A fully omnidirectional wheeled assembly for robotic vehicles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Killough, S.M.; Pin, F.G.

1990-01-01

A large number of wheeled or tracked platform mechanisms have been studied and developed to provide their mobility capability to teleoperated and autonomous robot vehicles. This paper presents an original wheeled platform based on an orthogonal wheel assembly that provides a full (three-degrees-of-freedom) omnidirectionality of the platform without wheel slippage and with the capability for simultaneous motions in rotation and translation (including sideways movements). A schematic of the basic wheel assembly is shown. The motion of the assembly is unconstrained (freewheeling) in the direction parallel to the main assembly shaft, while it is constrained in the direction perpendicular to the shaft, being driven in this direction by rotation of the shaft. A prototype platform was constructed to demonstrate the feasibility of this new concept

Kinematics and dynamics modelling of a mecanum wheeled mobile platform

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Tlale, NS

2008-12-01

Full Text Available analysis for mecanum wheeled mobile platform same time during the operation of the mobile platform, a maximum of eighty-one combinations of wheels (four wheels: 1,2, 3 and 4) and directions of rotational velocity of wheels (three directions of rotation... = I ’ (15) where ai is a constant depending on the wheel number and ai = -1 for i = 1 and 4, and ai = 1 for i = 2 and 3, T is the torque developed on the vehicle that changes the posture of the vehicle, I is the mass inertia of the vehicle...

A triple axes multiple target holder assembly

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tribedi, L.C.; Narvekar, S.D.; Pillay, R.G.; Tandon, P.N.

1993-01-01

We have designed and fabricated a rotatable target holder assembly capable of accommodating 27 targets. The target foils are mounted along two concentric circles on a ss wheel. On the outer circle 18 targets can be mounted each 20deg apart, and on the inner circle the remaining targets are positioned each 40deg apart. The self supporting or carbon backed targets are mounted on thin frames and are placed concentrically at the targets are mounted on thin frames and are placed concentrically at the target position on the wheel. Three degrees of freedom are provided to the target holder assembly. (author). 1 fig

Minisatellite Attitude Guidance Using Reaction Wheels

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ion STROE

2015-06-01

Full Text Available In a previous paper [2], the active torques needed for the minisatellite attitude guidance from one fixed attitude posture to another fixed attitude posture were determined using an inverse dynamics method. But when considering reaction/momentum wheels, instead of this active torques computation, the purpose is to compute the angular velocities of the three reaction wheels which ensure the minisatellite to rotate from the initial to the final attitude. This paper presents this computation of reaction wheels angular velocities using a similar inverse dynamics method based on inverting Euler’s equations of motion for a rigid body with one fixed point, written in the framework of the x-y-z sequence of rotations parameterization. For the particular case A=B not equal C of an axisymmetric minisatellite, the two computations are compared: the active torques computation versus the computation of reaction wheels angular velocities ̇x , ̇y and ̇z. An interesting observation comes out from this numerical study: if the three reaction wheels are identical (with Iw the moment of inertia of one reaction wheel with respect to its central axis, then the evolutions in time of the products between Iw and the derivatives of the reaction wheels angular velocities, i.e. ̇ , ̇ and ̇ remain the same and do not depend on the moment of inertia Iw.

Design of Wheeled Mobile Robot with Tri-Star Wheel as Rescue Robot

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rafiuddin Syam

2016-05-01

Full Text Available This study aims to design, and analyze a mobilerobot that can handle some of the obstacles, they are unevensurfaces, slopes, can also climb stairs. WMR in this study is Tristarwheel that is containing three wheels for each set. Onaverage surface only two wheels in contact with the surface, ifthere is an uneven surface or obstacle then the third wheel willrotate with the rotation center of the wheel in contact with theleading obstacle then only one wheel in contact with the surface.This study uses the C language program. Furthermore, theminimum thrust to be generated torque of the motor andtransmission is 9.56 kg. The results obtained by calculation andanalysis of DC motors used must have a torque greater than14.67 kg.cm. Minimum thrust to be generated motor torque andthe transmission is 9.56 kg. The experimental results give goodresults for robot to moving forward, backward, turn left, turnright and climbing the stairs

A Full Disturbance Model for Reaction Wheels

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Le, M.P.; Ellenbroek, Marcellinus Hermannus Maria; Seiler, R; van Put, P.; Cottaar, E.J.E.

2014-01-01

Reaction wheels are rotating devices used for the attitude control of spacecraft. However, reaction wheels also generate undesired disturbances in the form of vibrations, which may have an adverse effect on the pointing accuracy and stability of spacecraft (optical) payloads. A disturbance model for

A sub-target approach to the kinodynamic motion control of a wheeled mobile robot

Science.gov (United States)

Motonaka, Kimiko; Watanabe, Keigo; Maeyama, Shoichi

2018-02-01

A mobile robot with two independently driven wheels is popular, but it is difficult to stabilize it by a continuous controller with a constant gain, due to its nonholonomic property. It is guaranteed that a nonholonomic controlled object can always be converged to an arbitrary point using a switching control method or a quasi-continuous control method based on an invariant manifold in a chained form. From this, the authors already proposed a kinodynamic controller to converge the states of such a two-wheeled mobile robot to the arbitrary target position while avoiding obstacles, by combining the control based on the invariant manifold and the harmonic potential field (HPF). On the other hand, it was confirmed in the previous research that there is a case that the robot cannot avoid the obstacle because there is no enough space to converge the current state to the target state. In this paper, we propose a method that divides the final target position into some sub-target positions and moves the robot step by step, and it is confirmed by the simulation that the robot can converge to the target position while avoiding obstacles using the proposed method.

Reaction wheels for kinetic energy storage

Science.gov (United States)

Studer, P. A.

1984-11-01

In contrast to all existing reaction wheel implementations, an order of magnitude increase in speed can be obtained efficiently if power to the actuators can be recovered. This allows a combined attitude control-energy storage system to be developed with structure mounted reaction wheels. The feasibility of combining reaction wheels with energy storage wwheels is demonstrated. The power required for control torques is a function of wheel speed but this energy is not dissipated; it is stored in the wheel. The I(2)R loss resulting from a given torque is shown to be constant, independent of the design speed of the motor. What remains, in order to efficiently use high speed wheels (essential for energy storage) for control purposes, is to reduce rotational losses to acceptable levels. Progress was made in permanent magnet motor design for high speed operation. Variable field motors offer more control flexibility and efficiency over a broader speed range.

Developments of 207Pb, 208Pb and 209Bi target wheels in the synthesis of 107Ns, 108Hs and 109Mt

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Folger, H.; Hartmann, W.; Hessberger, F.P.; Hofmann, S.; Klemm, J.; Muenzenberg, G.; Ninov, V.; Schmidt, K.H.; Schoett, H.J.; Thalheimer, W.; Armbruster, P.

1993-05-01

The developments of 207 Pb, 208 Pb and 209 Bi target wheels and their applications in heavy-ion fusion reactions are reviewed. In both, fabrication and use, the centers of the evaporator or accelerator beams are focussed at wheel radii of 155 mm to specially shaped frames which generate very homogeneous target layers and very constant reaction and counting rates in the experiment. Target areas of up to ∼98% of a wheel's circumference of 974 mm can be provided. The preparation procedures for necessary C backings and protecting layers of C are described, and details are given for the developments of high-vacuum evaporations of 207 Pb, 208 Pb and 209 Bi with deposition yields of 35-55% from tantalum crucibles. The applications of the target wheels in heavy-ion fusion reactions with beams of 54 Cr and 58 Fe at energies near the Coulomb barrier and intensities of ∼10 12 particles/s are mentioned. The target parameters for the production runs of the new chemical elements 107 Ns, 108 Hs and 109 Mt are included. (orig.)

A novel rotational invariants target recognition method for rotating motion blurred images

Science.gov (United States)

Lan, Jinhui; Gong, Meiling; Dong, Mingwei; Zeng, Yiliang; Zhang, Yuzhen

2017-11-01

The imaging of the image sensor is blurred due to the rotational motion of the carrier and reducing the target recognition rate greatly. Although the traditional mode that restores the image first and then identifies the target can improve the recognition rate, it takes a long time to recognize. In order to solve this problem, a rotating fuzzy invariants extracted model was constructed that recognizes target directly. The model includes three metric layers. The object description capability of metric algorithms that contain gray value statistical algorithm, improved round projection transformation algorithm and rotation-convolution moment invariants in the three metric layers ranges from low to high, and the metric layer with the lowest description ability among them is as the input which can eliminate non pixel points of target region from degenerate image gradually. Experimental results show that the proposed model can improve the correct target recognition rate of blurred image and optimum allocation between the computational complexity and function of region.

To the question of modeling of wheels and rails wear processes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S.V. Myamlin

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Purpose. There is a need of wear process modeling in the wheel-rail system. This is related to the fact that the wear processes in this system are absolutely different in the initial and final stages. The profile change of rail and, especially, of the wheels caused by the wear significantly affects the rolling stock dynamics, traffic safety and the resource of the wheels and rails. Wear modeling and the traffic safety evaluation requires the accounting of the low frequency component forces (including the modeling of transitional areas affecting the wheel on the side of the rail and carriage in motion of rolling stock, so the statistical analysis is not possible. Methodology. The method of mathematical modeling of the wheel set and the rail interaction was used during the research conducting. Findings. As a result of the modeling of the wheel set motion on the rail track, the mathematic model with 19 freedom degrees was obtained. This model takes into account the axle torque and studies wheels constructions as the components of the mechanical systems, consisting of a hub and tire. Originality. The mathematic model allows evaluating the wear degree of the wheels and rails when using on the rolling stock not only all-metal wheel sets, but also compound ones with the use of spring wheels and independent rotation of semi-axes with the wheels. Practical value. The development of the improved mathematical model of freight car wheel set motion with differential rotation of the wheels and compound axles allows studying the wear processes of wheels and rails.

Design of a high speed rotating mechanical shutter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stowers, I.F.; Merritt, B.T.; McFann, C.B.

1979-01-01

A high-speed rotating shutter was designed to operate in a 10 -6 Torr vacuum at the optical focus of a laser spatial filter. The shutter is basically a wheel, with a single 3 x 10-mm slot at the perimeter, which rotates with a peripheral speed of 1 km/s. The motor to drive the rotating wheel is magnetically suspended and synchronously wound. The wheel achieves a 4 μs opening time and a timing accuracy of better than 0.2 μs

Voluntary Wheel Running in Mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Goh, Jorming; Ladiges, Warren

2015-12-02

Voluntary wheel running in the mouse is used to assess physical performance and endurance and to model exercise training as a way to enhance health. Wheel running is a voluntary activity in contrast to other experimental exercise models in mice, which rely on aversive stimuli to force active movement. This protocol consists of allowing mice to run freely on the open surface of a slanted, plastic saucer-shaped wheel placed inside a standard mouse cage. Rotations are electronically transmitted to a USB hub so that frequency and rate of running can be captured via a software program for data storage and analysis for variable time periods. Mice are individually housed so that accurate recordings can be made for each animal. Factors such as mouse strain, gender, age, and individual motivation, which affect running activity, must be considered in the design of experiments using voluntary wheel running. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Technics study on high accuracy crush dressing and sharpening of diamond grinding wheel

Science.gov (United States)

Jia, Yunhai; Lu, Xuejun; Li, Jiangang; Zhu, Lixin; Song, Yingjie

2011-05-01

Mechanical grinding of artificial diamond grinding wheel was traditional wheel dressing process. The rotate speed and infeed depth of tool wheel were main technics parameters. The suitable technics parameters of metals-bonded diamond grinding wheel and resin-bonded diamond grinding wheel high accuracy crush dressing were obtained by a mount of experiment in super-hard material wheel dressing grind machine and by analysis of grinding force. In the same time, the effect of machine sharpening and sprinkle granule sharpening was contrasted. These analyses and lots of experiments had extent instruction significance to artificial diamond grinding wheel accuracy crush dressing.

Characteristics of The Magnet Wheel As A Magnetic Levitation Device of Induction Type

OpenAIRE

藤井, 信男; 小川, 幸吉; 松本, 敏雄; Nobuo, FUJII; Kokichi, OGAWA; Toshio, MATSUMOTO; 九州大学; 大分大学; 安川電機; Kyushu University; Oita University; Yaskawa Electric Co., Ltd.

1996-01-01

A new type of magnetic wheel called the "magnet wheel" has been proposed. The magnet wheel has both magnetic levitation and linear drive functions combined into one. In the magnet wheel, the permanent magnets are rotated over the conducting plate so that an induction type of repulsive lift force is obtained. To produce thrust from the drag torque which is simultaneously induced with the lift force, the "tilt type" and "partial overlap type" magnet wheels have been proposed. Poor power factor ...

Torsional Moment Measurement on Bucket Wheel Shaft of Giant Machine

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jiří FRIES

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Bucket wheel loading at the present time (torsional moment on wheel shaft, peripheral cutting force is determined from electromotor incoming power or reaction force measured on gearbox hinge. Both methods together are weighted by steel construction absorption of driving units and by inertial forces of motor rotating parts. In the article is described direct method of the torsional moment measurement, which eliminates mentioned unfavourable impacts except absorption of steel construction of bucket wheel itself.

Peculiarities of Clutch Forming Rails and Wheel Block Construction

Science.gov (United States)

Shiler, V. V.; Galiev, I. I.; Shiler, A. V.

2018-03-01

The clutch of the wheel and rail is significantly influenced by the design features of the standard wheel pair, which are manifested in the presence of "parasitic" slipping of the wheels along the rails during its movement. The purpose of the presented work is to evaluate new design solutions for wheel sets. The research was carried out using methods of comparative simulation modelling and physical prototyping. A new design of the wheel pair (block wheel pair) is proposed, which features an independent rotation of all surfaces of the wheels in contact with the rails. The block construction of the wheel pair forms open mechanical contours with the track gauge, which completely eliminates the "parasitic" slippage. As a result, in the process of implementing traction or braking forces, the coupling coefficient of the block construction of the wheel pair is significantly higher than that of existing structures. In addition, in the run-out mode, the resistance to movement of the block wheel pair is half as much. All this will allow one to significantly reduce the energy consumption for traction of trains, wear of track elements and crew, and to increase the speed and safety of train traffic.

First Wheel of the Hadronic EndCap Calorimeter Completed

CERN Multimedia

Oram, C.J.

2002-01-01

With the LAr calorimeters well advanced in module production, the attention is turning to Batiment 180 where the calorimeter modules are formed into complete detectors and inserted into their respective cryostats. For the Hadronic End Cap (HEC) Group the task in B180 is to assemble the wheels, rotate them into their final orientation, and put them onto the cradle in front of the End Cap Cryostat. These tasks have been completed for the first HEC wheel in the B180 End Cap Clean Room. Given that this wheel weighs 70 tons the group is very relieved to have established that these gymnastics with the wheel proceed in a routine fashion. To assemble a wheel we take modules that have already been cold tested, do the final electrical testing and locate them onto the HEC wheel assembly table. Four wheels are required in total, each consisting of 32 modules. Wheel assembly is done in the horizontal position, creating a doughnut-like object sitting on the HEC table. The first picture shows the last module being added ...

Wheels With Sense

Science.gov (United States)

Cambridge, Dwayne; Clauss, Douglas; Hewson, Fraser; Brown, Robert; Hisrich, Robert; Taylor, Cyrus

2002-10-01

We describe a student intrapreneurial project in the Physics Entrepreneurship Program at Case Western Reserve University. At the request of a major fortune 100 company, a study has been made of the technical and marketing issues for a new business of selling sensors on commercial vehicle wheels for monitoring pressure, temperature, rotations, and vibrations, as well as providing identification. The nature of the physics involved in the choice of the appropriate device such as capacitive or piezoresistive sensors is discussed, along with the possibility of MEMS (micro-electro-mechanical systems) technology and RFID (radiofrequency identification) readout on wheels. Five options (status quo, in-house development, external business acquisition, a large business national partnership, and a small-business Cleveland consortium partnership) were studied from both technological and business perspectives to commercialize the technology. The decision making process for making a choice is explained.

The Running Wheel Enhances Food Anticipatory Activity: An Exploratory Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Flôres, Danilo E F L; Bettilyon, Crystal N; Jia, Lori; Yamazaki, Shin

2016-01-01

Rodents anticipate rewarding stimuli such as daily meals, mates, and stimulant drugs. When a single meal is provided daily at a fixed time of day, an increase in activity, known as food anticipatory activity (FAA), occurs several hours before feeding time. The factors affecting the expression of FAA have not been well-studied. Understanding these factors may provide clues to the undiscovered anatomical substrates of food entrainment. In this study we determined whether wheel-running activity, which is also rewarding to rodents, modulated the robustness of FAA. We found that access to a freely rotating wheel enhanced the robustness of FAA. This enhancement was lost when the wheel was removed. In addition, while prior exposure to a running wheel alone did not enhance FAA, the presence of a locked wheel did enhance FAA as long as mice had previously run in the wheel. Together, these data suggest that FAA, like wheel-running activity, is influenced by reward signaling.

Two new wheels for ATLAS

CERN Multimedia

2002-01-01

Juergen Zimmer (Max Planck Institute), Roy Langstaff (TRIUMF/Victoria) and Sergej Kakurin (JINR), in front of one of the completed wheels of the ATLAS Hadronic End Cap Calorimeter. A decade of careful preparation and construction by groups in three continents is nearing completion with the assembly of two of the four 4 m diameter wheels required for the ATLAS Hadronic End Cap Calorimeter. The first two wheels have successfully passed all their mechanical and electrical tests, and have been rotated on schedule into the vertical position required in the experiment. 'This is an important milestone in the completion of the ATLAS End Cap Calorimetry' explains Chris Oram, who heads the Hadronic End Cap Calorimeter group. Like most experiments at particle colliders, ATLAS consists of several layers of detectors in the form of a 'barrel' and two 'end caps'. The Hadronic Calorimeter layer, which measures the energies of particles such as protons and pions, uses two techniques. The barrel part (Tile Calorimeter) cons...

Experiments on a Tail-wheel Shimmy

Science.gov (United States)

Harling, R; Dietz, O

1954-01-01

Model tests on the "running belt" and tests with a full-scale tail wheel were made on a rotating drum as well as on a runway in order to investigate the causes of the undesirable shimmy phenomena frequently occurring on airplane tail wheels, and the means of avoiding them. The small model (scale 1:10) permitted simulation of the mass, moments of inertia, and fuselage stiffness of the airplane and determination of their influence on the shimmy, whereas by means of the larger model with pneumatic tires (scale 1:2) more accurate investigations were made on the tail wheel itself. The results of drum and road tests show good agreement with one another and with model values. Detailed investigations were made regarding the dependence of the shimmy tendency on trail, rolling speed, load, size of tires, ground friction,and inclination of the swivel axis; furthermore, regarding the influence of devices with restoring effect on the tail wheel, and the friction damping required for prevention of shimmy. Finally observations from slow-motion pictures are reported and conclusions drawn concerning the influence of tire deformation.

Study on design of light-weight super-abrasive wheel

Science.gov (United States)

Nohara, K.; Yanagihara, K.; Ogawa, M.

2018-01-01

Fixed-abrasive tool, also called a grinding wheel, is produced by furnacing abrasive compound which contains abrasive grains and binding powder such as vitrified materials or resins. Fixed-abrasive tool is installed on spindle of grinding machine. And it is given 1,800-2,000 min-1 of spindle rotation for the usage. The centrifugal fracture of the compound of fixed- abrasive tool is one of the careful respects in designing. In recent years, however, super-abrasive wheel as a fixed-abrasive tool has been developed and applied widely. One of the most characteristic respects is that metal is applied for the body of grinding-wheel. The strength to hold abrasive grain and the rigidity of wheel become stronger than those of general grinding wheel, also the lifespan of fixed-abrasive tool becomes longer. The weight of fixed-abrasive tool, however, becomes heavier. Therefore, when the super-abrasive wheel is used, the power consumption of spindle motor becomes larger. It also becomes difficult for the grinding-wheel to respond to sudden acceleration or deceleration. Thus, in order to reduce power consumption in grinding and to obtain quicker frequency response of super-abrasive wheel, the new wheel design is proposed. The design accomplishes 46% weight reduction. Acceleration that is one second quicker than that of conventional grinding wheel is obtained.

Customer loads of two-wheeled vehicles

Science.gov (United States)

Gorges, C.; Öztürk, K.; Liebich, R.

2017-12-01

Customer usage profiles are the most unknown influences in vehicle design targets and they play an important role in durability analysis. This publication presents a customer load acquisition system for two-wheeled vehicles that utilises the vehicle's onboard signals. A road slope estimator was developed to reveal the unknown slope resistance force with the help of a linear Kalman filter. Furthermore, an automated mass estimator was developed to consider the correct vehicle loading. The mass estimation is performed by an extended Kalman filter. Finally, a model-based wheel force calculation was derived, which is based on the superposition of forces calculated from measured onboard signals. The calculated wheel forces were validated by measurements with wheel-load transducers through the comparison of rainflow matrices. The calculated wheel forces correspond with the measured wheel forces in terms of both quality and quantity. The proposed methods can be used to gather field data for improved vehicle design loads.

Multiple operating system rotation environment moving target defense

Science.gov (United States)

Evans, Nathaniel; Thompson, Michael

2016-03-22

Systems and methods for providing a multiple operating system rotation environment ("MORE") moving target defense ("MTD") computing system are described. The MORE-MTD system provides enhanced computer system security through a rotation of multiple operating systems. The MORE-MTD system increases attacker uncertainty, increases the cost of attacking the system, reduces the likelihood of an attacker locating a vulnerability, and reduces the exposure time of any located vulnerability. The MORE-MTD environment is effectuated by rotation of the operating systems at a given interval. The rotating operating systems create a consistently changing attack surface for remote attackers.

Vegetation response to wagon wheel camp layouts.

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Wagon wheel camp layouts have been favoured, in some quarters, for rotational grazing due to the economy and convenience of having the camps radially arranged around central facilities. A possible disadvantage of such layouts is the tendency for over-grazing near the hub and under-grazing at the extremities.

High speed reaction wheels for satellite attitude control and energy storage

Science.gov (United States)

Studer, P.; Rodriguez, E.

1985-01-01

The combination of spacecraft attitude control and energy storage (ACES) functions in common hardware, to synergistically maintain three-axis attitude control while supplying electrical power during earth orbital eclipses, allows the generation of control torques by high rotating speed wheels that react against the spacecraft structure via a high efficiency bidirectional energy conversion motor/generator. An ACES system encompasses a minimum of four wheels, controlling power and the three torque vectors. Attention is given to the realization of such a system with composite flywheel rotors that yield high energy density, magnetic suspension technology yielding low losses at high rotational speeds, and an ironless armature permanent magnet motor/generator yielding high energy conversion efficiency.

Study on control schemes of flexible steering system of a multi-axle all-wheel-steering robot

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pingxia Zhang

2016-05-01

Full Text Available It is well known that a multi-axle wheeled robot possesses larger load capability and also higher drive performance. However, its steering flexibility is degraded due to the large number of wheels. In order to solve this problem, in this article, we proposed three control schemes based on the center of rotation or the steering angles of both the first- and last-axle wheels. To release these control schemes, steering mode selection and also the left wheel’s steering angle in a specific axle are added approaching a practical application. Thereafter, the remaining wheels’ steering angles can be calculated with the Ackerman steering theorem. In order to verify the control effects, a five-axle all-wheel-steering wheeled robot has been developed with the Bluetooth wireless monitor system. Based on the newly designed robot, validation experiments are carried out, such as lateral movement, situ rotation, and multi-mode steering within a narrow space. The results indicate that the proposed design in this article can ensure a more flexible and faster movement within a narrow space. It shows large potential in obstacle avoidance compared with the conventional partial-wheel steering mode.

Low-cost real-time automatic wheel classification system

Science.gov (United States)

Shabestari, Behrouz N.; Miller, John W. V.; Wedding, Victoria

1992-11-01

This paper describes the design and implementation of a low-cost machine vision system for identifying various types of automotive wheels which are manufactured in several styles and sizes. In this application, a variety of wheels travel on a conveyor in random order through a number of processing steps. One of these processes requires the identification of the wheel type which was performed manually by an operator. A vision system was designed to provide the required identification. The system consisted of an annular illumination source, a CCD TV camera, frame grabber, and 386-compatible computer. Statistical pattern recognition techniques were used to provide robust classification as well as a simple means for adding new wheel designs to the system. Maintenance of the system can be performed by plant personnel with minimal training. The basic steps for identification include image acquisition, segmentation of the regions of interest, extraction of selected features, and classification. The vision system has been installed in a plant and has proven to be extremely effective. The system properly identifies the wheels correctly up to 30 wheels per minute regardless of rotational orientation in the camera's field of view. Correct classification can even be achieved if a portion of the wheel is blocked off from the camera. Significant cost savings have been achieved by a reduction in scrap associated with incorrect manual classification as well as a reduction of labor in a tedious task.

Conditioned taste avoidance induced by forced and voluntary wheel running in rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Forristall, J R; Hookey, B L; Grant, V L

2007-03-01

Voluntary exercise by rats running in a freely rotating wheel (free wheel) produces conditioned taste avoidance (CTA) of a flavored solution consumed before running [e.g., Lett, B.T., Grant, V.L., 1996. Wheel running induces conditioned taste aversion in rats trained while hungry and thirsty. Physiol. Behav. 59, 699-702]. Forced exercise, swimming or running, also produces CTA in rats [e.g., Masaki, T., Nakajima, S., 2006. Taste aversion induced by forced swimming, voluntary running, forced running, and lithium chloride injection treatments. Physiol. Behav. 88, 411-416]. Energy expenditure may be the critical factor in producing such CTA. If so, forced running in a motorized running wheel should produce CTA equivalent to that produced by a similar amount of voluntary running. In two experiments, we compared forced running in a motorized wheel with voluntary running in a free wheel. Mean distance run over 30 min was equated as closely as possible in the two apparatuses. Both types of exercise produced CTA relative to sedentary, locked-wheel controls. However, voluntary running produced greater CTA than forced running. We consider differences between running in the free and motorized wheels that may account for the differences in strength of CTA.

Monitoring production target thickness

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oothoudt, M.A.

1993-01-01

Pion and muon production targets at the Clinton P. Anderson Meson Physics Facility consist of rotating graphite wheels. The previous target thickness monitoring Procedure scanned the target across a reduced intensity beam to determine beam center. The fractional loss in current across the centered target gave a measure of target thickness. This procedure, however, required interruption of beam delivery to experiments and frequently indicated a different fractional loss than at normal beam currents. The new monitoring Procedure compares integrated ups and downs toroid current monitor readings. The current monitors are read once per minute and the integral of readings are logged once per eight-hour shift. Changes in the upstream to downstream fractional difference provide a nonintrusive continuous measurement of target thickness under nominal operational conditions. Target scans are now done only when new targets are installed or when unexplained changes in the current monitor data are observed

Theoretical design study of the MSFC wind-wheel turbine

Science.gov (United States)

Frost, W.; Kessel, P. A.

1982-01-01

A wind wheel turbine (WWT) is studied. Evaluation of the probable performance, possible practical applications, and economic viability as compared to other conventional wind energy systems is discussed. The WWT apparatus is essentially a bladed wheel which is directly exposed to the wind on the upper half and exposed to wind through multiple ducting on the lower half. The multiple ducts consist of a forward duct (front concentrator) and two side ducts (side concentrators). The forced rotation of the wheel is then converted to power through appropriate subsystems. Test results on two simple models, a paper model and a stainless steel model, are reported. Measured values of power coefficients over wind speeds ranging from 4 to 16 m/s are given. An analytical model of a four bladed wheel is also developed. Overall design features of the wind turbine are evaluated and discussed. Turbine sizing is specified for a 5 and 25 kW machine. Suggested improvements to the original design to increase performance and performance predictions for an improved WWT design are given.

Vehicle wheel drag coefficient in relation to travelling velocity - CFD analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Leśniewicz, P.; Kulak, M.; Karczewski, M.

2016-10-01

In order to understand the aerodynamic losses associated with a rotating automobile wheel, a detailed characteristics of the drag coefficient in relation to the applied velocity are necessary. Single drag coefficient value is most often reported for the commercially available vehicles, much less is revealed about the influence of particular car components on the energy consumption in various driving cycles. However, detailed flow potential losses determination is desired for performance estimation. To address these needs, the numerical investigation of an isolated wheel is proposed herein.

Jitter reduction of a reaction wheel by management of angular momentum using magnetic torquers in nano- and micro-satellites

Science.gov (United States)

Inamori, Takaya; Wang, Jihe; Saisutjarit, Phongsatorn; Nakasuka, Shinichi

2013-07-01

Nowadays, nano- and micro-satellites, which are smaller than conventional large satellites, provide access to space to many satellite developers, and they are attracting interest as an application of space development because development is possible over shorter time period at a lower cost. In most of these nano- and micro-satellite missions, the satellites generally must meet strict attitude requirements for obtaining scientific data under strict constraints of power consumption, space, and weight. In many satellite missions, the jitter of a reaction wheel degrades the performance of the mission detectors and attitude sensors; therefore, jitter should be controlled or isolated to reduce its effect on sensor devices. In conventional standard-sized satellites, tip-tilt mirrors (TTMs) and isolators are used for controlling or isolating the vibrations from reaction wheels; however, it is difficult to use these devices for nano- and micro-satellite missions under the strict power, space, and mass constraints. In this research, the jitter of reaction wheels is reduced by using accurate sensors, small reaction wheels, and slow rotation frequency reaction wheel instead of TTMs and isolators. The objective of a reaction wheel in many satellite missions is the management of the satellite's angular momentum, which increases because of attitude disturbances. If the magnitude of the disturbance is reduced in orbit or on the ground, the magnitude of the angular momentum that the reaction wheels gain from attitude disturbances in orbit becomes smaller; therefore, satellites can stabilize their attitude using only smaller reaction wheels or slow rotation speed, which cause relatively smaller vibration. In nano- and micro-satellite missions, the dominant attitude disturbance is a magnetic torque, which can be cancelled by using magnetic actuators. With the magnetic compensation, the satellite reduces the angular momentum that the reaction wheels gain, and therefore, satellites do

Word wheels

CERN Document Server

Clark, Kathryn

2013-01-01

Targeting the specific problems learners have with language structure, these multi-sensory exercises appeal to all age groups including adults. Exercises use sight, sound and touch and are also suitable for English as an Additional Lanaguage and Basic Skills students.Word Wheels includes off-the-shelf resources including lesson plans and photocopiable worksheets, an interactive CD with practice exercises, and support material for the busy teacher or non-specialist staff, as well as homework activities.

Preliminary Design and Investigation of Integrated Compressor with Composite Material Wheel

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Jifeng; Müller, Norbert

2012-06-01

An integrated water vapor compressor with composite material wheel is developed and strength analysis using FEM is presented. The design of wound composite material allows for integrating all rotating parts of the drive that may simply reduce to only the rotor of the electrical motor, since no drive shaft is required anymore. This design can reduce the number of parts and mass, which is convenient for engineers to maintain the compressor. The electrical motors are brushless DC motors operating through a frequency drive and apply a torque on the wheels through the materials bonded in the wheel shrouds. This system allows a large amount of compression to be produced in a multi-stage compression setup. To determine the stress and vibration characteristics of this integrated compressor, numerical analysis is carried out using FEM. The simulation result shows that the integrated compressor with composite material wheel can be used in a chiller system where water as a refrigerant.

Design of wheel-type walking-assist device

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jung, Seung Ho; Kim, Seung Ho; Kim, Chang Hoi; Seo, Yong Chil; Jung, Kyung Min; Lee, Sung Uk

2006-03-01

In this research, a outdoor wheel-type walking-assist device is developed to help an elder having a poor muscular strength at legs for walking, sitting and standing up easily at outdoors, and also for going and downing stairs. In conceptually designing, the environments of an elder's activity, the size of an elder's body and a necessary function of helping an elder are considered. This device has 4 wheels for stability. When an elder walks in incline plane with the proposed device, a rear-wing is rotated to keep the supporting device horizontal, regardless of an angle of inclination. A height-controlling device, which can control the height of the supporting device for adjusting an elder's height, is varied vertically to help an elder to sit and stand-up easily. Moreover, a outdoor wheel-type walking-assist device is conceptually designed and is made. In order to design it, the preview research is investigated firstly. On the basis of the proposed walking-assist device, the outdoor walking-assist device is designed and made. The outdoor wheel-type walking-assist device can go and down stairs automatically. This device go up and down the stair of having maximum 20cm height and an angle of 25 degrees with maximum 4 sec/stairs speed, and move at flatland with 60cm/sec speed

Stochastic Wheel-Slip Compensation Based Robot Localization and Mapping

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

SIDHARTHAN, R. K.

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Wheel slip compensation is vital for building accurate and reliable dead reckoning based robot localization and mapping algorithms. This investigation presents stochastic slip compensation scheme for robot localization and mapping. Main idea of the slip compensation technique is to use wheel-slip data obtained from experiments to model the variations in slip velocity as Gaussian distributions. This leads to a family of models that are switched depending on the input command. To obtain the wheel-slip measurements, experiments are conducted on a wheeled mobile robot and the measurements thus obtained are used to build the Gaussian models. Then the localization and mapping algorithm is tested on an experimental terrain and a new metric called the map spread factor is used to evaluate the ability of the slip compensation technique. Our results clearly indicate that the proposed methodology improves the accuracy by 72.55% for rotation and 66.67% for translation motion as against an uncompensated mapping system. The proposed compensation technique eliminates the need for extro receptive sensors for slip compensation, complex feature extraction and association algorithms. As a result, we obtain a simple slip compensation scheme for localization and mapping.

Mechanical Design Engineering Enabler Project wheel and wheel drives

Science.gov (United States)

Nutt, Richard E.; Couch, Britt K.; Holley, John L., Jr.; Garris, Eric S.; Staut, Paul V.

1992-01-01

Our group was assigned the responsibility of designing the wheel and wheel drive system for a proof-of-concept model of the lunar-based ENABLER. ENABLER is a multi-purpose, six wheeled vehicle designed to lift and transport heavy objects associated with the construction of a lunar base. The resulting design was based on the performance criteria of the ENABLER. The drive system was designed to enable the vehicle to achieve a speed of 7 mph on a level surface, climb a 30 percent grade, and surpass a one meter high object and one meter wide crevice. The wheel assemblies were designed to support the entire weight of the vehicle on two wheels. The wheels were designed to serve as the main component of the vehicle's suspension and will provide suitable traction for lunar-type surfaces. The expected performance of the drive system for the ENABLER was influenced by many mechanical factors. The expected top speed on a level sandy surface is 4 mph instead of the desired 7 mph. This is due to a lack of necessary power at the wheels. The lack of power resulted from dimension considerations that allowed only an eight horsepower engine and also from mechanical inefficiencies of the hydraulic system. However, the vehicle will be able to climb a 30 percent grade, surpass a one meter high object and one meter wide crevice. The wheel assemblies will be able to support the entire weight of the vehicle on two wheels. The wheels will also provide adequate suspension for the vehicle and sufficient traction for lunar-type surfaces.

Effect of Target Location on Dynamic Visual Acuity During Passive Horizontal Rotation

Science.gov (United States)

Appelbaum, Meghan; DeDios, Yiri; Kulecz, Walter; Peters, Brian; Wood, Scott

2010-01-01

The vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) generates eye rotation to compensate for potential retinal slip in the specific plane of head movement. Dynamic visual acuity (DVA) has been utilized as a functional measure of the VOR. The purpose of this study was to examine changes in accuracy and reaction time when performing a DVA task with targets offset from the plane of rotation, e.g. offset vertically during horizontal rotation. Visual acuity was measured in 12 healthy subjects as they moved a hand-held joystick to indicate the orientation of a computer-generated Landolt C "as quickly and accurately as possible." Acuity thresholds were established with optotypes presented centrally on a wall-mounted LCD screen at 1.3 m distance, first without motion (static condition) and then while oscillating at 0.8 Hz (DVA, peak velocity 60 deg/s). The effect of target location was then measured during horizontal rotation with the optotypes randomly presented in one of nine different locations on the screen (offset up to 10 deg). The optotype size (logMar 0, 0.2 or 0.4, corresponding to Snellen range 20/20 to 20/50) and presentation duration (150, 300 and 450 ms) were counter-balanced across five trials, each utilizing horizontal rotation at 0.8 Hz. Dynamic acuity was reduced relative to static acuity in 7 of 12 subjects by one step size. During the random target trials, both accuracy and reaction time improved proportional to optotype size. Accuracy and reaction time also improved between 150 ms and 300 ms presentation durations. The main finding was that both accuracy and reaction time varied as a function of target location, with greater performance decrements when acquiring vertical targets. We conclude that dynamic visual acuity varies with target location, with acuity optimized for targets in the plane of motion. Both reaction time and accuracy are functionally relevant DVA parameters of VOR function.

Wheel-running activity modulates circadian organization and the daily rhythm of eating behavior

Science.gov (United States)

Pendergast, Julie S.; Branecky, Katrina L.; Huang, Roya; Niswender, Kevin D.; Yamazaki, Shin

2014-01-01

Consumption of high-fat diet acutely alters the daily rhythm of eating behavior and circadian organization (the phase relationship between oscillators in central and peripheral tissues) in mice. Voluntary wheel-running activity counteracts the obesogenic effects of high-fat diet and also modulates circadian rhythms in mice. In this study, we sought to determine whether voluntary wheel-running activity could prevent the proximate effects of high-fat diet consumption on circadian organization and behavioral rhythms in mice. Mice were housed with locked or freely rotating running wheels and fed chow or high-fat diet for 1 week and rhythms of locomotor activity, eating behavior, and molecular timekeeping (PERIOD2::LUCIFERASE luminescence rhythms) in ex vivo tissues were measured. Wheel-running activity delayed the phase of the liver rhythm by 4 h in both chow- and high-fat diet-fed mice. The delayed liver phase was specific to wheel-running activity since an enriched environment without the running wheel did not alter the phase of the liver rhythm. In addition, wheel-running activity modulated the effect of high-fat diet consumption on the daily rhythm of eating behavior. While high-fat diet consumption caused eating events to be more evenly dispersed across the 24 h-day in both locked-wheel and wheel-running mice, the effect of high-fat diet was much less pronounced in wheel-running mice. Together these data demonstrate that wheel-running activity is a salient factor that modulates liver phase and eating behavior rhythms in both chow- and high-fat-diet fed mice. Wheel-running activity in mice is both a source of exercise and a self-motivating, rewarding behavior. Understanding the putative reward-related mechanisms whereby wheel-running activity alters circadian rhythms could have implications for human obesity since palatable food and exercise may modulate similar reward circuits. PMID:24624109

Development of a Hardware-In-Loop (HIL Simulator for Spacecraft Attitude Control Using Momentum Wheels

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dohee Kim

2008-12-01

Full Text Available In this paper, a Hardware-In-the-Loop simulator to simulate attitude control of spacecraft using momentum wheels is developed. The simulator consists of a spherical air bearing system allowing rotation and tilt in all three axes, three momentum wheels for actuation, and an AHRS (Attitude Heading Reference System. The simulator processes various types of data in PC104 and wirelessly communicates with a host PC using TCP/IP protocol. A simple low-cost momentum wheel assembly set and its drive electronics are also developed. Several experiments are performed to test the performance of the momentum wheels. For the control performance test of the simulator, a PID controller is implemented. The results of experimental demonstrations confirm the feasibility and validity of the Hardware-In-the-Loop simulator developed in the current study.

Moving target feature phenomenology data collection at China Lake

Science.gov (United States)

Gross, David C.; Hill, Jeff; Schmitz, James L.

2002-08-01

This paper describes the DARPA Moving Target Feature Phenomenology (MTFP) data collection conducted at the China Lake Naval Weapons Center's Junction Ranch in July 2001. The collection featured both X-band and Ku-band radars positioned on top of Junction Ranch's Parrot Peak. The test included seven targets used in eleven configurations with vehicle motion consisting of circular, straight-line, and 90-degree turning motion. Data was collected at 10-degree and 17-degree depression angles. Key parameters in the collection were polarization, vehicle speed, and road roughness. The collection also included a canonical target positioned at Junction Ranch's tilt-deck turntable. The canonical target included rotating wheels (military truck tire and civilian pick-up truck tire) and a flat plate with variable positioned corner reflectors. The canonical target was also used to simulate a rotating antenna and a vibrating plate. The target vehicles were instrumented with ARDS pods for differential GPS and roll, pitch and yaw measurements. Target motion was also documented using a video camera slaved to the X-band radar antenna and by a video camera operated near the target site.

Preparation of homogeneous isotopic targets with rotating substrate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu, G.J.; Zhao, Z.G.

1993-01-01

Isotopically enriched accelerator targets were prepared using the evaporation-condensation method from a resistance heating crucible. For high collection efficiency and good homogeneity the substrate was rotated at a vertical distance of 1.3 to 2.5 cm from the evaporation source. Measured collection efficiencies were 13 to 51 μg cm -2 mg -1 and homogeneity tests showed values close to the theoretically calculated ones for a point source. Targets, selfsupporting or on backings, could be fabricated with this method for elements and some compounds with evaporation temperatures up to 2300 K. (orig.)

