Search results for: mechanical stirring
Commenced in January 2007
Frequency: Monthly
Edition: International
Paper Count: 3848

Search results for: mechanical stirring

1628 Competencies of a Commercial Grain Farmer: A Classic Grounded Theory Approach

Authors: Thapelo Jacob Moloi

Abstract:

This paper purports to present the findings in relation to the competencies of commercial grain farmers using a classic grounded theory method. A total of about eighteen semi-structured interviews with farmers, former farmers, farm workers, and agriculture experts were conducted. Findings explored competencies in the form of skills, knowledge and personal attributes that commercial grain farmers possess. Skills range from production skills, financial management skill, time management skill, human resource management skill, planning skill to mechanical skill. Knowledge ranges from soil preparation, locality, and technology to weather knowledge. The personal attributes that contribute to shaping a commercial grain farmer are so many, but for this study, seven stood out as a passion, work dedication, self-efficacy, humbleness, intelligence, emotional stability, and patience.

Keywords: grain farming, farming competencies, classic grounded theory, competency model

Procedia PDF Downloads 79
1627 Stability Enhancement of Supported Ionic Liquid Membranes Using Ion Gels for Gas Separation

Authors: Y. H. Hwang, J. Won, Y. S. Kang

Abstract:

Supported ionic liquid membranes (SILMs) have attracted due to the negligible vapor pressure of ionic liquids (ILs) as well as the high gas selectivity for specific gases such as CO2 or olefin. 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tricyanomethanide ([EMIM][TCM]), 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tricyanomethanide ([BMIM][TCM]), show high CO2 solubility, CO2 absorption, rapid CO2 absorption rate and negligible vapor pressure, SILMs using these ILs have been good candidates as CO2 separation membranes. However, SILM has to be operated at a low differential pressure to prevent the solvent from being expelled from the pores of supported membranes. In this paper, we improve the mechanical strength by forming ion gels which provide the stability while it retains the diffusion properties of the liquid stage which affects the gas separation properties. The ion gel was created by the addition of tri-block copolymer, poly(styrene-ethylene oxide-b-styrene) in RTIL. SILM using five different RTILs, are investigated with and without ion gels. The gas permeance were measured and the gas performance with and without the SEOS were investigated.

Keywords: ion gel, ionic liquid, membrane, nanostructure

Procedia PDF Downloads 312
1626 Determination of the Optimal Content of Commercial Superplasticizer Additives in Cements with Calcined Clay

Authors: Amanda R. Teixeira, João H. S. Rego, Gabriel F. S. Brito, Fabricio M. Silva

Abstract:

The use of superplasticizer additives has provided several advances for the civil construction industry, enabling gains in the rheological behavior and mechanical properties of cementitious matrices. These compounds act at the solid-liquid interface of colloidal suspensions of cement pastes, preventing agglomeration of the particles. Although the use in the concrete industry is wide, the mechanisms of dispersion of concrete admixtures composed of polycarboxylate in cement with supplementary cementitious materials have ample opportunity to be investigated, providing the attainment of increasingly compatible and efficient cement-addition-additive systems. The cements used in the research are Portland Cement CPV and two cements Portland Cement Composite (CPIV) with calcined clay contents of 20% and 28% and three commercial additives based on polycarboxylate. The performance of the additives and obtaining the optimal content was determined by the Marsh Cone test and spread by Mini-Slump.

Keywords: calcined clay, composite cements, superplasticizer additives, polycarboxylate

Procedia PDF Downloads 106
1625 Tribological Characterization of Composites Based on Epoxy Resin Filled with Tailings of Scheelite

Authors: Clarissa D. M. O. Guimaraes, Mariza C. M. Fernandes, Francisco R. V. Diaz, Juliana R. Souza

Abstract:

The use of mineral fillers in the preparation of organic matrix composites can be an efficient alternative in minimizing the environmental damage generated in passive mineral beneficiation processes. In addition, it may represent a new material option for wind, construction, and aeronautical industries, for example. In this sense, epoxy resin composites with Tailings of Scheelite (TS) were developed. The composites were manufactured with 5%, 10% and 20% of TS in volume percentage, homogenized by mechanical mixing and molded in a silicon mold. In order to make the tribological evaluation, pin on disk tests were performed to analyze coefficient of friction and wear. The wear mechanisms were identified by SEM (scanning electron microscope) images. The coefficient of friction had a tendency to decrease with increasing amount of filler. The wear tends to increase with increasing amount of filler, although it exhibits a similar wear behavior. The results suggest characteristics that are potential used in many tribological applications.

