TAS-E). The designs presented in this work were manufactured by TAS-E and are currently shipped on an orbiting satellite.

The paper presents a comprehensive energy and exergy analysis of a possible geothermal power plant located in the geothermal district of Campi Flegrei (Italy), made of a coaxial WellBore Heat eXchanger coupled to an Organic Rankine Cycle. We have accounted for all system components: the ground source, the WellBore Heat eXchanger, the Organic Rankine Cycle cycle, and cooling system. The energy and exergy performance indexes of each subsystems and overall system have been evaluated, thus calculating the net power, the First-Law efficiency, the Second-Law efficiency, the irreversibilities. The results indicate a good potential of the WellBore Heat eXchanger – Organic Rankine Cycle technology in the area, as the estimated performances have similar values to those of classical binary geothermal power plants: a First-Law efficiency of 11.67% and a Second-Law efficiency of about 43.80%. The overall system performances decrease respectively to 10.62% due to the fans energy requirements in the cooling tower and to 23.15% due to the large exergy destruction occurring in the WellBore Heat eXchanger. A deep exergy analysis of the WellBore Heat eXchanger has highlighted that the overall irreversibility is strongly affected by the insulation performance between the two coaxial pipes and by the temperature deviation between the ground and the fluid. The latter one is mainly due to the continuous heat extraction from the geothermal source, therefore proposed improvement strategies consist of both the increasing of thermal resistance of the material insulating the upward pipe and the reduction of the equivalent thermal radius of the well optimizing the heat extraction profiles over the plant lifetime.

[ES] El objetivo de este trabajo es diseñar un filtro tribanda empleando una nueva topología de filtros doblados. Esta topología permite reducir el tamaño del filtro e introducir ceros de transmisión en cada canal. En este trabajo se describen detalladamente todos los pasos de diseño. Tanto la nueva topología como sus métodos de diseño han sido validados experimentalmente., [EN] The goal of this work is to design a complex tri-band filter with a new folded topology. The folded topology can reduce the size of the filter and it allows us to introduce transmission zeros in every channel. All stages of the design are extensively discussed. Both, the design method and the folded topology are validated with the measured results.

With the development of wireless power transfer (WPT) technology, it is possible to transfer power to the batteries without plug-in cables and human interaction for autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), taking advantage of high safety, high reliability and unattended capability. However, when implementing the WPT system under the seawater environment, the electrical properties of seawater including the permittivity and the conductivity cause a significant changing in the parasitics of winding coils underwater. The seawater, which owns higher permittivity and conductivity compared to the air, not only causes extra parasitic capacitance to coils but also conducts extra eddy current loss, and thus reduces the system efficiency. In this paper, the characteristics of winding coils underwater are investigated and an optimized design methodology for underwater WPT system with series-series (SS) compensation is proposed. A 200-W underwater WPT prototype is built and experimentally verifies the analysis for the coils and the optimized design approach. The experimental demonstration also shows the system efficiency comparison between the air, the water, and the seawater environments.

In the present paper a multicriteria analysis of a Rankine Pumped Thermal Electricity Storage (PTES) system with low-grade thermal energy integration is performed. The system is composed by an ORC for the discharging phase and a high-temperature heat pump for the charging phase. As previously demonstrated, the low-grade thermal energy can be provided at the heat pump evaporator to boost the PTES performances. As it regards the multi-criteria analysis, a tradeoff is required when electric-to-electric energy ratio ηrt, total exergy exploitation efficiency ψut and energy density ρen, are maximized concurrently. By means of multi-objective optimization, theoretical performances of the system are derived in two different layouts, which are differentiated by the presence, or not, of internal regeneration in charge and discharge subsystems. Results showed that regeneration can be very effective, as it relaxes the tradeoff between the objectives, thus yielding better global performances. Pareto fronts are built and explored to characterize the PTES system. Configurations of interest are proposed, and PTES performances are compared with other storage technologies. Theoretical results showed that, by exploiting thermal energy at temperature lower than 80 °C, ηrt ≈ 0.55 and ρen ≈ 15 kWh/m3 can be concurrently achieved. This can be done at the cost of an inefficient exploitation of the thermal source, as ψut ≈ 0.05. If higher total exergy utilization efficiency is required, storage density can still be maintained high, but ηrt must drop down to 0.4.

International audience; It is difficult to design the engine intake manifold in normal method because of the complex structure, and the real situation of fluid movement in the manifold cannot be obtained through the steady flow test, so the optimized design is proposed about the engine intake manifold based on reverse engineering. A3D model of the intake manifold is build according to the CATIA software; fluid mathematical is set up by computational fluid dynamics method. The 3D geometry model of the intake manifold is grid with the Gambit software and the divided grid data is imported into the Fluent. These are performed about the simulation of the fluid pressure field, velocity field, flow field, and local flow field in the manifold. Key parameters design of the intake manifold relies on the results. It proves that the reverse technology is reasonable for the intake manifold design through the theory and simulation analysis; it can ensure sufficient air intake and reduce the intake resistance and energy loss of the air, and can improve the air intake uniformity.

Quantitative evaluation of potential pharmacodynamic (PD) interactions is important in tuberculosis drug development in order to optimize Phase 2b drug selection and ultimately to define clinical combination regimens. In this work, we used simulations to (1) evaluate different analysis methods for detecting PD interactions between two hypothetical anti-tubercular drugs in in vitro time-kill experiments, and (2) provide design recommendations for evaluation of PD interactions. The model used for all simulations was the Multistate Tuberculosis Pharmacometric (MTP) model linked to the General Pharmacodynamic Interaction (GPDI) model. Simulated data were re-estimated using the MTP–GPDI model implemented in Bliss Independence or Loewe Additivity, or using a conventional model such as an Empirical Bliss Independence-based model or the Greco model based on Loewe Additivity. The GPDI model correctly characterized different PD interactions (antagonism, synergism, or asymmetric interaction), regardless of the underlying additivity criterion. The commonly used conventional models were not able to characterize asymmetric PD interactions, i.e., concentration-dependent synergism and antagonism. An optimized experimental design was developed that correctly identified interactions in ≥ 94% of the evaluated scenarios using the MTP–GPDI model approach. The MTP–GPDI model approach was proved to provide advantages to other conventional models for assessing PD interactions of anti-tubercular drugs and provides key information for selection of drug combinations for Phase 2b evaluation.