Computer numerically controlled (CNC) aspheric shaping with toroidal Wheels (Abstract Only)

Science.gov (United States)

Ketelsen, D.; Kittrell, W. C.; Kuhn, W. M.; Parks, R. E.; Lamb, George L.; Baker, Lynn

1987-01-01

Contouring with computer numerically controlled (CNC) machines can be accomplished with several different tool geometries and coordinated machine axes. To minimize the number of coordinated axes for nonsymmetric work to three, it is common practice to use a spherically shaped tool such as a ball-end mill. However, to minimize grooving due to the feed and ball radius, it is desirable to use a long ball radius, but there is clearly a practical limit to ball diameter with the spherical tool. We have found that the use of commercially available toroidal wheels permits long effective cutting radii, which in turn improve finish and minimize grooving for a set feed. In addition, toroidal wheels are easier than spherical wheels to center accurately. Cutting parameters are also easier to control because the feed rate past the tool does not change as the slope of the work changes. The drawback to the toroidal wheel is the more complex calculation of the tool path. Of course, once the algorithm is worked out, the tool path is as easily calculated as for a spherical tool. We have performed two experiments with the Large Optical Generator (LOG) that were ideally suited to three-axis contouring--surfaces that have no axis of rotational symmetry. By oscillating the cutting head horizontally or vertically (in addition to the motions required to generate the power of the surface) , and carefully coordinating those motions with table rotation, the mostly astigmatic departure for these surfaces is produced. The first experiment was a pair of reflector molds that together correct the spherical aberration of the Arecibo radio telescope. The larger of these was 5 m in diameter and had a 12 cm departure from the best-fit sphere. The second experiment was the generation of a purely astigmatic surface to demonstrate the feasibility of producing axially symmetric asphe.rics while mounted and rotated about any off-axis point. Measurements of the latter (the first experiment had relatively

Position and force control of a vehicle with two or more steerable drive wheels

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reister, D.B.; Unseren, M.A.

1992-10-01

When a vehicle with two or more steerable drive wheels is traveling in a circle, the motion of the wheels is constrained. The wheel translational velocity divided by the radius to the center of rotation must be the same for all wheels. When the drive wheels are controlled independently using position control, the motion of the wheels may violate the constraints and the wheels may slip. Consequently, substantial errors can occur in the orientation of the vehicle. A vehicle with N drive wheels has (N - 1) constraints and one degree of freedom. We have developed a new approach to the control of a vehicle with N steerable drive wheels. The novel aspect of our approach is the use of force control. To control the vehicle, we have one degree of freedom for the position on the circle and (N - 1) forces that can be used to reduce errors. Recently, Kankaanranta and Koivo developed a control architecture that allows the force and position degrees of freedom to be decoupled. In the work of Kankaanranta and Koivo the force is an exogenous input. We have made the force endogenous by defining the force in terms of the errors in satisfying the rigid body kinematic constraints. We have applied the control architecture to the HERMIES-III robot and have measured a dramatic reduction in error (more than a factor of 20) compared to motions without force control.

Origami Wheel Transformer: A Variable-Diameter Wheel Drive Robot Using an Origami Structure.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Dae-Young; Kim, Sa-Reum; Kim, Ji-Suk; Park, Jae-Jun; Cho, Kyu-Jin

2017-06-01

A wheel drive mechanism is simple, stable, and efficient, but its mobility in unstructured terrain is seriously limited. Using a deformable wheel is one of the ways to increase the mobility of a wheel drive robot. By changing the radius of its wheels, the robot becomes able to pass over not only high steps but also narrow gaps. In this article, we propose a novel design for a variable-diameter wheel using an origami-based soft robotics design approach. By simply folding a patterned sheet into a wheel shape, a variable-diameter wheel was built without requiring lots of mechanical parts and a complex assembly process. The wheel's diameter can change from 30 to 68 mm, and it is light in weight at about 9.7 g. Although composed of soft materials (fabrics and films), the wheel can bear more than 400 times its weight. The robot was able to change the wheel's radius in response to terrain conditions, allowing it to pass over a 50-mm gap when the wheel is shrunk and a 50-mm step when the wheel is enlarged.

Distributed ISAR Subimage Fusion of Nonuniform Rotating Target Based on Matching Fourier Transform.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yuanyuan; Fu, Yaowen; Zhang, Wenpeng

2018-06-04

In real applications, the image quality of the conventional monostatic Inverse Synthetic Aperture Radar (ISAR) for the maneuvering target is subject to the strong fluctuation of Radar Cross Section (RCS), as the target aspect varies enormously. Meanwhile, the maneuvering target introduces nonuniform rotation after translation motion compensation which degrades the imaging performance of the conventional Fourier Transform (FT)-based method in the cross-range dimension. In this paper, a method which combines the distributed ISAR technique and the Matching Fourier Transform (MFT) is proposed to overcome these problems. Firstly, according to the characteristics of the distributed ISAR, the multiple channel echoes of the nonuniform rotation target from different observation angles can be acquired. Then, by applying the MFT to the echo of each channel, the defocused problem of nonuniform rotation target which is inevitable by using the FT-based imaging method can be avoided. Finally, after preprocessing, scaling and rotation of all subimages, the noncoherent fusion image containing all the RCS information in all channels can be obtained. The accumulation coefficients of all subimages are calculated adaptively according to the their image qualities. Simulation and experimental data are used to validate the effectiveness of the proposed approach, and fusion image with improved recognizability can be obtained. Therefore, by using the distributed ISAR technique and MFT, subimages of high-maneuvering target from different observation angles can be obtained. Meanwhile, by employing the adaptive subimage fusion method, the RCS fluctuation can be alleviated and more recognizable final image can be obtained.

Designing a range modulator wheel to spread-out the Bragg peak for a passive proton therapy facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jia, S. Bijan; Romano, F.; Cirrone, Giuseppe A.P.; Cuttone, G.; Hadizadeh, M.H.; Mowlavi, A.A.; Raffaele, L.

2016-01-01

In proton beam therapy, a Spread-Out Bragg peak (SOBP) is used to establish a uniform dose distribution in the target volume. In order to create a SOBP, several Bragg peaks of different ranges, corresponding to different entrance energies, with certain intensities (weights) should be combined each other. In a passive beam scattering system, the beam is usually extracted from a cyclotron at a constant energy throughout a treatment. Therefore, a SOBP is produced by a range modulator wheel, which is basically a rotating wheel with steps of variable thicknesses, or by using the ridge filters. In this study, we used the Geant4 toolkit to simulate a typical passive scattering beam line. In particular, the CATANA transport beam line of INFN Laboratori Nazionali del Sud (LNS) in Catania has been reproduced in this work. Some initial properties of the entrance beam have been checked by benchmarking simulations with experimental data. A class dedicated to the simulation of the wheel modulators has been implemented. It has been designed in order to be easily modified for simulating any desired modulator wheel and, hence, any suitable beam modulation. By using some auxiliary range-shifters, a set of pristine Bragg peaks was obtained from the simulations. A mathematical algorithm was developed, using the simulated pristine dose profiles as its input, to calculate the weight of each pristine peak, reproduce the SOBP, and finally generate a flat dose distribution. Therefore, once the designed modulator has been realized, it has been tested at CATANA facility, comparing the experimental data with the simulation results.

Designing a range modulator wheel to spread-out the Bragg peak for a passive proton therapy facility

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jia, S. Bijan [Physics Department, University of Bojnord, Bojnord (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Romano, F. [INFN, Laboratori Nazionali del Sud, Catania (Italy); Cirrone, Giuseppe A.P. [INFN, Laboratori Nazionali del Sud, Catania (Italy); Institute of Physics of the ASCR, ELI-Beamlines Project, Prague (Czech Republic); Cuttone, G. [INFN, Laboratori Nazionali del Sud, Catania (Italy); Hadizadeh, M.H. [Physics Department, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Mowlavi, A.A. [Physics Department, Hakim Sabzevari University, Sabzevar (Iran, Islamic Republic of); ICTP, Associate Federation Scheme, Medical Physics Field, Trieste (Italy); Raffaele, L. [Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria “Policlinico – Vittorio Emanuele”, Catania (Italy)

2016-01-11

In proton beam therapy, a Spread-Out Bragg peak (SOBP) is used to establish a uniform dose distribution in the target volume. In order to create a SOBP, several Bragg peaks of different ranges, corresponding to different entrance energies, with certain intensities (weights) should be combined each other. In a passive beam scattering system, the beam is usually extracted from a cyclotron at a constant energy throughout a treatment. Therefore, a SOBP is produced by a range modulator wheel, which is basically a rotating wheel with steps of variable thicknesses, or by using the ridge filters. In this study, we used the Geant4 toolkit to simulate a typical passive scattering beam line. In particular, the CATANA transport beam line of INFN Laboratori Nazionali del Sud (LNS) in Catania has been reproduced in this work. Some initial properties of the entrance beam have been checked by benchmarking simulations with experimental data. A class dedicated to the simulation of the wheel modulators has been implemented. It has been designed in order to be easily modified for simulating any desired modulator wheel and, hence, any suitable beam modulation. By using some auxiliary range-shifters, a set of pristine Bragg peaks was obtained from the simulations. A mathematical algorithm was developed, using the simulated pristine dose profiles as its input, to calculate the weight of each pristine peak, reproduce the SOBP, and finally generate a flat dose distribution. Therefore, once the designed modulator has been realized, it has been tested at CATANA facility, comparing the experimental data with the simulation results.

Instrumentation Around the ESS 5 MW Spallation Tungsten Target Submitted to 2 GeV Proton Pulses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shea, Thomas; Plewinski, Francois; Nordt, Annika; Sadeghzadeh, Atefeh; Linander, Rikard; Kharoua, Cyril

2013-06-01

The 5 MW European Spallation Source, currently in its design phase, includes a linear proton accelerator sending a 2.86 ms long pulse of 2 GeV protons at 14 Hz to a tungsten target. This spallation source distributes thermal and cold neutron beams to a large variety of state-of-the-art neutron instruments, supported by a suite of laboratories and a supercomputing data management and software development center. The target is a rotating wheel 2.5 m in diameter composed of helium cooled tungsten plates and produces high intensity gamma and fast neutron pulses (higher than 2E15 n/cm 2 /s). This paper focuses on the design of 2 types of instrumentation: to monitor target operation and to control the proton beam parameters. Instrumentation mounted on the rotating target (designed for a minimum lifetime of 5 years) to monitor the helium coolant flow and the evolution of irradiated tungsten plates and the target vessel, the target balance, vibrations and displacement is presented as well as a dedicated instrumentation plug installed at opposite the impinging proton beam, which will monitor the target wheel with an LDV and an infra-red camera and perform gamma scanning during and after irradiation. Upstream of the target, a suite of instrumentation will monitor the properties of the 2 GeV proton beam. This suite will consist of imaging devices and multi-wire grids to monitor the beam density distribution at the proton beam window and at the target. An additional imaging system will observe luminescence from the Helium gas between the proton beam window and the target. Beam halo will be monitored by thermocouples located near the edge of the aperture. Further upstream, electromagnetic pickups will measure the beam centroid position, the beam current, and the beam pulse's time of arrival. This time-of-arrival signal will allow precise synchronization of the target's rotation and the beam pulse structure. (authors)

An Omnidirectional Mobile Millimeters Size Micro-Robot with Novel Duel-Wheels

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhenbo Li

2006-09-01

Full Text Available A millimeters size omni-directional mobile micro-robot is presented in this paper. A unique duel-wheel structure is designed for no-slip motion during the steering, by turning the slip friction between the wheel and ground into rolling friction. The robot was driven by four electromagnetic micromotors with 2.1mm×2.1mm×1.3mm size. Three of them are for translation and the other one is for rotation. Kinematics model is analyzed to prove the omni-directional mobility. Virtual-Winding Approach (VWA and PWM-Based Vector-Synthesize Approach(PBVSA current control methods are presented to satisfy a requirement of higher positioning accuracy. Experimental results demonstrate the feasibility of this concept.

An Omnidirectional Mobile Millimeters Size Micro-Robot with Novel Duel-Wheels

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chen Zhang

2008-11-01

Full Text Available A millimeters size omni-directional mobile micro-robot is presented in this paper. A unique duel-wheel structure is designed for no-slip motion during the steering, by turning the slip friction between the wheel and ground into rolling friction. The robot was driven by four electromagnetic micromotors with 2.1mm?2.1mm?1.3mm size. Three of them are for translation and the other one is for rotation. Kinematics model is analyzed to prove the omni-directional mobility. Virtual-Winding Approach (VWA and PWM-Based VectorSynthesize Approach(PBVSA current control methods are presented to satisfy a requirement of higher positioning accuracy. Experimental results demonstrate the feasibility of this concept.

Wheel Slip Control for Improving Traction-Ability and Energy Efficiency of a Personal Electric Vehicle

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kanghyun Nam

2015-07-01

Full Text Available In this paper, a robust wheel slip control system based on a sliding mode controller is proposed for improving traction-ability and reducing energy consumption during sudden acceleration for a personal electric vehicle. Sliding mode control techniques have been employed widely in the development of a robust wheel slip controller of conventional internal combustion engine vehicles due to their application effectiveness in nonlinear systems and robustness against model uncertainties and disturbances. A practical slip control system which takes advantage of the features of electric motors is proposed and an algorithm for vehicle velocity estimation is also introduced. The vehicle velocity estimator was designed based on rotational wheel dynamics, measurable motor torque, and wheel velocity as well as rule-based logic. The simulations and experiments were carried out using both CarSim software and an experimental electric vehicle equipped with in-wheel-motors. Through field tests, traction performance and effectiveness in terms of energy saving were all verified. Comparative experiments with variations of control variables proved the effectiveness and practicality of the proposed control design.

Design specification for the European Spallation Source neutron generating target element

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aguilar, A.; Sordo, F.; Mora, T.; Mena, L.; Mancisidor, M.; Aguilar, J.; Bakedano, G.; Herranz, I.; Luna, P.; Magan, M.; Vivanco, R.; Jimenez-Villacorta, F.; Sjogreen, K.; Oden, U.; Perlado, J.M.

2017-01-01

The paper addresses some of the most relevant issues concerning the thermal hydraulics and radiation damage of the neutron generation target to be built at the European Spallation Source as recently approved after a critical design review. The target unit consists of a set of Tungsten blocks placed inside a wheel of 2.5 m diameter which rotates at some 0.5 Hz in order to distribute the heat generated from incoming protons which reach the target in the radial direction. The spallation material elements are composed of an array of Tungsten pieces which rest on a rotating steel support (the cassette) and are distributed in a cross-flow configuration. The thermal, mechanical and radiation effects resulting from the impact of a 2 GeV proton pulse are analysed in detail as well as an evaluation of the inventory of spallation products. The current design is found to conform to specifications and found to be robust enough to deal with several accident scenarios.

Design specification for the European Spallation Source neutron generating target element

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aguilar, A. [Consorcio ESS-BILBAO. Parque Tecnológico Bizkaia. Poligono Ugaldeguren III, Pol. A, 7B, 48170 Zamudio (Spain); Sordo, F., E-mail: fernando.sordo@essbilbao.org [Consorcio ESS-BILBAO. Parque Tecnológico Bizkaia. Poligono Ugaldeguren III, Pol. A, 7B, 48170 Zamudio (Spain); Instituto de Fusión Nuclear, José Gutiérrez Abascal, 2, 28006 Madrid (Spain); Mora, T. [Consorcio ESS-BILBAO. Parque Tecnológico Bizkaia. Poligono Ugaldeguren III, Pol. A, 7B, 48170 Zamudio (Spain); Mena, L. [Consorcio ESS-BILBAO. Parque Tecnológico Bizkaia. Poligono Ugaldeguren III, Pol. A, 7B, 48170 Zamudio (Spain); Instituto de Fusión Nuclear, José Gutiérrez Abascal, 2, 28006 Madrid (Spain); Mancisidor, M.; Aguilar, J.; Bakedano, G.; Herranz, I.; Luna, P. [Consorcio ESS-BILBAO. Parque Tecnológico Bizkaia. Poligono Ugaldeguren III, Pol. A, 7B, 48170 Zamudio (Spain); Magan, M.; Vivanco, R. [Consorcio ESS-BILBAO. Parque Tecnológico Bizkaia. Poligono Ugaldeguren III, Pol. A, 7B, 48170 Zamudio (Spain); Instituto de Fusión Nuclear, José Gutiérrez Abascal, 2, 28006 Madrid (Spain); Jimenez-Villacorta, F. [Consorcio ESS-BILBAO. Parque Tecnológico Bizkaia. Poligono Ugaldeguren III, Pol. A, 7B, 48170 Zamudio (Spain); Sjogreen, K.; Oden, U. [European Spallation Source ERIC, P.O Box 176, SE-221 00 Lund (Sweden); Perlado, J.M. [Instituto de Fusión Nuclear, José Gutiérrez Abascal, 2, 28006 Madrid (Spain); and others

2017-06-01

The paper addresses some of the most relevant issues concerning the thermal hydraulics and radiation damage of the neutron generation target to be built at the European Spallation Source as recently approved after a critical design review. The target unit consists of a set of Tungsten blocks placed inside a wheel of 2.5 m diameter which rotates at some 0.5 Hz in order to distribute the heat generated from incoming protons which reach the target in the radial direction. The spallation material elements are composed of an array of Tungsten pieces which rest on a rotating steel support (the cassette) and are distributed in a cross-flow configuration. The thermal, mechanical and radiation effects resulting from the impact of a 2 GeV proton pulse are analysed in detail as well as an evaluation of the inventory of spallation products. The current design is found to conform to specifications and found to be robust enough to deal with several accident scenarios.

Cultural observations on the history of wheels; Sharin no rekishi no bunkashiteki kosatsu

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tsuboi, Y [Koyo Seiko Co. Ltd., Osaka (Japan)

1997-10-01

Since primitive times, mankind has been involved in the field of tribology through the use of sliding, rolling, rotation and similar types of motion. Various devices have been used to perform such motion, and in this lecture I will trace their history from the rollers used in ancient Mesopotamia to aid in pulling sleds to the wheels used on chariots and other vehicles throughout history until modem times. I will offer my observations on the role technology related to such rollers and wheels has played in the world`s cultures and discuss the necessity of studying technology from such a viewpoint. 11 refs., 7 figs.

Estimating the Backup Reaction Wheel Orientation Using Reaction Wheel Spin Rates Flight Telemetry from a Spacecraft

Science.gov (United States)

Rizvi, Farheen

2013-01-01

A report describes a model that estimates the orientation of the backup reaction wheel using the reaction wheel spin rates telemetry from a spacecraft. Attitude control via the reaction wheel assembly (RWA) onboard a spacecraft uses three reaction wheels (one wheel per axis) and a backup to accommodate any wheel degradation throughout the course of the mission. The spacecraft dynamics prediction depends upon the correct knowledge of the reaction wheel orientations. Thus, it is vital to determine the actual orientation of the reaction wheels such that the correct spacecraft dynamics can be predicted. The conservation of angular momentum is used to estimate the orientation of the backup reaction wheel from the prime and backup reaction wheel spin rates data. The method is applied in estimating the orientation of the backup wheel onboard the Cassini spacecraft. The flight telemetry from the March 2011 prime and backup RWA swap activity on Cassini is used to obtain the best estimate for the backup reaction wheel orientation.

Rotating Beam Fatigue Testing and Hybrid Ceramic Bearings.

Science.gov (United States)

1994-07-01

Runout and Fast Fracture ......... 20 FIG.7 Stress-life Plots of Rotating Beam Fatigue Testing ............. 23 FIG.8 Fractograph of Rotating Beam...Chand-Kare Engineering Ceramics, Worcester, MA. Diamond wheels of 600 grits were used with longitudinal grinding applied for the final finishing of...stress in the range of 600-850 MPa. Three test completion modes were encountered, i.e. fast fracture at setup, fatigue fracture and runout (no failure

Development and evaluation of a gyroscope-based wheel rotation monitor for manual wheelchair users.

Science.gov (United States)

Hiremath, Shivayogi V; Ding, Dan; Cooper, Rory A

2013-07-01

To develop and evaluate a wireless gyroscope-based wheel rotation monitor (G-WRM) that can estimate speeds and distances traveled by wheelchair users during regular wheelchair propulsion as well as wheelchair sports such as handcycling, and provide users with real-time feedback through a smartphone application. The speeds and the distances estimated by the G-WRM were compared with the criterion measures by calculating absolute difference, mean difference, and percentage errors during a series of laboratory-based tests. Intraclass correlations (ICC) and the Bland-Altman plots were also used to assess the agreements between the G-WRM and the criterion measures. In addition, battery life and wireless data transmission tests under a number of usage conditions were performed. The percentage errors for the angular velocities, speeds, and distances obtained from three prototype G-WRMs were less than 3% for all the test trials. The high ICC values (ICC (3,1) > 0.94) and the Bland-Altman plots indicate excellent agreement between the estimated speeds and distances by the G-WRMs and the criterion measures. The battery life tests showed that the device could last for 35 hours in wireless mode and 139 hours in secure digital card mode. The wireless data transmission tests indicated less than 0.3% of data loss. The results indicate that the G-WRM is an appropriate tool for tracking a spectrum of wheelchair-related activities from regular wheelchair propulsion to wheelchair sports such as handcycling. The real-time feedback provided by the G-WRM can help wheelchair users self-monitor their everyday activities.

A development of the distributive law of points on the multi-wheeled machine wheels with electro-mechanical transmission, made under the scheme "motor-axis"

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. M. Jileikin

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Currently, developers of multi-wheeled vehicles (MWV show growing interest in electromechanical drive in the «motor-axis» implementation. However, in designing the traction electric drive (TED based on such approach the problems arise, primarily, from a lack of creating experience and of ready algorithmic solutions to control the traction motors. The use of methods to implement the individual TED is impossible because of the presence of cross-axle differential in the leading axle drive, which does not allow the input torque control of each wheel singly. The paper offers a law to control a traction electric drive of MWV leading axles that comprises the law to control the tractive effort torque and braking moment on the leading axles as well as algorithms of anti-lock brake and traction control systems.An analysis of simulation modeling results shows an efficiency of the developed law that allows control of the traction electric drive of MWV leading axles. The control law includes an algorithm to control the tractive effort torque and braking moment on the driving-wheels, as well as algorithms of anti-lock brake and traction systems.At stationary (constant speed rotation and non-stationary (elk test maneuvering there was no spin of vehicle wheels. Angular speeds of the wheels vary smoothly. Partial loss of vehicle stability when making maneuvers on ice may be reduced through development of algorithms for dynamic stabilization, which will improve the MWV road-holding and trajectory ability. Fullscale tests of MWV with traction electric drive implemented using a “motor-axis" approach are required to have a final answer on the performance and effectiveness of the developed control law.

PIV measurement of the flow past a generic car body with wheels at LES applicable Reynolds number

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gulyás, András; Bodor, Ágnes; Regert, Tamas; Jánosi, Imre M.

2013-01-01

Highlights: • Two reviewers required changes that were feasible to carry out. • Two changes were domanded from the first reviewer which were effectuated. • Twenty eight minor changes were asked by the second reviewer, which are corrected in detail. • Figures are updated to higher resolution and improved in quality in general. -- Abstract: Experiments by using 2D–2C Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) were carried out and reported concerning the flow field past a generic car body (modified Ahmed body) which is equipped with wheels and wheel-arches. The Reynolds number was chosen to not exceed 2E+5 based on the height of the Ahmed body which makes it possible to investigate the same configuration by means of Large Eddy Simulation (LES). The wheels were rotating but the ground was stationary. The wheel-ground contact was realized by means of small rectangular openings below the wheels in the ground plane in which the wheels were immersed. The transition contour of the immersed wheels and the ground, as well as the rectangular openings below the wheels were properly sealed to prevent parasite flow and to provide well defined boundary conditions for an upcoming LES investigation. The flow field was measured in several planes with normal vectors pointing towards the directions normal to the free stream. Statistical characteristics of the flow are provided and discussed

Exploring phase space using smartphone acceleration and rotation sensors simultaneously

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Monteiro, Martín; Cabeza, Cecilia; Martí, Arturo C

2014-01-01

A paradigmatic physical system as the physical pendulum is experimentally studied using the acceleration and rotation (gyroscope) sensors available on smartphones and other devices such as iPads and tablets. A smartphone is fixed to the outside of a bicycle wheel whose axis is kept horizontal and fixed. The compound system, wheel plus smartphone, defines a physical pendulum which can rotate, giving full turns in one direction, or oscillate about the equilibrium position (performing either small or large oscillations). Measurements of the radial and tangential acceleration and the angular velocity obtained with smartphone sensors allow a deep insight into the dynamics of the system to be gained. In addition, thanks to the simultaneous use of the acceleration and rotation sensors, trajectories in the phase space are directly obtained. The coherence of the measures obtained with the different sensors and by traditional methods is remarkable. Indeed, due to their low cost and increasing availability, smartphone sensors are valuable tools that can be used in most undergraduate laboratories. (paper)

Exploring phase space using smartphone acceleration and rotation sensors simultaneously

Science.gov (United States)

Monteiro, Martín; Cabeza, Cecilia; Martí, Arturo C.

2014-07-01

A paradigmatic physical system as the physical pendulum is experimentally studied using the acceleration and rotation (gyroscope) sensors available on smartphones and other devices such as iPads and tablets. A smartphone is fixed to the outside of a bicycle wheel whose axis is kept horizontal and fixed. The compound system, wheel plus smartphone, defines a physical pendulum which can rotate, giving full turns in one direction, or oscillate about the equilibrium position (performing either small or large oscillations). Measurements of the radial and tangential acceleration and the angular velocity obtained with smartphone sensors allow a deep insight into the dynamics of the system to be gained. In addition, thanks to the simultaneous use of the acceleration and rotation sensors, trajectories in the phase space are directly obtained. The coherence of the measures obtained with the different sensors and by traditional methods is remarkable. Indeed, due to their low cost and increasing availability, smartphone sensors are valuable tools that can be used in most undergraduate laboratories.

Rotationally resolved colors of the targets of NASA's Lucy mission

Science.gov (United States)

Emery, Joshua; Mottola, Stefano; Brown, Mike; Noll, Keith; Binzel, Richard

2018-05-01

We propose rotationally resolved photometry at 3.6 and 4.5 um of 5 Trojan asteroids and one Main Belt asteroid - the targets of NASA's Lucy mission. The proposed Spitzer observations are designed to meet a combination of science goals and mission support objectives. Science goals 1) Search for signatures of volatiles and/or organics on the surfaces. a. This goal includes resolving a discrepancy between previous WISE and Spitzer measurements of Trojans 2) Provide new constraints on the cause of rotational spectral heterogeneity detected on 3548 Eurybates at shorter wavelengths a. Determine whether the heterogeneity (Fig 1) extends to the 3-5 um region 3) Assess the possibility for spectral heterogeneity on the other targets a. This goal will help test the hypothesis of Wong and Brown (2015) that the near-surface interiors of Trojans differ from their surfaces 4) Thermal data at 4.5 um for the Main Belt target Donaldjohanson will refine estimates of size, albedo, and provide the first estimate of thermal inertia Mission support objectives 1) Assess scientifically optimal encounter times (viewing geometries) for the fly-bys a. Characterizing rotational spectral units now will enable the team to choose the most scientifically valuable part of the asteroid to view 2) Gather data to optimize observing parameters for Lucy instruments a. Measuring brightness in the 3 - 5 um region and resolving the discrepancy between WISE and Spitzer will enable better planning of the Lucy spectral observations in this wavelength range 3) The size, albedo, and thermal inertia of Donaldjohanson are fundamental data for planning the encounter with that Main Belt asteroid

Experimental Setup for Diamond Grinding Using Electrochemical InProcess Controlled Dressing (ECD of Grinding Wheel

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. A. Shavva

2014-01-01

is no insulating layer formed. The oxides are washed out by electrolyte flow. The method provides a constant escape of abrasive grain. The grain escape reaches 100-120% of average diameter.Adaptation of ECD on conventional grinding machine is performed. For this, the copper electrode is mounted to the grinding wheel. The electrolyte circulates in the gap between the wheel and electrode. The control system for the normal and tangential forces of process is also used during the adaptation.The enterprise VNIIINSTRUMENT has designed a special experimental stand for diamond grinding. At this stand the ECD-dressing of diamond wheel with metal bond is implemented. This machine consists of a longitudinal support and a cross slide. Spindle of grinding wheel is set on the longitudinal support. A rotating speed of this spindle is about 50-3000 rev/min. A spindle of work piece is set on the cross slide. A rotating speed of this spindle is about 10-1000 rev/min.The copper electrode is mounted on the spindle of grinding wheel. An area of electrode surface is 1/3 of the wheel area. The gap between the grinding wheel and electrode is about 0.3 mm. The electrolyte is placed in the gap.The electrode is anode and the grinding wheel is cathode. Wheel and electrode are connected to the direct current source. When switching on the power source, the process of electrolysis begins. A bond of the wheel is oxidized and washed out. Waste of dressing is carried away with electrolyte.The electrolyte leaves the zone of cutting. Next, the liquid gets into a special trough. Thereafter, the electrolyte enters the filter unit to have three steps of purification. The purified liquid is supplied to the pump, and then again enters the cutting zone.ECD provides a large escape abrasive grain out of bond. It ensures that the cutting force is constant. The constant cutting force ensures the surface finish consistency, decreased surface roughness, and improved accuracy of work piece form.Due to ECD, space

The need for rotational margins in intensity-modulated radiotherapy and a new method for planning target volume design

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Langer, Mark Peter; Papiez, Lech; Spirydovich, Siarhei; Thai, Van

2005-01-01

Purpose: The effect of rotational errors on the coverage of clinical target volumes (CTVs) is examined. A new planning target volume (PTV) construction that considers the individual paths traced by movements of the target boundary points is developed. Methods and Materials: A standard uniform margin expansion was compared with a PTV constructed from the space swept out by a concave moving target. A new method formed the PTV by aggregating the separate convex hulls taken of the positions of the individual target boundary points in a sampling of CTV displacements. Results: A 0.5-cm uniform margin adequate for translations was inadequate given CTV rotation about a fixed off-center axis. A PTV formed of the target's swept-out area was 22% smaller than needed for coverage by a uniform margin, but computationally is not readily extended to translations combined with rotations about a shifting axis. Forming instead the union of convex hulls of the boundary points in a sampling of CTV displacements represented these movements in the PTV design and retained the target's concave shape. Conclusions: Planning target volumes should accommodate target rotation. The union of convex hulls of the boundary point positions in a sampling of displacements can effectively represent multiple sources of deviations while preserving target concavities

Umbrella Wheel - a stair-climbing and obstacle-handling wheel design concept

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Iversen, Simon; Jouffroy, Jerome

2017-01-01

This paper proposes a new design for stair-climbing using a wheel that can split into segments and walk up stairs or surmount other obstacles often found where humans traverse, while still being able to retain a perfectly round shape for traveling on smooth ground. Using this change of configurat......This paper proposes a new design for stair-climbing using a wheel that can split into segments and walk up stairs or surmount other obstacles often found where humans traverse, while still being able to retain a perfectly round shape for traveling on smooth ground. Using this change...... of configuration, staircases with a wide range of dimensions can be covered efficiently and safely. The design, named Umbrella Wheel, can consist of as many wheel segments as desired, and as few as two. A smaller or higher number of wheel segments has advantages and disadvantages depending on the specific...

A novel method for producing low cost dynamometric wheels based on harmonic elimination techniques

Science.gov (United States)

Gutiérrez-López, María D.; García de Jalón, Javier; Cubillo, Adrián

2015-02-01

A method for producing low cost dynamometric wheels is presented in this paper. For carrying out this method, the metallic part of a commercial wheel is instrumented with strain gauges, which must be grouped in at least three circumferences and in equidistant radial lines. The strain signals of the same circumference are linearly combined to obtain at least two new signals that only depend on the tyre/road contact forces and moments. The influence of factors like the angle rotated by the wheel, the temperature or the centrifugal forces is eliminated in them by removing the continuous component and the largest possible number of harmonics, except the first or the second one, of the strain signals. The contact forces and moments are obtained from these new signals by solving two systems of linear equations with three unknowns each. This method is validated with some theoretical and experimental examples.

Effectiveness Testing of a Piezoelectric Energy Harvester for an Automobile Wheel Using Stochastic Resonance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yunshun Zhang

2016-10-01

Full Text Available The collection of clean power from ambient vibrations is considered a promising method for energy harvesting. For the case of wheel rotation, the present study investigates the effectiveness of a piezoelectric energy harvester, with the application of stochastic resonance to optimize the efficiency of energy harvesting. It is hypothesized that when the wheel rotates at variable speeds, the energy harvester is subjected to on-road noise as ambient excitations and a tangentially acting gravity force as a periodic modulation force, which can stimulate stochastic resonance. The energy harvester was miniaturized with a bistable cantilever structure, and the on-road noise was measured for the implementation of a vibrator in an experimental setting. A validation experiment revealed that the harvesting system was optimized to capture power that was approximately 12 times that captured under only on-road noise excitation and 50 times that captured under only the periodic gravity force. Moreover, the investigation of up-sweep excitations with increasing rotational frequency confirmed that stochastic resonance is effective in optimizing the performance of the energy harvester, with a certain bandwidth of vehicle speeds. An actual-vehicle experiment validates that the prototype harvester using stochastic resonance is capable of improving power generation performance for practical tire application.

Modelling of a mecanum wheel taking into account the geometry of road rollers

Science.gov (United States)

Hryniewicz, P.; Gwiazda, A.; Banaś, W.; Sękala, A.; Foit, K.

2017-08-01

the road rollers, is their bearings. Depending on the load, carried by the vehicle and the rotational speed of the drive wheel, the bearings themselves can greatly affect the diameter of the rollers and the whole Mecanum wheels. The solution of this problem is presented in the paper. It is illustrated with virtual models elaborated in advanced program of the CAE class.

A dynamic wheel-rail impact analysis of railway track under wheel flat by finite element analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Bian, Jian; Gu, Yuantong; Murray, Martin Howard

2013-06-01

Wheel-rail interaction is one of the most important research topics in railway engineering. It involves track impact response, track vibration and track safety. Track structure failures caused by wheel-rail impact forces can lead to significant economic loss for track owners through damage to rails and to the sleepers beneath. Wheel-rail impact forces occur because of imperfections in the wheels or rails such as wheel flats, irregular wheel profiles, rail corrugations and differences in the heights of rails connected at a welded joint. A wheel flat can cause a large dynamic impact force as well as a forced vibration with a high frequency, which can cause damage to the track structure. In the present work, a three-dimensional finite element (FE) model for the impact analysis induced by the wheel flat is developed by the use of the FE analysis (FEA) software package ANSYS and validated by another validated simulation. The effect of wheel flats on impact forces is thoroughly investigated. It is found that the presence of a wheel flat will significantly increase the dynamic impact force on both rail and sleeper. The impact force will monotonically increase with the size of wheel flats. The relationships between the impact force and the wheel flat size are explored from this FEA and they are important for track engineers to improve their understanding of the design and maintenance of the track system.

Wheeling and Banking Strategies for Optimal Renewable Energy Deployment. International Experiences

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Heeter, Jenny [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Vora, Ravi [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Mathur, Shivani [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Madrigal, Paola [Energy Regulatory Commission (Mexico); Chatterjee, Sushanta K. [Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (India); Shah, Rakesh [SunEdison, Mumbai (India)

2016-03-01

This paper defines the principles of wheeling (i.e., transmission) tariffs and renewable energy (RE) banking provisions and their role in RE deployment in countries with plans for large-scale RE. It reviews experiences to date in the United States, Mexico, and India and discusses key policy and regulatory considerations for devising more effective wheeling and/or banking provisions for countries with ambitious RE deployment targets. The paper addresses the challenges of competing needs of stakeholders, especially those of RE generators, distribution utilities, and transmission network owners and operators. The importance of wheeling and banking and their effectiveness for financial viability of RE deployment is also explored. This paper aims to benefit policymakers and regulators as well as key renewable energy stakeholders. Key lessons for regulators include: creating long-term wheeling and banking policy certainty, considering incentivizing RE through discounted transmission access, and assessing the cost implications of such discounts, as well as expanding access to renewable energy customers.

Reinventing the wheel: comparison of two wheel cage styles for assessing mouse voluntary running activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Seward, T; Harfmann, B D; Esser, K A; Schroder, E A

2018-04-01

Voluntary wheel cage assessment of mouse activity is commonly employed in exercise and behavioral research. Currently, no standardization for wheel cages exists resulting in an inability to compare results among data from different laboratories. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the distance run or average speed data differ depending on the use of two commonly used commercially available wheel cage systems. Two different wheel cages with structurally similar but functionally different wheels (electromechanical switch vs. magnetic switch) were compared side-by-side to measure wheel running data differences. Other variables, including enrichment and cage location, were also tested to assess potential impacts on the running wheel data. We found that cages with the electromechanical switch had greater inherent wheel resistance and consistently led to greater running distance per day and higher average running speed. Mice rapidly, within 1-2 days, adapted their running behavior to the type of experimental switch used, suggesting these running differences are more behavioral than due to intrinsic musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, or metabolic limits. The presence of enrichment or location of the cage had no detectable impact on voluntary wheel running. These results demonstrate that mice run differing amounts depending on the type of cage and switch mechanism used and thus investigators need to report wheel cage type/wheel resistance and use caution when interpreting distance/speed run across studies. NEW & NOTEWORTHY The results of this study highlight that mice will run different distances per day and average speed based on the inherent resistance present in the switch mechanism used to record data. Rapid changes in running behavior for the same mouse in the different cages demonstrate that a strong behavioral factor contributes to classic exercise outcomes in mice. Caution needs to be taken when interpreting mouse voluntary wheel running activity to

The Influence of Wheel/Rail Contact Conditions on the Microstructure and Hardness of Railway Wheels

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paul Molyneux-Berry

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The susceptibility of railway wheels to wear and rolling contact fatigue damage is influenced by the properties of the wheel material. These are influenced by the steel composition, wheel manufacturing process, and thermal and mechanical loading during operation. The in-service properties therefore vary with depth below the surface and with position across the wheel tread. This paper discusses the stress history at the wheel/rail contact (derived from dynamic simulations and observed variations in hardness and microstructure. It is shown that the hardness of an “in-service” wheel rim varies significantly, with three distinct effects. The underlying hardness trend with depth can be related to microstructural changes during manufacturing (proeutectoid ferrite fraction and pearlite lamellae spacing. The near-surface layer exhibits plastic flow and microstructural shear, especially in regions which experience high tangential forces when curving, with consequentially higher hardness values. Between 1 mm and 7 mm depth, the wheel/rail contacts cause stresses exceeding the material yield stress, leading to work hardening, without a macroscopic change in microstructure. These changes in material properties through the depth of the wheel rim would tend to increase the likelihood of crack initiation on wheels toward the end of their life. This correlates with observations from several train fleets.

49 CFR 570.10 - Wheel assemblies.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... bead through one full wheel revolution and note runout in excess of one-eighth of an inch. (c) Mounting... 49 Transportation 6 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Wheel assemblies. 570.10 Section 570.10... Pounds or Less § 570.10 Wheel assemblies. (a) Wheel integrity. A tire rim, wheel disc, or spider shall...

Rotating Parabolic-Reflector Antenna Target in SAR Data: Model, Characteristics, and Parameter Estimation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bin Deng

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Parabolic-reflector antennas (PRAs, usually possessing rotation, are a particular type of targets of potential interest to the synthetic aperture radar (SAR community. This paper is aimed to investigate PRA’s scattering characteristics and then to extract PRA’s parameters from SAR returns, for supporting image interpretation and target recognition. We at first obtain both closed-form and numeric solutions to PRA’s backscattering by geometrical optics (GO, physical optics, and graphical electromagnetic computation, respectively. Based on the GO solution, a migratory scattering center model is at first presented for representing the movement of the specular point with aspect angle, and then a hybrid model, named the migratory/micromotion scattering center (MMSC model, is proposed for characterizing a rotating PRA in the SAR geometry, which incorporates PRA’s rotation into its migratory scattering center model. Additionally, we in detail analyze PRA’s radar characteristics on radar cross-section, high-resolution range profiles, time-frequency distribution, and 2D images, which also confirm the models proposed. A maximal likelihood estimator is developed for jointly solving the MMSC model for PRA’s multiple parameters by optimization. By exploiting the aforementioned characteristics, the coarse parameter estimation guarantees convergency upon global minima. The signatures recovered can be favorably utilized for SAR image interpretation and target recognition.

Nonlinear electromechanical modelling and dynamical behavior analysis of a satellite reaction wheel

Science.gov (United States)

Aghalari, Alireza; Shahravi, Morteza

2017-12-01

The present research addresses the satellite reaction wheel (RW) nonlinear electromechanical coupling dynamics including dynamic eccentricity of brushless dc (BLDC) motor and gyroscopic effects, as well as dry friction of shaft-bearing joints (relative small slip) and bearing friction. In contrast to other studies, the rotational velocity of the flywheel is considered to be controllable, so it is possible to study the reaction wheel dynamical behavior in acceleration stages. The RW is modeled as a three-phases BLDC motor as well as flywheel with unbalances on a rigid shaft and flexible bearings. Improved Lagrangian dynamics for electromechanical systems is used to obtain the mathematical model of the system. The developed model can properly describe electromechanical nonlinear coupled dynamical behavior of the satellite RW. Numerical simulations show the effectiveness of the presented approach.

DETERMINATION OF STEERING WHEEL ANGLES DURING CAR ALIGNMENT BY IMAGE ANALYSIS METHODS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Mueller

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Optical systems for automatic visual inspections are of increasing importance in the field of automation in the industrial domain. A new application is the determination of steering wheel angles during wheel track setting of the final inspection of car manufacturing. The camera has to be positioned outside the car to avoid interruptions of the processes and therefore, oblique images of the steering wheel must be acquired. Three different approaches of computer vision are considered in this paper, i.e. a 2D shape-based matching (by means of a plane to plane rectification of the oblique images and detection of a shape model with a particular rotation, a 3D shape-based matching approach (by means of a series of different perspectives of the spatial shape of the steering wheel derived from a CAD design model and a point-to-point matching (by means of the extraction of significant elements (e.g. multifunctional buttons of a steering wheel and a pairwise connection of these points to straight lines. The HALCON system (HALCON, 2016 was used for all software developments and necessary adaptions. As reference a mechanical balance with an accuracy of 0.1° was used. The quality assessment was based on two different approaches, a laboratory test and a test during production process. In the laboratory a standard deviation of ±0.035° (2D shape-based matching, ±0.12° (3D approach and ±0.029° (point-to-point matching could be obtained. The field test of 291 measurements (27 cars with varying poses and angles of the steering wheel results in a detection rate of 100% and ±0.48° (2D matching and ±0.24° (point-to-point matching. Both methods also fulfil the request of real time processing (three measurements per second.