Keywords: composites, mineral filler, tailings of scheelite, tribology

Procedia PDF Downloads 166
1624 Nonlinear Analysis with Failure Using the Boundary Element Method

Authors: Ernesto Pineda Leon, Dante Tolentino Lopez, Janis Zapata Lopez

Abstract:

The current paper shows the application of the boundary element method for the analysis of plates under shear stress causing plasticity. In this case, the shear deformation of a plate is considered by means of the Reissner’s theory. The probability of failure of a Reissner’s plate due to a proposed index plastic behavior is calculated taken into account the uncertainty in mechanical and geometrical properties. The problem is developed in two dimensions. The classic plasticity’s theory is applied and a formulation for initial stresses that lead to the boundary integral equations due to plasticity is also used. For the plasticity calculation, the Von Misses criteria is used. To solve the non-linear equations an incremental method is employed. The results show a relatively small failure probability for the ranges of loads between 0.6 and 1.0. However, for values between 1.0 and 2.5, the probability of failure increases significantly. Consequently, for load bigger than 2.5 the plate failure is a safe event. The results are compared to those that were found in the literature and the agreement is good.

Keywords: boundary element method, failure, plasticity, probability

Procedia PDF Downloads 311
1623 Fracture Strength of Carbon Nanotube Reinforced Plasma Sprayed Aluminum Oxide Coating

Authors: Anup Kumar Keshri, Arvind Agarwal

Abstract:

Carbon nanotube (CNT) reinforced aluminum oxide (Al2O3) composite coating was synthesized on the steel substrate using plasma spraying technique. Three different compositions of coating such as Al2O3, Al2O¬3-4 wt. % CNT and Al2O3-8 wt. % CNT were synthesized and the fracture strength was determined using the four point bend test. Uniform dispersion of CNTs over Al2O3 powder particle was successfully achieved. With increasing CNT content, porosity in the coating showed decreasing trend and hence contributed towards enhanced mechanical properties such as hardness (~12% increased) and elastic modulus (~34 % increased). Fracture strength of the coating was found to be increasing with the CNT additions. By reinforcement of 8 wt. % of CNT, fracture strength increased by ~2.5 times. The improvement in fracture strength of Al2O3-CNT coating was attributed to three competitive phenomena viz. (i) lower porosity (ii) higher hardness and elastic modulus (iii) CNT bridging between splats.

Keywords: aluminum oxide, carbon nanotube, fracture strength, plasma spraying

Procedia PDF Downloads 394
1622 Modelling of Atomic Force Microscopic Nano Robot's Friction Force on Rough Surfaces

Authors: M. Kharazmi, M. Zakeri, M. Packirisamy, J. Faraji

Abstract:

Micro/Nanorobotics or manipulation of nanoparticles by Atomic Force Microscopic (AFM) is one of the most important solutions for controlling the movement of atoms, particles and micro/nano metrics components and assembling of them to design micro/nano-meter tools. Accurate modelling of manipulation requires identification of forces and mechanical knowledge in the Nanoscale which are different from macro world. Due to the importance of the adhesion forces and the interaction of surfaces at the nanoscale several friction models were presented. In this research, friction and normal forces that are applied on the AFM by using of the dynamic bending-torsion model of AFM are obtained based on Hurtado-Kim friction model (HK), Johnson-Kendall-Robert contact model (JKR) and Greenwood-Williamson roughness model (GW). Finally, the effect of standard deviation of asperities height on the normal load, friction force and friction coefficient are studied.