According to statistical data, the south coast Yogyakarta has significant ocean wave height which can be used to generate electricity by using wave-energy-converter system. One of the simplest way to convert wave energy to electricity is using direct-drive wave-energy-conversion (WEC) system with permanent-magnet-linear-generator (PMLG). This method is simple because it doesn’t need to convert linear motion to rotational motion. However, PMLG has large electric power losses, has great weight in both of the stator and rotor, and expensive to make. In this paper, a tri-core PMLG was designed. The electric power losses in the winding, translator weight, and manufacturing cost were ideally minimized using multiobjective optimization combined with simulated annealing (SA) algorithm. Then, the design was verified using finite element analysis. The optimized design of this PMLG was simulated using sinusoidal ocean waves which usually occur in the south coast of Yogyakarta to analyze the performance of this linear generator. Simulation result has been shown that this generator can generate 911 watt peak output power at the rated condition and at the optimum load with 81.14% efficiency. This confirms that the optimized design of PMLG is suitable for direct-drive WEC with low power losses and manufacturing cost.

Tuberculosis is an ancient infectious disease and a leading cause of death globally. Preclinical research is important for defining drugs and regimens which should be carried forward to human studies. This thesis aims to characterize the population pharmacokinetics and exposure-response relationships of anti-tubercular drugs alone and in combinations, and to suggest experimental designs for preclinical settings. The population pharmacokinetics of rifampicin, isoniazid, ethambutol and pyrazinamide were described for the first time in two mouse models. This allowed for linking the population pharmacokinetic model to the Multistate Tuberculosis Pharmacometric (MTP) model for biomarker response, which was used to characterize exposure-response relationships in monotherapy. Pharmacodynamic interactions in combination therapies were quantitatively described by linking the MTP model to the General Pharmacodynamic Interaction (GPDI) model, which provided estimates of single drug effects together with a quantitative model-based evaluation framework for evaluation of pharmacodynamic interactions among drugs in combinations. Synergism (more than expected additivity) was characterized between rifampicin and ethambutol, while antagonism (less than expected additivity) was characterized between rifampicin and isoniazid in combination therapies. The new single-dose pharmacokinetic design with enrichened individual sampling was more informative than the original design, in which only one sample was taken from each mouse in the pharmacokinetic studies. The new oral zipper design allows for informative pharmacokinetic sampling in a multiple-dose administration scenario for characterizing pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic relationships, with similar or lower bias and imprecision in parameter estimates and with a decreased total number of animals required by up to 7-fold compared to the original design. The optimized design for assessing pharmacodynamic interactions in the combination therapies, which was based on EC20, EC50 and EC80 of the single drug, provided lower bias and imprecision than a conventional reduced four-by-four microdilution checkerboard design at the same total number of samples required, which followed the 3Rs of animal welfare. In summary, in this thesis the population pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic models of first-line drugs in mice were characterized through linking each population pharmacokinetic model to the MTP model. Pharmacodynamic interactions were quantitatively illustrated by the MTP-GPDI model. Lastly, experimental designs were optimized and recommended to both pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic studies for preclinical settings.

Electrode design is investigated for electrical capacitance tomography on a 1 mm-thick 3D planar domain. Arrays of square electrodes are located on both sides of the domain, which is filled with dielectric material. Anomalies of interest are voids in the material with low dielectric constant. Simulated tomography is conducted with various electrode patterns over a range of electrode sizes in order to compare performance. The high-aspect-ratio domain requires a large finite element mesh for simulating electric fields and for defining spatial sensitivity responses of electrode pairs. Compared to the canonical 2D pipe cross-section problem, this high-aspect-ratio system requires solving the reconstruction problem on a much larger mesh and is more severely underdetermined. An efficient methodology for characterizing the sensitivity responses of various electrode pairs is developed. An image reconstruction algorithm creates binary images by sequentially composing a list of occupied cells, conditioned with a cell-to-cell energy formulation. A parametric study of four candidate electrode patterns is conducted using electrode sizes between 0.8 mm and 1.6 mm, in which each potential design is used to perform tomographic reconstruction of 100 images. A new image-error metric is proposed, which is used to evaluate each electrode design. It is found that an electrode matrix pattern on each substrate, with the patterns offset, results in lower mean image error than other candidate patterns.

In this study, an extensive set of experiments has been performed to investigate how the emissions of carbon monoxide (CO) and particulate matter (PM) from wood pellet combustion are correlated with the different layout of air inlets in the two burner pots of pellet stoves. In particular, emissions generated using a “traditional” burner pot are compared with those produced with an innovative one. Tests were carried out on four pellet stoves (8–11 kW burning power). Tests show that CO emissions can be reduced close to zero using the innovative burner pot. PM emissions are also reduced, but not as much as those of CO. This phenomenon is explained assuming that CO reduction implies a reduction of the organic part of PM, but not of the inorganic matter. Experiments also show an apparent dependence of PM release on the time from ignition for both burner pot models: PM emissions increase and the color of PM deposited on filters varies over a wide range. It is argued that this effect is due to ash accumulation on the bottom of the burner pot and to its interaction with the primary air stream that flows over it.