Non-Harmonic Fourier Analysis for bladed wheels damage detection

Science.gov (United States)

Neri, P.; Peeters, B.

2015-11-01

The interaction between bladed wheels and the fluid distributed by the stator vanes results in cyclic loading of the rotating components. Compressors and turbines wheels are subject to vibration and fatigue issues, especially when resonance conditions are excited. Even if resonance conditions can be often predicted and avoided, high cycle fatigue failures can occur, causing safety issues and economic loss. Rigorous maintenance programs are then needed, forcing the system to expensive shut-down. Blade crack detection methods are beneficial for condition-based maintenance. While contact measurement systems are not always usable in exercise conditions (e.g. high temperature), non-contact methods can be more suitable. One (or more) stator-fixed sensor can measure all the blades as they pass by, in order to detect the damaged ones. The main drawback in this situation is the short acquisition time available for each blade, which is shortened by the high rotational speed of the components. A traditional Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT) analysis would result in a poor frequency resolution. A Non-Harmonic Fourier Analysis (NHFA) can be executed with an arbitrary frequency resolution instead, allowing to obtain frequency information even with short-time data samples. This paper shows an analytical investigation of the NHFA method. A data processing algorithm is then proposed to obtain frequency shift information from short time samples. The performances of this algorithm are then studied by experimental and numerical tests.

Wind-powered wheel locomotion, initiated by leaping somersaults, in larvae of the southeastern beach tiger beetle (Cicindela dorsalis media.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alan Harvey

2011-03-01

Full Text Available Rapid movement is challenging for elongate, soft-bodied animals with short or no legs. Leaping is known for only a few animals with this "worm-like" morphology. Wheel locomotion, in which the animal's entire body rolls forward along a central axis, has been reported for only a handful of animals worldwide. Here we present the first documented case of wind-powered wheel locomotion, in larvae of the coastal tiger beetle Cicindela dorsalis media. When removed from their shallow burrows, larvae easily can be induced to enter a behavioral sequence that starts with leaping; while airborne, larvae loop their body into a rotating wheel and usually either "hit the ground rolling" or leap again. The direction larvae wheel is closely related to the direction in which winds are blowing; thus, all our larvae wheeled up-slope, as winds at our study site consistently blew from sea to land. Stronger winds increased both the proportion of larvae wheeling, and the distance traveled, exceeding 60 m in some cases. In addition, the proportion of larvae that wheel and the distance traveled by wheeling larvae are significantly greater on smooth sandy beaches than on beach surfaces made rough and irregular by pedestrian, equestrian, and vehicular traffic. Like other coastal species of tiger beetles, C. dorsalis media has suffered major declines in recent years that are clearly correlated with increased human impacts. The present study suggests that the negative effects of beach traffic may be indirect, preventing larvae from escaping from predators using wheel locomotion by disrupting the flat, hard surface necessary for efficient wheeling.

Grinding Characteristics Of Directionally Aligned SiC Whisker Wheel-Comparison With Al2O3 Fiber Wheel

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

魏源迁; 山口胜美; 菊泽贤二; 洞口严; 中根正喜

2003-01-01

A unique SiC whisker wheel was invented,in which the whiskers were aligned normally to the grinding wheel surface.In this paper,grindabilities of the SiC whisker wheel are investigated and compared with those of other wheels of SiC grains,Al2O3 grains,as well as Al2O3 long and short fibres which were also aligned normally to the grinding wheel surface,respectively.The main research contents concern grinding characteristics of a directionally aligned SiC whisker wheel such as material-removal volume,wheel-wear rates,integrity of the ground surfaces,grinding ratios and grinding efficiency.Furthermore,grinding wheels of whiskers and fibres have a common disadvantage:they tend to load easily.The authors have proposed a simple method of loading-free grinding to overcome this propensity and investigate some related grinding characteristics under loading-free grinding conditions.

Tracked Vehicle Road Wheel Puller

Science.gov (United States)

2009-02-01

employed for removing smaller-size components, such as bolts and the like. U.S. Patent No. 5,410,792, issued to Freeman (3), discloses a caster wheel ...separation of the rubberized annular layer from the outer annular surface of the wheel . Figure 5 further illustrates a modification of the wheel puller...2001. 2. Rubino et al. Pulling Tool. U.S. Patent 5,479,688, 1996. 3. Freeman. Caster Wheel Axle Extraction Apparatus. U.S. Patent 5,410,792

Dosimetric effects of rotational output variation and x-ray target degradation on helical tomotherapy plans

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Staton, Robert J.; Langen, Katja M.; Kupelian, Patrick A.; Meeks, Sanford L.

2009-01-01

In this study, two potential sources of IMRT delivery error have been identified for helical tomotherapy delivery using the HiART system (TomoTherapy, Inc., Madison, WI): Rotational output variation and target degradation. The HiArt system is known to have output variation, typically about ±2%, due to the absence of a dose servo system. On the HiArt system, x-ray target replacement is required approximately every 10-12 months due to target degradation. Near the end of target life, the target thins and causes a decrease in the beam energy and a softening of the beam profile at the lateral edges of the beam. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the dosimetric effects of rotational output variation and target degradation by modeling their effects and incorporating them into recalculated treatment plans for three clinical scenarios: Head and neck, partial breast, and prostate. Models were created to emulate both potential sources of error. For output variation, a model was created using a sine function to match the amplitude (±2%), frequency, and phase of the measured rotational output variation data. A second model with a hypothetical variation of ±7% was also created to represent the largest variation that could exist without violating the allowable dose window in the delivery system. A measured beam profile near the end of target life was used to create a modified beam profile model for the target degradation. These models were then incorporated into the treatment plan by modifying the leaf opening times in the delivery sinogram. A new beam model was also created to mimic the change in beam energy seen near the end of target life. The plans were then calculated using a research version of the PLANNED ADAPTIVE treatment planning software from TomoTherapy, Inc. Three plans were evaluated in this study: Head and neck, partial breast, and prostate. The D 50 of organs at risk, the D 95 for planning target volumes (PTVs), and the local dose difference were used to

About the influence of wheel slide protection devices action on longitudinal dynamic of trains

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cruceanu Cătălin

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Wheel slide protection devices (WSPD are destined to avoid important sliding of wheels during braking actions in case of temporarily impaired wheel-rail adhesion by correspondent reductions of air pressure in brake cylinders. Accordingly, longer braking distances and higher longitudinal in-train forces occur, potentially affecting the traffic safety and the passengers comfort. A general analyse and evaluation of these effects are the main targets of the present study. The theoretical considerations are sustained by simulations of braking process, considering situations of normal, respectively diminished wheel-rail adhesion determining random actuations of WSPD. The air pressure evolution in brake cylinders of was experimentally determined on a computerized brake system test stand and adequately used as input in simulations. The results indicate an increase of in-train forces and a more complex evolution of the longitudinal dynamic actions between the vehicles in the case of degraded wheel-rail adhesion, when the random actuation of WSPD have major influence in the whole braking process.

Grinding Wheel System

Science.gov (United States)

Malkin, Stephen; Gao, Robert; Guo, Changsheng; Varghese, Biju; Pathare, Sumukh

2003-08-05

A grinding wheel system includes a grinding wheel with at least one embedded sensor. The system also includes an adapter disk containing electronics that process signals produced by each embedded sensor and that transmits sensor information to a data processing platform for further processing of the transmitted information.

Recovery tread wheel pairs of machining

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Igor IVANOV

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The basic methods of resurfacing wheels are determined and analised. It’sshown that for raising resource of used wheels and decreasing requirements of railwaytransport for new wheels it’s reasonable to use methods of recovering not only geometricparameters of rim, but also its mechanical properties. It’s marked that use of infeedprofile high-speed grinding (VPVSh enables to intensify significantly process ofmechanical treatment of wheel rim profile both when its resurfacing in service and whenmanufacturing new wheel.

Time-dependent radiolytic product concentrations in the water flow of a spinning wheel target

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burns, W.G.; Goodall, J.A.B.

1989-01-01

Using the Harwell Facsimile computer simulation package, values of water radiolytic product concentrations, for both transient radicals and stable molecules were calculated for a single revolution of the cooling water at 75 0 C in a spallation neutron source target wheel irradiated with 1000 MeV protons and consequential secondary radiation. The radiation was pulsed except for part of the γ radiation, which was continuous. The stable product concentrations at first rose and eventually came to steady values before the end of the revolution. Comparison with results for steady radiation suggested that with the mixed radiation molecular products from the more densely ionizing radiation were largely destroyed by the radicals from the more lightly ionizing radiation. The distribution of the dose rate in time and space also tended to give a lower extent of radiolysis than calculated for uniform irradiation at the arithmetic mean dose rate. The effect of a second revolution on the diluted products showed a smaller increase in product concentrations than for the first revolution. The Authors consider that the extent of radiolysis should be manageable. (author)

Wheel arch aerodynamics of a modern road vehicle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Apsley, S.; Aroussi, A.

2003-01-01

A geometrically faithful model of the Aston Martin V12 Vanquish was formed in 3D CAD and used to perform an extensive CFD study into the airflow in and around the wheel arch of the vehicle. Parameters such as spin ratio, ground clearance, vertical and horizontal insertion into the wheel arch and the yaw angles experienced during cornering, were all under investigation. The additional aim of the research was to validate or refute the use of CFD as a tool in this complex area of fluid flow. This research serves to highlight a number of problems and potential solutions in the use of CFD. Meshing problems can be eliminated with increased computational power and suggestions have been made to improve the modeling of rotating boundaries that include radial features such as wheel spokes. Much of the CFD data ties well with previously conducted experimental work, if not numerically then in trend. Without additional physical validation however, it is difficult to ascertain the overall accuracy and usefulness of the remaining results, which have not yet been conducted in physical reality. Despite its limitations, the use of CFD permitted an extensive analysis in a comparatively short length of time and served to highlight potential areas for increased scrutiny. As an example, results from the final yaw angle case drew attention to a potential concern for aerodynamic destabilisation of the vehicle during cornering, generating lift on the front arch of the car that is already lifted due to cornering forces and body roll. (author)

Wheeling in Canada

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fytche, E.L.

1991-01-01

The quest for economic efficiency, or lowest cost, in the electricity supply industry is furthered by trading between high and low cost utilities, one aspect being transporting or wheeling power through the transmission system of a third party. Some of the pressures and constraints limiting wheeling are discussed. A simple formula is presented for determining whether trading and wheeling are worthwhile. It is demonstrated for assumed capital and operating cost levels, the viability of nine cases where bulk power or economy energy would need to be wheeled across provincial boundaries in order to reach potential buyers. Wheeling in Canada is different from the situation in the USA, due to large distances spanned by Canadian utilities and because most are provincial crown corporations, with different territorial interests and profit motivations than investor-owned utilities. Most trading in electricity has been between contiguous neighbours, for mutual advantage. New technology allows power transmission over distances of up to 1000 miles, and the economics of Canada's electrical supply could be improved, with means including access to low cost coal of Alberta, and remote hydro in British Columbia, Manitoba, Quebec and Labrador. Nuclear plants could be located anywhere but suffer from an unfriendly public attitude. A bridge across the Prairies appears uneconomic due to cost of transmission, and also due to low valuation given to Alberta coal. 7 refs., 2 figs., 3 tabs

Computation of wheel-rail contact force for non-mapping wheel-rail profile of Translohr tram

Science.gov (United States)

Ji, Yuanjin; Ren, Lihui; Zhou, Jinsong

2017-09-01

Translohr tram has steel wheels, in V-like arrangements, as guide wheels. These operate over the guide rails in inverted-V arrangements. However, the horizontal and vertical coordinates of the guide wheels and guide rails are not always mapped one-to-one. In this study, a simplified elastic method is proposed in order to calculate the contact points between the wheels and the rails. By transforming the coordinates, the non-mapping geometric relationship between wheel and rail is converted into a mapping relationship. Considering the Translohr tram's multi-point contact between the guide wheel and the guide rail, the elastic-contact hypothesis take into account the existence of contact patches between the bodies, and the location of the contact points is calculated using a simplified elastic method. In order to speed up the calculation, a multi-dimensional contact table is generated, enabling the use of simulation for Translohr tram running on curvatures with different radii.

Wheel speed management control system for spacecraft

Science.gov (United States)

Goodzeit, Neil E. (Inventor); Linder, David M. (Inventor)

1991-01-01

A spacecraft attitude control system uses at least four reaction wheels. In order to minimize reaction wheel speed and therefore power, a wheel speed management system is provided. The management system monitors the wheel speeds and generates a wheel speed error vector. The error vector is integrated, and the error vector and its integral are combined to form a correction vector. The correction vector is summed with the attitude control torque command signals for driving the reaction wheels.

Wheel inspection system environment.

Science.gov (United States)

2008-11-18

International Electronic Machines Corporation (IEM) has developed and is now marketing a state-of-the-art Wheel Inspection System Environment (WISE). WISE provides wheel profile and dimensional measurements, i.e. rim thickness, flange height, flange ...

The prospects for retail wheeling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

O'Donnell, E.H.; Center, J.A.

1992-01-01

This paper as published is an outline of a presentation on retail wheeling of electric power. The topics discussed are development of increased wholesale transmission access, government regulatory policies on wholesale transmission, examples of past and present retail transmission access agreements, examples of Federal Energy Regulatory Commission jurisdiction over retail wheeling, and state policies on retail wheeling

A novel method of freeform surface grinding with a soft wheel based on industrial robots

Science.gov (United States)

Sha, Sheng-chun; Guo, Xiao-ling

2011-08-01

In order to meet the growing demand for high-quality images, optical elements of freeform surface are more and more applied to imaging system. However the fabrication of freeform surface optical elements is much more difficult than that of traditional spherical ones. Recent research on freeform surface manufacture often deals with precision machine tools which have limitations on dimensions and are always expensive. Little has been researched on industrial robots. In this paper, a new method of freeform surface grinding based on industrial robots was found. This method could be applied to both whole surface grinding as well as partial surface grinding. The diameter of lenses to be ground would not be restricted to the machine tool's size. In this method a high-speed-rotating soft wheel was used. The relation between removing amount and grinding time which could be called removing function was established and measured. The machining precision was achieved by means of controlling the grinding time instead of the machine tool or industrial robot itself. There are two main factors affecting the removing function: i).rotating speed of the soft wheel; ii).pressure between the wheel and the work piece. In this paper, two groups of experiments have been conducted. One is the removing function tested at constant rotating speed while under different pressure. The other is that tested under a certain pressure with variable speed. Tables and curves which can show the effect of speed and pressure on the removing efficiency have been obtained. Cause for inaccuracy between experiment data and calculated result according to the theory and the non-linearity in the curves was analyzed. Through these analyses the removing function could be concluded under certain condition including rotating speed and pressure. Finally several experiments were performed to verify the appropriateness of the removing function. It could also be concluded that this method was more efficient in comparison

Four-Wheel Vehicle Suspension System

Science.gov (United States)

Bickler, Donald B.

1990-01-01

Four-wheel suspension system uses simple system of levers with no compliant components to provide three-point suspension of chassis of vehicle while maintaining four-point contact with uneven terrain. Provides stability against tipping of four-point rectangular base, without rocking contact to which rigid four-wheel frame susceptible. Similar to six-wheel suspension system described in "Articulated Suspension Without Springs" (NPO-17354).

The Reaction Wheel Pendulum

CERN Document Server

Block, Daniel J; Spong, Mark W

2007-01-01

This monograph describes the Reaction Wheel Pendulum, the newest inverted-pendulum-like device for control education and research. We discuss the history and background of the reaction wheel pendulum and other similar experimental devices. We develop mathematical models of the reaction wheel pendulum in depth, including linear and nonlinear models, and models of the sensors and actuators that are used for feedback control. We treat various aspects of the control problem, from linear control of themotor, to stabilization of the pendulum about an equilibrium configuration using linear control, t

Momentum accumulation due to solar radiation torque, and reaction wheel sizing, with configuration optimization

Science.gov (United States)

Hablani, Hari B.

1993-01-01

This paper has a two-fold objective: determination of yearly momentum accumulation due to solar radiation pressure, and optimum reaction wheel sizing. The first objective is confronted while determining propellant consumption by the attitude control system over a spacecraft's lifetime. This, however, cannot be obtained from the daily momentum accumulation and treating that constant throughout the year, because the orientation of the solar arrays relative to the spacecraft changes over a wide range in a year, particularly if the spacecraft has two arrays, one normal and the other off-normal to different extent at different times to the sun rays. The paper first develops commands for the arrays for tracking the sun, the arrays articulated to earth-pointing spacecraft with two rotational degrees of freedom, and spacecraft in an arbitrary circular orbit. After developing expressions for solar radiation torque due to one or both arrays, arranged symmetrically or asymmetrically relative to the spacecraft bus, momentum accumulation over an orbit and then over a year are determined. The remainder of the paper is concerned with designing reaction wheel configurations. Four-, six-, and three-wheel configurations are considered, and for given torque and momentum requirements, their cant angles with the roll/yaw plane are optimized for minimum power consumption. Finally, their momentum and torque capacities are determined for one-wheel failure scenario, and six configurations are compared and contrasted.

Unsteady wake of a rotating tire

Science.gov (United States)

Lombard, Jean-Eloi; Moxey, Dave; Xu, Hui; Sherwin, Spencer; Sherwin Lab Team

2015-11-01

For open wheel race-cars, such as IndyCar and Formula One, the wheels are responsible for 40% of the total drag. For road cars drag associated to the wheels and under-carriage can represent 60% of total drag at highway cruise speeds. Experimental observations have reported two or three pairs of counter rotating vortices, the relative importance of which still remains an open question, that interact to form a complex wake. Traditional RANS based methods are typically not well equipped to deal with such highly unsteady flows which motivates research into more physical, unsteady models. Leveraging a high-fidelity spectral/hp element based method a Large Eddy Simulation is performed to give further insight into unsteady characteristics of the wake. In particular the unsteady nature of both the jetting and top vortex pair is reported as well as the time and length scales associated with the vortex core trajectories. Correlation with experimentally obtained particle image velocimetry is presented. The authors acknowledge support from the United Kingdom Turbulence Consortium (UKTC) as well as from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) for access to ARCHER UK National Supercomputing Service.

Lift to Drag Ratio Analysis in Magnetic Levitation with an Electrodynamic Wheel

Science.gov (United States)

Gutarra-Leon, Angel; Cordrey, Vincent; Majewski, Walerian

Our experiments explored inductive magnetic levitation (MagLev) using simple permanent magnets and conductive tracks. Our investigations used a circular Halbach array with a 1 Tesla variable magnetic field on the outer rim of the ring. Such a system is usually called an Electrodynamic Wheel (EDW). Rotating this wheel around a horizontal axis above or below a flat conducting surface should induce eddy currents in said surface through the variable magnetic flux. The eddy currents produce, in turn, their own magnetic fields, which interact with the magnets of the EDW. We constructed a four-inch diameter Electrodynamic Wheel using twelve Neodymium permanent magnets and demonstrated that the magnetic interactions produce both lift and drag forces on the EDW. These forces can be used for levitation and propulsion of the EDW to produce magnetic levitation without coils and complex control circuitry. We achieved full levitation of the non-magnetic aluminum and copper plates. Our results confirm the expected behavior of lift to drag ratio as proportional to (L/R) ω, with L and R being the inductance and resistance of the track plate, and ω being the angular velocity of the magnetic flux. Supported by grants from the Virginia Academy of Science, Society of Physics Students, Virginia Community College System, and the NVCC Educational Foundation.

Wheel traffic effect on air-filled porosity and air permeability in a soil catena across the wheel rut

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Berisso, Feto Esimo; Schjønning, Per; Lamandé, Mathieu

might induce different effects on soil physical properties. The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of vehicle traffic on soil physical properties and air permeability by systematic collection of samples in a transect running from the center to the outside of the wheel rut. A field...... catena running from center of the wheel rut to un wheeled part of the field ( 0, 20, 40, 50,60 and 400 cm horizontal distance). We measured water retention and air permeability (ka) at -30, -100 and -300 hPa matric potentials. At -100 hPa, we obtained consistently lower air filled under the wheel rut......The impact of wheel traffic on soil physical properties is usually quantified by randomly collecting soil cores at specific depths below the wheeled surface. However, modeling studies as well as few measurements indicated a non-uniform stress distribution in a catena across the wheel rut, which...

Biaxial wheel/hub test facility. Proceedings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fischer, G.; Grubisic, V. [eds.

2000-07-01

The 4{sup th} meeting aims to exchange the experience and knowledge of engineers during several presentations and discussions about new developments required for a reliable, time and cost reducing validation of the wheel/hub assembly. Tremendous development of the wheel performance, described by the ratio of the rated load (kg) versus the wheel weight (kg) had taken place during the last 5000 years. Starting from the ratio of 3 for wooden 2-piece-disc-wheels in Mesopotamia it needed nearly 1000 years to increase the ratio to approx 5 at light-weight spoke wheels for fighting carriages, found in the grave of king Tutenchamon in Egypt. Modern light alloy wheels of commercial vehicles reach values up to 160 kg/kg. Additionally the comlex design of the modern systems for cars and commercial vehicles comprising wheel, brake, hub, bearing, spindle and hub carrier, including different materials and their treatment, fasteners, press-fits, require an appropriate testing procedure. The variable loading conditions, caused by operational wheel forces, brake and torque moments including heating, may result in changing tolerances and press-fits during operation and consequently in different damage mechanisms. This can be simulated in the Biaxial Wheel Test Machine, whereby corresponding load programs are necessary. An overview about all biaxial test machines in usage at the end of 1999 is shown in the introduction. The total number is 17 for cars, 7 for commercial vehicles and 1 for trains. The six presentations of this meeting were consequently concentrated on: (a) recommendations for a standardization of load programs of the German Wheel Committee, (b) the simulation of brake and torque events and (c) the possibility for a numerical stress analyses and fatigue life assessment. (orig./AKF)

A Nontoxic Barlow's Wheel

Science.gov (United States)

Daffron, John A.; Greenslade, Thomas B.

2015-01-01

Barlow's wheel has been a favorite demonstration since its invention by Peter Barlow (1776-1862) in 1822.1 In the form shown in Fig. 1, it represents the first electric motor. The interaction between the electric current passing from the axle of the wheel to the rim and the magnetic field produced by the U-magnet produces a torque that turns the wheel. The original device used mercury to provide electrical contact to the rim, and the dangers involved with the use of this heavy metal have caused the apparatus to disappear from the lecture hall.

Problems of locomotive wheel wear in fleet replacement

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

L.P. Lingaytis

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Purpose. To conduct a research and find out the causes of defects appearing on the wheel thread of freight locomotives 2М62 and SIEMENS ER20CF. Methodology. To find the ways to solve this problem comparing the locomotive designs and their operating conditions. Findings. After examining the nature of the wheel wear the main difference was found: in locomotives of the 2M62 line wears the wheel flange, and in the locomotives SIEMENS ER20CF – the tread surface. After installation on the 2M62 locomotive the lubrication system of flanges their wear rate significantly decreased. On the new freight locomotives SIEMENS ER20CF the flange lubrication systems of the wheel set have been already installed at the factory, however the wheel thread is wearing. As for locomotives 2M62, and on locomotives SIEMENS ER20CF most wear profile skating wheels of the first wheel set. On both locomotive lines the 2М62 and the SIEMENS ER20CF the tread profile of the first wheel set most of all is subject to the wear. After reaching the 170 000 km run, the tread surface of some wheels begins to crumble. There was a suspicion that the reason for crumb formation of the wheel surface may be insufficient or excessive wheel hardness or its chemical composition. In order to confirm or deny this suspicion the following studies were conducted: the examination of the rim surface, the study of the wheel metal hardness and the document analysis of the wheel production and their comparison with the results of wheel hardness measurement. Practical value. The technical condition of locomotives is one of the bases of safety and reliability of the rolling stock. The reduction of the wheel wear significantly reduces the operating costs of railway transport. After study completion it was found that there was no evidence to suggest that the ratio of the wheel-rail hardness could be the cause of the wheel surface crumbling.

Mechanical design and qualification of IR filter mounts and filter wheel of INSAT-3D sounder for low temperature

Science.gov (United States)

Vora, A. P.; Rami, J. B.; Hait, A. K.; Dewan, C. P.; Subrahmanyam, D.; Kirankumar, A. S.

2017-11-01

Next generation Indian Meteorological Satellite will carry Sounder instrument having subsystem of filter wheel measuring Ø260mm and carrying 18 filters arranged in three concentric rings. These filters made from Germanium, are used to separate spectral channels in IR band. Filter wheel is required to be cooled to 214K and rotated at 600 rpm. This Paper discusses the challenges faced in mechanical design of the filter wheel, mainly filter mount design to protect brittle germanium filters from failure under stresses due to very low temperature, compactness of the wheel and casings for improved thermal efficiency, survival under vibration loads and material selection to keep it lighter in weight. Properties of Titanium, Kovar, Invar and Aluminium materials are considered for design. The mount has been designed to accommodate both thermal and dynamic loadings without introducing significant aberrations into the optics or incurring permanent alignment shifts. Detailed finite element analysis of mounts was carried out for stress verification. Results of the qualification tests are discussed for given temperature range of 100K and vibration loads of 12g in Sine and 11.8grms in Random at mount level. Results of the filter wheel qualification as mounted in Electro Optics Module (EOM) are also presented.

Assessment of a Boat Fractured Steering Wheel

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vukelic Goran

2016-09-01

Full Text Available During regular use of the steering wheel mounted on a boat, two cracks emanating from a fastener hole were noticed which, consequently, caused final fracture of the wheel. To determine the behavior of a boat steering wheel with cracks present, assessment of a fractured wheel was performed. Torque moments of the fasteners were measured prior to removing the steering wheel from the boat. Visual and dye penetrant inspection followed along with the material detection. Besides using experimental procedures, assessment of the fractured wheel was performed using finite element analysis, i.e. stress intensity factor values were numerically determined. Variation of stress intensity factor with crack length is presented. Possible causes of crack occurrence are given and they include excessive values of fastener torque moments coupled with fretting between fastener and fastener hole that was poorly machined. Results obtained by this assessment can be taken for predicting fracture behavior of a cracked steering wheel and as a reference in the design, mounting and exploitation process of steering wheels improving that way their safety in transportation environment.

ANALISIS PENGENDALIAN MUTU PROSES MACHINING ALLOY WHEEL MENGGUNAKAN METODE SIX SIGMA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ong Andre Wahyu Rijanto

2014-12-01

Full Text Available PT. Meshindo Alloy Wheel adalah perusahaan yang bergerak di bidang manufaktur alloy wheel atau dikenal dengan sebutan velg racing untuk didistribusikan ke industri mobil atau dikenal sebagai OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer baik untuk industri otomotif di Indonesia maupun di Jepang. Mutu merupakan syarat penting dalam sukses bisnis. Kehandalan kinerja proses dan keakuratan pencapaian persyaratan mutu harus dapat dipenuhi. Proses dikatakan capable jika dapat memenuhi spesifikasi pelanggan, variasi yang terjadi pada proses relatif kecil, dan defect atau DPMO yang terjadi kecil. Artikel ini menganalisis pengendalian mutu proses pembuatan valve hole location pada alloy wheel type MS 511 YA. Pengendalian variasi proses produksi dan pengukuran dengan menggunakan metode six sigma DMAIC (Define Measure Analysis Improve Control untuk dapat mencapai target penurunan cacat sampai mencapai 3,4 DPMO (defect per million opportunities, Cp 1,54 dan Cpk 1,54. Setelah proses six sigma selesai, diharapkan implementasi six sigma dapat memberikan saran-saran perbaikan pada proses-proses yang lain.

ANALISIS PENGENDALIAN MUTU PROSES MACHINING ALLOY WHEEL MENGGUNAKAN METODE SIX SIGMA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ong Andre Wahyu Rijanto

2014-12-01

Full Text Available PT. Meshindo Alloy Wheel adalah perusahaan yang bergerak di bidang manufaktur alloy wheel atau dikenal dengan sebutan velg racing untuk didistribusikan ke industri mobil atau dikenal sebagai OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer baik untuk industri otomotif di Indonesia maupun di Jepang. Mutu merupakan syarat penting dalam sukses bisnis. Kehandalan kinerja proses dan keakuratan pencapaian persyaratan mutu harus dapat dipenuhi. Proses dikatakan capable jika dapat memenuhi spesifikasi pelanggan, variasi yang terjadi pada proses relatif kecil, dan defect atau DPMO yang terjadi kecil.  Artikel ini menganalisis pengendalian mutu proses pembuatan valve hole location pada alloy wheel type MS 511 YA. Pengendalian variasi proses produksi dan pengukuran dengan menggunakan metode six sigma DMAIC (Define Measure Analysis Improve Control untuk dapat mencapai target penurunan cacat sampai mencapai 3,4 DPMO (defect per million opportunities, Cp 1,54 dan Cpk 1,54. Setelah proses six sigma selesai, diharapkan implementasi six sigma dapat memberikan saran-saran perbaikan pada proses-proses yang lain.

Soft Legged Wheel-Based Robot with Terrestrial Locomotion Abilities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ali Sadeghi

2016-12-01

Full Text Available In recent years robotics has been influenced by a new approach, soft-robotics, bringing the idea that safe interaction with user and more adaptation to the environment can be achieved by exploiting easily deformable materials and flexible components in the structure of robots. In 2016, the soft-robotics community has promoted a new robotics challenge, named RoboSoft Grand Challenge, with the aim of bringing together different opinions on the usefulness and applicability of softness and compliancy in robotics. In this paper we describe the design and implementation of a terrestrial robot based on two soft legged wheels. The tasks predefined by the challenge were set as targets in the robot design, which finally succeeded to accomplish all the tasks. The wheels of the robot can passively climb over stairs and adapt to slippery grounds using two soft legs embedded in their structure. The soft legs, fabricated by integration of soft and rigid materials and mounted on the circumference of a conventional wheel, succeed to enhance its functionality and easily adapt to unknown grounds. The robot has a semi stiff tail that helps in the stabilization and climbing of stairs. An active wheel is embedded at the extremity of the tail in order to increase the robot maneuverability in narrow environments. Moreover two parallelogram linkages let the robot to reconfigure and shrink its size allowing entering inside gates smaller than its initial dimensions.

A dead reckoning localization system for mobile robots using inertial sensors and wheel revolution encoding

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cho, Bong Su; Moon, Woo Sung; Seo, Woo Jin; Baek, Kwang Ryul [Pusan National University, Busan (Korea, Republic of)

2011-11-15

Inertial navigation systems (INS) are composed of inertial sensors, such as accelerometers and gyroscopes. An INS updates its orientation and position automatically; it has an acceptable stability over the short term, however this stability deteriorates over time. Odometry, used to estimate the position of a mobile robot, employs encoders attached to the robot's wheels. However, errors occur caused by the integrative nature of the rotating speed and the slippage between the wheel and the ground. In this paper, we discuss mobile robot position estimation without using external signals in indoor environments. In order to achieve optimal solutions, a Kalman filter that estimates the orientation and velocity of mobile robots has been designed. The proposed system combines INS and odometry and delivers more accurate position information than standalone odometry.

An Ultrasonic Wheel-Array Probe

Science.gov (United States)

Drinkwater, B. W.; Brotherhood, C. J.; Freemantle, R. J.

2004-02-01

This paper describes the development and modeling of an ultrasonic array wheel probe scanning system. The system operates at 10 MHz using a 64 element array transducer which is 50 mm in length and located in a fluid filled wheel. The wheel is coupled to the test structure dry, or with a small amount of liquid couplant. When the wheel is rolled over the surface of the test structure a defect map (C-Scan) is generated in real-time. The tyre is made from a soft, durable polymer which has very little acoustic loss. Two application studies are presented; the inspection of sealant layers in an aluminum aircraft wing structure and the detection of embedded defects in a thick section carbon composite sample.

Wheeled hopping robot

Science.gov (United States)

Fischer, Gary J [Albuquerque, NM

2010-08-17

The present invention provides robotic vehicles having wheeled and hopping mobilities that are capable of traversing (e.g. by hopping over) obstacles that are large in size relative to the robot and, are capable of operation in unpredictable terrain over long range. The present invention further provides combustion powered linear actuators, which can include latching mechanisms to facilitate pressurized fueling of the actuators, as can be used to provide wheeled vehicles with a hopping mobility.

49 CFR 229.73 - Wheel sets.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 49 Transportation 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Wheel sets. 229.73 Section 229.73 Transportation... TRANSPORTATION RAILROAD LOCOMOTIVE SAFETY STANDARDS Safety Requirements Suspension System § 229.73 Wheel sets. (a...) when applied or turned. (b) The maximum variation in the diameter between any two wheel sets in a three...

Full drive-by-wire dynamic control for four-wheel-steer all-wheel-drive vehicles

Science.gov (United States)

Fahimi, Farbod

2013-03-01

Most of the controllers introduced for four-wheel-steer (4WS) vehicles are derived with the assumption that the longitudinal speed of the vehicle is constant. However, in real applications, the longitudinal speed varies, and the longitudinal, lateral, and yaw dynamics are coupled. In this paper, the longitudinal dynamics of the vehicle as well as its lateral and yaw motions are controlled simultaneously. This way, the effect of driving/braking forces of the tires on the lateral and yaw motions of the vehicle are automatically included in the control laws. To address the dynamic parameter uncertainty of the vehicle, a chatter-free variable structure controller is introduced. Elimination of chatter is achieved by introducing a dynamically adaptive boundary layer thickness. It is shown via simulations that the proposed control approach performs more robustly than the controllers developed based on dynamic models, in which longitudinal speed is assumed to be constant, and only lateral speed and yaw rate are used as system states. Furthermore, this approach supports all-wheel-drive vehicles. Front-wheel-drive or rear-wheel-drive vehicles are also supported as special cases of an all-wheel-drive vehicle.

Application of Faraday rotator to suppression of target-reflected radiation in the optical path of a laser installation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bykovskiy, N.E.; Denus, S.; Dubik, A.; Ovsik, Y.; Lisunov, V.V.; Senatskiy, Y.V.; Fedotov, S.I.

1988-01-01

The interaction conditions between powerful laser radiation and a target are examined together with the Faraday rotators designed for suppressing target-reflected backward radiation in the neodymium glass laser optical path

On modelling the interaction between two rotating bodies with statistically distributed features: an application to dressing of grinding wheels

Science.gov (United States)

Spampinato, A.; Axinte, D. A.

2017-12-01

The mechanisms of interaction between bodies with statistically arranged features present characteristics common to different abrasive processes, such as dressing of abrasive tools. In contrast with the current empirical approach used to estimate the results of operations based on attritive interactions, the method we present in this paper allows us to predict the output forces and the topography of a simulated grinding wheel for a set of specific operational parameters (speed ratio and radial feed-rate), providing a thorough understanding of the complex mechanisms regulating these processes. In modelling the dressing mechanisms, the abrasive characteristics of both bodies (grain size, geometry, inter-space and protrusion) are first simulated; thus, their interaction is simulated in terms of grain collisions. Exploiting a specifically designed contact/impact evaluation algorithm, the model simulates the collisional effects of the dresser abrasives on the grinding wheel topography (grain fracture/break-out). The method has been tested for the case of a diamond rotary dresser, predicting output forces within less than 10% error and obtaining experimentally validated grinding wheel topographies. The study provides a fundamental understanding of the dressing operation, enabling the improvement of its performance in an industrial scenario, while being of general interest in modelling collision-based processes involving statistically distributed elements.

Three omni-directional wheels control on a mobile robot

OpenAIRE

Ribeiro, António Fernando; Moutinho, Ivo; Silva, Pedro; Fraga, Carlos; Pereira, Nino

2004-01-01

Traditional two wheels differential drive normally used on mobile robots have manoeuvrability limitations and take time to sort out. Most teams use two driving wheels (with one or two cast wheels), four driving wheels and even three driving wheels. A three wheel drive with omni-directional wheel has been tried with success, and was implemented on fast moving autonomous mobile robots. This paper deals with the mathematical kinematics description of such mobile platform, it describes the advant...

Extending the Duluth Model to Workplace Bullying: A Modification and Adaptation of the Workplace Power-Control Wheel.

Science.gov (United States)

Scott, Hannah S

2018-03-01

Workplace bullying (WB) is an increasingly prevalent topic in the nursing literature. Recently, a new concept has been introduced into WB research to explain the motivations of WB instigators using elements of the Power-Control Wheel (PCW). Initially, this wheel was designed to assist intimate partner violence (IPV) targets/victims identify patterns of abuse and intervene with male batterers/instigators. Research examining IPV and victims/survivors of WB demonstrate that targets often share common abusive experiences, including intimidation, coercion and threats, isolation, and economic and emotional abuse. This article demonstrates clear support for the Duluth Model and its application to WB target experiences. Applications of this model to identify WB and assist individuals to identify and describe experiences of abusive work environments are discussed.

Maximum Torque and Momentum Envelopes for Reaction Wheel Arrays

Science.gov (United States)

Markley, F. Landis; Reynolds, Reid G.; Liu, Frank X.; Lebsock, Kenneth L.

2009-01-01

Spacecraft reaction wheel maneuvers are limited by the maximum torque and/or angular momentum that the wheels can provide. For an n-wheel configuration, the torque or momentum envelope can be obtained by projecting the n-dimensional hypercube, representing the domain boundary of individual wheel torques or momenta, into three dimensional space via the 3xn matrix of wheel axes. In this paper, the properties of the projected hypercube are discussed, and algorithms are proposed for determining this maximal torque or momentum envelope for general wheel configurations. Practical strategies for distributing a prescribed torque or momentum among the n wheels are presented, with special emphasis on configurations of four, five, and six wheels.

Differential effects of voluntary wheel running and toy rotation on the mRNA expression of neurotrophic factors and FKBP5 in a post-traumatic stress disorder rat model with the shuttle-box task.

Science.gov (United States)

Tanichi, Masaaki; Toda, Hiroyuki; Shimizu, Kunio; Koga, Minori; Saito, Taku; Enomoto, Shingo; Boku, Shuken; Asai, Fumiho; Mitsui, Yumi; Nagamine, Masanori; Fujita, Masanori; Yoshino, Aihide

2018-06-18

Life-threatening experiences can result in the development of post-traumatic stress disorder. We have developed an animal model for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) using a shuttle box in rats. In this paradigm, the rats were exposed to inescapable foot-shock stress (IS) in a shuttle box, and then an avoidance/escape task was performed in the same box 2 weeks after IS. A previous study using this paradigm revealed that environmental enrichment (EE) ameliorated avoidance/numbing-like behaviors, but not hyperarousal-like behaviors, and EE also elevated hippocampal brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression. However, the differential effects of EE components, i.e., running wheel (RW) or toy rotation, on PTSD-like behaviors has remained unclear. In this experiment, we demonstrated that RW, toy rotation, and EE (containing RW and toy rotation) ameliorated avoidance/numbing-like behaviors, induced learning of avoidance responses, and improved depressive-like behaviors in traumatized rats. The RW increased the hippocampal mRNA expression of neurotrophic factors, especially BDNF and glial-cell derived neurotrophic factor. Toy rotation influenced FK506 binding protein 5 mRNA expression, which is believed to be a regulator of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA)-axis system, in the hippocampus and amygdala. This is the first report to elucidate the differential mechanistic effects of RW and toy rotation. The former appears to exert its effects via neurotrophic factors, while the latter exerts its effects via the HPA axis. Further studies will lead to a better understanding of the influence of environmental factors on PTSD. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Why Animals Run on Legs, Not on Wheels.

Science.gov (United States)

Diamond, Jared

1983-01-01

Speculates why animals have not developed wheels in place of inefficient legs. One study cited suggests three reasons why animals are better off without wheels: wheels are efficient only on hard surfaces, limitation of wheeled motion due to vertical obstructions, and the problem of turning in spaces cluttered with obstacles. (JN)

EVALUATION OF A CONCEPTUAL VEHICLE STEERING SYSTEM FOR INDEPENDENT WHEEL CONTROL

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ryszard BUCHALIK

2017-03-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a brief description of an unconventional steering system involving electronic stability control and its influence on vehicle motion. The proposed configuration enables individual changes in steering angle for each single wheel, in contrast to the mechanical linkage solution. An analysis of vehicle behaviour during emergency braking on a heterogeneous surface is conducted, especially with regard to the undesirable rotation of the vehicle body. The benefits of using this active steering system, implemented in the steer-by-wire mode, are characterized, while the problems for further consideration and the potential benefits of such a solution are described.

RTNS-II [Rotating Target Neutron Source II] operational summary

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heikkinen, D.W.

1988-09-01

The Rotating Target Neutron Source II facility (RTNS-II) operated for over nine years. Its purpose was to provide high intensities of 14 MeV neutrons for materials studies in the fusion energy program. For the period from 1982-1987, the facility was supported by both the US (Department of Energy) and Japan (Ministry of Education, Culture, and Science). RTNS-II contains two accelerator-based neutron sources which use the T(d,n) 4 He reaction. In this paper, we will summarize the operational history of RTNS-II. Typical operating parameters are given. In addition, a brief description of the experimental program is presented. The current status and future options for the facility are discussed. 7 refs., 5 tabs

Characteristics of rotating target neutron source and its use in radiation effects studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Van Konynenburg, R.A.; Barschall, H.H.; Booth, R.; Wong, C.

1975-07-01

The Rotating Target Neutron Source (RTNS) at Lawrence Livermore Laboratory is currently the most intense source of DT fusion neutrons available for the study of radiation effects in materials. This paper will present a brief description of the machine, outline the history of its development and discuss its performance characteristics and its application to CTR materials research. (U.S.)

Wheel set run profile renewing method effectiveness estimation

OpenAIRE

Somov, Dmitrij; Bazaras, Žilvinas; Žukauskaite, Orinta

2010-01-01

At all the repair enterprises, despite decreased rim wear-off resistance, after every grinding only geometry wheel profile parameters are renewed. Exploit wheel rim work edge decrease tendency is noticed what induces acquiring new wheels. This is related to considerable axle load and train speed increase and also because of wheel work edge repair method imperfection.