Keywords: atomic force microscopy, contact model, friction coefficient, Greenwood-Williamson model

Procedia PDF Downloads 199
1621 Review on Wear Behavior of Magnesium Matrix Composites

Authors: Amandeep Singh, Niraj Bala

Abstract:

In the last decades, light-weight materials such as magnesium matrix composites have become hot topic for material research due to their excellent mechanical and physical properties. However, relatively very less work has been done related to the wear behavior of these composites. Magnesium matrix composites have wide applications in automobile and aerospace sector. In this review, attempt has been done to collect the literature related to wear behavior of magnesium matrix composites fabricated through various processing techniques such as stir casting, powder metallurgy, friction stir processing etc. Effect of different reinforcements, reinforcement content, reinforcement size, wear load, sliding speed and time have been studied by different researchers in detail. Wear mechanism under different experimental condition has been reviewed in detail. The wear resistance of magnesium and its alloys can be enhanced with the addition of different reinforcements. Wear resistance can further be enhanced by increasing the percentage of added reinforcements. Increase in applied load during wear test leads to increase in wear rate of magnesium composites.

Keywords: hardness, magnesium matrix composites, reinforcement, wear

Procedia PDF Downloads 332
1620 Quantum Localization of Vibrational Mirror in Cavity Optomechanics

Authors: Madiha Tariq, Hena Rabbani

Abstract:

Recently, cavity-optomechanics becomes an extensive research field that has manipulated the mechanical effects of light for coupling of the optical field with other physical objects specifically with regards to dynamical localization. We investigate the dynamical localization (both in momentum and position space) for a vibrational mirror in a Fabry-Pérot cavity driven by a single mode optical field and a transverse probe field. The weak probe field phenomenon results in classical chaos in phase space and spatio temporal dynamics in position |ψ(x)²| and momentum space |ψ(p)²| versus time show quantum localization in both momentum and position space. Also, we discuss the parametric dependencies of dynamical localization for a designated set of parameters to be experimentally feasible. Our work opens an avenue to manipulate the other optical phenomena and applicability of proposed work can be prolonged to turn-able laser sources in the future.

Keywords: dynamical localization, cavity optomechanics, Hamiltonian chaos, probe field

Procedia PDF Downloads 150
1619 Effect of Aerobic Exercise on Estrogen Hormone and Bone Mineral Density in Osteoporotic Women

Authors: Noha Mohamed Abdelhafez Dahy, Azza Abd El-Aziz, Eman Ahmed, Marwa El-Sayed

Abstract:

Osteoporosis is a metabolic bone disease characterized by low bone mass, deterioration of bone tissue, and disruption of bone microarchitecture, which leads to compromised bone strength and an increased risk of fracture, commonly it occurs in women 10-15 years after menopause, the mean age of menopause is 51 years. Menopause is natural physiological changes primary because of decline of ovaries function with age which leads to decrease of estrogen hormone production which is the main hormone for bone continuous remodeling for bone density maintenance. Exercise increase stimulation of bone growth to keep bone mass by the effect of the mechanical stimulation, antigravity loading and stress exerted on musculoskeletal muscles. Purpose: This study aimed to determine the effect of aerobic exercise on estrogen hormone and bone mineral density (BMD) in osteoporotic women and the correlation between the estrogen and BMD.

Keywords: Osteoporosis, Postmenopause, Aerobic exercise, DEXA, Serum Estrogen

Procedia PDF Downloads 88
1618 Effect of Lead Content on Physical Properties of the Al–Si Eutectic Alloys

Authors: Hasan Kaya

Abstract:

Effect of lead content on the microstructure, mechanical (microhardness, ultimate tensile strength) and electrical resistivity properties of Al–Si eutectic alloys has been investigated. Al–12.6 Si–xSn (x=1, 2, 4, 6 and 8 wt. %) were prepared using metals of 99.99% high purity in the vacuum atmosphere. These alloys were directionally solidified under constant temperature gradient (5.50 K/mm) and growth rate (8.25 μm/s) by using a Bridgman–type directional solidification furnace. Eutectic spacing, microhardness, ultimate tensile strength and electrical resistivity were expressed as functions of the composition by using a linear regression analysis. The dependency of the eutectic spacing, microhardness, tensile strength and electrical resistivity on the composition (Sn content) were determined. According to experimental results, the microhardness, ultimate tensile strength and electrical resistivity of the solidified samples increase with increasing the Sn content, but decrease eutectic spacing. Variation of electrical resistivity with the temperature in the range of 300-500 K for studied alloys was also measured by using a standard d.c. four-point probe technique.

Keywords: content elements, solidification, microhardness, strength

Procedia PDF Downloads 297
1617 The Key Role of Yttrium Oxide on Devitrification Resilience of Barium Gallo-germanate Glasses: Physicochemical Properties and Crystallization Study

Authors: Samar Aoujia, Théo Guérineaub, Rayan Zaitera, Evelyne Fargina, Younès Messaddeqb, Thierry Cardinala

Abstract:

Two barium gallo-germanate glass series were elaborated to investigate the effect of the yttrium introduction on the glass physicochemical properties and crystallization behavior. One to twenty mol% of YO3/2 were either added into the glass matrix or substituted for gallium oxide. The glass structure was studied by Raman spectroscopy, and the thermal, optical, thermo-mechanical and physical properties are examined. The introduction of yttrium ions in both glass series increases the glass transition temperature, crystallization temperature, softening temperature, coefficient of linear thermal expansion and density. Through differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction analyses, it was found that competition occurs between the gallo-germanate zeolite-type phase and the yttrium-containing phase. From 13 mol% of YO3/2, the yttrium introduction impedes the formation of surface crystallization in these glasses.

Keywords: photonic, heavy-metal oxide, glass, crystallization

Procedia PDF Downloads 145
1616 Investigation of Mechanical Properties and Wear Behavior of Hot Roller Grades

Authors: Majid Mokhtari, Masoud Bahrami Alamdarlo, Babak Nazari, Hossein Zakerinya, Mehdi Salehi

Abstract:

In this study, microstructure, macro, and microhardness of phases for three grades of cast iron rolls with modified chemical composition using a light microscope (OM) and electron microscopy (SEM) were investigated. The grades were chosen from Chodan Sazan Manufacturing Co. (CSROLL) productions for finishing stands of hot strip mills. The percentage of residual austenite was determined with a ferrite scope magnetic device. Thermal susceptibility testing was also measured. The results show the best oxidation resistance at high temperatures is graphitic high chromium white cast iron alloy. In order to evaluate the final properties of these grades in rolling lines, the results of the Pin on Disk abrasion test showed the superiority of the abrasive behavior of the white chromium graphite cast iron alloy grade sample at the same hardness compared to conventional alloy grades and the enhanced grades.

Keywords: hot roller, wear, behavior, microstructure

Procedia PDF Downloads 241
1615 Meteorological Effect on Exergetic and Exergoeconomics Parameters of a Wind Turbine

Authors: Muhammad Abid

Abstract:

In this study, we performed the comparative exergetic and exergoeconomic analyses of a wind turbine over a period of twelve months from 1st January to 30th December 2011. The turbine is part of a wind-PV hybrid system with hydrogen storage, located on the roof of Mechanical Engineering Department, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The rated power output from this turbine is 1.7 W with a rated wind speed of 12 m/s and cut-in/cut-out wind speeds of 3/14 m/s. We utilize a wide range of experimental data in the analysis and assessment. We determine exergy efficiencies and their relation with meteorological variables, such as temperature and density. We also calculate exergoeconomic parameter R ̇_ex and its dependence on the temperature, using the average values for twelve months of the year considered for comparison purposes. The exergy efficiency changes from 0.12 to 0.31 while the density varies between 1.31 and 1.2 kg/m3 for different temperature values. The R ̇_ex has minimum and maximum values of 0.02 and 0.81, respectively, while the temperature is in the range of 8-24°C for various wind velocity values.

Keywords: exergy, efficiency, renewable energy, wind energy, meteorological variables

Procedia PDF Downloads 240
1614 Effect of Zirconium Addition to Aluminum Grain Refined by Ti on its Resistance to Wear: A Three-Dimensional Approach

Authors: S. M. A. Al-Qawabah, A. I. O. Zaid

Abstract:

Aluminum and its alloys are versatile materials which are widely used in industrial and engineering applications due to their good and useful properties e.g. high strength to weight ratio, high thermal and electrical conductivities and good resistance to corrosion. However, against these favorable properties they have the disadvantage they solidifying large grain columnar structure which negatively affects their mechanical properties and surface quality. Aluminum alloys are normally grain refined by some alloying elements, such as Ti, Ti-B or Zr. In this paper, the effect of zirconium addition to Al grain refined by Ti after extrusion on its wear resistance is investigated under different loads and sliding speeds namely at 5,10 and 20 N loads and sliding speeds ranging from m/min. and m/min. the results are presented in three-dimensional wear mode. To the best the authors' knowledge, the wear of aluminum in 3-dimensions has never been tackled before. In this work, the wear resistance of by presenting the results of wear are presented and discussed on the time, load and speed plots.