49 CFR 230.113 - Wheels and tire defects.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... tires may not have a seam running lengthwise that is within 33/4 inches of the flange. (g) Worn flanges... 49 Transportation 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Wheels and tire defects. 230.113 Section 230.113... Tenders Wheels and Tires § 230.113 Wheels and tire defects. Steam locomotive and tender wheels or tires...

29 CFR 1910.215 - Abrasive wheel machinery.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... be securely fastened to the spindle and the bearing surface shall run true. When more than one wheel... 29 Labor 5 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Abrasive wheel machinery. 1910.215 Section 1910.215 Labor... OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARDS Machinery and Machine Guarding § 1910.215 Abrasive wheel machinery. (a...

Module-based structure design of wheeled mobile robot

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Z. Luo

2018-02-01

Full Text Available This paper proposes an innovative and systematic approach for synthesizing mechanical structures of wheeled mobile robots. The principle and terminologies used for the proposed synthesis method are presented by adopting the concept of modular design, isomorphic and non-isomorphic, and set theory with its associated combinatorial mathematics. The modular-based innovative synthesis and design of wheeled robots were conducted at two levels. Firstly at the module level, by creative design and analysing the structures of classic wheeled robots, a wheel module set containing four types of wheel mechanisms, a suspension module set consisting of five types of suspension frames and a chassis module set composed of five types of rigid or articulated chassis were designed and generalized. Secondly at the synthesis level, two kinds of structure synthesis modes, namely the isomorphic-combination mode and the non-isomorphic combination mode were proposed to synthesize mechanical structures of wheeled robots; which led to 241 structures for wheeled mobile robots including 236 novel ones. Further, mathematical models and a software platform were developed to provide appropriate and intuitive tools for simulating and evaluating performance of the wheeled robots that were proposed in this paper. Eventually, physical prototypes of sample wheeled robots/rovers were developed and tested so as to prove and validate the principle and methodology presented in this paper.

Isotopic germanium targets for high beam current applications at GAMMASPHERE

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Greene, J. P.; Lauritsen, T.

2000-01-01

The creation of a specific heavy ion residue via heavy ion fusion can usually be achieved through a number of beam and target combinations. Sometimes it is necessary to choose combinations with rare beams and/or difficult targets in order to achieve the physics goals of an experiment. A case in point was a recent experiment to produce 152 Dy at very high spins and low excitation energy with detection of the residue in a recoil mass analyzer. Both to create the nucleus cold and with a small recoil-cone so that the efficiency of the mass analyzer would be high, it was necessary to use the 80 Se on 76 Ge reaction rather than the standard 48 Ca on 108 Pd reaction. Because the recoil velocity of the 152 Dy residues was very high using this symmetric reaction (5% v/c), it was furthermore necessary to use a stack of two thin targets to reduce the Doppler broadening. Germanium targets are fragile and do not withstand high beam currents, therefore the 76 Ge target stacks were mounted on a rotating target wheel. A description of the 76 Ge target stack preparation will be presented and the target performance described

Improving Performance of Cantilevered Momentum Wheel Assemblies by Soft Suspension Support

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Weiyong Zhou

2013-01-01

Full Text Available This paper focuses on improving the performance of the rigid support cantilevered momentum wheel assemblies (CMWA by soft suspension support. A CMWA, supported by two angular contact ball bearings, was modeled as a Jeffcott rotor. The support stiffness, before and after in series with a linear soft suspension support, were simplified as two Duffing's type springs respectively. The result shows that the rigid support CMWA produces large disturbance force at the resonance speed range. The soft suspension CMWA can effectively reduce the force on the bearing (also disturbance forces produced by the CMWA at high rotational speed, and also reduce the nonlinear characteristic of the stiffness. However, the instability of the soft suspension CMWA will limit the maximum rotational speed of the CMWA. Thus, a "proper" stiffness of the soft suspension system is a trade-off strategy between reduction of the force and extension of the speed range simultaneously.

Equipping an automated wheelchair with an infrared encoder wheel odometer - biomed 2011.

Science.gov (United States)

Schultz, D; Allen, M; Barrett, S F

2011-01-01

Assistive technology is a rapidly growing field that provides a degree of freedom and self-sufficiency to people of limited mobility. Smart wheelchairs are a subset of assistive technology, and are designed to be operated by people who are unable to use a traditional control system. Instead, smart wheelchairs are equipped with a combination of automated functionality and steering mechanisms specialized to meet a person’s individual needs. One feature common to the automated capabilities of smart wheelchairs is the tracking system. The wheelchair’s microcontroller needs to know how far the chair has travelled, its speed, and the rotational direction of its wheels in order to successfully navigate through an environment. The purpose of this research was to develop an odometer to track the motion of a motorized wheelchair. Due to federal regulations that prohibit changing the structure or internal mechanics of a medical device, the odometer had to be designed as a separate, removable part. The final design for the odometer consisted of two infrared sensors that measure edge transitions of a segmented black and white encoder wheel. The sensor output was then run through two comparator op amps and a high pass filter to produce a clean, crisp square wave signal output. The signal was then fed to an Atmel ATmega164P microcontroller. The microcontroller was programmed to compare the sensor signal with its internal clock, sense edge transitions, and thereby extrapolate the speed, travelled distance, and rotational direction of the wheelchair.

Costs associated with wheeling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1991-01-01

Wheeling costs are incurred by all companies that experience a change in power flows over their transmission lines during a specific transaction, whether or not the lines of that company are part of the contract path. The costs of providing wheeling service differ from one system to another and from one kind of wheeling transaction to another. While most transactions may be completed using existing capacity, others may require an increase in line. Depending on the situation, some cost components may be high, low, negative, or not incurred at all. This article discusses two general categories of costs; transactional and capital. The former are all operation, maintenance and opportunity costs incurred in completing a specific transaction assuming the existence of adequate capacity. Capital costs are the costs of major new equipment purchases and lines necessary to provide any increased level of transmission services

Project considerations and design of systems for wheeling cogenerated power

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tessmer, R.G. Jr.; Boyle, J.R.; Fish, J.H. III; Martin, W.A.

1994-08-01

Wheeling electric power, the transmission of electricity not owned by an electric utility over its transmission lines, is a term not generally recognized outside the electric utility industry. Investigation of the term`s origin is intriguing. For centuries, wheel has been used to describe an entire machine, not just individual wheels within a machine. Thus we have waterwheel, spinning wheel, potter`s wheel and, for an automobile, wheels. Wheel as a verb connotes transmission or modification of forces and motion in machinery. With the advent of an understanding of electricity, use of the word wheel was extended to be transmission of electric power as well as mechanical power. Today, use of the term wheeling electric power is restricted to utility transmission of power that it doesn`t own. Cogeneration refers to simultaneous production of electric and thermal power from an energy source. This is more efficient than separate production of electricity and thermal power and, in many instances, less expensive.

Investigation In Two Wheels Mobile Robot Movement: Stability and Motion Paths

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abdulrahman A.A. Emhemed

2013-01-01

Full Text Available This paper deals with the problem of dynamic modelling of inspection robot two wheels. Fuzzy controller based on robotics techniques for optimize of an inspection stability. The target is to enhancement of robot direction and avoids the obstacles. To find collision free area, distance-sensors such as ultra-sonic sensors and laser scanners or vision systems are usually employed. The distance-sensors offer only distance information between mobile robots and obstacles. Also the target are shown can be reached by different directions. The fuzzy logic controller is effect to avoid the abstacles and get ideal direction to “the target box”.

Phenomena of Foamed Concrete under Rolling of Aircraft Wheels

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Chun-shui; Yao, Hong-yu; Xiao, Xian-bo; Kong, Xiang-jun; Shi, Ya-jie

2014-04-01

Engineered Material Arresting System (EMAS) is an effective technique to reduce hazards associated with aircraft overrunning runway. In order to ascertain phenomena of the foamed concrete used for EMAS under rolling of aircraft wheel, a specially designed experimental setup was built which employed Boeing 737 aircraft wheels bearing actual vertical loads to roll through the foamed concrete. A number of experiments were conducted upon this setup. It is discovered that the wheel rolls the concrete in a pure rolling manner and crushes the concrete downwards, instead of crushing it forward, as long as the concrete is not higher than the wheel axle. The concrete is compressed into powder in-situ by the wheel and then is brought to bottom of the wheel. The powder under the wheel is loose and thus is not able to sustain wheel braking. It is also found that after being rolled by the wheel the concrete exhibits either of two states, i.e. either 'crushed through' whole thickness of the concrete or 'crushed halfway', depending on combination of strength of the concrete, thickness of the concrete, vertical load the wheel carries, tire dimension and tire pressure. A new EMAS design concept is developed that if an EMAS design results in the 'crushed through' state for the main gears while the 'crushed halfway' state for the nose gear, the arresting bed would be optimal to accommodate the large difference in strength between the nose gear and the main gear of an aircraft.

Mechatronic track guidance on disturbed track: the trade-off between actuator performance and wheel wear

Science.gov (United States)

Kurzeck, Bernhard; Heckmann, Andreas; Wesseler, Christoph; Rapp, Matthias

2014-05-01

Future high-speed trains are the main focus of the DLR research project Next Generation Train. One central point of the research activities is the development of mechatronic track guidance for the two-axle intermediate wagons with steerable, individually powered, independently rotating wheels. The traction motors hereby fulfil two functions; they concurrently are traction drives and steering actuators. In this paper, the influence of the track properties - line layout and track irregularities - on the performance requirements for the guidance actuator is investigated using multi-body models in SIMPACK®. In order to compromise on the design conflict between low wheel wear and low steering torque, the control parameters of the mechatronic track guidance are optimised using the DLR in-house software MOPS. Besides the track irregularities especially the increasing inclination at transition curves defines high actuator requirements due to gyroscopic effects at high speed. After introducing a limiter for the actuating variables into the control system, a good performance is achieved.

GAROS, an aeroelastic code for coupled fixed-rotating structures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rees, M. [Aerodyn Energiestyseme GmbH, Rendsburg (Germany); Vollan, A. [Pilatus Flugzeugwerke, Stans (Switzerland)

1996-09-01

The GAROS (General Analysis of Rotating Structures) program system has been specially designed to calculate aeroelastic stability and dynamic response of horizontal axis wind energy converters. Nevertheless it is also suitable for the dynamic analysis of helicopter rotors and has been used in the analysis of car bodies taking account of rotating wheels. GAROS was developed over the last 17 years. In the following the mechanical and the aerodynamic model will be discussed in detail. A short overview of the solution methods for the equation of motion in time and frequency domain will ge given. After this one example for the FEM model of the rotor and tower will be discussed. (EG)

Finding the Quickest Straight-Line Trajectory for a Three-Wheeled Omnidirectional Robot under Input Voltage Constraints

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ki Bum Kim

2015-01-01

Full Text Available We provide an analytical solution to the problem of generating the quickest straight-line trajectory for a three-wheeled omnidirectional mobile robot, under the practical constraint of limited voltage. Applying the maximum principle to the geometric properties of the input constraints, we find that an optimal input vector of motor voltages has at least one extreme value when the orientation of the robot is fixed and two extreme values when rotation is allowed. We can find an explicit representation of the optimal vector for a motion under fixed orientation. We derive several properties of quickest straight-line trajectories and verify them through simulation. We show that the quickest trajectory when rotation is allowed is always faster than the quickest with fixed orientation.

Reaction Wheel Disturbance Model Extraction Software - RWDMES

Science.gov (United States)

Blaurock, Carl

2009-01-01

The RWDMES is a tool for modeling the disturbances imparted on spacecraft by spinning reaction wheels. Reaction wheels are usually the largest disturbance source on a precision pointing spacecraft, and can be the dominating source of pointing error. Accurate knowledge of the disturbance environment is critical to accurate prediction of the pointing performance. In the past, it has been difficult to extract an accurate wheel disturbance model since the forcing mechanisms are difficult to model physically, and the forcing amplitudes are filtered by the dynamics of the reaction wheel. RWDMES captures the wheel-induced disturbances using a hybrid physical/empirical model that is extracted directly from measured forcing data. The empirical models capture the tonal forces that occur at harmonics of the spin rate, and the broadband forces that arise from random effects. The empirical forcing functions are filtered by a physical model of the wheel structure that includes spin-rate-dependent moments (gyroscopic terms). The resulting hybrid model creates a highly accurate prediction of wheel-induced forces. It accounts for variation in disturbance frequency, as well as the shifts in structural amplification by the whirl modes, as the spin rate changes. This software provides a point-and-click environment for producing accurate models with minimal user effort. Where conventional approaches may take weeks to produce a model of variable quality, RWDMES can create a demonstrably high accuracy model in two hours. The software consists of a graphical user interface (GUI) that enables the user to specify all analysis parameters, to evaluate analysis results and to iteratively refine the model. Underlying algorithms automatically extract disturbance harmonics, initialize and tune harmonic models, and initialize and tune broadband noise models. The component steps are described in the RWDMES user s guide and include: converting time domain data to waterfall PSDs (power spectral

Laboratory tests of catastrophic disruption of rotating bodies

Science.gov (United States)

Morris, A. J. W.; Burchell, M. J.

2017-11-01

The results of catastrophic disruption experiments on static and rotating targets are reported. The experiments used cement spheres of diameter 10 cm as the targets. Impacts were by mm sized stainless steel spheres at speeds of between 1 and 7.75 km s-1. Energy densities (Q) in the targets ranged from 7 to 2613 J kg-1. The experiments covered both the cratering and catastrophic disruption regimes. For static, i.e. non-rotating targets the critical energy density for disruption (Q*, the value of Q when the largest surviving target fragment has a mass equal to one half of the pre-impact target mass) was Q* = 1447 ± 90 J kg-1. For rotating targets (median rotation frequency of 3.44 Hz) we found Q* = 987 ± 349 J kg-1, a reduction of 32% in the mean value. This lower value of Q* for rotating targets was also accompanied by a larger scatter on the data, hence the greater uncertainty. We suggest that in some cases the rotating targets behaved as static targets, i.e. broke up with the same catastrophic disruption threshold, but in other cases the rotation helped the break up causing a lower catastrophic disruption threshold, hence both the lower value of Q* and the larger scatter on the data. The fragment mass distributions after impact were similar in both the static and rotating target experiments with similar slopes.

Slotted rotatable target assembly and systematic error analysis for a search for long range spin dependent interactions from exotic vector boson exchange using neutron spin rotation

Science.gov (United States)

Haddock, C.; Crawford, B.; Fox, W.; Francis, I.; Holley, A.; Magers, S.; Sarsour, M.; Snow, W. M.; Vanderwerp, J.

2018-03-01

We discuss the design and construction of a novel target array of nonmagnetic test masses used in a neutron polarimetry measurement made in search for new possible exotic spin dependent neutron-atominteractions of Nature at sub-mm length scales. This target was designed to accept and efficiently transmit a transversely polarized slow neutron beam through a series of long open parallel slots bounded by flat rectangular plates. These openings possessed equal atom density gradients normal to the slots from the flat test masses with dimensions optimized to achieve maximum sensitivity to an exotic spin-dependent interaction from vector boson exchanges with ranges in the mm - μm regime. The parallel slots were oriented differently in four quadrants that can be rotated about the neutron beam axis in discrete 90°increments using a Geneva drive. The spin rotation signals from the 4 quadrants were measured using a segmented neutron ion chamber to suppress possible systematic errors from stray magnetic fields in the target region. We discuss the per-neutron sensitivity of the target to the exotic interaction, the design constraints, the potential sources of systematic errors which could be present in this design, and our estimate of the achievable sensitivity using this method.

Control of wheeled mobile robot in restricted environment

Science.gov (United States)

Ali, Mohammed A. H.; En, Chang Yong

2018-03-01

This paper presents a simulation and practical control system for wheeled mobile robot in restricted environment. A wheeled mobile robot with 3 wheels is fabricated and controlled by proportional derivative active force control (PD-AFC) to move in a pre-planned restricted environment to maintain the tracking errors at zero level. A control system with two loops, outer by PD controller and inner loop by Active Force Control, are designed to control the wheeled mobile robot. Fuzzy logic controller is implemented in the Active force Control to estimate the inertia matrix that will be used to calculate the actual torque applied on the wheeled mobile robot. The mobile robot is tested in two different trajectories, namely are circular and straight path. The actual path and desired path are compared.

Nonlinear analysis of the GFRP material wheel hub

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dong Yun-Feng

2015-01-01

Full Text Available In this paper, the current bicycle wheel was replaced by the ones which composed by the wheel hub with Glassfiber Reinforced Plastic (alkali free thin-walled cylinder material, hereinafter referred to as GFRP material and the protective components made up of rubber outer pneumatic pad. With the help of the basic theory of elastic-plastic mechanics, the finite element “Nonlinear buckling” analysis of the wheel was carried out. The results show that the maximum elastic deformation of the wheel hub and the critical value of buckling failure load were restricted by the elasticity under the condition of external loads. Considering with the tensile strength and elastic modulus of the GFRP value of the material, it is demonstrated that the material is feasible to be used for wheel hub.

Meals on Wheels Association of America

Science.gov (United States)

... Meals About Meals on Wheels Get Started The Issue The Problem & Our Solution Meals on Wheels Health Facts & Resources Senior Facts Map State Fact Sheets Research More Than a Meal Pilot Research Study Medicare Claims Analyses Policy Myths Hunger in Older Adults Take Action Volunteer Advocate #SAVELUNCH ...

ANALYSIS OF FORMING TREAD WHEEL SETS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Igor IVANOV

2017-09-01

Full Text Available This paper shows the results of a theoretical study of profile high-speed grinding (PHSG for forming tread wheel sets during repair instead of turning and mold-milling. Significant disadvantages of these methods are low capacity to adapt to the tool and inhomogeneous structure of the wheel material. This leads to understated treatment regimens and difficulties in recovering wheel sets with thermal and mechanical defects. This study carried out modeling and analysis of emerging cutting forces. Proposed algorithms describe the random occurrence of the components of the cutting forces in the restoration profile of wheel sets with an inhomogeneous structure of the material. To identify the statistical features of randomly generated structures fractal dimension and the method of random additions were used. The multifractal spectrum formed is decomposed into monofractals by wavelet transform. The proposed method allows you to create the preconditions for controlling the parameters of the treatment process.

Development of Diamond-like Carbon Fibre Wheel

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

魏源迁; 山口勝美; 洞口巌; 竹内雅之

2004-01-01

A unique diamond-like carbon (DLC) grinding wheel was developed, in which the DLC fibres were made by rolling Al sheets coated with DLC films and aligned normally to the grinding wheel surface by laminating Al sheets together with DLC fibres. In this paper, the formation process of DLC fibres and the fabrication process of a DLC fibre wheel were investigated. Many grinding experiments were also carried out on a precision NC plane milling machine using a newly developed DLC wheel. Grinding of specimens of silicon wafers, optical glasses, quartz, granites and hardened die steel SKD11 demonstrated the capabilities of nanometer surface finish. A smooth surface with a roughness value of Ra2.5nm (Ry26nm) was achieved.

UT Biomedical Informatics Lab (BMIL) probability wheel

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Sheng-Cheng; Lee, Sara; Wang, Allen; Cantor, Scott B.; Sun, Clement; Fan, Kaili; Reece, Gregory P.; Kim, Min Soon; Markey, Mia K.

A probability wheel app is intended to facilitate communication between two people, an "investigator" and a "participant", about uncertainties inherent in decision-making. Traditionally, a probability wheel is a mechanical prop with two colored slices. A user adjusts the sizes of the slices to indicate the relative value of the probabilities assigned to them. A probability wheel can improve the adjustment process and attenuate the effect of anchoring bias when it is used to estimate or communicate probabilities of outcomes. The goal of this work was to develop a mobile application of the probability wheel that is portable, easily available, and more versatile. We provide a motivating example from medical decision-making, but the tool is widely applicable for researchers in the decision sciences.

[Risk factors for the development of rotator cuff tears in individuals with paraplegia : A cross-sectional study].

Science.gov (United States)

Pepke, W; Brunner, M; Abel, R; Almansour, H; Gerner, H J; Hug, A; Zeifang, F; Kentar, Y; Bruckner, T; Akbar, M

2018-02-27

Shoulder pain and rotator cuff tears are highly prevalent among wheelchair dependent individuals with paraplegia. The purpose of this study was to identify potential risk factors associated with the development of rotator cuff tears in this population. A total of 217 wheelchair dependent individuals with paraplegia were included in this cross-sectional study (level of evidence III). The mean age of this population was 47.9 years and the mean duration of wheelchair dependence was 24.1 years. Each individual was asked to complete a questionnaire designed to identify risk factors for rotator cuff tears and underwent a standardized clinical examination with the documentation of the Constant-Murley shoulder outcome score and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of both shoulder joints. MRI analysis revealed at least one rotator cuff tear in 93 patients (43%). Multiple logistic regression analysis identified the following factors to be associated with the presence of rotator cuff tear: patient age, duration of spinal cord injury/wheelchair dependence, gender, and wheelchair athletic activity. Neither BMI nor the level of spinal cord injury was found to pose a risk factor in the population studied. With respect to patient age, the risk of developing a rotator cuff tear increased by 11% per annum. In terms of duration of spinal cord injury, the analysis revealed a 6% increased risk per year of wheelchair dependence (OR = 1.06). Females had a 2.6-fold higher risk of developing rotator cuff tears than males and wheelchair sport activity increased the risk 2.3-fold. There is a high prevalence of rotator cuff tears in wheel-chair dependent persons with paraplegia. Risk factors such as age, gender, duration of paraplegia, and wheel chair sport activity seem to play an important role in the development of rotator cuff tears.

Stabilization of the wheel running phenotype in mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Bowen, Robert S; Cates, Brittany E; Combs, Eric B; Dillard, Bryce M; Epting, Jessica T; Foster, Brittany R; Patterson, Shawnee V; Spivey, Thomas P

2016-03-01

Increased physical activity is well known to improve health and wellness by modifying the risks for many chronic diseases. Rodent wheel running behavior is a beneficial surrogate model to evaluate the biology of daily physical activity in humans. Upon initial exposure to a running wheel, individual mice differentially respond to the experience, which confounds the normal activity patterns exhibited in this otherwise repeatable phenotype. To promote phenotypic stability, a minimum seven-day (or greater) acclimation period is utilized. Although phenotypic stabilization is achieved during this 7-day period, data to support acclimation periods of this length are not currently available in the literature. The purpose of this project is to evaluate the wheel running response in C57BL/6j mice immediately following exposure to a running wheel. Twenty-eight male and thirty female C57BL/6j mice (Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME) were acquired at eight weeks of age and were housed individually with free access to running wheels. Wheel running distance (km), duration (min), and speed (m∙min(-1)) were measured daily for fourteen days following initial housing. One-way ANOVAs were used to evaluate day-to-day differences in each wheel running character. Limits of agreement and mean difference statistics were calculated between days 1-13 (acclimating) and day 14 (acclimated) to assess day-to-day agreement between each parameter. Wheel running distance (males: F=5.653, p=2.14 × 10(-9); females: F=8.217, p=1.20 × 10(-14)), duration (males: F=2.613, p=0.001; females: F=4.529, p=3.28 × 10(-7)), and speed (males: F=7.803, p=1.22 × 10(-13); females: F=13.140, p=2.00 × 10(-16)) exhibited day-to-day differences. Tukey's HSD post-hoc testing indicated differences between early (males: days 1-3; females: days 1-6) and later (males: days >3; females: days >6) wheel running periods in distance and speed. Duration only exhibited an anomalous difference between wheel running on day 13

Wheeling rates evaluation using optimal power flows

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muchayi, M.; El-Hawary, M. E.

1998-01-01

Wheeling is the transmission of electrical power and reactive power from a seller to a buyer through a transmission network owned by a third party. The wheeling rates are then the prices charged by the third party for the use of its network. This paper proposes and evaluates a strategy for pricing wheeling power using a pricing algorithm that in addition to the fuel cost for generation incorporates the optimal allocation of the transmission system operating cost, based on time-of-use pricing. The algorithm is implemented for the IEEE standard 14 and 30 bus system which involves solving a modified optimal power flow problem iteratively. The base of the proposed algorithm is the hourly spot price. The analysis spans a total time period of 24 hours. Unlike other algorithms that use DC models, the proposed model captures wheeling rates of both real and reactive power. Based on the evaluation, it was concluded that the model has the potential for wide application in calculating wheeling rates in a deregulated competitive power transmission environment. 9 refs., 3 tabs

49 CFR 229.75 - Wheels and tire defects.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 49 Transportation 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Wheels and tire defects. 229.75 Section 229.75....75 Wheels and tire defects. Wheels and tires may not have any of the following conditions: (a) A... two adjoining spots that are each two or more inches in length. (e) A seam running lengthwise that is...

Effect of inter-cooling on the performance and economics of a solar energy assisted hybrid air conditioning system with six stages one-rotor desiccant wheel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elzahzby, Ali M.; Kabeel, A.E.; Bassuoni, M.M.; Abdelgaied, Mohamed

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Development of a mathematical model for predicting the performance of solar energy assisted hybrid air conditioning system. • The model uses a one-rotor six-stage rotary silica gel desiccant wheel. • Theoretical model results are in good agreement with experimental data. • The influences of main operating parameters on optimal rotational speed are discussed. • A life cycle cost analysis of the proposed system has been investigated. - Abstract: In this study, a mathematical model for predicting the performance of solar energy assisted hybrid air conditioning system (SEAHACS) was considered. The desiccant wheels used honeycombed silica gel–haloids composite material. This one-rotor desiccant wheel is divided into six stages, in which two-stage dehumidification process, two-stage pre-cooling process and two-stage regeneration process are realized. Three air streams are involved in the present system. The mathematical model has been validated with the experimental data. As the key operating and design parameter, the range of process air inlet temperature from 27.5 to 45 °C, range of humidity ratio of the inlet process air from 9 to 21 g/kg, process air inlet velocity from 1.5 to 5.5 m/s have been examined for a range of rotation speed from 6 to 20 rev/h. the optimization of this parameters is conducted based on the moisture removal capacity D, relative moisture removal capacity, dehumidification coefficient of performance, thermal coefficient of performance, and supply air temperature and humidity ratio. At last, the influences of these main parameters on optimal rotational speed are discussed. Eventually, the life cycle cost analysis of the solar energy assisted hybrid air conditioning system has been investigated

The effect of wheel eccentricity and run-out on grinding forces, waviness, wheel wear and chatter

OpenAIRE

O'DONNELL, GARRET; MURPHY, STUART

2011-01-01

PUBLISHED The effect of grinding-wheel eccentricity on grinding forces, wheel wear and final waviness height was studied. Eccentricity was evident in force oscillations and acceleration and audio measurements. A model was developed to predict final scallop-profile shape from grinding parameters and eccentricity. Recommendations are given on detecting eccentricity and determining when eccentricity is tolerable.

Finite element analysis of rail-wheel interaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rahman, F.; Kharlamov, Y.A.; Islam, S.; Khan, A.A.

2006-01-01

Damage mechanisms such as surface cracks, plastic deformation and wear can significantly reduce the service life of railway track and rolling stock. They also have a negative impact on the rolling noise as well as: on the riding comfort. A proper understanding of these mechanisms requires a detailed knowledge of physical interaction between wheel and rail. Furthermore, demands for higher train speeds and increased axle loads implies that the consequences of larger contact. forces between wheel and rail must be thoroughly investigated. Two methods have traditionally been used to investigate the rail-wheel contact, that is the Hertz analytical method and simplified numerical method based on the boundary element (BE) method. These methods rely on a half-space assumption and a linear material model. This paper presents that to overcome these limitations, a tool for FE-based quasistatic wheel-rail contact simulations has been developed. The tool is a library of ANSYS macro routines for configuring, meshing and loading of a parametric wheel-rail model. The meshing is based on measured wheel and rail profiles. The wheel and rail materials in the contact region are treated as elastic-plastic with kinematic hardening. By controlling the values of the configuration parameters, representations of various driving cases can be generated. The quasi-static loads are obtained from train motion. Interaction phenomena such as rolling, spinning and sidling can be included. The modeling tool and a methodology are described in the presented paper. Significant differences in the calculated state between the FE solution and the traditional approaches can be observed. These differences are most significant in situations with flange contact. (author)

Dynamic Models of Instruments Using Rotating Unbalanced Masses

Science.gov (United States)

Hung, John Y.; Gallaspy, Jason M.; Bishop, Carlee A.

1998-01-01

The motion of telescopes, satellites, and other flight bodies have been controlled by various means in the past. For example, gimbal mounted devices can use electric motors to produce pointing and scanning motions. Reaction wheels, control moment gyros, and propellant-charged reaction jets are other technologies that have also been used. Each of these methods has its advantages, but all actuator systems used in a flight environment face the challenges of minimizing weight, reducing energy consumption, and maximizing reliability. Recently, Polites invented and patented the Rotating Unbalanced Mass (RUM) device as a means for generation scanning motion on flight experiments. RUM devices together with traditional servomechanisms have been successfully used to generate various scanning motions: linear, raster, and circular. The basic principle can be described: A RUM rotating at constant angular velocity exerts a cyclic centrifugal force on the instrument or main body, thus producing a periodic scanning motion. A system of RUM devices exerts no reaction forces on the main body, requires very little energy to rotate the RUMS, and is simple to construct. These are significant advantages over electric motors, reaction wheels, and control moment gyroscopes. Although the RUM device very easily produces scanning motion, an auxiliary control system has been required to maintain the proper orientation, or pointing of the main body. It has been suggested that RUM devices can be used to control pointing dynamics, as well as generate the desired periodic scanning motion. The idea is that the RUM velocity will not be kept constant, but will vary over the period of one RUM rotation. The thought is that the changing angular velocity produces a centrifugal force having time-varying magnitude and direction. The scope of this ongoing research project is to study the pointing control concept, and recommend a direction of study for advanced pointing control using only RUM devices. This

29 CFR 1915.134 - Abrasive wheels.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 29 Labor 7 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Abrasive wheels. 1915.134 Section 1915.134 Labor Regulations Relating to Labor (Continued) OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR... wheels shall fit freely on the spindle and shall not be forced on. The spindle nut shall be tightened...

The influence of friction coefficient and wheel/rail profiles on energy dissipation in the wheel/rail contact

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Idarraga Alarcon, G.A.; Burgelman, N.D.M.; Meza Meza, J.; Toro, A.; Li, Z.

2015-01-01

This work investigates the energy dissipation in a wheel/rail system through friction work modeling. In order to identify the effect of the friction coefficient on the energy dissipation in the wheel/rail contact, several simulations were performed using a 3D multibody model of a railway vehicle

Modeling of the motion of automobile elastic wheel in real-time for creation of wheeled vehicles motion control electronic systems

Science.gov (United States)

Balakina, E. V.; Zotov, N. M.; Fedin, A. P.

2018-02-01

Modeling of the motion of the elastic wheel of the vehicle in real-time is used in the tasks of constructing different models in the creation of wheeled vehicles motion control electronic systems, in the creation of automobile stand-simulators etc. The accuracy and the reliability of simulation of the parameters of the wheel motion in real-time when rolling with a slip within the given road conditions are determined not only by the choice of the model, but also by the inaccuracy and instability of the numerical calculation. It is established that the inaccuracy and instability of the calculation depend on the size of the step of integration and the numerical method being used. The analysis of these inaccuracy and instability when wheel rolling with a slip was made and recommendations for reducing them were developed. It is established that the total allowable range of steps of integration is 0.001.0.005 s; the strongest instability is manifested in the calculation of the angular and linear accelerations of the wheel; the weakest instability is manifested in the calculation of the translational velocity of the wheel and moving of the center of the wheel; the instability is less at large values of slip angle and on more slippery surfaces. A new method of the average acceleration is suggested, which allows to significantly reduce (up to 100%) the manifesting of instability of the solution in the calculation of all parameters of motion of the elastic wheel for different braking conditions and for the entire range of steps of integration. The results of research can be applied to the selection of control algorithms in vehicles motion control electronic systems and in the testing stand-simulators

The colour wheels of art, perception, science and physiology

Science.gov (United States)

Harkness, Nick

2006-06-01

Colour is not the domain of any one discipline be it art, philosophy, psychology or science. Each discipline has its own colour wheel and this presentation examines the origins and philosophies behind the colour circles of Art, Perception, Science and Physiology (after image) with reference to Aristotle, Robert Boyle, Leonardo da Vinci, Goethe, Ewald Hering and Albert Munsell. The paper analyses and discusses the differences between the four colour wheels using the Natural Colour System® notation as the reference for hue (the position of colours within each of the colour wheels). Examination of the colour wheels shows the dominance of blue in the wheels of art, science and physiology particularly at the expense of green. This paper does not consider the three-dimensionality of colour space its goal was to review the hue of a colour with regard to its position on the respective colour wheels.

Wheel running, voluntary ethanol consumption, and hedonic substitution.

Science.gov (United States)

Ozburn, Angela Renee; Harris, R Adron; Blednov, Yuri A

2008-08-01

Few studies have examined the relationship between naturally rewarding behaviors and ethanol drinking behaviors in mice. Although natural and drug reinforcers activate similar brain circuitry, there is behavioral evidence suggesting food and drug rewards differ in perceived value. The primary goal of the present study was to investigate the relationships between naturally reinforcing stimuli and consumption of ethanol in ethanol preferring C57BL/6J mice. Mouse behaviors were observed after the following environmental manipulations: standard or enhanced environment, accessible or inaccessible wheel, and presence or absence of ethanol. Using a high-resolution volumetric drinking monitor and wheel running monitor, we evaluated whether alternating access to wheel running modified ethanol-related behaviors and whether alternating access to ethanol modified wheel running or subsequent ethanol-related behaviors. We found that ethanol consumption remains stable with alternating periods of wheel running. Wheel running increases in the absence of ethanol and decreases upon reintroduction of ethanol. Upon reintroduction of ethanol, an alcohol deprivation effect was seen. Collectively, the results support theories of hedonic substitution and suggest that female C57BL/6J mice express ethanol seeking and craving under these specific conditions.

Study on the Attitude Control of Spacecraft Using Reaction Wheels

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ju-Young Du

1998-06-01

Full Text Available Attitude determination and control of satellite is important component which determines the accomplish satellite missions. In this study, attitude control using reaction wheels and momentum dumping of wheels are considered. Attitude control law is designed by Sliding control and LQR. Attitude maneuver control law is obtained by Shooting method. Wheels momentum dumping control law is designed by Bang-Bang control. Four reaction wheels are configurated for minimized the electric power consumption. Wheels control torque and magnetic moment of magnetic torquer are limited.

Stationary states and rotational properties of spin-orbit-coupled Bose-Einstein condensates held under a toroidal trap

Science.gov (United States)

He, Zhang-Ming; Zhang, Xiao-Fei; Kato, Masaya; Han, Wei; Saito, Hiroki

2018-06-01

We consider a pseudospin-1/2 Bose-Einstein condensate with Rashba spin-orbit coupling in a two-dimensional toroidal trap. By solving the damped Gross-Pitaevskii equations for this system, we show that the system exhibits a rich variety of stationary states, such as vehicle wheel and flower-petal stripe patterns. These stationary states are stable against perturbation with thermal energy and can survive for a long time. In the presence of rotation, our results show that the rotating systems have exotic vortex configurations. These phenomenon originates from the interplay among spin-orbit coupling, trap geometry, and rotation.

Optical choppers with rotational elements: modeling, design and prototypes

Science.gov (United States)

Duma, Virgil-Florin; Cira, Octavian; Demian, Dorin

2017-05-01

We present a brief overview of our contributions regarding the analysis and design of optical choppers. Their applications range numerous domains, from optical sensing in radiometry or telescopes to laser manufacturing and biomedical imaging - for example for the controlled attenuation of light, the elimination of selected spectral domains, or the switching of optical paths. While these aspects are pointed out, the paper describes our analysis, modeling, and manufacturing of prototypes for choppers with: (a) wheels with windows with linear margins; (b) wheels with windows with non-linear margins (semi-circular or elliptical), outward or inward; (c) rotational shafts with different shapes, with slits or with holes. While variant (a) represents classical choppers, variant (b) represents the "eclipse" choppers that we have developed and also patented for the solution with two adjustable wheels that can produce circular windows. Variant (c), of choppers with shafts is also a patent application. Their transmission functions are discussed, for the shape of the laser pulses produced and for the attenuation coefficients obtained. While this discussion has been completed analytically for top-hat laser beams, it has been modeled using simulations for Gaussian and Bessel beams. Design, manufacturing aspects, and prototypes of the different chopper configurations complete the presentation.

Benefits of magnesium wheels for consumer cars

Science.gov (United States)

Frishfelds, Vilnis; Timuhins, Andrejs; Bethers, Uldis

2018-05-01

Advantages and disadvantages of magnesium wheels are considered based on a mechanical model of a car. Magnesium wheels are usually applied to racing cars as they provide slightly better strength/weight ratio than aluminum alloys. Do they provide notable benefits also for the everyday user when the car speeds do not exceed allowed speed limit? Distinct properties of magnesium rims are discussed. Apart from lighter weight of magnesium alloys, they are also good in dissipating the energy of vibrations. The role of energy dissipation in the rim of a wheel is estimated by a quarter car model. Improvements to safety by using the magnesium wheels are considered. Braking distance and responsiveness of the car is studied both with and without using an Anti Blocking System (ABS). Influence of rim weight on various handling parameters of the car is quantitatively tested.

Wheel slide protection control using a command map and Smith predictor for the pneumatic brake system of a railway vehicle

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Nam-Jin; Kang, Chul-Goo

2016-10-01

In railway vehicles, excessive sliding or wheel locking can occur while braking because of a temporarily degraded adhesion between the wheel and the rail caused by the contaminated or wet surface of the rail. It can damage the wheel tread and affect the performance of the brake system and the safety of the railway vehicle. To safeguard the wheelset from these phenomena, almost all railway vehicles are equipped with wheel slide protection (WSP) systems. In this study, a new WSP algorithm is proposed. The features of the proposed algorithm are the use of the target sliding speed, the determination of a command for WSP valves using command maps, and compensation for the time delay in pneumatic brake systems using the Smith predictor. The proposed WSP algorithm was verified using experiments with a hardware-in-the-loop simulation system including the hardware of the pneumatic brake system.

The Fatigue Life Prediction of Train Wheel Rims Containing Spherical Inclusions

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yajie; Chen, Huanguo; Cai, Li; Chen, Pei; Qian, Jiacheng; Wu, Jianwei

2018-03-01

It is a common phenomenon that fatigue crack initiation occurs frequently in the inclusions of wheel rims. Research on the fatigue life of wheel rims with spherical inclusions is of great significance on the reliability of wheels. To find the danger point and working condition of a wheel, the stress state of the wheel rim with spherical inclusions was analyzed using the finite element method. Results revealed that curve conditions are dangerous. The critical plane method, based on the cumulative fatigue damage theory, was used to predict the fatigue life of the wheel rim and whether it contained spherical inclusions or not under curve conditions. It was found that the fatigue life of the wheel rim is significantly shorter when the wheel rim contains spherical inclusions. Analysis of the results can provide a theoretical basis and technical support for train operations and maintenance.

Further study on the wheel-rail impact response induced by a single wheel flat: the coupling effect of strain rate and thermal stress

Science.gov (United States)

Jing, Lin; Han, Liangliang

2017-12-01

A comprehensive dynamic finite-element simulation method was proposed to study the wheel-rail impact response induced by a single wheel flat based on a 3-D rolling contact model, where the influences of the structural inertia, strain rate effect of wheel-rail materials and thermal stress due to the wheel-rail sliding friction were considered. Four different initial conditions (i.e. pure mechanical loading plus rate-independent, pure mechanical loading plus rate-dependent, thermo-mechanical loading plus rate-independent, and thermo-mechanical loading plus rate-dependent) were involved into explore the corresponding impact responses in term of the vertical impact force, von-Mises equivalent stress, equivalent plastic strain and shear stress. Influences of train speed, flat length and axle load on the flat-induced wheel-rail impact response were discussed, respectively. The results indicate that the maximum thermal stresses are occurred on the tread of the wheel and on the top surface of the middle rail; the strain rate hardening effect contributes to elevate the von-Mises equivalent stress and restrain the plastic deformation; and the initial thermal stress due to the sliding friction will aggravate the plastic deformation of wheel and rail. Besides, the wheel-rail impact responses (i.e. impact force, von-Mises equivalent stress, equivalent plastic strain, and XY shear stress) induced by a flat are sensitive to the train speed, flat length and axle load.

OPTIMIZATION OF HEATING OF GEAR WHEEL USING NUMERICAL MODELING

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Soňa Benešová

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Successful heat treating and carburizing of gear wheels for wind turbine gear boxes requires that plastic deformation in the wheel is minimized. Numerical modeling using the DEFORM software was aimed at exploring the effects of the base, on which the gear wheel rests during heating, on the heating process. Homogeneous heating was assumed. It was found that the base heats up more quickly than the workpiece. It is the consequence of the base's shape and volume. As a result, the base expands and slides against the wheel, predominantly at the first heating stage. Later on, it prevents the gear wheel from expanding, causing plastic deformation in the wheel. The findings were used for designing new heating schedules to minimize these undesirable interactions and to reduce the plastic deformation to a negligible magnitude. In addition, this paper presents an example of a practical use of numerical modeling in the DEFORM software.

OPTIMIZATION OF HEATING OF GEAR WHEEL USING NUMERICAL MODELING

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sona Benesova

2013-05-01

Full Text Available Successful heat treating and carburizing of gear wheels for wind turbine gear boxes requires that plastic deformation in the wheel is minimized. Numerical modeling using the DEFORM software was aimed at exploring the effects of the base, on which the gear wheel rests during heating, on the heating process. Homogeneous heating was assumed. It was found that the base heats up more quickly than the workpiece. It is the consequence of the base's shape and volume. As a result, the base expands and slides against the wheel, predominantly at the first heating stage. Later on, it prevents the gear wheel from expanding, causing plastic deformation in the wheel. The findings were used for designing new heating schedules to minimize these undesirable interactions and to reduce the plastic deformation to a negligible magnitude. In addition, this paper presents an example of a practical use of numerical modeling in the DEFORM software.