Keywords: aluminum grain refined, addition of titanium, wear resistance, titanium

Procedia PDF Downloads 401
1613 Performance of Structural Concrete Containing Marble Dust as a Partial Replacement for River Sand

Authors: Ravande Kishore

Abstract:

The paper present the results of experimental investigation carried out to understand the mechanical properties of concrete containing marble dust. Two grades of concrete viz. M25 and M35 have been considered for investigation. For each grade of concrete five replacement percentages of sand viz. 5%, 10%, 15%, 20% and 25% by marble dust have been considered. In all, 12 concrete mix cases including two control concrete mixtures have been studied to understand the key properties such as Compressive strength, Modulus of elasticity, Modulus of rupture and Split tensile strength. Development of Compressive strength is also investigated. In general, the results of investigation indicated improved performance of concrete mixture containing marble dust. About 21% increase in Compressive strength is noticed for concrete mixtures containing 20% marble dust and 80% river sand. An overall assessment of investigation results pointed towards high potential for marble dust as alternative construction material coming from waste generated in marble industry.

Keywords: construction material, partial replacement, marble dust, compressive strength

Procedia PDF Downloads 430
1612 Metal Ions Cross-Linking of Epoxidized Natural Rubber

Authors: Kriengsak Damampai, Skulrat Pichaiyut, Amit Das, Charoen Nacason

Abstract:

The curing of epoxidized natural rubber (ENR) was performed by using metal ions (Ferric chloride, FeCl₃). Two different mole% of epoxide were used there are 25 mole% (ENR-25) and 50 mole% (ENR-50) epoxizied natural rubber. The main aim of this work was investigated the influence of metal ions on the coordination reaction of epoxidized natural rubber. Also, cure characteristics and mechanical properties of the rubber compounds were investigated. It was found that the ENR-50 compounds indicated superior modulus and tensile strength than the ENR-25 compounds. This was attributed to higher the cross-linking in the rubber via coordination linkages between the oxidation groups in ENR molecule and FeCl₃of metal ions. Various quantities of FeCl3 were also investigated. It is seen that the ENR-25 and 50 mole% compounds with FeCl₃ of more than 3 mmol exhibited higher modulus and tensile strength compare to the pure ENR. Furthermore, the FTIR spectra was used to confirm the cross-linked of ENR with FeCl₃.

Keywords: Epoxidized natural rubber, Ferric chloride, cross-linking, Coordination

Procedia PDF Downloads 82
1611 Nonlocal Phenomena in Quantum Mechanics

Authors: Kazim G. Atman, Hüseyin Sirin

Abstract:

In theoretical physics, nonlocal phenomena has always been subject of debate. However, in the conventional mathematical approach where the developments of the physical systems are investigated by using the standard mathematical tools, nonlocal effects are not taken into account. In order to investigate the nonlocality in quantum mechanics and fractal property of space, fractional derivative operators are employed in this study. In this manner, fractional creation and annihilation operators are introduced and Einstein coefficients are taken into account as an application of concomitant formalism in quantum field theory. Therefore, each energy mode of photons are considered as fractional quantized harmonic oscillator hereby Einstein coefficients are obtained. Nevertheless, wave function and energy eigenvalues of fractional quantum mechanical harmonic oscillator are obtained via the fractional derivative order α which is a measure of the influence of nonlocal effects. In the case α = 1, where space becomes homogeneous and continuous, standard physical conclusions are recovered.

Keywords: Einstein’s Coefficients, Fractional Calculus, Fractional Quantum Mechanics, Nonlocal Theories

Procedia PDF Downloads 170
1610 Study on Parallel Shear Stress of Cement-Wood Composites Using Pinus sp. and Eucalyptus sp. in natura and Treated with CCA

Authors: Rodrigo D. S. Oliveira, Sarah David-Muzel, Maristela Gava, Victor A. De Araujo, Glaucia A. Prates, Juliana Cortez-Barbosa

Abstract:

Improper disposal of treated wood waste is a problem of the timber sector, since this residue is toxic, due to the harmful characteristics of the preservative substances. An environmentally friendly alternative is the use of this waste for the production of cement-wood composites. The aim of this work was to study the possibility of using wood treated with CCA (Chromated Cooper Arsenate) in cement-wood. Specimens of Pinus sp. and Eucalyptus sp. were produced with wood raw in natura and treated with CCA. A test was performed to determine the parallel shear stress of samples after 14 days of drying, according to the Brazilian Standard NBR-7215/97. Based on the analyzed results it is concluded that the use of wood treated with CCA is not feasible in cement-wood production, because the composite samples of treated wood showed lower mechanical strength in shear stress than those with wood in natura.

Keywords: waste recovery, wood composites, cement-wood, wood preservation, chromated copper arsenate

Procedia PDF Downloads 620
1609 Design Improvement of Dental Implant-Based on Bone Remodelling

Authors: Solehuddin Shuib, Koay Boon Aik, Zainul Ahmad Rajion

Abstract:

There are many types of mechanical failure on the dental implant. In this project, the failure that needs to take into consideration is the bone resorption on the dental implant. Human bone has its ability to remodel after the implantation. As the dental implant is installed into the bone, the bone will detect and change the bone structure to achieve new biomechanical environment. This phenomenon is known as bone remodeling. The objective of the project is to improve the performance of dental implant by using different types of design. These designs are used to analyze and predict the failure of the dental implant by using finite element analysis (FEA) namely ANSYS. The bone is assumed to be fully attached to the implant or cement. Hence, results are then compared with other researchers. The results were presented in the form of Von Mises stress, normal stress, shear stress analysis, and displacement. The selected design will be analyzed further based on a theoretical calculation of bone remodeling on the dental implant. The results have shown that the design constructed passed the failure analysis. Therefore, the selected design is proven to have a stable performance at the recovery stage.

Keywords: dental implant, FEA, bone remodeling, design

Procedia PDF Downloads 501
1608 A Comparison of Double Sided Friction Stir Welding in Air and Underwater for 6mm S275 Steel Plate

Authors: Philip Baillie, Stuart W. Campbell, Alexander M. Galloway, Stephen R. Cater, Norman A. McPherson

Abstract:

This study compared the mechanical and microstructural properties produced during friction stir welding(FSW) of S275 structural steel in air and underwater. Post weld tests assessed the tensile strength, micro-hardness, distortion, Charpy impact toughness and fatigue performance in each case. The study showed that there was no significant difference in the strength, hardness or fatigue life of the air and underwater specimens. However, Charpy impact toughness was shown to decrease for the underwater specimens and was attributed to a lower degree of recrystallization caused by the higher rate of heat loss experienced when welding underwater. Reduced angular and longitudinal distortion was observed in the underwater welded plate compared to the plate welded in air.

Keywords: Charpy impact toughness, distortion, fatigue, friction stir welding(FSW), micro-hardness, underwater

Procedia PDF Downloads 424
1607 Theoretical Investigation of the Structural, Electronic, Optical and Elastic Properties of the Perovskite ScRhO₃

Authors: L. Foudia, K. Haddadi, M. Reffas

Abstract:

First principles study of structural, elastic, electronic and optical properties of the monoclinic perovskite type ScRhO₃ has been reported using the pseudo-potential plane wave method within the local density approximation. The calculated lattice parameters, including the lattice constants and angle β are in excellent agreement with the available experimental data, which proving the reliability of the chosen theoretical approach. Pressure dependence up to 20 GPa of the single crystal and polycrystalline elastic constants has been investigated in details using the strain-stress approach. The mechanical stability, ductility, average elastic wave velocity, Debye temperature and elastic anisotropy were also assessed. Electronic band structure and density of states (DOS) demonstrated its semiconducting nature showing a direct band gap of 1.38 eV. Furthermore, several optical properties, such as absorption coefficient, reflectivity, refractive index, dielectric function, optical conductivity and electron energy loss function have been calculated for radiation up to 40 eV.

Keywords: ab-initio, perovskite, DFT, band gap.