Mice from lines selectively bred for high voluntary wheel running exhibit lower blood pressure during withdrawal from wheel access.

Science.gov (United States)

Kolb, Erik M; Kelly, Scott A; Garland, Theodore

2013-03-15

Exercise is known to be rewarding and have positive effects on mental and physical health. Excessive exercise, however, can be the result of an underlying behavioral/physiological addiction. Both humans who exercise regularly and rodent models of exercise addiction sometimes display behavioral withdrawal symptoms, including depression and anxiety, when exercise is denied. However, few studies have examined the physiological state that occurs during this withdrawal period. Alterations in blood pressure (BP) are common physiological indicators of withdrawal in a variety of addictions. In this study, we examined exercise withdrawal in four replicate lines of mice selectively bred for high voluntary wheel running (HR lines). Mice from the HR lines run almost 3-fold greater distances on wheels than those from non-selected control lines, and have altered brain activity as well as increased behavioral despair when wheel access is removed. We tested the hypothesis that male HR mice have an altered cardiovascular response (heart rate, systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial pressure [MAP]) during exercise withdrawal. Measurements using an occlusion tail-cuff system were taken during 8 days of baseline, 6 days of wheel access, and 2 days of withdrawal (wheel access blocked). During withdrawal, HR mice had significantly lower systolic BP, diastolic BP, and MAP than controls, potentially indicating a differential dependence on voluntary wheel running in HR mice. This is the first characterization of a cardiovascular withdrawal response in an animal model of high voluntary exercise. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Analysis of wheel rim - Material and manufacturing aspects

Science.gov (United States)

Misra, Sheelam; Singh, Abhiraaj; James, Eldhose

2018-05-01

The tire in an automobile is supported by the rim of the wheel and its shape and dimensions should be adjusted to accommodate a specified tire. In this study, a tire of car wheel rim belonging to the disc wheel category is considered. Design is an important industrial operation used to define and specify the quality of the product. The design and modelling reduces the risk of damage involved in the manufacturing process. The design performed on this wheel rim is done on modelling software. After designing the model, it is imported for analysis purposes. The analysis software is used to calculate the different types of force, stresses, torque, and pressures acting upon the rim of the wheel and it reduces the time spent by a human for mathematical calculations. The analysis carried out considers two different materials namely structural steel and aluminium. Both materials are analyzed and their performance is noted.

Blocking of conditioned taste avoidance induced by wheel running.

Science.gov (United States)

Pierce, W David; Heth, C Donald

2010-01-01

In Experiment 1, compared to non-reinforced presentation of a food stimulus (A-->no US), the association of a food stimulus with wheel running (A-->US) blocked subsequent avoidance of a distinctive flavor (X), when both the food and flavor were followed by wheel running (AX-->US). Experiment 2 replicated and extended the blocking effect, demonstrating that the amount of avoidance of X after AX-->wheel training depended on the correlation between A-alone trials and wheel running-the predictiveness of the A stimulus. The present study is the first to demonstrate associative blocking of conditioned taste avoidance (CTA) induced by wheel running and strongly implicates associative learning as the basis for this kind of avoidance. 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Development and application of resilient wheels in urban rail transit vehicle

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juan WEN

Full Text Available Urban rail transit vehicles have been more and more attractive to people as a kind of fast, comfortable, energy-saving, environmental protection and safe transportation. But because of the vehicle noise and vibration, urban rail vehicles also face severe challenges. The research of resilient wheels has been continuously developed and improved. Based on the review of development background and structure sorts of resilient wheels, the advantages of resilient wheels are described, and the research status of noise and vibration reducing, infinite element strength analysis, vehicle dynamic analysis and the wheel-rail wear of resilient wheels are discussed. Taking the low-floor LRVs (light rail vehicles in domestic and overseas as example, the development and application of the resilient wheels in city rail transit is described, and the application prospects of the resilient wheels in LRVs in domestic and the future research direction of elastic wheel are discussed.

Wheel-running reinforcement in free-feeding and food-deprived rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Belke, Terry W; Pierce, W David

2016-03-01

Rats experiencing sessions of 30min free access to wheel running were assigned to ad-lib and food-deprived groups, and given additional sessions of free wheel activity. Subsequently, both ad-lib and deprived rats lever pressed for 60s of wheel running on fixed ratio (FR) 1, variable ratio (VR) 3, VR 5, and VR 10 schedules, and on a response-initiated variable interval (VI) 30s schedule. Finally, the ad-lib rats were switched to food deprivation and the food-deprived rats were switched to free food, as rats continued responding on the response-initiated VI 30-s schedule. Wheel running functioned as reinforcement for both ad-lib and food-deprived rats. Food-deprived rats, however, ran faster and had higher overall lever-pressing rates than free-feeding rats. On the VR schedules, wheel-running rates positively correlated with local and overall lever pressing rates for deprived, but not ad-lib rats. On the response-initiated VI 30s schedule, wheel-running rates and lever-pressing rates changed for ad-lib rats switched to food deprivation, but not for food-deprived rats switched to free-feeding. The overall pattern of results suggested different sources of control for wheel running: intrinsic motivation, contingencies of automatic reinforcement, and food-restricted wheel running. An implication is that generalizations about operant responding for wheel running in food-deprived rats may not extend to wheel running and operant responding of free-feeding animals. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Dynamic and Acoustic Characterisation of Automotive Wheels

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Francesca Curà

2004-01-01

Full Text Available The subject of this paper is the dynamic and acoustic characterisation of an automotive wheel. In particular, an experimental research activity previously performed by the authors about the dynamic behaviour of automotive wheels has been extended to the acoustic field.

Reinventing the Wheel: The Economic Benefits of Wheeled Transportation in Early British Colonial West Africa

OpenAIRE

Isaías N. Chaves; Stanley L. Engerman; James A. Robinson

2013-01-01

One of the great puzzles of Sub-Saharan African economic history is that wheeled transportation was barely used prior to the colonial period. Instead, head porterage was the main method of transportation. The consensus among historians is that this was a rational adaption to the underlying conditions and factor endowments. In this paper we undertake the first systematic investigation of the relative costs of the different forms of wheeled transportation in Africa. We focus on calculating the ...

Circadian rhythm disruption by a novel running wheel: Roles of exercise and arousal in blockade of the luteinizing hormone surge

Science.gov (United States)

Duncan, Marilyn J.; Franklin, Kathleen M.; Peng, Xiaoli; Yun, Christopher; Legan, Sandra J.

2014-01-01

Exposure of proestrous Syrian hamsters to a new room, cage, and novel running wheel blocks the luteinizing hormone (LH) surge until the next day in ~75% of hamsters (Legan et al, 2010) [1]. The studies described here tested the hypotheses that 1) exercise and/or 2) orexinergic neurotransmission mediate novel wheel blockade of the LH surge and circadian phase advances. Female hamsters were exposed to a 14L:10D photoperiod and activity rhythms were monitored with infra-red detectors. In Expt. 1, to test the effect of exercise, hamsters received jugular cannulae and on the next day, proestrus (Day 1), shortly before zeitgeber time 5 (ZT 5, 7 hours before lights-off) the hamsters were transported to the laboratory. After obtaining a blood sample at ZT 5, the hamsters were transferred to a new cage with a novel wheel that was either freely rotating (unlocked), or locked until ZT 9, and exposed to constant darkness (DD). Blood samples were collected hourly for 2 days from ZT 5–11 under red light for determination of plasma LH levels by radioimmunoassay. Running rhythms were monitored continuously for the next 10–14 days. The locked wheels were as effective as unlocked wheels in blocking LH surges (no Day 1 LH surge in 6/9 versus 8/8 hamsters, P>0.05) and phase advances in the activity rhythms did not differ between the groups (P= 0.28), suggesting that intense exercise is not essential for novel wheel blockade and phase advance of the proestrous LH surge. Expt. 2 tested whether orexin neurotransmission is essential for these effects. Hamsters were treated the same as in Expt. 1 except they were injected (i.p.) at ZT 4.5 and 5 with either the orexin 1 receptor antagonist SB334867 (15 mg/kg per injection) or vehicle (25% DMSO in 2-hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin (HCD). SB-334867 inhibited novel wheel blockade of the LH surge (surges blocked in 2/6 SB334867-injected animals versus 16/18 vehicle-injected animals, Pwheel running and circadian phase shifts, indicating that

Pre-exposure to wheel running disrupts taste aversion conditioning.

Science.gov (United States)

Salvy, Sarah-Jeanne; Pierce, W David; Heth, Donald C; Russell, James C

2002-05-01

When rats are given access to a running wheel after drinking a flavored solution, they subsequently drink less of that flavor solution. It has been suggested that running produces a conditioned taste aversion (CTA). This study explored whether CTA is eliminated by prior exposure to wheel running [i.e., unconditioned stimulus (UCS) pre-exposure effect]. The rats in the experimental group (UW) were allowed to wheel run for 1 h daily for seven consecutive days of pre-exposure. Rats in the two other groups had either access to locked wheels (LW group) or were maintained in their home cages (HC group) during the pre-exposure days. All rats were then exposed to four paired and four unpaired trials using a "ABBAABBA" design. Conditioning trials were composed of one flavored liquid followed by 60-min access to wheel running. For the unpaired trials, rats received a different flavor not followed by the opportunity to run. All rats were then initially tested for water consumption followed by tests of the two flavors (paired or unpaired) in a counterbalanced design. Rats in the UW group show no CTA to the liquid paired with wheel running, whereas LW and HC groups developed CTA. These results indicate that pre-exposure to wheel running (i.e., the UCS), eliminates subsequent CTA.

Tensegrital Wheel for Enhanced Surface Mobility, Phase I

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — ProtoInnovations introduces the "tensegrital wheel" an inventive concept for wheeled locomotion that exploits the geometric and mechanical attributes of a tensegrity...

A Nontoxic Barlow's Wheel

Science.gov (United States)

Daffron, John A.; Greenslade, Thomas B., Jr.

2015-01-01

Barlow's wheel has been a favorite demonstration since its invention by Peter Barlow (1776-1862) in 1822. In the form shown in Fig. 1, it represents the first electric motor. The interaction between the electric current passing from the axle of the wheel to the rim and the magnetic field produced by the U-magnet produces a torque that turns…

Robust Switched Predictive Braking Control for Rollover Prevention in Wheeled Vehicles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martín Antonio Rodríguez Licea

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of this paper is to propose a differential braking rollover mitigation strategy for wheeled vehicles. The strategy makes use of a polytopic (piecewise linear description of the vehicle and includes translational and rotational dynamics, as well as suspension effects. The braking controller is robust and the system states are predicted to estimate the rollover risk up to a given time horizon. In contrast to existing works, the switched predictive nature of the control allows it to be applied only when risk of rollover is foreseen, interfering a minimum with driver’s actions. The stability of the strategy is analyzed and its robustness is illustrated via numerical simulations using CarSim for a variety of vehicles.

Reaction Wheel Disturbance Model Extraction Software, Phase I

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Reaction wheel disturbances are some of the largest sources of noise on sensitive telescopes. Such wheel-induced mechanical noises are not well characterized....

Western diet increases wheel running in mice selectively bred for high voluntary wheel running.

Science.gov (United States)

Meek, T H; Eisenmann, J C; Garland, T

2010-06-01

Mice from a long-term selective breeding experiment for high voluntary wheel running offer a unique model to examine the contributions of genetic and environmental factors in determining the aspects of behavior and metabolism relevant to body-weight regulation and obesity. Starting with generation 16 and continuing through to generation 52, mice from the four replicate high runner (HR) lines have run 2.5-3-fold more revolutions per day as compared with four non-selected control (C) lines, but the nature of this apparent selection limit is not understood. We hypothesized that it might involve the availability of dietary lipids. Wheel running, food consumption (Teklad Rodent Diet (W) 8604, 14% kJ from fat; or Harlan Teklad TD.88137 Western Diet (WD), 42% kJ from fat) and body mass were measured over 1-2-week intervals in 100 males for 2 months starting 3 days after weaning. WD was obesogenic for both HR and C, significantly increasing both body mass and retroperitoneal fat pad mass, the latter even when controlling statistically for wheel-running distance and caloric intake. The HR mice had significantly less fat than C mice, explainable statistically by their greater running distance. On adjusting for body mass, HR mice showed higher caloric intake than C mice, also explainable by their higher running. Accounting for body mass and running, WD initially caused increased caloric intake in both HR and C, but this effect was reversed during the last four weeks of the study. Western diet had little or no effect on wheel running in C mice, but increased revolutions per day by as much as 75% in HR mice, mainly through increased time spent running. The remarkable stimulation of wheel running by WD in HR mice may involve fuel usage during prolonged endurance exercise and/or direct behavioral effects on motivation. Their unique behavioral responses to WD may render HR mice an important model for understanding the control of voluntary activity levels.

Wheelchair users' perceptions of and experiences with power assist wheels.

Science.gov (United States)

Giacobbi, Peter R; Levy, Charles E; Dietrich, Frederick D; Winkler, Sandra Hubbard; Tillman, Mark D; Chow, John W

2010-03-01

To assess wheelchair users' perceptions of and experiences with power assist wheels using qualitative interview methods. Qualitative evaluations were conducted in a laboratory setting with a focus on users' experiences using power assist wheel in their naturalistic environments. Participants consisted of seven women and 13 men (M(age) = 42.75, SD = 14.68) that included one African American, one Hispanic, 17 whites, and one individual from Zambia. Qualitative interviews were conducted before, during, and after use of a power assist wheel. Main outcome measures included the wheelchair users' evaluations and experiences related to the use of power assist wheels. The primary evaluations included wheeling on challenging terrains, performance of novel activities, social/family aspects, fatigue, and pain. These descriptions indicated that most participants perceived positive experiences with the power assist wheels, including access to new and different activities. Secondary evaluations indicated that the unit was cumbersome and prohibitive for some participants because of difficulties with transport in and out of a vehicle and battery life. Most participants felt that power assist wheels provided more independence and social opportunities. The power assist wheel seems to offer physical and social benefits for most wheelers. Clinicians should consider users' home environment and overall life circumstances before prescribing.

Resting Is Rusting: A Critical View on Rodent Wheel-Running Behavior.

Science.gov (United States)

Richter, Sophie Helene; Gass, Peter; Fuss, Johannes

2014-08-01

Physical exercise is known to exert various beneficial effects on brain function and bodily health throughout life. In biomedical research, these effects are widely studied by introducing running wheels into the cages of laboratory rodents. Yet, although rodents start to run in the wheels immediately, and perform wheel-running excessively on a voluntary basis, the biological significance of wheel-running is still not clear. Here, we review the current literature on wheel-running and discuss potentially negative side-effects that may give cause for concern. We particularly emphasize on analogies of wheel-running with stereotypic and addictive behavior to stimulate further research on this topic. © The Author(s) 2014.

Latent effectiveness of desiccant wheel: A silica gels- water system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rabah, A. A.; Mohamed, S. A.

2009-01-01

A latent heat effectiveness model in term of dimensionless groups? =f (NTU, m * ,Crm * ) for energy wheel has been analytically derived. The energy wheel is divided into humidification and dehumidification sections. For each section macroscopic mass differential equations for gas and the matrix were applied. In this process local latent effectiveness (? c ,? h ) for the humidification and dehumidification section of the wheel were obtained. The Latent effectiveness of the wheel is then derived form local effectiveness [? =f (? c ,? h)]. The model is compared with the existing experimental investigation and manufacturer data for energy wheel. More than 90% of the experimental data within a confidence limit of 95%. (Author)

Increasing the stability of the articulated lorry at braking by locking the fifth wheel coupling

Science.gov (United States)

Skotnikov, G. I.; Jileykin, M. M.; Komissarov, A. I.

2018-02-01

The jackknifing of the articulated lorry is determined by the loss of stability with respect to the vertical axis of the fifth wheel coupling, which can be caused by the failure of the brake system, the displacement of the center of mass of the semitrailer or tractor from the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, the road parameters (longitudinal and transverse slopes), the difference in the friction coefficients under the sides of the articulated lorry. In this regard, the issue of creating devices that prevent the jackknifing, and their control systems is important. A method is proposed for maintaining the stability of the movement of articulated lorry when braking both on a straight line and in a turn by blocking the relative rotation of the tractor and the trailer. Blocking occurs due to the creation of a stabilizing moment in the direction opposite to the angular rate of folding. To test the developed algorithm for locking the fifth wheel coupling, a mathematical model of the spatial motion of the articulated lorry was developed, including the models of interaction of an elastic tire with a rigid terrain, suspension systems, transmission, steering, fifth-wheel coupling. The efficiency and effectiveness of the coupling locking control system is proved by comparing the results of the simulation of a straight-line braking and braking in turn. It is shown that the application of the control system significantly increases the stability of the road train.

Analysis of power wheeling services

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tepel, R.C.; Jewell, W.; Johnson, R.; Maddigan, R.

1986-11-01

Purpose of this study is to examine existing wheeling arrangements to determine the terms of the agreements, to analyze the terms relative to regulatory goals, and finally, to suggest ways in which the arrangements can be modified to lead to outcomes more closely in line with the goals. The regulatory goals that are considered are: Does the arrangement meet the revenue requirement of the wheeling firm. Is efficient use promoted. Are the costs fairly apportioned. And, is the arrangement practical and feasible to implement.

Dynamic Modeling and Vibration Analysis for the Vehicles with Rigid Wheels Based on Wheel-Terrain Interaction Mechanics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jianfeng Wang

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The contact mechanics for a rigid wheel and deformable terrain are complicated owing to the rigid flexible coupling characteristics. Bekker’s equations are used as the basis to establish the equations of the sinking rolling wheel, to vertical load pressure relationship. Since vehicle movement on the Moon is a complex and on-going problem, the researcher is poised to simplify this problem of vertical loading of the wheel. In this paper, the quarter kinetic models of a manned lunar rover, which are both based on the rigid road and deformable lunar terrain, are used as the simulation models. With these kinetic models, the vibration simulations were conducted. The simulation results indicate that the quarter kinetic model based on the deformable lunar terrain accurately reflects the deformable terrain’s influence on the vibration characteristics of a manned lunar rover. Additionally, with the quarter kinetic model of the deformable terrain, the vibration simulations of a manned lunar rover were conducted, which include a parametric analysis of the wheel parameters, vehicle speed, and suspension parameters. The results show that a manned lunar rover requires a lower damping value and stiffness to achieve better vibration performance.

Diagnostics of the wheel thread of railway rolling stock

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Yu. Buryak

2013-02-01

Full Text Available Purpose. At present, the devastating impact of faulty wheels on rails on the move is a major problem of railway transport. This factor is one of the most important, which causes the shift from traditional manual methods of verification and external examination to the automated diagnostic system of rolling stock in operation. Methodology. To achieve this goal the main types of wheel damages and the way they appear are analyzed. The methods for defects and abnormalities of the wheel thread determining as well as their advantages and disadvantages were presented. Nowadays these methods are under usage in both the international practice and in the one of the CIS countries. Findings. The faulty wheel sound on the move was researched and analyzed. The necessity of using the automated system, enabling one to reduce significantly the human factor is substantiated. Originality. The method to determine the wheel thread damage on the basis of a sound diagnostic is proposed. Practical value. Automatic tracking system of the wheels condition allows performing their more qualitative diagnostics, detecting a fault at the early stage and forecasting the rate of its extension. Besides detecting the location of the faulty wheel in the rolling stock, it is also possible to trace the dynamics of the fault extension and to give the recommendations on how to eliminate it.

Bladed wheels damage detection through Non-Harmonic Fourier Analysis improved algorithm

Science.gov (United States)

Neri, P.

2017-05-01

Recent papers introduced the Non-Harmonic Fourier Analysis for bladed wheels damage detection. This technique showed its potential in estimating the frequency of sinusoidal signals even when the acquisition time is short with respect to the vibration period, provided that some hypothesis are fulfilled. Anyway, previously proposed algorithms showed severe limitations in cracks detection at their early stage. The present paper proposes an improved algorithm which allows to detect a blade vibration frequency shift due to a crack whose size is really small compared to the blade width. Such a technique could be implemented for condition-based maintenance, allowing to use non-contact methods for vibration measurements. A stator-fixed laser sensor could monitor all the blades as they pass in front of the spot, giving precious information about the wheel health. This configuration determines an acquisition time for each blade which become shorter as the machine rotational speed increases. In this situation, traditional Discrete Fourier Transform analysis results in poor frequency resolution, being not suitable for small frequency shift detection. Non-Harmonic Fourier Analysis instead showed high reliability in vibration frequency estimation even with data samples collected in a short time range. A description of the improved algorithm is provided in the paper, along with a comparison with the previous one. Finally, a validation of the method is presented, based on finite element simulations results.

Dynamic motion stabilization for front-wheel drive in-wheel motor electric vehicles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jia-Sheng Hu

2015-12-01

Full Text Available This article presents a new dynamic motion stabilization approach to front-wheel drive in-wheel motor electric vehicles. The approach includes functions such as traction control system, electronic differential system, and electronic stability control. The presented electric vehicle was endowed with anti-skid performance in longitudinal accelerated start; smooth turning with less tire scrubbing; and safe driving experience in two-dimensional steering. The analysis of the presented system is given in numerical derivations. For practical verifications, this article employed a hands-on electric vehicle named Corsa-electric vehicle to carry out the tests. The presented approach contains an integrated scheme which can achieve the mentioned functions in a single microprocessor. The experimental results demonstrated the effectiveness and feasibility of the presented methodology.

77 FR 70478 - RG Steel Wheeling, LLC, Wheeling Office, A Division Of RG Steel, LLC, Including On-Site Leased...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-11-26

... Unlimited and Green Energy Initiatives LLC, Including Workers Whose Wages Were Reported Through Severstal..., Wheeling Office, a division of RG Steel, LLC, including on-site leased workers from Pro Unlimited and Green Energy Initiatives, LLC, Wheeling, West Virginia (TA-W-81,880) and Mountain State Carbon, LLC, including...

Wheel-running attenuates intravenous cocaine self-administration in rats: sex differences.

Science.gov (United States)

Cosgrove, Kelly P; Hunter, Robb G; Carroll, Marilyn E

2002-10-01

This experiment examines the effect of access to a running-wheel on intravenous cocaine self-administration in male and female rats. Rats maintained at 85% of their free-feeding body weight were first exposed to the running-wheel alone during the 6-h sessions until behavior stabilized for 14 days. Intravenous cannulae were then implanted, and the rats were trained to self-administer a low dose of cocaine (0.2 mg/kg) under a fixed-ratio (FR 1) schedule during the 6-h sessions, while the wheel remained inactive and cocaine self-administration stabilized (cocaine-only condition). Next, the wheel access and cocaine self-administration were concurrently available followed by a period of cocaine-only. Behavior was allowed to stabilize for 10 days at each phase. During wheel access, cocaine infusions decreased by 21.9% in males and 70.6% in females compared to the cocaine-only condition; the effect was statistically significant in females. Infusions increased to baseline levels when wheel access was terminated. When cocaine infusions were concurrently available, wheel revolutions were reduced by 63.7% and 61.5% in males and females, respectively, compared to the wheel-only condition. This result did not differ due to sex, but it was statistically significant when data from males and females were combined. These results indicate that wheel-running activity had a greater suppressant effect on cocaine self-administration in females than in males, and in females, wheel-running and cocaine self-administration are substitutable as reinforcers.

Wheel running decreases the positive reinforcing effects of heroin.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Mark A; Pitts, Elizabeth G

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of voluntary wheel running on the positive reinforcing effects of heroin in rats with an established history of drug self-administration. Rats were assigned to sedentary (no wheel) and exercise (wheel) conditions and trained to self-administer cocaine under positive reinforcement contingencies. Rats acquiring cocaine self-administration were then tested with various doses of heroin during daily test sessions. Sedentary rats self-administered more heroin than exercising rats, and this effect was greatest at low and moderate doses of heroin. These data suggest that voluntary wheel running decreases the positive reinforcing effects of heroin.

Habituation contributes to the decline in wheel running within wheel-running reinforcement periods.

Science.gov (United States)

Belke, Terry W; McLaughlin, Ryan J

2005-02-28

Habituation appears to play a role in the decline in wheel running within an interval. Aoyama and McSweeney [Aoyama, K., McSweeney, F.K., 2001. Habituation contributes to within-session changes in free wheel running. J. Exp. Anal. Behav. 76, 289-302] showed that when a novel stimulus was presented during a 30-min interval, wheel-running rates following the stimulus increased to levels approximating those earlier in the interval. The present study sought to assess the role of habituation in the decline in running that occurs over a briefer interval. In two experiments, rats responded on fixed-interval 30-s schedules for the opportunity to run for 45 s. Forty reinforcers were completed in each session. In the first experiment, the brake and chamber lights were repeatedly activated and inactivated after 25 s of a reinforcement interval had elapsed to assess the effect on running within the remaining 20 s. Presentations of the brake/light stimulus occurred during nine randomly determined reinforcement intervals in a session. In the second experiment, a 110 dB tone was emitted after 25 s of the reinforcement interval. In both experiments, presentation of the stimulus produced an immediate decline in running that dissipated over sessions. No increase in running following the stimulus was observed in the first experiment until the stimulus-induced decline dissipated. In the second experiment, increases in running were observed following the tone in the first session as well as when data were averaged over several sessions. In general, the results concur with the assertion that habituation plays a role in the decline in wheel running that occurs within both long and short intervals. (c) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Milestone reached for the Big Wheels of the Muon Spectrometer

CERN Multimedia

Sandro Palestini

The assembly and integration of the Big Wheels sectors of the Muon Spectrometer is reaching its conclusion, with only a few sectors of Wheel TGC-A-3 remaining on the assembly stations in building 180. The six trigger chambers (TGCs) wheels and two precision chambers wheels (MDTs) contain in total 104 sectors, which were assembled, equipped with detectors and fully tested over a period of two years. The few remaining Big Wheel sectors still stored in building 180 Most of the sectors left building 180 over the last twelve months, and form the six Wheels currently installed in the ATLAS detector. The remaining two will be installed before the end of the summer. The commitment of the personnel from the many teams who contributed to different parts of the project was essential to its success. In particular, teams coming from countries of different traditions and languages, such as China, Israel, Japan, Pakistan, Russia and USA contributed and collaborated very effectively to the timely completion of the p...

Wheel liner design for improved sound and structural performances

Science.gov (United States)

Oltean, Alexandru; Diaconescu, Claudiu; Tabacu, Ştefan

2017-10-01

Vehicle noise is composed mainly of wheel-road noise and noise from the power unit. At low speeds power unit noise dominates while at high speeds wheel-road noise dominates as wheel-road noise level increases approximately logarithmically with speed. The wheel liner is designed as a component of the vehicle that has a multiple role. It has to prevent the dirt or water from the road surface that are engaged by the wheel to access the engine/front bay. Same time it has the important role to reduce perceived noised in the passenger’s compartment that comes from the wheel-road interaction. Progress in plastic injection moulding technology allowed for new structures to be developed - nonwoven materials in combination with a PP based carrier structure which benefits from a cell structure caused by MuCell injection moulding. The results are light parts with increased sound absorption performances. An adapted combination of materials and production processes can provide the solution for stiff yet soundproofing structures valued for modern vehicles. Sound absorption characteristics of materials used for wheel liners applications were reported in this study. Different polypropylene and polyester fibre-based thermally bonded nonwovens varying in weight and thickness were investigated. Having as a background the performances of the nonwoven material the microcellular structure was part of the analysis. Acoustical absorptive behaviour was explained by analysing the results obtained using the impedance tube and correlating with the knowledge of materials structure.

30 CFR 57.15014 - Eye protection when operating grinding wheels.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Eye protection when operating grinding wheels. 57.15014 Section 57.15014 Mineral Resources MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF... grinding wheels. Face shields or goggles in good condition shall be worn when operating a grinding wheel...

Stereotypic wheel running decreases cortical activity in mice

Science.gov (United States)

Fisher, Simon P.; Cui, Nanyi; McKillop, Laura E.; Gemignani, Jessica; Bannerman, David M.; Oliver, Peter L.; Peirson, Stuart N.; Vyazovskiy, Vladyslav V.

2016-01-01

Prolonged wakefulness is thought to gradually increase ‘sleep need' and influence subsequent sleep duration and intensity, but the role of specific waking behaviours remains unclear. Here we report the effect of voluntary wheel running during wakefulness on neuronal activity in the motor and somatosensory cortex in mice. We find that stereotypic wheel running is associated with a substantial reduction in firing rates among a large subpopulation of cortical neurons, especially at high speeds. Wheel running also has longer-term effects on spiking activity across periods of wakefulness. Specifically, cortical firing rates are significantly higher towards the end of a spontaneous prolonged waking period. However, this increase is abolished when wakefulness is dominated by running wheel activity. These findings indicate that wake-related changes in firing rates are determined not only by wake duration, but also by specific waking behaviours. PMID:27748455

The Ferris Wheel and Justifications of Curvature

Science.gov (United States)

Stevens, Irma E.; Moore, Kevin C.

2016-01-01

This report discusses the results of semi-structured clinical interviews with ten prospective secondary mathematics teachers who were provided with dynamic images of Ferris wheels. We asked the students to graph the relationship between the distance a rider traveled around the Ferris wheel and the height of the rider from the ground. We focus on…

Analysis of motion of the three wheeled mobile platform

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jaskot Anna

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The work is dedicated to the designing motion of the three wheeled mobile platform under the unsteady conditions. In this paper the results of the analysis based on the dynamics model of the three wheeled mobile robot, with two rear wheels and one front wheel has been included The prototype has been developed by the author's construction assumptions that is useful to realize the motion of the platform in a various configurations of wheel drives, including control of the active forces and the direction of their settings while driving. Friction forces, in longitudinal and in the transverse directions, are considered in the proposed model. Relation between friction and active forces are also included. The motion parameters of the mobile platform has been determined by adopting classical approach of mechanics. The formulated initial problem of platform motion has been solved numerically using the Runge-Kutta method of the fourth order. Results of motion analysis with motion parameters values are determined and sample results are presented.

30 CFR 56.15014 - Eye protection when operating grinding wheels.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Eye protection when operating grinding wheels... MINES Personal Protection § 56.15014 Eye protection when operating grinding wheels. Face shields or goggles in good condition shall be worn when operating a grinding wheel. [53 FR 32526, Aug. 25, 1988] ...

Magnetic power conversion with machines containing full or porous wheel heat exchangers

Science.gov (United States)

Egolf, Peter W.; Kitanovski, Andrej; Diebold, Marc; Gonin, Cyrill; Vuarnoz, Didier

2009-04-01

A first part of the article contains a thermodynamic theory describing the temperature distribution in a Curie wheel. The occurring nonlinear ordinary differential equation has an analytical solution. If a Curie wheel is stabilized by levitation, it is named Palmy wheel. These wheels show a full structure, and because of this reason, their uptake of heat from a flame (Curie wheel) or by (solar) light absorption (Palmy wheel) only on the periphery of a cylinder is very limited. To improve the method, a modification of the principle by introducing a convective heat transport into a porous wheel is discussed. By this the power conversion rate from a heat flux to mechanical and electric power is very much increased. The second part of the article presents results of a theoretical/numerical study on the efficiencies of magnetic power conversion plants operating with porous wheels. Furthermore, these efficiencies—which are promising—are compared with those of existing power conversion plants, as e.g. geothermal binary cycle power plants.

Magnetic power conversion with machines containing full or porous wheel heat exchangers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Egolf, Peter W.; Kitanovski, Andrej; Diebold, Marc; Gonin, Cyrill; Vuarnoz, Didier

2009-01-01

A first part of the article contains a thermodynamic theory describing the temperature distribution in a Curie wheel. The occurring nonlinear ordinary differential equation has an analytical solution. If a Curie wheel is stabilized by levitation, it is named Palmy wheel. These wheels show a full structure, and because of this reason, their uptake of heat from a flame (Curie wheel) or by (solar) light absorption (Palmy wheel) only on the periphery of a cylinder is very limited. To improve the method, a modification of the principle by introducing a convective heat transport into a porous wheel is discussed. By this the power conversion rate from a heat flux to mechanical and electric power is very much increased. The second part of the article presents results of a theoretical/numerical study on the efficiencies of magnetic power conversion plants operating with porous wheels. Furthermore, these efficiencies-which are promising-are compared with those of existing power conversion plants, as e.g. geothermal binary cycle power plants

Numerical and experimental analysis of a solid desiccant wheel

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Koronaki Irene P.

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The rotary desiccant dehumidifier is an important component which can be used in air conditioning systems in order to reduce the electrical energy consumption and introduce renewable energy sources. In this study a one dimensional gas side resistance model is presented for predicting the performance of the desiccant wheel. Measurements from two real sorption wheels are used in order to validate the model. One wheel uses silica gel as desiccant material and the other lithium chloride. The simulation results are in good agreement with the experimental data. The model is used to compare the counter flow with the co-current wheel arrangements and to explain why the counter flow one is more efficient for air dehumidification.

Nondestructive diagnosis of rotation components of a railway vehicle using infrared thermography and pattern recognitions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kwon, Seok Jin; Kim, Min Su; Seo, Jung Won; Kang, Bu Beong

2016-01-01

The faults in railway vehicle components may result in either the stoppage of the service and the derailment of the vehicle. Therefore, it is important to diagnose and monitor the main components of a railway vehicle. The use of temperature is one of the basic methods for the diagnosis of abnormal conditions in the rotational components of a railway vehicle, such as bearings, reduction gears, brake discs, wheels and traction motors. In the present study, the diagnose of the rotational components using infrared thermography and a pattern recognition technique was carried out and a field test was performed. The results show that this method of diagnosis using infrared thermography can be used to identify abnormal conditions in rotational components of a railway vehicle

Nondestructive diagnosis of rotation components of a railway vehicle using infrared thermography and pattern recognitions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kwon, Seok Jin; Kim, Min Su; Seo, Jung Won [New Transportation Research Center, Korea Railroad Research Institute, Uiwang (Korea, Republic of); Kang, Bu Beong [Dept. of of Railway Vehicle System Engineering, Woosong University, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2016-08-15

The faults in railway vehicle components may result in either the stoppage of the service and the derailment of the vehicle. Therefore, it is important to diagnose and monitor the main components of a railway vehicle. The use of temperature is one of the basic methods for the diagnosis of abnormal conditions in the rotational components of a railway vehicle, such as bearings, reduction gears, brake discs, wheels and traction motors. In the present study, the diagnose of the rotational components using infrared thermography and a pattern recognition technique was carried out and a field test was performed. The results show that this method of diagnosis using infrared thermography can be used to identify abnormal conditions in rotational components of a railway vehicle.

Riding the Ferris Wheel: A Sinusoidal Model

Science.gov (United States)

Mittag, Kathleen Cage; Taylor, Sharon E.

2011-01-01

When thinking of models for sinusoidal waves, examples such as tides of the ocean, daily temperatures for one year in your town, light and sound waves, and certain types of motion are used. Many textbooks [1, p. 222] also present a "Ferris wheel description problem" for students to work. This activity takes the Ferris wheel problem out of the…

49 CFR 230.112 - Wheels and tires.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... wheels mounted on the same axle shall not vary more than 1/4 inch. (d) Tire thickness. Wheels may not have tires with a minimum thickness less than that indicated in the table in this paragraph (d). When... the minimum thickness of tires may be as much below the limits specified earlier in this paragraph (d...

Effect of short-term prefeeding and body weight on wheel running and responding reinforced by the opportunity to run in a wheel.

Science.gov (United States)

Belke, Terry W; Pierce, W David; Jensen, K

2004-07-30

A biobehavioural analysis of activity anorexia suggests that the motivation for physical activity is regulated by food supply and body weight. In the present experiment, food allocation was varied within subjects by prefeeding food-deprived rats 0, 5, 10 and 15 g of food before sessions of lever pressing for wheel-running reinforcement. The experiment assessed the effects of prefeeding on rates of wheel running, lever pressing, and postreinforcement pausing. Results showed that prefeeding animals 5 g of food had no effect. Prefeeding 10 g of food reduced lever pressing for wheel running and rates of wheel running without a significant change in body weight; the effect was, however, transitory. Prefeeding 15 g of food increased the animals' body weights, resulting in a sustained decrease of wheel running and lever pressing, and an increase in postreinforcement pausing. Overall the results indicate that the motivation for physical activity is regulated by changes in local food supply, but is sustained only when there is a concomitant change in body weight.

Installation of the first of the big wheels of the ATLAS muon spectrometer, a thin gap chamber (TGC) wheel

CERN Multimedia

Claudia Marcelloni

2006-01-01

The muon spectrometer will include four big moving wheels at each end, each measuring 25 metres in diameter. Of the eight wheels in total, six will be composed of thin gap chambers for the muon trigger system and the other two will consist of monitored drift tubes (MDTs) to measure the position of the muons

Energy harvester for rotating environments using offset pendulum and nonlinear dynamics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roundy, Shad; Tola, Jeffry

2014-01-01

We present an energy harvester for environments that rotate through the Earth’s gravitational field. Example applications include shafts connected to motors, axles, propellers, fans, and wheels or tires. Our approach uses the unique dynamics of an offset pendulum along with a nonlinear bistable restoring spring to improve the operational bandwidth of the system. Depending on the speed of the rotating environment, the system can act as a bistable oscillator, monostable stiffening oscillator, or linear oscillator. We apply our approach to a tire pressure monitoring system mounted on a car rim. Simulation and experimental test results show that the prototype generator is capable of directly powering an RF transmission every 60 s or less over a speed range of 10 to 155 kph. (paper)

Energy harvester for rotating environments using offset pendulum and nonlinear dynamics

Science.gov (United States)

Roundy, Shad; Tola, Jeffry

2014-10-01

We present an energy harvester for environments that rotate through the Earth’s gravitational field. Example applications include shafts connected to motors, axles, propellers, fans, and wheels or tires. Our approach uses the unique dynamics of an offset pendulum along with a nonlinear bistable restoring spring to improve the operational bandwidth of the system. Depending on the speed of the rotating environment, the system can act as a bistable oscillator, monostable stiffening oscillator, or linear oscillator. We apply our approach to a tire pressure monitoring system mounted on a car rim. Simulation and experimental test results show that the prototype generator is capable of directly powering an RF transmission every 60 s or less over a speed range of 10 to 155 kph.

On the buckling of an elastic rotating beam

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Furta, Stanislaw D.; Kliem, Wolfhard; Pommer, Christian

1997-01-01

problem is integrated and this results in a second order differential equation of the Fuchs type, which allows an asymptotic expansion of the buckling equation. By means of Lyapunov and Chetaev functions, a rigorous proof is given that the loss of stability of the trivial equilibrium shape occurs for any......A nonlinear model is developed, which describes the buckling phenomena of an elastic beam clamped to the interior of a rotating wheel. We use a power series method to obtain an approximate expression of the buckling equation and compare this with previous results in the literature. The linearized...

Out-of-round railway wheels—assessment of wheel tread irregularities in train traffic

Science.gov (United States)

Johansson, Anders

2006-06-01

Results from an extensive wheel measurement campaign performed in Sweden are given and discussed. Out-of-roundness (OOR), transverse profile and surface hardness of 99 wheels on passenger trains (X2 and intercity), freight trains, commuter trains (Regina) and underground trains (C20) were measured. Both tread and disc braked wheels were investigated. The selected wheels had travelled a distance of more than 100000 km, and the measurements were conducted when the train wagons/coaches had been taken out of traffic for maintenance, most of them due to reasons other than wheel OOR. Mechanical contact measurement methods were used. The highest roughness levels (higher than 20 dB re 1 μm for some wheels) were found on powered high-speed (X2) train wheels. The previously known polygonalization of C20 underground wheels is quantified. It is also verified that an initial irregularity is formed due to the clamping in a three-jaw chuck during profiling of new C20 wheels. Magnitudes and wavelength contents of measured wheel roughness are compared with corresponding measurements of rail roughness.

Load-bearing processes in agricultural wheel-soil systems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tijink, F.G.J.

1988-01-01

In soil dynamics we distinguish between loosening and loadbearing processes. Load-bearing processes which can occur under agricultural rollers, wheels, and tyres are dealt with In this dissertation.

We classify rollers, wheels, and tyres and treat some general aspects of these

Eating meals before wheel-running exercise attenuate high fat diet-driven obesity in mice under two meals per day schedule.

Science.gov (United States)

Sasaki, Hiroyuki; Hattori, Yuta; Ikeda, Yuko; Kamagata, Mayo; Shibata, Shigenobu

2015-06-01

Mice that exercise after meals gain less body weight and visceral fat compared to those that exercised before meals under a one meal/exercise time per day schedule. Humans generally eat two or three meals per day, and rarely have only one meal. To extend our previous observations, we examined here whether a "two meals, two exercise sessions per day" schedule was optimal in terms of maintaining a healthy body weight. In this experiment, "morning" refers to the beginning of the active phase (the "morning" for nocturnal animals). We found that 2-h feeding before 2-h exercise in the morning and evening (F-Ex/F-Ex) resulted in greater attenuation of high fat diet (HFD)-induced weight gain compared to other combinations of feeding and exercise under two daily meals and two daily exercise periods. There were no significant differences in total food intake and total wheel counts, but feeding before exercise in the morning groups (F-Ex/F-Ex and F-Ex/Ex-F) increased the morning wheel counts. These results suggest that habitual exercise after feeding in the morning and evening is more effective for preventing HFD-induced weight gain. We also determined whether there were any correlations between food intake, wheel rotation, visceral fat volume and skeletal muscle volumes. We found positive associations between gastrocnemius muscle volumes and morning wheel counts, as well as negative associations between morning food intake volumes/body weight and morning wheel counts. These results suggest that morning exercise-induced increase of muscle volume may refer to anti-obesity. Evening exercise is negatively associated with fat volume increases, suggesting that this practice may counteract fat deposition. Our multifactorial analysis revealed that morning food intake helps to increase exercise, and that evening exercise reduced fat volumes. Thus, exercise in the morning or evening is important for preventing the onset of obesity.