Procedia PDF Downloads 74
1606 Design of Reconfigurable Supernumerary Robotic Limb Based on Differential Actuated Joints

Authors: Qinghua Zhang, Yanhe Zhu, Xiang Zhao, Yeqin Yang, Hongwei Jing, Guoan Zhang, Jie Zhao

Abstract:

This paper presents a wearable reconfigurable supernumerary robotic limb with differential actuated joints, which is lightweight, compact and comfortable for the wearers. Compared to the existing supernumerary robotic limbs which mostly adopted series structure with large movement space but poor carrying capacity, a prototype with the series-parallel configuration to better adapt to different task requirements has been developed in this design. To achieve a compact structure, two kinds of cable-driven mechanical structures based on guide pulleys and differential actuated joints were designed. Moreover, two different tension devices were also designed to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the cable-driven transmission. The proposed device also employed self-designed bearings which greatly simplified the structure and reduced the cost.

Keywords: cable-driven, differential actuated joints, reconfigurable, supernumerary robotic limb

Procedia PDF Downloads 221
1605 Recovery of an Area Degraded by Gullies in the Municipality of Monte Alto (SP), Brazil

Authors: Layane Sara Vieira, Paulo Egidio Bernardo, Roberto Saverio Souza Costa

Abstract:

Anthropogenic occupations and agricultural explorations without concern for the preservation and sustainability of the activity result in soil degradation that can make rural activity unfeasible. The objective of this work was to characterize and evaluate the recovery costs of an area degraded by major erosion (gully) in the municipality of Monte Alto (SP). Topographic characterization was carried out by means of a planialtimetric survey with a total station. The contours of the gully, internal area, slope height, contribution area, volume, and costs of operations for the recovery of the gully were delimited. The results obtained showed that the gully has a length of 145.56 m, a maximum width of 36.61 m, and a gap of 19.48 m. The external area of the gully is 1,039.8741 m², and the internal area is 119.3470 m². The calculated volume was 3,282.63 m³. The intervention area for breaking slopes was measured at 8,471.29 m², requiring the construction of 19 terraces in this area, vertically spaced at 2.8 m. The estimated costs for mechanical recovery of the gully were R$ 19,167.84 (US$ 3.657,98).

Keywords: erosion, volumetric assessment, soil degradation, terraces

Procedia PDF Downloads 106
1604 Electrochemical Performance of Carbon Nanotube Based Supercapacitor

Authors: Jafar Khan Kasi, Ajab Khan Kasi, Muzamil Bokhari

Abstract:

Carbon nanotube is one of the most attractive materials for the potential applications of nanotechnology due to its excellent mechanical, thermal, electrical and optical properties. In this paper we report a supercapacitor made of nickel foil electrodes, coated with multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) thin film using electrophoretic deposition (EPD) method. Chemical vapor deposition method was used for the growth of MWCNTs and ethanol was used as a hydrocarbon source. High graphitic multiwall carbon nanotube was found at 750 C analyzing by Raman spectroscopy. We observed the electrochemical performance of supercapacitor by cyclic voltammetry. The electrodes of supercapacitor fabricated from MWCNTs exhibit considerably small equivalent series resistance (ESR), and a high specific power density. Electrophoretic deposition is an easy method in fabricating MWCNT electrodes for high performance supercapacitor.

Keywords: carbon nanotube, chemical vapor deposition, catalyst, charge, cyclic voltammetry

Procedia PDF Downloads 562
1603 Nanocomposite Metal Material: Study of Antimicrobial and Catalytic Properties

Authors: Roman J. Jedrzejczyk, Damian K. Chlebda, Anna Dziedzicka, Rafal Wazny, Agnieszka Domka, Maciej Sitarz, Przemyslaw J. Jodlowski

Abstract:

The aim of this study was to obtain antimicrobial material based on thin zirconium dioxide coatings on structured reactors doped with metal nanoparticles using the sonochemical sol-gel method. As a result, dense, uniform zirconium dioxide films were obtained on the kanthal sheets which can be used as support materials in antimicrobial converters with sophisticated shapes. The material was characterised by physicochemical methods, such as AFM, SEM, EDX, XRF, XRD, XPS and in situ Raman and DRIFT spectroscopy. In terms of antimicrobial activity, the material was tested by ATP/AMP method using model microbes isolated from the real systems. The results show that the material can be potentially used in the market as a good candidate for active package and as active bulkheads of climatic systems. The mechanical tests showed that the developed method is an efficient way to obtain durable converters with high antimicrobial activity against fungi and bacteria.