A Star-Wheel Stair-Climbing Wheelchair

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

ZHANG Li; WU Bo; JIN Ai-min; JIANG Shi-hong; ZHENG Yu-fei; ZHANG Shuai

2014-01-01

In order to achieve a wheelchair climb stairs function, this paper designs a star-wheel stair-climbing mechanism. Through the effect of the lock coupling, the star-wheel stair-climbing mechanism is formed to be fixed axis gear train or planetary gear train achieving flat-walking and stair-climbing functions. Crossing obstacle analysis obtains the maximum height and minimum width of obstacle which the wheelchair can cross. Stress-strain analysis in Solidworks simulation is performed to verify material strength.

Forces on wheels and fuel consumption in cars

Science.gov (United States)

Güémez, J.; Fiolhais, M.

2013-07-01

Motivated by real classroom discussions, we analyze the forces acting on moving vehicles, specifically friction on their wheels. In typical front-wheel-drive cars when the car accelerates these forces are in the forward direction in the front wheels, but they are in the opposite direction in the rear wheels. The situation may be intriguing for students, but it may also be helpful and stimulating to clarify the role of friction forces on rolling objects. In this paper we also study the thermodynamical aspects of an accelerating car, relating the distance traveled to the amount of fuel consumed. The fuel consumption is explicitly shown to be Galilean invariant and we identify the Gibbs free energy as the relevant quantity that enters into the thermodynamical description of the accelerating car. The more realistic case of the car's motion with the dragging forces taken into account is also discussed.

Forces on wheels and fuel consumption in cars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Güémez, J; Fiolhais, M

2013-01-01

Motivated by real classroom discussions, we analyze the forces acting on moving vehicles, specifically friction on their wheels. In typical front-wheel-drive cars when the car accelerates these forces are in the forward direction in the front wheels, but they are in the opposite direction in the rear wheels. The situation may be intriguing for students, but it may also be helpful and stimulating to clarify the role of friction forces on rolling objects. In this paper we also study the thermodynamical aspects of an accelerating car, relating the distance traveled to the amount of fuel consumed. The fuel consumption is explicitly shown to be Galilean invariant and we identify the Gibbs free energy as the relevant quantity that enters into the thermodynamical description of the accelerating car. The more realistic case of the car's motion with the dragging forces taken into account is also discussed. (paper)

Reduction of extinction and reinstatement of cocaine seeking by wheel running in female rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Zlebnik, Natalie E; Anker, Justin J; Gliddon, Luke A; Carroll, Marilyn E

2010-03-01

Previous work has shown that wheel running reduced the maintenance of cocaine self-administration in rats. In the present study, the effect of wheel running on extinction and reinstatement of cocaine seeking was examined. Female rats were trained to run in a wheel during 6-h sessions, and they were then catheterized and placed in an operant conditioning chamber where they did not have access to the wheel but were allowed to self-administer iv cocaine. Subsequently, rats were divided into four groups and were tested on the extinction and reinstatement of cocaine seeking while they had varying access to a wheel in an adjoining compartment. The four groups were assigned to the following wheel access conditions: (1) wheel running during extinction and reinstatement (WER), (2) wheel running during extinction and a locked wheel during reinstatement (WE), (3) locked wheel during extinction and wheel running during reinstatement (WR), and (4) locked wheel during extinction and reinstatement (WL). WE and WR were retested later to examine the effect of one session of wheel access on cocaine-primed reinstatement. There were no group differences in wheel revolutions, in rate of acquisition of cocaine self-administration, or in responding during maintenance when there was no wheel access. However, during extinction, WE and WER responded less than WR and WL. WR and WER had lower cocaine-primed reinstatement than WE and WL. One session of wheel exposure in WE also suppressed cocaine-primed reinstatement. Wheel running immediately and effectively reduced cocaine-seeking behavior, but concurrent access to running was necessary. Thus, exercise is a useful and self-sustaining intervention to reduce cocaine-seeking behavior.

Elevator wheel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhornik, V.I.; Cherkov, Ye.M.; Simonov, A.A.

1982-01-01

An elevator wheel is suggested for unloading a sunken product from a bath of a heavy-average separator including discs of a bucket with inner walls, and covering sheets hinged to the buckets. In order to improve the degree of dehydration of the removed product, the inner wall of each bucket is made of sheets installed in steps with gaps of one in relation to the other.

Innovative grinding wheel design for cost-effective machining of advanced ceramics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Licht, R.H.; Kuo, P.; Liu, S.; Murphy, D.; Picone, J.W.; Ramanath, S.

2000-05-01

This Final Report covers the Phase II Innovative Grinding Wheel (IGW) program in which Norton Company successfully developed a novel grinding wheel for cost-effective cylindrical grinding of advanced ceramics. In 1995, Norton Company successfully completed the 16-month Phase I technical effort to define requirements, design, develop, and evaluate a next-generation grinding wheel for cost-effective cylindrical grinding of advanced ceramics using small prototype wheels. The Phase II program was initiated to scale-up the new superabrasive wheel specification to larger diameters, 305-mm to 406-mm, required for most production grinding of cylindrical ceramic parts, and to perform in-house and independent validation grinding tests.

Feature Extraction in Radar Target Classification

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Z. Kus

1999-09-01

Full Text Available This paper presents experimental results of extracting features in the Radar Target Classification process using the J frequency band pulse radar. The feature extraction is based on frequency analysis methods, the discrete-time Fourier Transform (DFT and Multiple Signal Characterisation (MUSIC, based on the detection of Doppler effect. The analysis has turned to the preference of DFT with implemented Hanning windowing function. We assumed to classify targets-vehicles into two classes, the wheeled vehicle and tracked vehicle. The results show that it is possible to classify them only while moving. The feature of the class results from a movement of moving parts of the vehicle. However, we have not found any feature to classify the wheeled and tracked vehicles while non-moving, although their engines are on.

Online measurement for geometrical parameters of wheel set based on structure light and CUDA parallel processing

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Kaihua; Shao, Zhencheng; Chen, Nian; Wang, Wenjie

2018-01-01

The wearing degree of the wheel set tread is one of the main factors that influence the safety and stability of running train. Geometrical parameters mainly include flange thickness and flange height. Line structure laser light was projected on the wheel tread surface. The geometrical parameters can be deduced from the profile image. An online image acquisition system was designed based on asynchronous reset of CCD and CUDA parallel processing unit. The image acquisition was fulfilled by hardware interrupt mode. A high efficiency parallel segmentation algorithm based on CUDA was proposed. The algorithm firstly divides the image into smaller squares, and extracts the squares of the target by fusion of k_means and STING clustering image segmentation algorithm. Segmentation time is less than 0.97ms. A considerable acceleration ratio compared with the CPU serial calculation was obtained, which greatly improved the real-time image processing capacity. When wheel set was running in a limited speed, the system placed alone railway line can measure the geometrical parameters automatically. The maximum measuring speed is 120km/h.

A mechanical model for deformable and mesh pattern wheel of lunar roving vehicle

Science.gov (United States)

Liang, Zhongchao; Wang, Yongfu; Chen, Gang (Sheng); Gao, Haibo

2015-12-01

As an indispensable tool for astronauts on lunar surface, the lunar roving vehicle (LRV) is of great significance for manned lunar exploration. An LRV moves on loose and soft lunar soil, so the mechanical property of its wheels directly affects the mobility performance. The wheels used for LRV have deformable and mesh pattern, therefore, the existing mechanical theory of vehicle wheel cannot be used directly for analyzing the property of LRV wheels. In this paper, a new mechanical model for LRV wheel is proposed. At first, a mechanical model for a rigid normal wheel is presented, which involves in multiple conventional parameters such as vertical load, tangential traction force, lateral force, and slip ratio. Secondly, six equivalent coefficients are introduced to amend the rigid normal wheel model to fit for the wheels with deformable and mesh-pattern in LRV application. Thirdly, the values of the six equivalent coefficients are identified by using experimental data obtained in an LRV's single wheel testing. Finally, the identified mechanical model for LRV's wheel with deformable and mesh pattern are further verified and validated by using additional experimental results.

A Multiple Data Fusion Approach to Wheel Slip Control for Decentralized Electric Vehicles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dejun Yin

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Currently, active safety control methods for cars, i.e., the antilock braking system (ABS, the traction control system (TCS, and electronic stability control (ESC, govern the wheel slip control based on the wheel slip ratio, which relies on the information from non-driven wheels. However, these methods are not applicable in the cases without non-driven wheels, e.g., a four-wheel decentralized electric vehicle. Therefore, this paper proposes a new wheel slip control approach based on a novel data fusion method to ensure good traction performance in any driving condition. Firstly, with the proposed data fusion algorithm, the acceleration estimator makes use of the data measured by the sensor installed near the vehicle center of mass (CM to calculate the reference acceleration of each wheel center. Then, the wheel slip is constrained by controlling the acceleration deviation between the actual wheel and the reference wheel center. By comparison with non-control and model following control (MFC cases in double lane change tests, the simulation results demonstrate that the proposed control method has significant anti-slip effectiveness and stabilizing control performance.

Hybrid Control Design for a Wheeled Mobile Robot

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bak, Thomas; Bendtsen, Jan Dimon; Ravn, Anders Peter

We present a hybrid systems solution to the problem of trajectory tracking for a four-wheel steered four-wheel driven mobile robot. The robot is modelled as a non-holonomic dynamic system subject to pure rolling, no-slip constraints. Under normal driving conditions, a nonlinear trajectory tracking...

Hybrid Control Design for a Wheeled Mobile Robot

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bak, Thomas; Bendtsen, Jan Dimon; Ravn, Anders Peter

2003-01-01

We present a hybrid systems solution to the problem of trajectory tracking for a four-wheel steered four-wheel driven mobile robot. The robot is modelled as a non-holonomic dynamic system subject to pure rolling, no-slip constraints. Under normal driving conditions, a nonlinear trajectory tracking...

Hybrid Control Design for a Wheeled Mobile Robot

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bak, Thomas; Bendtsen, Jan Dimon; Ravn, Anders Peter

2003-01-01

We present a hybrid systems solution to the problem of trajectory tracking for a four-wheel steered four-wheel driven mobile robot. The robot is modelled as a non-holonomic dynamic system subject to pure rolling, no-slip constraints. Under normal driving conditions, a nonlinear trajectory trackin...

Lateral ring metal elastic wheel absorbs shock loading

Science.gov (United States)

Galan, L.

1966-01-01

Lateral ring metal elastic wheel absorbs practically all shock loading when operated over extremely rough terrain and delivers only a negligible shock residue to associated suspension components. The wheel consists of a rigid aluminum assembly to which lateral titanium ring flexible elements with treads are attached.

Wheel slip dump valve for railway braking system

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xuan; Zhang, LiHao; Li, QingXuan; Shi, YanTao

2017-09-01

As we all know, pneumatic braking system plays an important role in the safety of the whole vehicle. In the anti slip braking system, the pressure of braking cylinder can be adjusted by the quick power response of wheel slip dump valve, so that the lock situation won’t occur during vehicle service. During the braking of railway vehicles, the braking force provided by braking disc reduces vehicle’s speed. But the locking slip will happen due to the oversize of braking force or the reduction of sticking coefficient between wheel and rail. It will cause not only the decline of braking performance but also the increase of braking distance. In the meanwhile, it will scratch the wheel and influence the stable running of vehicles. Now, the speed of passenger vehicle has been increased. In order to shorten the braking distance as far as possible, sticking stickiness must be fully applied. So the occurrence probability of wheel slip is increased.

Modeling of traction-coupling properties of wheel propulsor

Science.gov (United States)

Sakhapov, R. L.; Nikolaeva, R. V.; Gatiyatullin, M. H.; Makhmutov, M. M.

2017-12-01

In conditions of operation of aggregates on soils with low bearing capacity, the main performance indicators of their operation are determined by the properties of retaining the functional qualities of the propulsor. Therefore, the parameters of the anti-skid device can not be calculated by only one criterion. The equipment of propellers with anti-skid devices, which allow to reduce the compaction effect of the propulsion device on the soil, seems to be a rational solution to the problem of increasing traction and coupling properties of the driving wheels. The mathematical model is based on the study of the interaction of the driving wheel with anti-skid devices and a deformable bearing surface, which takes into account the wheel diameter, skid coefficient, the parameters of the anti-skid device, the physical and mechanical properties of the soil. As a basic mathematical model that determines the dependence of the coupling properties on the wheel parameters, the model obtained as a result of integration and reflecting the process of soil deformation from the shear stress is adopted. The total value of the resistance forces will determine the force of the hitch pressure on the horizontal soil layers, and the value of its deformation is the degree of wheel slippage. When the anti-skid devices interact with the soil, the traction capacity of the wheel is composed of shear forces, soil shear and soil deformation forces with detachable hooks. As a result of the interaction of the hook with the soil, the latter presses against the walls of the hook with the force equal to the sum of the hook load and the resistance to movement. During operation, the linear dimensions of the hook will decrease, which is not taken into account by the safety factor. Abrasive wear of the thickness of the hook is approximately proportional to the work of friction caused by the movement of the hook when inserted into the soil and slipping the wheel.

Applied design methodology for lunar rover elastic wheel

Science.gov (United States)

Cardile, Diego; Viola, Nicole; Chiesa, Sergio; Rougier, Alessandro

2012-12-01

In recent years an increasing interest in the Moon surface operations has been experienced. In the future robotic and manned missions of Moon surface exploration will be fundamental in order to lay the groundwork for more ambitious space exploration programs. Surface mobility systems will be the key elements to ensure an efficient and safe Moon exploration. Future lunar rovers are likely to be heavier and able to travel longer distances than the previously developed Moon rover systems. The Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV) is the only manned rover, which has so far been launched and used on the Moon surface. Its mobility system included flexible wheels that cannot be scaled to the heavier and longer range vehicles. Thus the previously developed wheels are likely not to be suitable for the new larger vehicles. Taking all these considerations into account, on the basis of the system requirements and assumptions, several wheel concepts have been discussed and evaluated through a trade-off analysis. Semi-empirical equations have been utilized to predict the wheel geometrical characteristics, as well as to estimate the motion resistances and the ability of the system to generate thrust. A numerical model has also been implemented, in order to define more into the details the whole wheel design, in terms of wheel geometry and physical properties. As a result of the trade-off analysis, the ellipse wheel concept has shown the best behavior in terms of stiffness, mass budget and dynamic performance. The results presented in the paper have been obtained in cooperation with Thales Alenia Space-Italy and Sicme motori, in the framework of a regional program called STEPS . STEPS-Sistemi e Tecnologie per l'EsPlorazione Spaziale is a research project co-financed by Piedmont Region and firms and universities of the Piedmont Aerospace District in the ambit of the P.O.R-F.E.S.R. 2007-2013 program.

Experimental studies of breaking of elastic tired wheel under variable normal load

Science.gov (United States)

Fedotov, A. I.; Zedgenizov, V. G.; Ovchinnikova, N. I.

2017-10-01

The paper analyzes the braking of a vehicle wheel subjected to disturbances of normal load variations. Experimental tests and methods for developing test modes as sinusoidal force disturbances of the normal wheel load were used. Measuring methods for digital and analogue signals were used as well. Stabilization of vehicle wheel braking subjected to disturbances of normal load variations is a topical issue. The paper suggests a method for analyzing wheel braking processes under disturbances of normal load variations. A method to control wheel baking processes subjected to disturbances of normal load variations was developed.

Color Wheel Windows

Science.gov (United States)

Leonard, Stephanie

2012-01-01

In this article, the author describes a painting and drawing lesson which was inspired by the beautiful circular windows found in cathedrals and churches (also known as "rose windows"). This two-week lesson would reinforce both the concept of symmetry and students' understanding of the color wheel. (Contains 1 online resource.)

Study on general theory of kinematics and dynamics of wheeled mobile robots

Science.gov (United States)

Tsukishima, Takahiro; Sasaki, Ken; Takano, Masaharu; Inoue, Kenji

1992-03-01

This paper proposes a general theory of kinematics and dynamics of wheeled mobile robots (WMRs). Unlike robotic manipulators which are modeled as 3-dimensional serial link mechanism, WMRs will be modeled as planar linkage mechanism with multiple links branching out from the base and/or another link. Since this model resembles a tree with branches, it will be called 'tree-structured-link'. The end of each link corresponds to the wheel which is in contact with the floor. In dynamics of WMR, equation of motion of a WMR is derived from joint input torques incorporating wheel dynamics. The wheel dynamics determines forces and moments acting on wheels as a function of slip velocity. This slippage of wheels is essential in dynamics of WMR. It will also be shown that the dynamics of WMR reduces to kinematics when slippage of wheels is neglected. Furthermore, the equation of dynamics is rewritten in velocity input form, since most of industrial motors are velocity controlled.

The Effects of Wear upon the Axial Profile of a Grinding Wheel in the Construction of Innovative Grinding Wheels for Internal Cylindrical Grinding

OpenAIRE

Nadolny, K.; Słowiński, B.

2011-01-01

The article describes the effects of wear upon the axial profile of a grinding wheel in the axial cylindrical grinding processes. This mechanism was used to develop a grinding wheel with zone diversified structure made of microcrystalline sintered corundum abrasive grains and vitrifies bond. Such a grinding wheel is characterized by the conical rough grinding zone that is made by grains of a relatively large size, and a cylindrical finish grinding zone with grains of a smaller size and can be...

49 CFR 238.119 - Rim-stamped straight-plate wheels.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... input to the wheel during braking. (b) A rim-stamped straight-plate wheel shall not be used as a... that is periodically tread-braked for a short duration by automatic circuitry for the sole purpose of...

Measuring the Dynamic Soil Response During Repeated Wheeling Using Seismic Methods

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Keller, Thomas; Carizzon, Marco; Berisso, Feto Esimo

2013-01-01

was performed with an agricultural tire (60 kN wheel load) on a gleyic Cambisol. We measured Vp using an acoustic (microseismic) device at various depths before, during (i.e., below the tire), and after wheeling. In addition, we measured bulk density and penetrometer resistance before and after wheeling...

The Wheels of Stress Go 'Round and 'Round

Science.gov (United States)

Brey, Rebecca A.; Clark, Susan E.

2012-01-01

"The Wheels of Stress Go Round and Round" teaching idea uses three activity wheels to reinforce stress-related content and concepts. After presenting a definition of stress, the instructor assists students in identifying stressors, and aids in formulating a list of negative, reactive behaviors and a list of positive coping mechanisms. Using…

Analysis of traversable pits model to make intelligent wheeled vehicles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

F. Abbasi

2017-11-01

Full Text Available In this paper, the issue of passing wheeled vehicles from pits is discussed. The issue is modeled by defining the limits of passing wheeled vehicles. The proposed model has been studied based on changes in the effective parameters. Finally, in order to describe the problem, the proposed model has been solved for wheeled vehicles based on the effective parameters by using one of the numerical methods.

Fluid Mechanics of a High Performance Racing Bicycle Wheel

Science.gov (United States)

Mercat, Jean-Pierre; Cretoux, Brieuc; Huat, Francois-Xavier; Nordey, Benoit; Renaud, Maxime; Noca, Flavio

2013-11-01

In 2012, MAVIC released the most aerodynamic bicycle wheel on the market, the CXR 80. The french company MAVIC has been a world leader for many decades in the manufacturing of bicycle wheels for competitive events such as the Olympic Games and the Tour de France. Since 2010, MAVIC has been in a research partnership with the University of Applied Sciences in Geneva, Switzerland, for the aerodynamic development of bicycle wheels. While most of the development up to date has been performed in a classical wind tunnel, recent work has been conducted in an unusual setting, a hydrodynamic towing tank, in order to achieve low levels of turbulence and facilitate quantitative flow visualization (PIV). After a short introduction on the aerodynamics of bicycle wheels, preliminary fluid mechanics results based on this novel setup will be presented.

Cyber Security Considerations for Autonomous Tactical Wheeled Vehicles

Science.gov (United States)

2016-04-01

Update Will Enable Autonomous Driving. Retrieved August 6, 2015, from http://spectrum.ieee.org/: http://spectrum.ieee.org/ cars -that-think...Cyber Security Considerations for Autonomous Tactical Wheeled Vehicles 1 UNCLASSIFIED Cyber Security Considerations for... Autonomous Tactical Wheeled Vehicles Sebastian C Iovannitti 4/1/2016 Submitted to Lawrence Technological University College of Management in

Development of New Wheel-Chair for Sports Competition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Akira Shionoya

2018-03-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to develop the new wheel-chair which had the function to drive straight by one-hand operation. To perform this purpose, the driving force transmission axis (DFTA which had transmitted the driving force from the one side of wheel to another side of that was developed. The wheel-chair could drive straight by one-hand operation by the DFTA. The large torque, however, was generated in the DFTA, because the DFTA transmitted the driving force from the one side of wheel to another side by the axis of small diameter. Furthermore, the shear stress in the DFTA generated by this torque would lead to the DFTA break. The shear stress in the DFTA was calculated to examine the axial strength and durability. On the DETA of the wheelchair, the maximum shear stress calculated from the torque in driving was 39.53 MP and this was defined as the standard of the demand specifications as a strength and durability of the DFTA.

Characterizing the Performance of the Wheel Electrostatic Spectrometer

Science.gov (United States)

Johansen, Michael R.; Mackey, P. J.; Holbert, E.; Calle, C. I.; Clements, J. S.

2013-01-01

Insulators need to be discharged after each wheel revolution. Sensor responses repeatable within one standard deviation in the noise of the signal. Insulators may not need to be cleaned after each revolution. Parent Technology- Mars Environmental Compatibility Assessment/Electrometer Electrostatic sensors with dissimilar cover insulators Protruding insulators tribocharge against regolith simulant Developed for use on the scoop for the 2001 Mars Odyssey lander Wheel Electrostatic Spectrometer Embedded electrostatic sensors in prototype Martian rover wheel If successful, this technology will enable constant electrostatic testing on Mars Air ionizing fan used to neutralize the surface charge on cover insulators . WES rolled on JSClA lunar simulant Control experiment -Static elimination not conducted between trials -Capacitor discharged after each experiment Charge neutralization experiment -Static elimination conducted between trials -Capacitor discharged after each experiment. Air ionizing fan used on insulators after each wheel revolution Capacitor discharged after each trial Care was taken to roll WES with same speed/pressure Error bars represent one standard deviation in the noise of e ach sensor

The Development of Lightweight Commercial Vehicle Wheels Using Microalloying Steel

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Hongzhou; Zhang, Lilong; Wang, Jiegong; Xuan, Zhaozhi; Liu, Xiandong; Guo, Aimin; Wang, Wenjun; Lu, Guimin

Lightweight wheels can reduce weight about 100kg for commercial vehicles, and it can save energy and reduce emission, what's more, it can enhance the profits for logistics companies. The development of lightweight commercial vehicle wheels is achieved by the development of new steel for rim, the process optimization of flash butt welding, and structure optimization by finite element methods. Niobium micro-alloying technology can improve hole expansion rate, weldability and fatigue performance of wheel steel, and based on Niobium micro-alloying technology, a special wheel steel has been studied whose microstructure are Ferrite and Bainite, with high formability and high fatigue performance, and stable mechanical properties. The content of Nb in this new steel is 0.025% and the hole expansion rate is ≥ 100%. At the same time, welding parameters including electric upsetting time, upset allowance, upsetting pressure and flash allowance are optimized, and by CAE analysis, an optimized structure has been attained. As a results, the weight of 22.5in×8.25in wheel is up to 31.5kg, which is most lightweight comparing the same size wheels. And its functions including bending fatigue performance and radial fatigue performance meet the application requirements of truck makers and logistics companies.

Four-wheeled walker related injuries in older adults in the Netherlands.

Science.gov (United States)

van Riel, K M M; Hartholt, K A; Panneman, M J M; Patka, P; van Beeck, E F; van der Cammen, T J M

2014-02-01

With ageing populations worldwide, mobility devices are used more than ever. In the current literature there is no consensus whether the available mobility devices safely improve the mobility of their users. Also, evidence is lacking concerning the risks and types of injuries sustained while using a four-wheeled walker. To assess injury risks and injury patterns in older adults (≥65 years) who presented at Emergency Departments (ED) in the Netherlands with an injury due to using a four-wheeled walker. In this study, the Dutch Injury Surveillance System was used to obtain a national representative sample of annual ED visits in the Netherlands in the adult population (≥65 years) sustaining an injury while using a four-wheeled walker. The numbers of four-wheeled walker users in the Netherlands were obtained from the national insurance board. The numbers of ED visits were divided by the numbers of four-wheeled walker users to calculate age- and sex-specific injury risks. Annually 1869 older adults visited an ED after sustaining an injury while using a four-wheeled walker. Falls were the main cause of injury (96%). The injury risk was 3.1 per 100 users of four-wheeled walkers. Women (3.5 per 100 users) had a higher risk than men (2.0 per 100 users). Injury risk was the highest in women aged 85 years and older (6.2 per 100 users). The majority of injuries were fractures (60%) with hip fracture (25%) being the most common injury. Nearly half of all four-wheeled walker related injuries required hospitalisation, mostly due to hip fractures. Healthcare costs per injury were approximately €12 000. This study presents evidence that older adults experiencing a fall while using a four-wheeled walker are at high risk to suffer severe injuries.

A novel instrumented multipeg running wheel system, Step-Wheel, for monitoring and controlling complex sequential stepping in mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Kitsukawa, Takashi; Nagata, Masatoshi; Yanagihara, Dai; Tomioka, Ryohei; Utsumi, Hideko; Kubota, Yasuo; Yagi, Takeshi; Graybiel, Ann M; Yamamori, Tetsuo

2011-07-01

Motor control is critical in daily life as well as in artistic and athletic performance and thus is the subject of intense interest in neuroscience. Mouse models of movement disorders have proven valuable for many aspects of investigation, but adequate methods for analyzing complex motor control in mouse models have not been fully established. Here, we report the development of a novel running-wheel system that can be used to evoke simple and complex stepping patterns in mice. The stepping patterns are controlled by spatially organized pegs, which serve as footholds that can be arranged in adjustable, ladder-like configurations. The mice run as they drink water from a spout, providing reward, while the wheel turns at a constant speed. The stepping patterns of the mice can thus be controlled not only spatially, but also temporally. A voltage sensor to detect paw touches is attached to each peg, allowing precise registration of footfalls. We show that this device can be used to analyze patterns of complex motor coordination in mice. We further demonstrate that it is possible to measure patterns of neural activity with chronically implanted tetrodes as the mice engage in vigorous running bouts. We suggest that this instrumented multipeg running wheel (which we name the Step-Wheel System) can serve as an important tool in analyzing motor control and motor learning in mice.

Enhanced voluntary wheel running in GPRC6A receptor knockout mice

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Clemmensen, Christoffer; Pehmøller, Christian; Klein, Anders B

2013-01-01

to voluntary wheel running and forced treadmill exercise. Moreover, we assessed energy expenditure in the basal state, and evaluated the effects of wheel running on food intake, body composition, and a range of exercise-induced central and peripheral biomarkers. We found that adaptation to voluntary wheel...... running is affected by GPRC6A, as ablation of the receptor significantly enhances wheel running in KO relative to WT mice. Both genotypes responded to voluntary exercise by increasing food intake and improving body composition to a similar degree. In conclusion, these data demonstrate that the GPRC6A...

Wheel running decreases palatable diet preference in Sprague-Dawley rats

OpenAIRE

Moody, Laura; Liang, Joy; Choi, Pique P.; Moran, Timothy H.; Liang, Nu-Chu

2015-01-01

Physical activity has beneficial effects on not only improving some disease conditions but also by preventing the development of multiple disorders. Experiments in this study examined the effects of wheel running on intakes of chow and palatable diet e.g. high fat (HF) or high sucrose (HS) diet in male and female Sprague Dawley rats. Experiment 1 demonstrated that acute wheel running results in robust HF or HS diet avoidance in male rats. Although female rats with running wheel...

Multi-scale Fatigue Damage Life Assessment of Railroad Wheels

Science.gov (United States)

2018-01-01

This study focused on the presence of a crack in the railway wheels subsurface and how it affects the wheels fatigue life. A 3-D FE-model was constructed to simulate the stress/strain fields that take place under the rolling contact of railway ...

DESIGN OF BACKWARD SWEPT TURBINE WHEEL FOR CRYOGENIC TURBOEXPANDER

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

BALAJI K. CHOUDHURY

2014-08-01

Full Text Available With support from the Department of Atomic Energy, our institute has initiated a programme on development and study of a low capacity (20 liters/hr. turboexpander based Nitrogen liquefier. Hence a process design was carried out and a turboexpander was designed to meet the requirement of the liquefier. The turboexpander is used for lowering the temperature of the process gas (Nitrogen by the isenthalpic expansion. The efficiency of the turboexpander mainly depends on the specific speed and specific diameter of the turbine wheel. The paper explains a general methodology for the design of any type of turbine wheel (radial, backward swept and forward swept for any pressure ratio with different process gases. The design of turbine wheel includes the determination of dimensions, blade profile and velocity triangles at inlet and outlet of the turbine wheel. Generally radial turbine wheels are used but in this case to achieve the high efficiency at desired speed, backward curved blades are used to maintain the Mach number of the process gas at the nozzle exit, close to unity. If the velocity of fluid exceeds the speed of sound, the flow gets choked leading to the creation of shock waves and flow at the exit of the nozzle will be non-isentropic.

Assessing the influence of wheel defects of a rolling stockon railway tracks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Loktev Aleksey Alekseevich

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Transfer of the load from the wheels on the rail occurs at a very small area compared with the size of the wheels and rails. The materials near this site have a very large voltage. Determination of contact stresses is complicated by the fact that the magnitude of these stresses in the rails under actually revolving wheel load exceeds the yield and compressive strength of modern rail steel. We should note that the metal of the rail head, experiencing contact stresses, especially when the location of the pads is closer to the middle of the rail head, works in the conditions close to the compression conditions, and therefore can withstand higher voltage without plastic deformation than the standard compressible sample. But, as a rule, the observed hardening of the metal in the zone of contact stresses and lapping at the edges of the rail head indicates the presence of plastic deformation and, consequently, higher stresses in the wheel-rail contact zone than the yield strength of the metal rail even in the conditions of its operation in the rail head.The use of the design equations derived on the basis of the Hertz theory for metal behavior in elastic stage, is valid. The reason is that each individual dynamic application of wheel loads on the rail is very short, and the residual plastic deformation from the individual loads of the pair of wheels on the rail is actually small. This elastic-plastic deformation of the rail becomes visible as a result of gradual gaining of a missed tonnage of rails and wheels respectively. Irregularities on the running surface of the wheels are of two types. The most common are the so-called continuous bumps on the wheel, when due to the uneven wear of rail the original shape of the wheel across the tread surface distorts. But nowadays, more and more often there occur isolated smooth irregularities of the wheel pairs, due to the increased wear of the wheel because of the stopping and blocking of wheels of the vehicles

Experimental analysis and regression prediction of desiccant wheel behavior in high temperature heat pump and desiccant wheel air-conditioning system

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sheng, Ying; Zhang, Yufeng; Sun, Yuexia

2014-01-01

The objectives of this study are to evaluate the performance of desiccant wheel (DW) in the running system and obtain the useful data for practical application. The combined influences of multiple variables on the performance of desiccant wheel are investigated based on evaluating the indexes...... of moisture removal capacity, dehumidification effectiveness, dehumidification coefficient of performance and sensible energy ratio. The results show that higher effect on the dehumidification is due to the regeneration temperature and outdoor air humidity ratio rather than the outdoor air temperature...... and the ratio between regeneration and process air flow rates. A simple method based on multiple linear regression theory for predicting the performance of the wheel has been proposed. The predicted values and the experimental data are compared and good agreements are obtained. Regression models are established...

A comparison of two types of running wheel in terms of mouse preference, health, and welfare.

Science.gov (United States)

Walker, Michael; Mason, Georgia

2018-07-01

Voluntary wheel running occurs in mice of all strains, sexes, and ages. Mice find voluntary wheel running rewarding, and it leads to numerous health benefits. For this reason wheels are used both to enhance welfare and to create models of exercise. However, many designs of running wheel are used. This makes between-study comparisons difficult, as this variability could potentially affect the amount, pattern, and/or intensity of running behaviour, and thence the wheels' effects on welfare and exercise-related changes in anatomy and physiology. This study therefore evaluated two commercially available models, chosen because safe for group-housed mice: Bio Serv®'s "fast-trac" wheel combo and Ware Manufacturing Inc.'s stainless steel mesh 5″ upright wheel. Working with a total of three hundred and fifty one female C57BL/6, DBA/2 and BALB/c mice, we assessed these wheels' relative utilization by mice when access was free; the strength of motivation for each wheel-type when access required crossing an electrified grid; and the impact each wheel had on mouse well-being (inferred from acoustic startle responses and neophobia) and exercise-related anatomical changes (BMI; heart and hind limb masses). Mice ran more on the "fast-trac" wheel regardless of whether both wheel-types were available at once, or only if one was present. In terms of motivation, subjects required to work to access a single wheel worked equally hard for both wheel-types (even if locked and thus not useable for running), but if provided with one working wheel for free and the other type of wheel (again unlocked) accessible via crossing the electrified grid, the "fast-trac" wheel emerged as more motivating, as the Maximum Price Paid for the Ware metal wheel was lower than that paid for the "fast-trac" plastic wheel, at least for C57BL/6s and DBA/2s. No deleterious consequences were noted with either wheel in terms of health and welfare, but only mice with plastic wheels developed significantly larger

Integration of uniform design and quantum-behaved particle swarm optimization to the robust design for a railway vehicle suspension system under different wheel conicities and wheel rolling radii

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Yung-Chang; Lee, Cheng-Kang

2017-10-01

This paper proposes a systematic method, integrating the uniform design (UD) of experiments and quantum-behaved particle swarm optimization (QPSO), to solve the problem of a robust design for a railway vehicle suspension system. Based on the new nonlinear creep model derived from combining Hertz contact theory, Kalker's linear theory and a heuristic nonlinear creep model, the modeling and dynamic analysis of a 24 degree-of-freedom railway vehicle system were investigated. The Lyapunov indirect method was used to examine the effects of suspension parameters, wheel conicities and wheel rolling radii on critical hunting speeds. Generally, the critical hunting speeds of a vehicle system resulting from worn wheels with different wheel rolling radii are lower than those of a vehicle system having original wheels without different wheel rolling radii. Because of worn wheels, the critical hunting speed of a running railway vehicle substantially declines over the long term. For safety reasons, it is necessary to design the suspension system parameters to increase the robustness of the system and decrease the sensitive of wheel noises. By applying UD and QPSO, the nominal-the-best signal-to-noise ratio of the system was increased from -48.17 to -34.05 dB. The rate of improvement was 29.31%. This study has demonstrated that the integration of UD and QPSO can successfully reveal the optimal solution of suspension parameters for solving the robust design problem of a railway vehicle suspension system.

Cross-stream ejection in the inter-wheel region of aircraft landing gears

Science.gov (United States)

McCarthy, Philip; Ekmekci, Alis

2014-11-01

The reduction of aircraft noise is an important challenge currently faced by aircraft manufacturers. During approach and landing, the landing gears contribute a significant proportion of the aircraft generated noise. It is therefore critical that the key noise sources be identified and understood in order for effective mitigation methods to be developed. For a simplified two-wheel nose landing gear, a strong cross stream flow ejection phenomena has been observed to occur in the inter-wheel region in presence of wheel wells. The location and orientation of these flow ejections causes highly unsteady, three dimensional flow between the wheels that may impinge on other landing gear components, thereby potentially acting as a significant noise generator. The effects of changing the inter-wheel geometry (inter-wheel spacing, the wheel well depth and main strut geometry) upon the cross-stream ejection behaviour has been experimentally investigated using both qualitative flow visualisation and quantitative PIV techniques. A summary of the key results will be presented for the three main geometrical parameters under examination and the application of these findings to real life landing gears will be discussed. Thanks to Messier-Bugatti-Dowty and NSERC for their support for this project.

Mission Analysis and Orbit Control of Interferometric Wheel Formation Flying

Science.gov (United States)

Fourcade, J.

Flying satellite in formation requires maintaining the specific relative geometry of the spacecraft with high precision. This requirement raises new problem of orbit control. This paper presents the results of the mission analysis of a low Earth observation system, the interferometric wheel, patented by CNES. This wheel is made up of three receiving spacecraft, which follow an emitting Earth observation radar satellite. The first part of this paper presents trades off which were performed to choose orbital elements of the formation flying which fulfils all constraints. The second part presents orbit positioning strategies including reconfiguration of the wheel to change its size. The last part describes the station keeping of the formation. Two kinds of constraints are imposed by the interferometric system : a constraint on the distance between the wheel and the radar satellite, and constraints on the distance between the wheel satellites. The first constraint is fulfilled with a classical chemical station keeping strategy. The second one is fulfilled using pure passive actuators. Due to the high stability of the relative eccentricity of the formation, only the relative semi major axis had to be controlled. Differential drag due to differential attitude motion was used to control relative altitude. An autonomous orbit controller was developed and tested. The final accuracy is a relative station keeping better than few meters for a wheel size of one kilometer.

Space shuttle wheels and brakes

Science.gov (United States)

Carsley, R. B.

1985-01-01

The Space Shuttle Orbiter wheels were subjected to a combination of tests which are different than any previously conducted in the aerospace industry. The major testing difference is the computer generated dynamic landing profiles used during the certification process which subjected the wheels and tires to simulated landing loading conditions. The orbiter brakes use a unique combination of carbon composite linings and beryllium heat sink to minimize weight. The development of a new lining retention method was necessary in order to withstand the high temperature generated during the braking roll. As with many programs, the volume into which this hardware had to fit was established early in the program, with no provisions made for growth to offset the continuously increasing predicted orbiter landing weight.

Procedure and applications of combined wheel/rail roughness measurement

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dittrich, M.G.

2009-01-01

Wheel-rail roughness is known to be the main excitation source of railway rolling noise. Besides the already standardised method for direct roughness measurement, it is also possible to measure combined wheel-rail roughness from vertical railhead vibration during a train pass-by. This is a different

Nesting behavior of house mice (Mus domesticus) selected for increased wheel-running activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Carter, P A; Swallow, J G; Davis, S J; Garland, T

2000-03-01

Nest building was measured in "active" (housed with access to running wheels) and "sedentary" (without wheel access) mice (Mus domesticus) from four replicate lines selected for 10 generations for high voluntary wheel-running behavior, and from four randombred control lines. Based on previous studies of mice bidirectionally selected for thermoregulatory nest building, it was hypothesized that nest building would show a negative correlated response to selection on wheel-running. Such a response could constrain the evolution of high voluntary activity because nesting has also been shown to be positively genetically correlated with successful production of weaned pups. With wheel access, selected mice of both sexes built significantly smaller nests than did control mice. Without wheel access, selected females also built significantly smaller nests than did control females, but only when body mass was excluded from the statistical model, suggesting that body mass mediated this correlated response to selection. Total distance run and mean running speed on wheels was significantly higher in selected mice than in controls, but no differences in amount of time spent running were measured, indicating a complex cause of the response of nesting to selection for voluntary wheel running.

Interactive Two-Way mHealth Interventions for Improving Medication Adherence: An Evaluation Using The Behaviour Change Wheel Framework

Science.gov (United States)

Amico, K Rivet; Atkins, Lou; Lester, Richard T

2018-01-01

potential mechanisms of action. Results Our evaluation of WelTel using the Behavior Change Wheel suggests that most of its impact is delivered primarily through its personalized communication component, in which 8 different behavior change techniques were identified and linked with 5 intervention functions (environmental restructuring, enablement, education, persuasion, and training). Its mechanisms of action in promoting antiretroviral therapy adherence may involve addressing all Capability Opportunity Motivation-Behavior influences on behavior (physical and psychological capability, physical and social opportunity, reflective and automatic motivation). Conclusions Systematically unpacking the potential active ingredients of effective interventions facilitates the creation and implementation of more parsimonious, tailored, and targeted approaches. Evaluating WelTel using the Behavior Change Wheel has provided valuable insights into how and why such interactive two-way mHealth interventions may produce greater impact than one-way in addressing both nonintentional and intentional forms of nonadherence. The application of the Behavior Change Wheel for evidence synthesis across mHealth interventions targeting various conditions would contribute to strengthening the knowledge base regarding how they may work to impact medication adherence behavior. PMID:29650504

Nonlinear dynamics modeling and simulation of two-wheeled self-balancing vehicle

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yunping Liu

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Two-wheeled self-balancing vehicle system is a kind of naturally unstable underactuated system with high-rank unstable multivariable strongly coupling complicated dynamic nonlinear property. Nonlinear dynamics modeling and simulation, as a basis of two-wheeled self-balancing vehicle dynamics research, has the guiding effect for system design of the project demonstration and design phase. Dynamics model of the two-wheeled self-balancing vehicle is established by importing a TSi ProPac package to the Mathematica software (version 8.0, which analyzes the stability and calculates the Lyapunov exponents of the system. The relationship between external force and stability of the system is analyzed by the phase trajectory. Proportional–integral–derivative control is added to the system in order to improve the stability of the two-wheeled self-balancing vehicle. From the research, Lyapunov exponent can be used to research the stability of hyperchaos system. The stability of the two-wheeled self-balancing vehicle is better by inputting the proportional–integral–derivative control. The Lyapunov exponent and phase trajectory can help us analyze the stability of a system better and lay the foundation for the analysis and control of the two-wheeled self-balancing vehicle system.