Keywords: antimicrobial properties, kanthal steel, nanocomposite, zirconium oxide

Procedia PDF Downloads 200
1602 Wear Particle Analysis from used Gear Lubricants for Maintenance Diagnostics

Authors: Surapol Raadnui

Abstract:

This particular work describes an experimental investigation on gear wear in which wear and pitting were intentionally allowed to occur, namely, moisture corrosion pitting, acid-induced corrosion pitting, hard contaminant-related pitting and mechanical induced wear. A back to back spur gear test rig and a grease lubricated worm gear rig were used. The tests samples of wear debris were collected and assessed through the utilization of an optical microscope in order to correlate and compare the debris morphology to pitting and wear degradation of the worn gears. In addition, weight loss from all test gear pairs were assessed with utilization of statistical design of experiment. It can be deduced that wear debris characteristics from both cases exhibited a direct relationship with different pitting and wear modes. Thus, it should be possible to detect and diagnose gear pitting and wear utilization of worn surfaces, generated wear debris and quantitative measurement such as weight loss.

Keywords: predictive maintenance, worm gear, spur gear, wear debris analysis, problem diagnostic

Procedia PDF Downloads 153
1601 Machinability Study of A201-T7 Alloy

Authors: Onan Kilicaslan, Anil Kabaklarli, Levent Subasi, Erdem Bektas, Rifat Yilmaz

Abstract:

The Aluminum-Copper casting alloys are well known for their high mechanical strength, especially when compared to more commonly used Aluminum-Silicon alloys. A201 is one of the best in terms of strength vs. weight ratio among other aluminum alloys, which makes it suitable for premium quality casting applications in aerospace and automotive industries. It is reported that A201 has low castability, but it is easy to machine. However, there is a need to specifically determine the process window for feasible machining. This research investigates the machinability of A201 alloy after T7 heat treatment in terms of chip/burr formation, surface roughness, hardness, and microstructure. The samples are cast with low-pressure sand casting method and milling experiments are performed with uncoated carbide tools using different cutting speeds and feeds. Statistical analysis is used to correlate the machining parameters to surface integrity. It is found that there is a strong dependence of the cutting conditions on machinability and a process window is determined.

Keywords: A201-T7, machinability, milling, surface integrity

Procedia PDF Downloads 196
1600 Highly-Sensitive Nanopore-Based Sensors for Point-Of-Care Medical Diagnostics

Authors: Leyla Esfandiari

Abstract:

Rapid, sensitive detection of nucleic acid (NA) molecules of specific sequence is of interest for a range of diverse health-related applications such as screening for genetic diseases, detecting pathogenic microbes in food and water, and identifying biological warfare agents in homeland security. Sequence-specific nucleic acid detection platforms rely on base pairing interaction between two complementary single stranded NAs, which can be detected by the optical, mechanical, or electrochemical readout. However, many of the existing platforms require amplification by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), fluorescent or enzymatic labels, and expensive or bulky instrumentation. In an effort to address these shortcomings, our research is focused on utilizing the cutting edge nanotechnology and microfluidics along with resistive pulse electrical measurements to design and develop a cost-effective, handheld and highly-sensitive nanopore-based sensor for point-of-care medical diagnostics.

Keywords: diagnostics, nanopore, nucleic acids, sensor

Procedia PDF Downloads 465
1599 The Influence of Contact Models on Discrete Element Modeling of the Ballast Layer Subjected to Cyclic Loading

Authors: Peyman Aela, Lu Zong, Guoqing Jing

Abstract:

Recently, there has been growing interest in numerical modeling of ballast railway tracks. A commonly used mechanistic modeling approach for ballast is the discrete element method (DEM). Up to now, the effects of the contact model on ballast particle behavior have not been precisely examined. In this regard, selecting the appropriate contact model is mainly associated with the particle characteristics and the loading condition. Since ballast is cohesionless material, different contact models, including the linear spring, Hertz-Mindlin, and Hysteretic models, could be used to calculate particle-particle or wall-particle contact forces. Moreover, the simulation of a dynamic test is vital to investigate the effect of damping parameters on the ballast deformation. In this study, ballast box tests were simulated by DEM to examine the influence of different contact models on the mechanical behavior of the ballast layer under cyclic loading. This paper shows how the contact model can affect the deformation and damping of a ballast layer subjected to cyclic loading in a ballast box.

Keywords: ballast, contact model, cyclic loading, DEM

Procedia PDF Downloads 197