Design Optimization of Heat Wheels for Energy Recovery in HVAC Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stefano De Antonellis

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Air to air heat exchangers play a crucial role in mechanical ventilation equipment, due to the potential primary energy savings both in case of refurbishment of existing buildings or in case of new ones. In particular, interest in heat wheels is increasing due to their low pressure drop and high effectiveness. In this paper a detailed optimization of design parameters of heat wheels is performed in order to maximize sensible effectiveness and to minimize pressure drop. The analysis is carried out through a one dimensional lumped parameters heat wheel model, which solves heat and mass transfer equations, and through appropriate correlations to estimate pressure drop. Simulation results have been compared with experimental data of a heat wheel tested in specific facilities, and good agreement is attained. The device optimization is performed through the variation of main design parameters, such as heat wheel length, channel base, height and thickness and for different operating conditions, namely the air face velocity and the revolution speed. It is shown that the best configurations are achieved with small channel thickness and, depending on the required sensible effectiveness, with appropriate values of wheel length and channel base and height.

Biologically Inspired Modular Neural Control for a Leg-Wheel Hybrid Robot

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Manoonpong, Poramate; Wörgötter, Florentin; Laksanacharoen, Pudit

2014-01-01

In this article we present modular neural control for a leg-wheel hybrid robot consisting of three legs with omnidirectional wheels. This neural control has four main modules having their functional origin in biological neural systems. A minimal recurrent control (MRC) module is for sensory signal...... processing and state memorization. Its outputs drive two front wheels while the rear wheel is controlled through a velocity regulating network (VRN) module. In parallel, a neural oscillator network module serves as a central pattern generator (CPG) controls leg movements for sidestepping. Stepping directions...... or they can serve as useful modules for other module-based neural control applications....

3D dynamic modeling of spherical wheeled self-balancing mobile robot

OpenAIRE

İnal, Ali Nail

2012-01-01

Ankara : The Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering and the Graduate School of Engineering and Science of Bilkent University, 2012. Thesis (Master's) -- Bilkent University, 2012. Includes bibliographical references. In recent years, dynamically stable platforms that move on spherical wheels, also known as BallBots, gained popularity in the robotics literature as an alternative locomotion method to statically stable wheeled mobile robots. In contrast to wheeled ...

Voluntary resistance running wheel activity pattern and skeletal muscle growth in rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Legerlotz, Kirsten; Elliott, Bradley; Guillemin, Bernard; Smith, Heather K

2008-06-01

The aims of this study were to characterize the pattern of voluntary activity of young rats in response to resistance loading on running wheels and to determine the effects of the activity on the growth of six limb skeletal muscles. Male Sprague-Dawley rats (4 weeks old) were housed individually with a resistance running wheel (R-RUN, n = 7) or a conventional free-spinning running wheel (F-RUN, n = 6) or without a wheel, as non-running control animals (CON, n = 6). The torque required to move the wheel in the R-RUN group was progressively increased, and the activity (velocity, distance and duration of each bout) of the two running wheel groups was recorded continuously for 45 days. The R-RUN group performed many more, shorter and faster bouts of running than the F-RUN group, yet the mean daily distance was not different between the F-RUN (1.3 +/- 0.2 km) and R-RUN group (1.4 +/- 0.6 km). Only the R-RUN resulted in a significantly (P RUN and R-RUN led to a significantly greater wet mass relative to increase in body mass and muscle fibre cross-sectional area in the soleus muscle compared with CON. We conclude that the pattern of voluntary activity on a resistance running wheel differs from that on a free-spinning running wheel and provides a suitable model to induce physiological muscle hypertrophy in rats.

Graphite targets at LAMPF

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brown, R.D.; Grisham, D.L.

1983-01-01

Rotating polycrystalline and stationary pyrolytic graphite target designs for the LAMPF experimental area are described. Examples of finite element calculations of temperatures and stresses are presented. Some results of a metallographic investigation of irradiated pyrolytic graphite target plates are included, together with a brief description of high temperature bearings for the rotating targets

Simulation and Measurement of Wheel on Rail Fatigue and Wear

OpenAIRE

Dirks, Babette

2015-01-01

The life of railway wheels and rails has been decreasing in recent years. This is mainly caused by more traffic and running at higher vehicle speed. A higher speed usually generates higher forces, unless compensated by improved track and vehicle designs, in the wheel-rail contact, resulting in more wear and rolling contact fatigue (RCF) damage to the wheels and rails. As recently as 15 years ago, RCF was not recognised as a serious problem. Nowadays it is a serious problem in many countries a...

Considerations on the use of elastic wheels to the urban transport vehicles

Science.gov (United States)

Sebesan, Ioan; Arsene, Sorin; Manea, Ion

2018-03-01

To minimize dynamic wheel-rail interaction efforts a condition is that the unassembled mass of the vehicle is as small as possible. The elastic wheel by its construction fulfills these conditions - she has interposed between the crown and the body of the wheel, the elastic rubber elements. In this way, it can be considered that the unsupported mass is represented only by the mass of the wheel crown. Additionally, this elasticity also has a reduction effect on rolling noise. This feature makes it suitable for use on urban transport vehicles.

Naloxone attenuates the conditioned place preference induced by wheel running in rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Lett, B T; Grant, V L; Koh, M T

2001-02-01

Pairings, during which an episode of wheel running is followed by confinement in a distinctive place, produce conditioned place preference (CPP) in rats. This finding indicates that wheel running has a rewarding effect that outlasts the activity itself. In two similar experiments, we tested the hypothesis that this rewarding effect of wheel running is mediated by endogenous opioids. During a paired trial, the rats in the naloxone group were first allowed to wheel run for 2 h, then injected with naloxone (0.5 or 0.1 mg/kg in Experiments 1 and 2, respectively), and 10 min later placed in a distinctive chamber. During an unpaired trial, these rats were confined in an adjoining chamber without wheel running. Naloxone was injected before placement in both chambers, so that if naloxone-induced conditioned place aversion occurred, it would have counteracting effects on performance during the preference test. The rats in the saline group were similarly treated, except that saline was injected instead of naloxone. CPP occurred in the saline group, but not in the naloxone group. Thus, naloxone attenuated the CPP induced by wheel running. This finding supports the hypothesis that the rewarding effect of wheel running is mediated by endogenous opioids.

Damages and resource of locomotive wheels used under the north operating conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. V. Grigorev

2014-01-01

Full Text Available In operating railway equipment, in particular the elements, such as a wheel and a rail there is damage accumulation of any kind, causing a premature equipment failure. Thus, an analysis of the mechanisms and modeling of damage accumulation and fracture both on the surface and in the bulk material remain a challenge.Data on the defective wheel sets to be subjected to facing has been collected and analyzed to assess the locomotive wheel sets damage of the locomotive fleet company of AK «Yakutia Railways», city of Aldan, The Republic of Sakha (Yakutia. For this purpose, three main locomotives have been examined.The object of research carried out in this paper, is a locomotive wheels tire, which is subjected to cyclic impact (dynamic loads during operation. In this regard, the need arises to determine both the strength of material in response to such shock loads and the quantitative calculation of damage accumulated therein.The accumulated fatigue damage has been attributed to one radial cross section of the wheel coming into contact with the rail once per revolution of the wheel. Consequently, in one revolution a wheel is under one loading cycle. As stated, the average mileage of locomotives to have the unacceptable damages formed on the tread surface is 12 thousand km.Test results establish that along with the high-cycle loading the shock-contact action on rail joints significantly affects the accumulation of damage in the locomotive wheels tire. The number of cycles to failure due to the formation of unacceptable damage in the locomotive wheels tire is N = 2,4×106 and 6×105 cycles, respectively, for fatigue and shock-contact loading.In general, we can say that the problem of higher intensity to form the surface damage is directly related to the operation of the locomotive wheel tire under abnormally low climatic temperatures. With decreasing ambient temperature, this element material rapidly looses its plastic properties, thereby accelerating

Design and Assessment of a Machine Vision System for Automatic Vehicle Wheel Alignment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rocco Furferi

2013-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Wheel alignment, consisting of properly checking the wheel characteristic angles against vehicle manufacturers' specifications, is a crucial task in the automotive field since it prevents irregular tyre wear and affects vehicle handling and safety. In recent years, systems based on Machine Vision have been widely studied in order to automatically detect wheels' characteristic angles. In order to overcome the limitations of existing methodologies, due to measurement equipment being mounted onto the wheels, the present work deals with design and assessment of a 3D machine vision-based system for the contactless reconstruction of vehicle wheel geometry, with particular reference to characteristic planes. Such planes, properly referred to as a global coordinate system, are used for determining wheel angles. The effectiveness of the proposed method was tested against a set of measurements carried out using a commercial 3D scanner; the absolute average error in measuring toe and camber angles with the machine vision system resulted in full compatibility with the expected accuracy of wheel alignment systems.

Wheels lining up for ATLAS

CERN Multimedia

2003-01-01

On 30 October, the mechanics test assembly of the central barrel of the ATLAS tile hadronic calorimeter was completed in building 185. It is the second wheel for the Tilecal completely assembled this year.

Innovative grinding wheel design for cost-effective machining of advanced ceramics. Phase I, final report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Licht, R.H.; Ramanath, S.; Simpson, M.; Lilley, E.

1996-02-01

Norton Company successfully completed the 16-month Phase I technical effort to define requirements, design, develop, and evaluate a next-generation grinding wheel for cost-effective cylindrical grinding of advanced ceramics. This program was a cooperative effort involving three Norton groups representing a superabrasive grinding wheel manufacturer, a diamond film manufacturing division and a ceramic research center. The program was divided into two technical tasks, Task 1, Analysis of Required Grinding Wheel Characteristics, and Task 2, Design and Prototype Development. In Task 1 we performed a parallel path approach with Superabrasive metal-bond development and the higher technical risk, CVD diamond wheel development. For the Superabrasive approach, Task 1 included bond wear and strength tests to engineer bond-wear characteristics. This task culminated in a small-wheel screening test plunge grinding sialon disks. In Task 2, an improved Superabrasive metal-bond specification for low-cost machining of ceramics in external cylindrical grinding mode was identified. The experimental wheel successfully ground three types of advanced ceramics without the need for wheel dressing. The spindle power consumed by this wheel during test grinding of NC-520 sialon is as much as to 30% lower compared to a standard resin bonded wheel with 100 diamond concentration. The wheel wear with this improved metal bond was an order of magnitude lower than the resin-bonded wheel, which would significantly reduce ceramic grinding costs through fewer wheel changes for retruing and replacements. Evaluation of ceramic specimens from both Tasks 1 and 2 tests for all three ceramic materials did not show evidence of unusual grinding damage. The novel CVD-diamond-wheel approach was incorporated in this program as part of Task 1. The important factors affecting the grinding performance of diamond wheels made by CVD coating preforms were determined.

Recognition of diamond grains on surface of fine diamond grinding wheel

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Fengwei HUO; Zhuji JIN; Renke KANG; Dongming GUO; Chun YANG

2008-01-01

The accurate evaluation of grinding wheel sur-face topography, which is necessary for the investigation of the grinding principle, optimism, modeling, and simu-lation of a grinding process, significantly depends on the accurate recognition of abrasive grains from the measured wheel surface. A detailed analysis of the grain size distri-bution characteristics and grain profile wavelength of the fine diamond grinding wheel used for ultra-precision grinding is presented. The requirements of the spatial sampling interval and sampling area for instruments to measure the surface topography of a diamond grinding wheel are discussed. To recognize diamond grains, digital filtering is used to eliminate the high frequency disturb-ance from the measured 3D digital surface of the grinding wheel, the geometric features of diamond grains are then extracted from the filtered 3D digital surface, and a method based on the grain profile frequency characteris-tics, diamond grain curvature, and distance between two adjacent diamond grains is proposed. A 3D surface pro-filer based on scanning white light interferometry is used to measure the 3D surface topography of a #3000 mesh resin bonded diamond grinding wheel, and the diamond grains are then recognized from the 3D digital surface. The experimental result shows that the proposed method is reasonable and effective.

Grinding performance evaluation of porous composite-bonded CBN wheels for Inconel 718

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chen Zhenzhen

2014-08-01

Full Text Available For high-efficiency grinding of difficult-to-cut materials such as titanium and nickel alloys, a high porosity is expected and also a sufficient mechanical strength to satisfy the function. However, the porosity increase is a disadvantage to the mechanical strength. As a promising pore forming agent, alumina bubbles are firstly induced into the abrasive layer to fabricate porous cubic boron nitride (CBN wheels. When the wheel porosity reaches 45%, the bending strength is still high up to 50 MPa with modified orderly pore distribution. A porous CBN wheel was fabricated with a total porosity around 30%. The grinding performance of the porous composite-bonded CBN wheel was evaluated in terms of specific force, specific grinding energy, and grinding temperature, which were better than those of the vitrified one under the same grinding conditions. Compared to the vitrified CBN wheel, clear straight cutting grooves and less chip adhesion are observed on the ground surface and there is also no extensive loading on the wheel surface after grinding.

Evaluation of the 30 Ton CHA Crane Wheel Axle Modification

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

RICH, J.W.

2002-01-01

An existing design for eccentric bushings was utilized and updated as necessary to accommodate minor adjustment as required to correct wheel alignment on the North West Idler wheel. The design is revised to install eccentric bushings on only one end

The time has come for retail wheeling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dahlen, D.O.; Achinger, S.K.

1993-01-01

Retail wheeling, the transmission and distribution of electric power for end users, fosters competition and promotes the efficient use of resources. Access to electric-utility transmission and distribution systems would establish competitive electric markets by permitting retail customers to obtain the lowest cost for energy which would meet their specific needs. Among electric utilities and their customers, the idea of allowing market forces to attract supply and set prices is a current controversy. To counter the anticompetitive effects of recent mergers in the wholesale market, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has mandated open transmission access for wholesale customers. However, the FERC denied access to retail customers and qualifying facilities (QF) in both its Northeast Utilities (FERC case No. EC-90-1 90) and PacifiCorp (U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for D.C., 89-1333) decisions. Retail wheeling will benefit both consumers and producers. The ability of large customers to purchase power from the lowest cost sources and have it transmitted to their facilities, will save American industrial and commercial customers at least $15 billion annually. The Increased efficiency resulting from competition would also reduce residential electric bills. Through retail wheeling, independent power producers can market their capacity to a greater customer base, and traditional utilities will benefit from access to other utilities markets with the more efficient utilities prospering. Retail wheeling will, therefore, reward efficient utilities and encourage inefficient utilities to improve

Improved infrared-sensing running wheel systems with an effective exercise activity indicator.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Chi-Chun; Chang, Ming-Wen; Chang, Ching-Ping; Chang, Wen-Ying; Chang, Shin-Chieh; Lin, Mao-Tsun; Yang, Chin-Lung

2015-01-01

This paper describes an infrared-sensing running wheel (ISRW) system for the quantitative measurement of effective exercise activity in rats. The ISRW system provides superior exercise training compared with commercially available traditional animal running platforms. Four infrared (IR) light-emitting diode/detector pairs embedded around the rim of the wheel detect the rat's real-time position; the acrylic wheel has a diameter of 55 cm and a thickness of 15 cm, that is, it is larger and thicker than traditional exercise wheels, and it is equipped with a rubber track. The acrylic wheel hangs virtually frictionless, and a DC motor with an axially mounted rubber wheel, which has a diameter of 10 cm, drives the acrylic wheel from the outer edge. The system can automatically train rats to run persistently. The proposed system can determine effective exercise activity (EEA), with the IR sensors (which are connected to a conventional PC) recording the rat exercise behavior. A prototype of the system was verified by a hospital research group performing ischemic stroke experiments on rats by considering middle cerebral artery occlusion. The experimental data demonstrated that the proposed system provides greater neuroprotection in an animal stroke model compared with a conventional treadmill and a motorized running wheel for a given exercise intensity. The quantitative exercise effectiveness indicator showed a 92% correlation between an increase in the EEA and a decrease in the infarct volume. This indicator can be used as a noninvasive and objective reference in clinical animal exercise experiments.

Improved infrared-sensing running wheel systems with an effective exercise activity indicator.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chi-Chun Chen

Full Text Available This paper describes an infrared-sensing running wheel (ISRW system for the quantitative measurement of effective exercise activity in rats. The ISRW system provides superior exercise training compared with commercially available traditional animal running platforms. Four infrared (IR light-emitting diode/detector pairs embedded around the rim of the wheel detect the rat's real-time position; the acrylic wheel has a diameter of 55 cm and a thickness of 15 cm, that is, it is larger and thicker than traditional exercise wheels, and it is equipped with a rubber track. The acrylic wheel hangs virtually frictionless, and a DC motor with an axially mounted rubber wheel, which has a diameter of 10 cm, drives the acrylic wheel from the outer edge. The system can automatically train rats to run persistently. The proposed system can determine effective exercise activity (EEA, with the IR sensors (which are connected to a conventional PC recording the rat exercise behavior. A prototype of the system was verified by a hospital research group performing ischemic stroke experiments on rats by considering middle cerebral artery occlusion. The experimental data demonstrated that the proposed system provides greater neuroprotection in an animal stroke model compared with a conventional treadmill and a motorized running wheel for a given exercise intensity. The quantitative exercise effectiveness indicator showed a 92% correlation between an increase in the EEA and a decrease in the infarct volume. This indicator can be used as a noninvasive and objective reference in clinical animal exercise experiments.

Wheeling and transmission system service policy in North America

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Casazza, J.A.; Schultz, A.J.; Limmer, H.D.

1991-01-01

This paper provides a review and discussion of the status of wheeling in the USA and Canada; the pros and cons of the new policies that are evolving and under consideration for wheeling and transmission access; specific case examples of some of the difficulties that have arisen; and the potential for new transmission technology. (author)

Nocturnal to Diurnal Switches with Spontaneous Suppression of Wheel-Running Behavior in a Subterranean Rodent.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Patricia Tachinardi

Full Text Available Several rodent species that are diurnal in the field become nocturnal in the lab. It has been suggested that the use of running-wheels in the lab might contribute to this timing switch. This proposition is based on studies that indicate feed-back of vigorous wheel-running on the period and phase of circadian clocks that time daily activity rhythms. Tuco-tucos (Ctenomys aff. knighti are subterranean rodents that are diurnal in the field but are robustly nocturnal in laboratory, with or without access to running wheels. We assessed their energy metabolism by continuously and simultaneously monitoring rates of oxygen consumption, body temperature, general motor and wheel running activity for several days in the presence and absence of wheels. Surprisingly, some individuals spontaneously suppressed running-wheel activity and switched to diurnality in the respirometry chamber, whereas the remaining animals continued to be nocturnal even after wheel removal. This is the first report of timing switches that occur with spontaneous wheel-running suppression and which are not replicated by removal of the wheel.

Sensor set-up for wireless measurement of automotive rim and wheel parameters in laboratory conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Borecki, M.; Prus, P.; Korwin-Pawlowski, M. L.; Rychlik, A.; Kozubel, W.

2017-08-01

Modern rims and wheels are tested at the design and production stages. Tests can be performed in laboratory conditions and on the ride. In the laboratory, complex and costly equipment is used, as for example wheel balancers and impact testers. Modern wheel balancers are equipped with electronic and electro-mechanical units that enable touch-less measurement of dimensions, including precision measurement of radial and lateral wheel run-out, automatic positioning and application of the counterweights, and vehicle wheel set monitoring - tread wear, drift angles and run-out unbalance. Those tests are performed by on-wheel axis measurements with laser distance meters. The impact tester enables dropping of weights from a defined height onto a wheel. Test criteria are the loss of pressure of the tire and generation of cracks in the wheel without direct impact of the falling weights. In the present paper, a set up composed of three accelerometers, a temperature sensor and a pressure sensor is examined as the base of a wheel tester. The sensor set-up configuration, on-line diagnostic and signal transmission are discussed.

Nocturnal to Diurnal Switches with Spontaneous Suppression of Wheel-Running Behavior in a Subterranean Rodent

Science.gov (United States)

Tachinardi, Patricia; Tøien, Øivind; Valentinuzzi, Veronica S.; Buck, C. Loren; Oda, Gisele A.

2015-01-01

Several rodent species that are diurnal in the field become nocturnal in the lab. It has been suggested that the use of running-wheels in the lab might contribute to this timing switch. This proposition is based on studies that indicate feed-back of vigorous wheel-running on the period and phase of circadian clocks that time daily activity rhythms. Tuco-tucos (Ctenomys aff. knighti) are subterranean rodents that are diurnal in the field but are robustly nocturnal in laboratory, with or without access to running wheels. We assessed their energy metabolism by continuously and simultaneously monitoring rates of oxygen consumption, body temperature, general motor and wheel running activity for several days in the presence and absence of wheels. Surprisingly, some individuals spontaneously suppressed running-wheel activity and switched to diurnality in the respirometry chamber, whereas the remaining animals continued to be nocturnal even after wheel removal. This is the first report of timing switches that occur with spontaneous wheel-running suppression and which are not replicated by removal of the wheel. PMID:26460828

A new solution method for wheel/rail rolling contact.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Jian; Song, Hua; Fu, Lihua; Wang, Meng; Li, Wei

2016-01-01

To solve the problem of wheel/rail rolling contact of nonlinear steady-state curving, a three-dimensional transient finite element (FE) model is developed by the explicit software ANSYS/LS-DYNA. To improve the solving speed and efficiency, an explicit-explicit order solution method is put forward based on analysis of the features of implicit and explicit algorithm. The solution method was first applied to calculate the pre-loading of wheel/rail rolling contact with explicit algorithm, and then the results became the initial conditions in solving the dynamic process of wheel/rail rolling contact with explicit algorithm as well. Simultaneously, the common implicit-explicit order solution method is used to solve the FE model. Results show that the explicit-explicit order solution method has faster operation speed and higher efficiency than the implicit-explicit order solution method while the solution accuracy is almost the same. Hence, the explicit-explicit order solution method is more suitable for the wheel/rail rolling contact model with large scale and high nonlinearity.

On minimizing mechanical stresses of the rail way wheels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moosavi, H.; Esfahanian, M.

2000-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to study the behavior of elastic-plastic stresses under severe drag braking. A railway wheel performs three tasks, aiding in trian movement, supporting the car load, and acting as a brake drum. Finite element computer programs are developed for elasto-plastic stress analysis. An attempt is made here to find an improved fillet profile of the wheel with the intention of minimizing high tensile mechanical stresses. Three new fillet profiles for the wheel are tested. A penalty function is used as a criterion for comparison of stresses between the new designs and the old design. The design with the least penalty is chosen to be the improved one

Fuzzy model for predicting the number of deformed wheels

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ž. Đorđević

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Deformation of the wheels damage cars and rails and affect on vehicle stability and safety. Repair and replacement cause high costs and lack of wagons. Planning of maintenance of wagons can not be done without estimates of the number of wheels that will be replaced due to wear and deformation in a given period of time. There are many influencing factors, the most important are: weather conditions, quality of materials, operating conditions, and distance between the two replacements. The fuzzy logic model uses the collected data as input variables to predict the output variable - number of deformed wheels for a certain type of vehicle in the defined period at a particular section of the railway.

Modeling and analysis of linearized wheel-rail contact dynamics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Soomro, Z.

2014-01-01

The dynamics of the railway vehicles are nonlinear and depend upon several factors including vehicle speed, normal load and adhesion level. The presence of contaminants on the railway track makes them unpredictable too. Therefore in order to develop an effective control strategy it is important to analyze the effect of each factor on dynamic response thoroughly. In this paper a linearized model of a railway wheel-set is developed and is later analyzed by varying the speed and adhesion level by keeping the normal load constant. A wheel-set is the wheel-axle assembly of a railroad car. Patch contact is the study of the deformation of solids that touch each other at one or more points. (author)

Wheel-running in a transgenic mouse model of Alzheimer's disease: protection or symptom?

Science.gov (United States)

Richter, Helene; Ambrée, Oliver; Lewejohann, Lars; Herring, Arne; Keyvani, Kathy; Paulus, Werner; Palme, Rupert; Touma, Chadi; Schäbitz, Wolf-Rüdiger; Sachser, Norbert

2008-06-26

Several studies on both humans and animals reveal benefits of physical exercise on brain function and health. A previous study on TgCRND8 mice, a transgenic model of Alzheimer's disease, reported beneficial effects of premorbid onset of long-term access to a running wheel on spatial learning and plaque deposition. Our study investigated the effects of access to a running wheel after the onset of Abeta pathology on behavioural, endocrinological, and neuropathological parameters. From day 80 of age, the time when Abeta deposition becomes apparent, TgCRND8 and wildtype mice were kept with or without running wheel. Home cage behaviour was analysed and cognitive abilities regarding object recognition memory and spatial learning in the Barnes maze were assessed. Our results show that, in comparison to Wt mice, Tg mice were characterised by impaired object recognition memory and spatial learning, increased glucocorticoid levels, hyperactivity in the home cage and high levels of stereotypic behaviour. Access to a running wheel had no effects on cognitive or neuropathological parameters, but reduced the amount of stereotypic behaviour in transgenics significantly. Furthermore, wheel-running was inversely correlated with stereotypic behaviour, suggesting that wheel-running may have stereotypic qualities. In addition, wheel-running positively correlated with plaque burden. Thus, in a phase when plaques are already present in the brain, it may be symptomatic of brain pathology, rather than protective. Whether or not access to a running wheel has beneficial effects on Alzheimer-like pathology and symptoms may therefore strongly depend on the exact time when the wheel is provided during development of the disease.

Multi-component lightweight gearwheels with deep-drawn wheel body for automotive applications

Science.gov (United States)

Benkert, Tim; Hiller, Maria; Volk, Wolfram

2017-09-01

Multi-component gearwheels offer great lightweight opportunities for automotive applications. An assembly of a gear ring and a wheel body joined by press fit replaces the monolithic gearwheel. To save weight, the wheel body uses lightweight design. This lightweight design influences the assembled gearwheel’s mechanical properties like stiffness, weight and torque capacity. Further, the wheel body material influences the mentioned properties as well. In this paper, the effects of the lightweight wheel body manufactured by deep-drawing on the mechanical properties of the assembled gearwheel are investigated. Three different wheel body designs are examined regarding their stiffness and weight compared to a reference gearwheel. Using the best design, the influence of five materials with increasing yield strength on the maximum torque the gearwheel can transmit is studied. All research is done virtually using Abaqus 6.12-3.

Transmission access and retail wheeling. The key questions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Casazza, J.A.

1996-01-01

The key questions involving transmission access and retail wheeling are discussed, distinguishing between opposing views regarding the effect on system costs and the environment, particularly on optimal planning involving matching capacity and demand, generation use, demand side management, and economic operations. Also discussed are contrasting views regarding the effect of cost control pressures, regulatory advantages and disadvantages, the impact on system reliability, and the stranding of investment. The author's key concern is the effect of retail wheeling upon optimal planning and operation i.e., will competitors be willing to provide one another with the cost and technical information required for coordination? In his worst scenario, retail wheeling may lead to substantial production cost increases, lessened reliability, and unfair cost-shifting between customer classes. More optimistically, production costs and reliability may be unaffected and the cost-shifting could be salubrious. 7 figs., 11 refs

Possibilities of using welding-on technologies in crane wheel ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

WINTEC

Abstract. The paper deals with analysis of welds-on quality of traverse crane wheels made from gr. 90–60 mate- rial, ASTM A148. Three types of welding-on technology with various filling materials were used. On wheel after wearing was welded-on one interlayer by a combination of additional materials, wire A 106 with F 11 ...

Circadian wheel running behavior is altered in an APP/E4 mouse model of late onset Alzheimer's disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Boggs, Katelyn N; Kakalec, Peter A; Smith, Meghann L; Howell, Stefanie N; Flinn, Jane M

2017-12-01

Circadian rhythms are altered in several diseases associated with aging, one of which is Alzheimer's disease (AD). One example of a circadian rhythm is the rest-activity cycle, which can be measured in mice by monitoring their wheel-running. The present study sought to investigate differences in light phase/dark phase activity between a mouse model of late onset AD (APP/E4) and control (C57Bl6J) mice, in both the pre-plaque and post-plaques stages of the disease. To assess activity level, 24-h wheel running behavior was monitored at six months (pre-plaque) and twelve months (post-plaque) for a period of nine days. The following measures were analyzed: counts (wheel rotations) during the dark phase, counts during the light phase, hour of activity onset, and hour of activity offset. Key findings indicate that activity onset is delayed in APP/E4 mice at six and twelve months, and activity profiles for APP/E4 and C57Bl6J mice differ during the light and dark phase in such a way that APP/E4 mice run less in the early hours of the dark phase and more in the later hours of the dark phase compared to C57Bl6J mice. These findings imply that rest-activity cycle is altered in the pre-plaque stages of AD in APP/E4 mice, as they show impairments as early as six months of age. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Wheel running decreases palatable diet preference in Sprague-Dawley rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Moody, Laura; Liang, Joy; Choi, Pique P; Moran, Timothy H; Liang, Nu-Chu

2015-10-15

Physical activity has beneficial effects on not only improving some disease conditions but also by preventing the development of multiple disorders. Experiments in this study examined the effects of wheel running on intakes of chow and palatable diet e.g. high fat (HF) or high sucrose (HS) diet in male and female Sprague-Dawley rats. Experiment 1 demonstrated that acute wheel running results in robust HF or HS diet avoidance in male rats. Although female rats with running wheel access initially showed complete avoidance of the two palatable diets, the avoidance of the HS diet was transient. Experiment 2 demonstrated that male rats developed decreased HF diet preferences regardless of the order of diet and wheel running access presentation. Running associated changes in HF diet preference in females, on the other hand, depended on the testing schedule. In female rats, simultaneous presentation of the HF diet and running access resulted in transient complete HF diet avoidance whereas running experience prior to HF diet access did not affect the high preference for the HF diet. Ovariectomy in females resulted in HF diet preference patterns that were similar to those in male rats during simultaneous exposure of HF and wheel running access but similar to intact females when running occurred before HF exposure. Overall, the results demonstrated wheel running associated changes in palatable diet preferences that were in part sex dependent. Furthermore, ovarian hormones play a role in some of the sex differences. These data reveal complexity in the mechanisms underlying exercise associated changes in palatable diet preference. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Wheel running decreases palatable diet preference in Sprague-Dawley rats

Science.gov (United States)

Moody, Laura; Liang, Joy; Choi, Pique P.; Moran, Timothy H.; Liang, Nu-Chu

2015-01-01

Physical activity has beneficial effects on not only improving some disease conditions but also by preventing the development of multiple disorders. Experiments in this study examined the effects of wheel running on intakes of chow and palatable diet e.g. high fat (HF) or high sucrose (HS) diet in male and female Sprague Dawley rats. Experiment 1 demonstrated that acute wheel running results in robust HF or HS diet avoidance in male rats. Although female rats with running wheel access initially showed complete avoidance of the two palatable diets, the avoidance of the HS diet was transient. Experiment 2 demonstrated that male rats developed decreased HF diet preferences regardless of the order of diet and wheel running access presentation. Running associated changes in HF diet preference in females, on the other hand, depended on the testing schedule. In female rats, simultaneous presentation of the HF diet and running access resulted in transient complete HF diet avoidance whereas running experience prior to HF diet access did not affect the high preference for the HF diet. Ovariectomy in females resulted in HF diet preference patterns that were similar to those in male rats during simultaneous exposure of HF and wheel running access but similar to intact females when running occurred before HF exposure. Overall, the results demonstrated wheel running associated changes in palatable diet preferences that were in part sex dependent. Furthermore, ovarian hormones play a role in some of the sex differences. These data reveal complexity in the mechanisms underlying exercise associated changes in palatable diet preference. PMID:25791204

Mathematical model of rolling an elastic wheel over deformable support base

Science.gov (United States)

Volskaia, V. N.; Zhileykin, M. M.; Zakharov, A. Y.

2018-02-01

One of the main direction of economic growth in Russia remains to be a speedy development of north and northeast regions that are the constituents of the 60 percent of the country territory. The further development of these territories requires new methods and technologies for solving transport and technological problems when off-road transportation of cargoes and people is conducting. One of the fundamental methods of patency prediction is imitation modeling of wheeled vehicles movement in different operating conditions. Both deformable properties of tires and physical and mechanical properties of the ground: normal tire deflection and gauge depth; variation of contact patch area depending on the load and pressure of air in the tire; existence of hysteresis losses in the tire material which are influencing on the rolling resistance due to friction processes between tire and ground in the contact patch; existence of the tangential reaction from the ground by entire contact area influence on the tractive patency. Nowadays there are two main trends in theoretical research of interaction wheeled propulsion device with ground: analytical method involving mathematical description of explored process and finite element method based on computational modeling. Mathematical models of interaction tire with the ground are used both in processes of interaction individual wheeled propulsion device with ground and researches of mobile vehicle dynamical models operated in specific road and climate conditions. One of the most significant imperfection of these models is the description of interaction wheel with flat deformable support base whereas profile of real support base surface has essential height of unevenness which is commensurate with radius of the wheel. The description of processes taking place in the ground under influence of the wheeled propulsion device using the finite element method is relatively new but most applicable lately. The application of this method allows

Time-resolved spectroscopy using a chopper wheel as a fast shutter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Shicong; Wendt, Amy E.; Boffard, John B.; Lin, Chun C.

2015-01-01

Widely available, small form-factor, fiber-coupled spectrometers typically have a minimum exposure time measured in milliseconds, and thus cannot be used directly for time-resolved measurements at the microsecond level. Spectroscopy at these faster time scales is typically done with an intensified charge coupled device (CCD) system where the image intensifier acts as a “fast” electronic shutter for the slower CCD array. In this paper, we describe simple modifications to a commercially available chopper wheel system to allow it to be used as a “fast” mechanical shutter for gating a fiber-coupled spectrometer to achieve microsecond-scale time-resolved optical measurements of a periodically pulsed light source. With the chopper wheel synchronized to the pulsing of the light source, the time resolution can be set to a small fraction of the pulse period by using a chopper wheel with narrow slots separated by wide spokes. Different methods of synchronizing the chopper wheel and pulsing of the light sources are explored. The capability of the chopper wheel system is illustrated with time-resolved measurements of pulsed plasmas

Rear suspension design for an in-wheel-drive electric car

NARCIS (Netherlands)

George, Ashwin Dayal; Besselink, Igo

2016-01-01

The in-wheel motor configuration can provide more flexibility to electric car design, making the car more compact and lightweight. However, current suspension systems are not designed to incorporate an in-wheel powertrain, and studies have shown deterioration in ride comfort and handling when more

Automated phased array ultrasonic inspection system for rail wheel sets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grosser, Paul; Weiland, M.G.

2013-01-01

This paper covers the design, system automation, calibration and validation of an automated ultrasonic system for the inspection of new and in service wheel set assemblies from diesel-electric locomotives and gondola cars. This system uses Phased Array (PA) transducers for flaw detection and Electro-Magnetic Acoustic Transducers (EMAT) for the measurement of residual stress. The system collects, analyses, evaluates and categorizes the wheel sets automatically. This data is archived for future comparison and trending. It is also available for export to a portal lathe for increased efficiency and accuracy of machining, therefore allowing prolonged wheel life.

Innovative Design and Performance Evaluation of Bionic Imprinting Toothed Wheel.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Zhihong; Wang, Xiaoyang; Tong, Jin; Stephen, Carr

2018-01-01

A highly efficient soil-burrowing dung beetle possesses an intricate outer contour curve on its foreleg end-tooth. This study was carried out based on evidence that this special outer contour curve has the potential of reducing soil penetration resistance and could enhance soil-burrowing efficiency. A toothed wheel is a typical agricultural implement for soil imprinting, to increase its working efficiency; the approach of the bionic geometrical structure was utilized to optimize the innovative shape of imprinting toothed wheel. Characteristics in the dung beetle's foreleg end-tooth were extracted and studied by the edge detection technique. Then, this special outer contour curve was modeled by a nine-order polynomial function and used for the innovative design of imprinting the tooth's cutting edge. Both the conventional and bionic teeth were manufactured, and traction tests in a soil bin were conducted. Taking required draft force and volume of imprinted microbasin as the evaluating indexes, operating efficiency and quality of different toothed wheels were compared and investigated. Results indicate that compared with the conventional toothed wheel, a bionic toothed wheel possesses a better forward resistance reduction property against soil and, meanwhile, can enhance the quality of soil imprinting by increasing the volume of the created micro-basin.

Damage detection in rotating machinery by means of entropy-based parameters

Science.gov (United States)

Tocarciuc, Alexandru; Bereteu, Liviu; ǎgǎnescu, Gheorghe Eugen, Dr

2014-11-01

The paper is proposing two new entropy-based parameters, namely Renyi Entropy Index (REI) and Sharma-Mittal Entropy Index (SMEI), for detecting the presence of failures (or damages) in rotating machinery, namely: belt structural damage, belt wheels misalignment, failure of the fixing bolt of the machine to its baseplate and eccentricities (i.e.: due to detaching a small piece of material or bad mounting of the rotating components of the machine). The algorithms to obtain the proposed entropy-based parameters are described and test data is used in order to assess their sensitivity. A vibration test bench is used for measuring the levels of vibration while artificially inducing damage. The deviation of the two entropy-based parameters is compared in two states of the vibration test bench: not damaged and damaged. At the end of the study, their sensitivity is compared to Shannon Entropic Index.

The effect of mountain bike wheel size on cross-country performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Hurst, Howard Thomas; Sinclair, Jonathan; Atkins, Stephen; Rylands, Lee; Metcalfe, John

2017-07-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of different wheel size diameters on indicators of cross-country mountain bike time trial performance. Nine competitive male mountain bikers (age 34.7 ± 10.7 years; stature 177.7 ± 5.6 cm; body mass 73.2 ± 8.6 kg) performed 1 lap of a 3.48 km mountain bike (MTB) course as fast as possible on 26″, 27.5″ and 29″ wheeled MTB. Time (s), mean power (W), cadence (revs · min -1 ) and velocity (km · h -1 ) were recorded for the whole lap and during ascent and descent sections. One-way repeated measure ANOVA was used to determine significant differences. Results revealed no significant main effects for any variables by wheel size during all trials, with the exception of cadence during the descent (F (2, 16)  = 8.96; P = .002; P 2  = .53). Post hoc comparisons revealed differences lay between the 26″ and 29″ wheels (P = .02). The findings indicate that wheel size does not significantly influence performance during cross-country when ridden by trained mountain bikers, and that wheel choice is likely due to personal choice or sponsorship commitments.

Impact of wheel running on chronic ethanol intake in aged Syrian hamsters.

Science.gov (United States)

Brager, Allison J; Hammer, Steven B

2012-10-10

Alcohol dependence in aging populations is seen as a public health concern, most recently because of the significant proportion of heavy drinking among "Baby Boomers." Basic animal research on the effects of aging on physiological and behavioral regulation of ethanol (EtOH) intake is sparse, since most of this research is limited to younger models of alcoholism. Here, EtOH drinking and preference were measured in groups of aged Syrian hamsters. Further, because voluntary exercise (wheel-running) is a rewarding substitute for EtOH in young adult hamsters, the potential for such reward substitution was also assessed. Aged (24 month-old) male hamsters were subjected to a three-stage regimen of free-choice EtOH (20% v/v) or water and unlocked or locked running wheels to investigate the modulatory effects of voluntary wheel running on EtOH intake and preference. Levels of fluid intake and activity were recorded daily across 60 days of experimentation. Prior to wheel running, levels of EtOH intake were significantly less than levels of water intake, resulting in a low preference for EtOH (30%). Hamsters with access to an unlocked running wheel had decreased EtOH intake and preference compared with hamsters with access to a locked running wheel. These group differences in EtOH intake and preference were sustained for up to 10 days after running wheels were re-locked. These results extend upon those of our previous work in young adult hamsters, indicating that aging dampens EtOH intake and preference. Voluntary wheel running further limited EtOH intake, suggesting that exercise could offer a practical approach for managing late-life alcoholism. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Interactive Two-Way mHealth Interventions for Improving Medication Adherence: An Evaluation Using The Behaviour Change Wheel Framework.

Science.gov (United States)

Chiang, Nicole; Guo, Michael; Amico, K Rivet; Atkins, Lou; Lester, Richard T

2018-04-12

evaluation of WelTel using the Behavior Change Wheel suggests that most of its impact is delivered primarily through its personalized communication component, in which 8 different behavior change techniques were identified and linked with 5 intervention functions (environmental restructuring, enablement, education, persuasion, and training). Its mechanisms of action in promoting antiretroviral therapy adherence may involve addressing all Capability Opportunity Motivation-Behavior influences on behavior (physical and psychological capability, physical and social opportunity, reflective and automatic motivation). Systematically unpacking the potential active ingredients of effective interventions facilitates the creation and implementation of more parsimonious, tailored, and targeted approaches. Evaluating WelTel using the Behavior Change Wheel has provided valuable insights into how and why such interactive two-way mHealth interventions may produce greater impact than one-way in addressing both nonintentional and intentional forms of nonadherence. The application of the Behavior Change Wheel for evidence synthesis across mHealth interventions targeting various conditions would contribute to strengthening the knowledge base regarding how they may work to impact medication adherence behavior. ©Nicole Chiang, Michael Guo, K Rivet Amico, Lou Atkins, Richard T Lester. Originally published in JMIR Mhealth and Uhealth (http://mhealth.jmir.org), 12.04.2018.

Stocks and flows of lead-based wheel weights in the United States

Science.gov (United States)

Bleiwas, Donald I.

2006-01-01

Lead is used in many widely known applications, such as automobile batteries and radiation shielding. Another lesser known, but long-term, use of lead is in automotive vehicle wheel weights. Lead weights have been used to balance wheels since the 1930s because of its high specific gravity, low relative cost, and its malleability. Out-of-balance tires tend to 'cup' and vibrate and as a result cause excessive wear on tires and vehicle suspension components and result in compromised handling, especially at high speeds. The mass, number, and style of weights needed to balance a wheel depend on the tire's size and weight and on the type and condition of the wheels (rims) on the vehicle. This study addresses an accounting of the stocks and flows of lead contained in lead wheel weights from their manufacture, through use, dissipation, and recycling, and environmental issues associated with the use of lead.

Controlled braking scheme for a wheeled walking aid

OpenAIRE

Coyle, Eugene; O'Dwyer, Aidan; Young, Eileen; Sullivan, Kevin; Toner, A.

2006-01-01

A wheeled walking aid with an embedded controlled braking system is described. The frame of the prototype is based on combining features of standard available wheeled walking aids. A braking scheme has been designed using hydraulic disc brakes to facilitate accurate and sensitive controlled stopping of the walker by the user, and if called upon, by automatic action. Braking force is modulated via a linear actuating stepping motor. A microcontroller is used for control of both stepper movement...

A survey of wheel-rail contact models for rail vehicles

Science.gov (United States)

Meymand, Sajjad Z.; Keylin, Alexander; Ahmadian, Mehdi

2016-03-01

Accurate and efficient contact models for wheel-rail interaction are essential for the study of the dynamic behaviour of a railway vehicle. Assessment of the contact forces and moments, as well as contact geometry provide a fundamental foundation for such tasks as design of braking and traction control systems, prediction of wheel and rail wear, and evaluation of ride safety and comfort. This paper discusses the evolution and the current state of the theories for solving the wheel-rail contact problem for rolling stock. The well-known theories for modelling both normal contact (Hertzian and non-Hertzian) and tangential contact (Kalker's linear theory, FASTSIM, CONTACT, Polach's theory, etc.) are reviewed. The paper discusses the simplifying assumptions for developing these models and compares their functionality. The experimental studies for evaluation of contact models are also reviewed. This paper concludes with discussing open areas in contact mechanics that require further research for developing better models to represent the wheel-rail interaction.

Responding for sucrose and wheel-running reinforcement: effects of sucrose concentration and wheel-running reinforcer duration.

Science.gov (United States)

Belke, Terry W; Hancock, Stephanie D

2003-03-01

Six male albino rats were placed in running wheels and exposed to a fixed-interval 30-s schedule of lever pressing that produced either a drop of sucrose solution or the opportunity to run for a fixed duration as reinforcers. Each reinforcer type was signaled by a different stimulus. In Experiment 1, the duration of running was held constant at 15 s while the concentration of sucrose solution was varied across values of 0, 2.5. 5, 10, and 15%. As concentration decreased, postreinforcement pause duration increased and local rates decreased in the presence of the stimulus signaling sucrose. Consequently, the difference between responding in the presence of stimuli signaling wheel-running and sucrose reinforcers diminished, and at 2.5%, response functions for the two reinforcers were similar. In Experiment 2, the concentration of sucrose solution was held constant at 15% while the duration of the opportunity to run was first varied across values of 15, 45, and 90 s then subsequently across values of 5, 10, and 15 s. As run duration increased, postreinforcement pause duration in the presence of the wheel-running stimulus increased and local rates increased then decreased. In summary, inhibitory aftereffects of previous reinforcers occurred when both sucrose concentration and run duration varied; changes in responding were attributable to changes in the excitatory value of the stimuli signaling the two reinforcers.

Body weight manipulation, reinforcement value and choice between sucrose and wheel running: a behavioral economic analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Belke, Terry W; Pierce, W David

2009-02-01

Twelve female Long-Evans rats were exposed to concurrent variable (VR) ratio schedules of sucrose and wheel-running reinforcement (Sucrose VR 10 Wheel VR 10; Sucrose VR 5 Wheel VR 20; Sucrose VR 20 Wheel VR 5) with predetermined budgets (number of responses). The allocation of lever pressing to the sucrose and wheel-running alternatives was assessed at high and low body weights. Results showed that wheel-running rate and lever-pressing rates for sucrose and wheel running increased, but the choice of wheel running decreased at the low body weight. A regression analysis of relative consumption as a function of relative price showed that consumption shifted toward sucrose and interacted with price differences in a manner consistent with increased substitutability. Demand curves showed that demand for sucrose became less elastic while demand for wheel running became more elastic at the low body weight. These findings reflect an increase in the difference in relative value of sucrose and wheel running as body weight decreased. Discussion focuses on the limitations of response rates as measures of reinforcement value. In addition, we address the commonalities between matching and demand curve equations for the analysis of changes in relative reinforcement value.

Rotating anode X-ray source

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wittry, D.B.

1979-01-01

A rotating anode x-ray source is described which consists of a rotary anode disc including a target ring and a chamber within the anode disc. Liquid is evaporated into the chamber from the target ring to cool the target and a method is provided of removing the latent heat of the vapor. (U.K.)

Stochastic stability of four-wheel-steering system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang Dongwei; Wang Hongli; Zhu Zhiwen; Feng Zhang

2007-01-01

A four-wheel-steering system subjected to white noise excitations was reduced to a two-degree-of-freedom quasi-non-integrable-Hamiltonian system. Subsequently we obtained an one-dimensional Ito stochastic differential equation for the averaged Hamiltonian of the system by using the stochastic averaging method for quasi-non-integrable-Hamiltonian systems. Thus, the stochastic stability of four-wheel-steering system was analyzed by analyzing the sample behaviors of the averaged Hamiltonian at the boundary H = 0 and calculating its Lyapunov exponent. An example given at the end demonstrated that the conclusion obtained is of considerable significance

Reliabilities of mental rotation tasks: limits to the assessment of individual differences.

Science.gov (United States)

Hirschfeld, Gerrit; Thielsch, Meinald T; Zernikow, Boris

2013-01-01

Mental rotation tasks with objects and body parts as targets are widely used in cognitive neuropsychology. Even though these tasks are well established to study between-groups differences, the reliability on an individual level is largely unknown. We present a systematic study on the internal consistency and test-retest reliability of individual differences in mental rotation tasks comparing different target types and orders of presentations. In total n = 99 participants (n = 63 for the retest) completed the mental rotation tasks with hands, feet, faces, and cars as targets. Different target types were presented in either randomly mixed blocks or blocks of homogeneous targets. Across all target types, the consistency (split-half reliability) and stability (test-retest reliabilities) were good or acceptable both for intercepts and slopes. At the level of individual targets, only intercepts showed acceptable reliabilities. Blocked presentations resulted in significantly faster and numerically more consistent and stable responses. Mental rotation tasks-especially in blocked variants-can be used to reliably assess individual differences in global processing speed. However, the assessment of the theoretically important slope parameter for individual targets requires further adaptations to mental rotation tests.

Atomic Ferris wheel beams

Science.gov (United States)

Lembessis, Vasileios E.

2017-07-01

We study the generation of atom vortex beams in the case where a Bose-Einstein condensate, released from a trap and moving in free space, is diffracted from a properly tailored light mask with a spiral transverse profile. We show how such a diffraction scheme could lead to the production of an atomic Ferris wheel beam.

High-efficiency free-form condenser overcoming rotational symmetry limitations.

Science.gov (United States)

Miñano, Juan C; Benítez, Pablo; Blen, José; Santamaría, Asunción

2008-12-08

Conventional condensers using rotational symmetric devices perform far from their theoretical limits when transferring optical power from sources such as arc lamps or halogen bulbs to the rectangular entrance of homogenizing prisms (target). We present a free-form condenser design (calculated with the SMS method) that overcomes the limitations inherent to rotational devices and can send to the target 1.8 times the power sent by an equivalent elliptical condenser for a 4:1 target aspect ratio and 1.5 times for 16:9 target and for practical values of target etendue.

Contrast-enhanced ultrasonographic spoke-wheel sign in hepatic focal nodular hyperplasia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yen, Y.-H.; Wang, J.-H.; Lu, S.-N.; Chen, T.-Y.; Changchien, C.-S.; Chen, C.-H.; Hung, C.-H.; Lee, C.-M.

2006-01-01

Background: To determine the utility of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) in assessing hepatic tumors with central feeding arteries found by color/power Doppler ultrasonograophy (CDUS/PDUS). Methods: We prospectively studied 37 hepatic tumors (34 patients), with a mean size of 2.9 cm and each having a central feeding artery, by CDUS/PDUS. The CEUS was performed with a galactose-based microbubble contrast agent. The detection of a spoke-wheel sign was interpreted as evidence of focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH). All patients underwent tumor biopsies or surgical resection. Results: CEUS showed a central feeding artery with a spoke-wheel sign in 36 tumors, including 34 FNHs and 2 hepatocellular carcinomas. The remaining tumor was demonstrated to be FNH despite the absence of a spoke-wheel sign as detected by CEUS. The sensitivity of the spoke-wheel sign or central scar for FNH was 97.1% (34/35), 40% (14/35), 28.6% (10/35), 50% (8/16) and 0% (0/15) for CEUS, CDUS/PDUS, dynamic computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), hepatic angiography and liver scintigraphy, respectively. The two hepatocellular carcinomas showed scirrhous changes histologically. Conclusions: CEUS is more sensitive than CDUS/PDUS, dynamic CT, MRI, hepatic angiography and liver scintigraphy in the detection of the spoke-wheel sign or central scar in FNH. Scirrhous hepatocellular carcinoma should be included in the differential diagnosis for liver tumors with spoke-wheel sign detected by CEUS

Contrast-enhanced ultrasonographic spoke-wheel sign in hepatic focal nodular hyperplasia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yen, Y.-H. [Division of Hepato-Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, 123 Ta-Pei Road, Kaohsiung 833, Taiwan (China); Wang, J.-H. [Division of Hepato-Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, 123 Ta-Pei Road, Kaohsiung 833, Taiwan (China)]. E-mail: wajing@adm.cgmh.org.tw; Lu, S.-N. [Division of Hepato-Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, 123 Ta-Pei Road, Kaohsiung 833, Taiwan (China); Chen, T.-Y. [Department of Radiology, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan (China); Changchien, C.-S. [Division of Hepato-Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, 123 Ta-Pei Road, Kaohsiung 833, Taiwan (China); Chen, C.-H. [Division of Hepato-Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, 123 Ta-Pei Road, Kaohsiung 833, Taiwan (China); Hung, C.-H. [Division of Hepato-Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, 123 Ta-Pei Road, Kaohsiung 833, Taiwan (China); Lee, C.-M. [Division of Hepato-Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, 123 Ta-Pei Road, Kaohsiung 833, Taiwan (China)

2006-12-15

Background: To determine the utility of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) in assessing hepatic tumors with central feeding arteries found by color/power Doppler ultrasonograophy (CDUS/PDUS). Methods: We prospectively studied 37 hepatic tumors (34 patients), with a mean size of 2.9 cm and each having a central feeding artery, by CDUS/PDUS. The CEUS was performed with a galactose-based microbubble contrast agent. The detection of a spoke-wheel sign was interpreted as evidence of focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH). All patients underwent tumor biopsies or surgical resection. Results: CEUS showed a central feeding artery with a spoke-wheel sign in 36 tumors, including 34 FNHs and 2 hepatocellular carcinomas. The remaining tumor was demonstrated to be FNH despite the absence of a spoke-wheel sign as detected by CEUS. The sensitivity of the spoke-wheel sign or central scar for FNH was 97.1% (34/35), 40% (14/35), 28.6% (10/35), 50% (8/16) and 0% (0/15) for CEUS, CDUS/PDUS, dynamic computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), hepatic angiography and liver scintigraphy, respectively. The two hepatocellular carcinomas showed scirrhous changes histologically. Conclusions: CEUS is more sensitive than CDUS/PDUS, dynamic CT, MRI, hepatic angiography and liver scintigraphy in the detection of the spoke-wheel sign or central scar in FNH. Scirrhous hepatocellular carcinoma should be included in the differential diagnosis for liver tumors with spoke-wheel sign detected by CEUS.

Effects of setting angle on performance of fish-bionic wind wheel

Science.gov (United States)

Li, G. S.; Yang, Z. X.; Song, L.; Chen, Q.; Li, Y. B.; Chen, W.

2016-08-01

With the energy crisis and the increasing environmental pollutionmore and more efforts have been made about wind power development. In this paper, a new type of vertical axis named the fish-bionic wind wheel was proposed, and the outline of wind wheel was constructed by curve of Fourier fitting and polynomial equations. This paper attempted to research the relationship between the setting angle and the wind turbine characteristics by computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation. The results showed that the setting angle of the fish-bionic wind wheel has some significant effects on the efficiency of the wind turbine, Within the range of wind speed from 13m/s to 15m/s, wind wheel achieves the maximum efficiency when the setting angle is at 37 degree. The conclusion will work as a guideline for the improvement of wind turbine design.

Two wheel speed robust sliding mode control for electric vehicle drive

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abdelfatah Nasri

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Nowadays the uses of electrical power resources are integrated in the modern vehicle motion traction chain so new technologies allow the development of electric vehicles (EV by means of static converters-related electric motors. All mechanical transmission devices are eliminated and vehicle wheel motion can be controlled by means of power electronics. The proposed propulsing system consists of two induction motors (IM that ensure the drive of the two back driving wheels. The proposed control structure-called independent machines- for speed control permit the achievement of an electronic differential. The electronic differential system ensures the robust control of the vehicle behavior on the road. It also allows controlling independently, every driving wheel to turn at different speeds in any curve. This paper presents the study and the sliding mode control strategy of the electric vehicle driving wheels.

Durability Characteristics Analysis of Plastic Worm Wheel with Glass Fiber Reinforced Polyamide.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Gun-Hee; Lee, Jeong-Won; Seo, Tae-Il

2013-05-10

Plastic worm wheel is widely used in the vehicle manufacturing field because it is favorable for weight lightening, vibration and noise reduction, as well as corrosion resistance. However, it is very difficult for general plastics to secure the mechanical properties that are required for vehicle gears. If the plastic resin is reinforced by glass fiber in the fabrication process of plastic worm wheel, it is possible to achieve the mechanical properties of metallic material levels. In this study, the mechanical characteristic analysis of the glass-reinforced plastic worm wheel, according to the contents of glass fiber, is performed by analytic and experimental methods. In the case of the glass fiber-reinforced resin, the orientation and contents of glass fibers can influence the mechanical properties. For the characteristic prediction of plastic worm wheel, computer-aided engineering (CAE) analysis processes such as structural and injection molding analysis were executed with the polyamide resin reinforcement glass fiber (25 wt %, 50 wt %). The injection mold for fabricating the prototype plastic worm wheel was designed and made to reflect the CAE analysis results. Finally, the durability of prototype plastic worm wheel fabricated by the injection molding process was evaluated by the experimental method and the characteristics according to the glass fiber contents.

Multiple Wheel Throwing: And Chess Sets.

Science.gov (United States)

Sapiro, Maurice

1978-01-01

A chess set project is suggested to teach multiple throwing, the creation on a potter's wheel of several pieces of similar configuration. Processes and finished sets are illustrated with photographs. (SJL)

Electrostatic Spectrometer for Mars Rover Wheel

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Develop a simple electrostatic spectrometer that can be mounted on the wheels of a Mars rover to continuously and unobtrusively determine the mineral composition and...

General motors front wheel drive 2-mode hybrid transmission

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hendrickson, James [General Motors Corp., Pontiac, MI (United States). New Transmission Products Group.; Holmes, Alan G. [General Motors Corp., Pontiac, MI (United States). Powertrain Hybrid Architecture

2009-07-01

General Motors now expands the application of two-mode hybrid technology to front wheel drive vehicles with the development of a hybrid electric transmission packaged into essentially the same space as a conventional automatic transmission for front wheel drive. This was accomplished using a space-efficient arrangement based on two planetary gear sets and electric motor-generators with large internal diameters. A combination of damper and hydraulically-controlled clutch allow comfortable shutdown and restarting of large-displacement engines in front wheel drive vehicles. The hybrid system delivers electric low-speed urban driving, two continuously variable ranges of transmission speed ratios, four fixed transmission speed ratios, electric acceleration boosting, and regenerative braking. In the first vehicle application, the two-mode hybrid helps to reduce vehicle fuel consumption by approximately one-third. (orig.)

Development of an omnidirectional Automated Guided Vehicle with MY3 wheels

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Suyang Yu

2016-03-01

Full Text Available This paper presents an omnidirectional Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV with a novel omnidirectional wheel named MY3 wheel. Due to the special structure and material of the MY3 wheel, the AGV has full three DOFs in the motion plane and good capabilities of load carrying and slip resisting. In addition, the kinematic model of the AGV is derived, and the guiding method that can make the AGV to follow a specified path is established. Finally, experiments are performed to verify the kinematic model and guiding method.

Experimental investigation into the mechanism of the polygonal wear of electric locomotive wheels

Science.gov (United States)

Tao, Gongquan; Wang, Linfeng; Wen, Zefeng; Guan, Qinghua; Jin, Xuesong

2018-06-01

Experiments were conducted at field sites to investigate the mechanism of the polygonal wear of electric locomotive wheels. The polygonal wear rule of electric locomotive wheels was obtained. Moreover, two on-track tests have been carried out to investigate the vibration characteristics of the electric locomotive's key components. The measurement results of wheels out-of-round show that most electric locomotive wheels exhibit polygonal wear. The main centre wavelength in the 1/3 octave bands is 200 mm and/or 160 mm. The test results of vibration characteristics indicate that the dominating frequency of the vertical acceleration measured on the axle box is approximately equal to the passing frequency of a polygonal wheel, and does not vary with the locomotive speed during the acceleration course. The wheelset modal analysis using the finite element method (FEM) indicates that the first bending resonant frequency of the wheelset is quite close to the main vibration frequency of the axle box. The FEM results are verified by the experimental modal analysis of the wheelset. Moreover, different plans were designed to verify whether the braking system and the locomotive's adhesion control have significant influence on the wheel polygon or not. The test results indicate that they are not responsible for the initiation of the wheel polygon. The first bending resonance of the wheelset is easy to be excited in the locomotive operation and it is the root cause of wheel polygon with centre wavelength of 200 mm in the 1/3 octave bands.

Effects of genetic background and environmental novelty on wheel running as a rewarding behaviour in mice.

Science.gov (United States)

de Visser, Leonie; van den Bos, Ruud; Stoker, Astrid K; Kas, Martien J H; Spruijt, Berry M

2007-02-27

Recent studies suggest running wheel activity to be naturally rewarding and reinforcing; considering the shared neuro-behavioural characteristics with drug-induced reward situations, wheel running behaviour gains interest as a tool to study mechanisms underlying reward-sensitivity. Previously, we showed that wheel running has the potential to disrupt the daily organization of home cage behaviour in female C57BL/6 [de Visser L, van den Bos R, Spruijt BM. Automated home cage observations as a tool to measure the effects of wheel running on cage floor locomotion. Behav Brain Res 2005;160:382-8]. In the present study, we investigated the effects of novelty-induced stress on wheel running and its impact on home cage behaviour in male C57BL/6 and DBA/2 mice. Our aim was to determine whether wheel running may be used as a tool to study both genetic and environmentally induced differences in sensitivity to rewarding behaviour in mice. One group of male mice was placed in an automated home cage observation system for 2 weeks with a wheel integrated in the cage. A second group of mice was allowed to habituate to this cage for 1 week before a running wheel was introduced. Results showed a pronounced sensitising effect of novelty on the level of wheel running in C57Bl/6 mice but not in DBA mice. Overall levels of wheel running were higher in DBA/2 mice. Furthermore, wheel running affected circadian rhythmicity in DBA/2 mice but not in C57BL/6 mice. From these findings we tentatively suggest that wheel running behaviour could serve as a tool to study the interaction between genetic and environmental factors in sensitivity to rewarding behaviour in mice. As it is displayed spontaneously and easy to monitor, wheel running may be well suitable to be included in high-throughput phenotyping assays.

APPLIED PROBLEMS OF CURVILINEAR MOTION DYNAMICS OF ALL-WHEEL DRIVE TRACTION MEANS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G. S. Gorin

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Fundamental principles for hybrid theory on turning of an all-wheel drive system are given in the paper. The paper shows expediency of accounting longitudinal additional tangential reactions (parasitic forces in contacts of central and lateral wheels with foundation. Algorithms for calculating additional tangential reactions have been proposed in the paper. The paper presents calculation kinematics model for turning of steered and rigid bogie with inter-wheel differential at various axial drive.

Designing neuro-fuzzy controller for electromagnetic anti-lock braking system (ABS) on electric vehicle

Science.gov (United States)

Pramudijanto, Josaphat; Ashfahani, Andri; Lukito, Rian

2018-03-01

Anti-lock braking system (ABS) is used on vehicles to keep the wheels unlocked in sudden break (inside braking) and minimalize the stop distance of the vehicle. The problem of it when sudden break is the wheels locked so the vehicle steering couldn’t be controlled. The designed ABS system will be applied on ABS simulator using the electromagnetic braking. In normal condition or in condition without braking, longitudinal velocity of the vehicle will be equal with the velocity of wheel rotation, so the slip ratio will be 0 (0%) and if the velocity of wheel rotation is 0 (in locked condition) then the wheels will be slip 1 (100%). ABS system will keep the value of slip ratio so it will be 0.2 (20%). In this final assignment, the method that is used is Neuro-Fuzzy method to control the slip value on the wheels. The input is the expectable slip and the output is slip from plant. The learning algorithm which is used is Backpropagation that will work by feedforward to get actual output and work by feedback to get error value with target output. The network that was made based on fuzzy mechanism which are fuzzification, inference and defuzzification, Neuro-fuzzy controller can reduce overshoot plant respond to 43.2% compared to plant respond without controller by open loop.

Characterizing Wheel-Soil Interaction Loads Using Meshfree Finite Element Methods: A Sensitivity Analysis for Design Trade Studies

Science.gov (United States)

Contreras, Michael T.; Trease, Brian P.; Bojanowski, Cezary; Kulakx, Ronald F.

2013-01-01

A wheel experiencing sinkage and slippage events poses a high risk to planetary rover missions as evidenced by the mobility challenges endured by the Mars Exploration Rover (MER) project. Current wheel design practice utilizes loads derived from a series of events in the life cycle of the rover which do not include (1) failure metrics related to wheel sinkage and slippage and (2) performance trade-offs based on grouser placement/orientation. Wheel designs are rigorously tested experimentally through a variety of drive scenarios and simulated soil environments; however, a robust simulation capability is still in development due to myriad of complex interaction phenomena that contribute to wheel sinkage and slippage conditions such as soil composition, large deformation soil behavior, wheel geometry, nonlinear contact forces, terrain irregularity, etc. For the purposes of modeling wheel sinkage and slippage at an engineering scale, meshfree nite element approaches enable simulations that capture su cient detail of wheel-soil interaction while remaining computationally feasible. This study implements the JPL wheel-soil benchmark problem in the commercial code environment utilizing the large deformation modeling capability of Smooth Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) meshfree methods. The nominal, benchmark wheel-soil interaction model that produces numerically stable and physically realistic results is presented and simulations are shown for both wheel traverse and wheel sinkage cases. A sensitivity analysis developing the capability and framework for future ight applications is conducted to illustrate the importance of perturbations to critical material properties and parameters. Implementation of the proposed soil-wheel interaction simulation capability and associated sensitivity framework has the potential to reduce experimentation cost and improve the early stage wheel design proce

TECHNO-ECONOMIC ASSESSMENT OF THE USE OF WHEELS OF PERSPECTIVE STRUCTURAL SCHEME FOR RAILWAY VEHICLES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. A. Semenov

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Purpose. The article is aimed to the definition of technical and economic efficiency from the use of wheels of perspective structural scheme in the undercarriage of the rail vehicles (wagon. Methodology. The use efficiency of wheels of promising design scheme by reducing the motion resistance and wear of the wheel flanges is estimated by calculated values of estimated annual economic effect of implementation and payback period of the costs required for the development and implementation of the proposed wheel. Non-recurring costs include the cost associated with conducting research and development work, as well as the additional costs required for the manufacture of wheels of promising design scheme. Findings. In the course of computation and analysis of the economic efficiency from introductions of wheels of promising design concept, carried out on the basis of the initial data for the South-West railway, it was determined the profit which can be obtained by reducing the following operating costs: cost of returning the wheel flange on wheel sets; cost of fuel and energy resources for train traction; the value of the idle of cars in the current uncoupling repair; cost of repairs and current maintenance of rail track. In addition, it can be additionally released a number of cars by reducing their downtime. The calculation of net discounted income is carried out with the following assumptions: calculation period; estimated increase in the cost of wheel sets with wheels of promising constructive scheme compared to the model, the values of net profit for the accounting period, which was calculated by calculating the average value minus the cost of research, development and manufacturing of wheelset park with wheels of new design scheme. For a given billing period, the calculated value of the net discounted income was obtained and the payback period of the project was determined. Originality. The approaches to the perfection of design scheme of wheels

Reinforcement of wheel running in BALB/c mice: role of motor activity and endogenous opioids.

Science.gov (United States)

Vargas-Pérez, Héctor; Sellings, Laurie H L; Paredes, Raúl G; Prado-Alcalá, Roberto A; Díaz, José-Luis

2008-11-01

The authors investigated the effect of the opioid antagonist naloxone on wheel-running behavior in Balb/c mice. Naloxone delayed the acquisition of wheel-running behavior, but did not reduce the expression of this behavior once acquired. Delayed acquisition was not likely a result of reduced locomotor activity, as naloxone-treated mice did not exhibit reduced wheel running after the behavior was acquired, and they performed normally on the rotarod test. However, naloxone-blocked conditioned place preference for a novel compartment paired previously with wheel running, suggesting that naloxone may delay wheel-running acquisition by blocking the rewarding or reinforcing effects of the behavior. These results suggest that the endogenous opioid system mediates the initial reinforcing effects of wheel running that are important in acquisition of the behavior.

Just-In-Time predictive control for a two-wheeled robot

OpenAIRE

Nakpong, Nuttapun; Yamamoto, Shigeru

2012-01-01

In this paper, we introduce the use of Just-In-Time predictive control to enhance the stability of a two-wheeled robot. Just-In-Time predictive control uses a database which includes a huge amounts of input-output data of the two-wheeled robot and predicts its future movements based on a Just-In-Time algorithm. © 2012 IEEE.

Tilted wheel satellite attitude control with air-bearing table experimental results

Science.gov (United States)

Inumoh, Lawrence O.; Forshaw, Jason L.; Horri, Nadjim M.

2015-12-01

Gyroscopic actuators for satellite control have attracted significant research interest over the years, but their viability for the control of small satellites has only recently started to become clear. Research on variable speed gyroscopic actuators has long been focused on single gimbal actuators; double gimbal actuators typically operate at constant wheel spin rate and allow tilt angle ranges far larger than the ranges needed to operate most satellite missions. This research examines a tilted wheel, a newly proposed type of inertial actuator that can generate torques in all three principal axes of a rigid satellite using a spinning wheel and a double tilt mechanism. The tilt mechanism tilts the angular momentum vector about two axes providing two degree of freedom control, while variation of the wheel speed provides the third. The equations of motion of the system lead to a singularity-free system during nominal operation avoiding the need for complex steering logic. This paper describes the hardware design of the tilted wheel and the experimental setup behind both standalone and spherical air-bearing tables used to test it. Experimental results from the air bearing table are provided with the results depicting the high performance capabilities of the proposed actuator in torque generation.

Responding for sucrose and wheel-running reinforcement: effect of pre-running.

Science.gov (United States)

Belke, Terry W

2006-01-10

Six male albino Wistar rats were placed in running wheels and exposed to a fixed interval 30-s schedule that produced either a drop of 15% sucrose solution or the opportunity to run for 15s as reinforcing consequences for lever pressing. Each reinforcer type was signaled by a different stimulus. To assess the effect of pre-running, animals were allowed to run for 1h prior to a session of responding for sucrose and running. Results showed that, after pre-running, response rates in the later segments of the 30-s schedule decreased in the presence of a wheel-running stimulus and increased in the presence of a sucrose stimulus. Wheel-running rates were not affected. Analysis of mean post-reinforcement pauses (PRP) broken down by transitions between successive reinforcers revealed that pre-running lengthened pausing in the presence of the stimulus signaling wheel running and shortened pauses in the presence of the stimulus signaling sucrose. No effect was observed on local response rates. Changes in pausing in the presence of stimuli signaling the two reinforcers were consistent with a decrease in the reinforcing efficacy of wheel running and an increase in the reinforcing efficacy of sucrose. Pre-running decreased motivation to respond for running, but increased motivation to work for food.

Keeping It in Three Dimensions: Measuring the Development of Mental Rotation in Children with the Rotated Colour Cube Test (RCCT)

Science.gov (United States)

Lutke, Nikolay; Lange-Kuttner, Christiane

2015-01-01

This study introduces the new Rotated Colour Cube Test (RCCT) as a measure of object identification and mental rotation using single 3D colour cube images in a matching-to-sample procedure. One hundred 7- to 11-year-old children were tested with aligned or rotated cube models, distracters and targets. While different orientations of distracters…

Coupling of morphology to surface transport in ion-beam-irradiated surfaces: normal incidence and rotating targets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Munoz-Garcia, Javier; Cuerno, Rodolfo; Castro, Mario

2009-01-01

Continuum models have proved their applicability to describe nanopatterns produced by ion-beam sputtering of amorphous or amorphizable targets at low and medium energies. Here we pursue the recently introduced 'hydrodynamic approach' in the cases of bombardment at normal incidence, or of oblique incidence onto rotating targets, known to lead to self-organized arrangements of nanodots. Our approach stresses the dynamical roles of material (defect) transport at the target surface and of local redeposition. By applying results previously derived for arbitrary angles of incidence, we derive effective evolution equations for these geometries of incidence, which are then numerically studied. Moreover, we show that within our model these equations are identical (albeit with different coefficients) in both cases, provided surface tension is isotropic in the target. We thus account for the common dynamics for both types of incidence conditions, namely formation of dots with short-range order and long-wavelength disorder, and an intermediate coarsening of dot features that improves the local order of the patterns. We provide for the first time approximate analytical predictions for the dependence of stationary dot features (amplitude and wavelength) on phenomenological parameters, that improve upon previous linear estimates. Finally, our theoretical results are discussed in terms of experimental data.

Three dimensional modelling for the target asteroid of HAYABUSA

Science.gov (United States)

Demura, H.; Kobayashi, S.; Asada, N.; Hashimoto, T.; Saito, J.

Hayabusa program is the first sample return mission of Japan. This was launched at May 9 2003, and will arrive at the target asteroid 25143 Itokawa on June 2005. The spacecraft has three optical navigation cameras, which are two wide angle ones and a telescopic one. The telescope with a filter wheel was named AMICA (Asteroid Multiband Imaging CAmera). We are going to model a shape of the target asteroid by this telescope; expected resolution: 1m/pixel at 10 km in distanc, field of view: 5.7 squared degrees, MPP-type CCD with 1024 x 1000 pixels. Because size of the Hayabusa is about 1x1x1 m, our goal is shape modeling with about 1m in precision on the basis of a camera system with scanning by rotation of the asteroid. This image-based modeling requires sequential images via AMICA and a history of distance between the asteroid and Hayabusa provided by a Laser Range Finder. We established a system of hierarchically recursive search with sub-pixel matching of Ground Control Points, which are picked up with Susan Operator. The matched dataset is restored with a restriction of epipolar geometry, and the obtained a group of three dimensional points are converted to a polygon model with Delaunay Triangulation. The current status of our development for the shape modeling is displayed.

Rotation Invariance Neural Network

OpenAIRE

Li, Shiyuan

2017-01-01

Rotation invariance and translation invariance have great values in image recognition tasks. In this paper, we bring a new architecture in convolutional neural network (CNN) named cyclic convolutional layer to achieve rotation invariance in 2-D symbol recognition. We can also get the position and orientation of the 2-D symbol by the network to achieve detection purpose for multiple non-overlap target. Last but not least, this architecture can achieve one-shot learning in some cases using thos...

Adaptive control of two-wheeled mobile balance robot capable to adapt different surfaces using a novel artificial neural network–based real-time switching dynamic controller

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ali Unluturk

2017-03-01

Full Text Available In this article, a novel real-time artificial neural network–based adaptable switching dynamic controller is developed and practically implemented. It will be used for real-time control of two-wheeled balance robot which can balance itself upright position on different surfaces. In order to examine the efficiency of the proposed controller, a two-wheeled mobile balance robot is designed and a test platform for experimental setup is made for balance problem on different surfaces. In a developed adaptive controller algorithm which is capable to adapt different surfaces, mean absolute target angle deviation error, mean absolute target displacement deviation error and mean absolute controller output data are employed for surface estimation by using artificial neural network. In a designed two-wheeled mobile balance robot system, robot tilt angle is estimated via Kalman filter from accelerometer and gyroscope sensor signals. Furthermore, a visual robot control interface is developed in C++ software development environment so that robot controller parameters can be changed as desired. In addition, robot balance angle, linear displacement and controller output can be observed online on personal computer. According to the real-time experimental results, the proposed novel type controller gives more effective results than the classic ones.

Thermal modal analysis of novel non-pneumatic mechanical elastic wheel based on FEM and EMA

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Youqun; Zhu, Mingmin; Lin, Fen; Xiao, Zhen; Li, Haiqing; Deng, Yaoji

2018-01-01

A combination of Finite Element Method (FEM) and Experiment Modal Analysis (EMA) have been employed here to characterize the structural dynamic response of mechanical elastic wheel (ME-Wheel) operating under a specific thermal environment. The influence of high thermal condition on the structural dynamic response of ME-Wheel is investigated. The obtained results indicate that the EMA results are in accordance with those obtained using the proposed Finite Element (FE) model, indicting the high reliability of this FE model applied in analyzing the modal of ME-Wheel working under practical thermal environment. It demonstrates that the structural dynamic response of ME-Wheel operating under a specific thermal condition can be predicted and evaluated using the proposed analysis method, which is beneficial for the dynamic optimization design of the wheel structure to avoid tire temperature related vibration failure and improve safety of tire.

Analysis of the distribution of temperature fields in the braked railway wheel

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Suchánek Andrej

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The article deals with detection of reduced stress in a braked railway wheel, based on thermal transient analysis on virtual models, which influence the characteristics of the railway wheels. Structural analysis was performed by means of the ANSYS Multiphysics program system package. Thermal transient analysis deals with detection of temperature fields which are a result of braking by brake block. The applied heat flux represents the heat generated by friction of brake block. It is applied to a quarter model of the wheel to speed up the calculation. This analysis simulates two braking processes with subsequent cooling. Distribution of the equivalent stress was detected in the railway wheel cross section, at selected points. The input parameters were taken from the thermal transient analysis. These equivalent stresses result from thermal load.

Robust Feedback Linearization-based Control Design for a Wheeled Mobile Robot

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bendtsen, Jan Dimon; Andersen, Palle; Pedersen, Tom Søndergaard

This paper considers the trajectory tracking problem for a four-wheel driven, four-wheel steered mobile robot moving in outdoor terrain. The robot is modeled as a non-holonomic dynamic system subject to pure rolling, no-slip constraints. A nonlinear trajectory tracking feedback control law based...

Influence of Wheel Eccentricity on Vertical Vibration of Suspended Monorail Vehicle: Experiment and Simulation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kaikai Lv

2017-01-01

Full Text Available This paper investigates the influence of wheel eccentricity on vertical vibration of suspended monorail vehicle based on experiment and simulation. Two sets of tests are conducted in the first Chinese suspended monorail, and the tested acceleration is analyzed and exhibited. A multibody dynamic model of the suspended monorail vehicle is established to simulate the vertical vibration of car body excited by wheel eccentricity. The results show that there are three factors which may cause an abnormal vibration considering the track and the vehicle system. The influence of wheel eccentricity on the car body vibration was firstly analyzed. Simulated acceleration of car body has a great accordance with test. The wheel eccentricity could excite the resonance of car body at the speed of 21 km/h, and the vertical acceleration would increase considerably. Decreasing the secondary stiffness can effectively reduce the vertical vibration caused by wheel eccentricity, especially at the resonant speed. In the secondary test, the peak of car body acceleration at speed of 20 km/h is not appearing when only renewing the wheels, and the acceleration is decreasing obviously at the domain frequency. It is further determined that the abnormal vibration is mainly caused by the wheel eccentricity.

High levels of wheel running protect against behavioral sensitization to cocaine.

Science.gov (United States)

Renteria Diaz, Laura; Siontas, Dora; Mendoza, Jose; Arvanitogiannis, Andreas

2013-01-15

Although there is no doubt that the direct action of stimulant drugs on the brain is necessary for sensitization to their behavioral stimulating effects, several experiments indicate that drug action is often not sufficient to produce sensitization. There is considerable evidence that many individual characteristics and experiential variables can modulate the behavioral and neural changes that are seen following repeated exposure to stimulant drugs. In the work presented here, we examined whether chronic wheel running would modulate behavioral sensitization to cocaine, and whether any such influence was contingent on individual differences in wheel running. We found that a 5- or 10-week experience with wheel running protects against behavioral sensitization to cocaine but only in animals with a natural tendency to run the most. Understanding the mechanism underlying the modulating effect of wheel running on behavioral sensitization may have important implications for future studies on the link between drug-induced behavioral and neural adaptations. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Kettlebell swing targets semitendinosus and supine leg curl targets biceps femoris

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zebis, Mette Kreutzfeldt; Skotte, Jørgen; Andersen, Christoffer H

2013-01-01

The medial hamstring muscle has the potential to prevent excessive dynamic valgus and external rotation of the knee joint during sports. Thus, specific training targeting the medial hamstring muscle seems important to avoid knee injuries.......The medial hamstring muscle has the potential to prevent excessive dynamic valgus and external rotation of the knee joint during sports. Thus, specific training targeting the medial hamstring muscle seems important to avoid knee injuries....

Wheels Optimization and Vision Control of Omni-directional Mobile Microrobot

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jianghao Li

2008-06-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a millimeters scale omni-directional mobile microrobot with special dual-wheel structure. The microrobot was actuated by three electromagnetic micromotors of 2mm diameter. Dynamic analysis of translational and steering movements presented the relationship between the sizes of the dual-wheel structure and the output torque of the micromotor. Genetic algorithm (GA was employed to optimize the dual-wheel's sizes for reducing the unnecessary torque consumption and improving the driving ability of the microrobot. A computer vision system contained two sets of feedback control is devised for the microrobot. Torque self-balance and current-limiting control approach are presented to ensure the accuracy of step movement. Experiment results demonstrate the feasibility of these concepts.

Running in a running wheel substitutes for stereotypies in mink (Mustela vison) but does it improve their welfare?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Steffen W; Damgaard, Birthe Marie

2009-01-01

This experiment investigated whether access to a running wheel affects the development of stereotypies during restricted feeding and whether selection for high or low levels of stereotypy affects the use of the running wheel. Sixty-two female mink kept in standard cages and selected for high or low...... levels of stereotypy were used. Thirty of these females had access to a running wheel whereas thirty-two female mink had no access to running wheels. The number of turns of the running wheel, behaviour, feed consumption, body weight and the concentration of plasma cortisol were measured during the winter...... period. Mink with access to a running wheel did not perform stereotypic behaviour and mink selected for a high level of stereotypies had more turns in the running wheel than mink selected for low levels of stereotypies. Mink with access to a running wheel used the running wheel for the same amount...

New Record Five-Wheel Drive, Spirit's Sol 1856

Science.gov (United States)

2009-01-01

NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit used its navigation camera to take the images that have been combined into this stereo, 180-degree view of the rover's surroundings during the 1,856th Martian day, or sol, of Spirit's surface mission (March 23, 2009). The center of the view is toward the west-southwest. The rover had driven 25.82 meters (84.7 feet) west-northwestward earlier on Sol 1856. This is the longest drive on Mars so far by a rover using only five wheels. Spirit lost the use of its right-front wheel in March 2006. Before Sol 1856, the farthest Spirit had covered in a single sol's five-wheel drive was 24.83 meters (81.5 feet), on Sol 1363 (Nov. 3, 2007). The Sol 1856 drive made progress on a route planned for taking Spirit around the western side of the low plateau called 'Home Plate.' A portion of the northwestern edge of Home Plate is prominent in the left quarter of this image, toward the south. This view is presented as a cylindrical projection with geometric seam correction.

Simulation of post-impact rotational changes through multi-dimensional parametrization

Science.gov (United States)

Gauchez, Damien; Souchay, Jean

2006-11-01

In this paper we propose firstly a full parametrization of an impact on a target body considered as ellipsoidal, including several geometrical parameters which are generally not included. Then we construct a more detailed and complete theoretical model of the rotational changes of the target body arising from a single impact, by taking into account the various parameters above. Secondly from these theoretical studies we carry out simulations of impacts and then we evaluate the influences of the various parameters on the rotational evolution of a specific target, in particular the angular speed of rotation and the direction of the axis of rotation. For that we consider two cases: in the first one, which we call accretion, the projectile is simply stuck to the target without a significant amount of ejected mass. In the second case, which we call craterization, the target body is eroded with formation of ejecta and a crater. The physical properties of the target are close to those of the Asteroid 21 Lutetia which Rosetta mission would fly in July 2010. We obtain quite different results according to the considered mode of impact (accretion or craterization): in the case of an impact with accretion the results are intuitively foreseeable whereas those corresponding to an impact with craterization are more difficult to interpret. Our work can be applied to obtain information on the rotational effects of an impact on a given target body with well constrained physical characteristics, in particular within the framework of the Don Quijote mission project.

Bucket wheel excavators for open-cast mining all over the world

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Durst, W.

1979-04-01

A report is given on the use of bucket wheel excavators, spreaders and tripper cars in open-cast mining of brown coal, oilsand and other minerals in Australia, Canada, India, Spain, USA and Yugoslavia as well as on the use of bucket wheel excavators for land reclamation in Singapore.

Comparative Analysis of Lightweight Robotic Wheeled and Tracked Vehicle

OpenAIRE

Johnson, Christopher Patrick

2012-01-01

This study focuses on conducting a benchmarking analysis for light wheeled and tracked robotic vehicles. Vehicle mobility has long been a key aspect of research for many organizations. According to the Department of Defense vehicle mobility is defined as, "the overall capacity to move from place to place while retaining its ability to perform its primary mission"[1]. Until recently this definition has been applied exclusively to large scale wheeled and tracked vehicles. With new development l...

A Ferris Wheel Accident at a Movable Amusement Park.

Science.gov (United States)

Cho, Young-Jin; Ji, Hong-Keun; Moon, Byung-Sun; Park, Ha-Sun; Goh, Jae-Mo; Park, Nam-Kyu; Choi, Don-Mook

2017-05-01

This study presented a Ferris wheel accident case. A Ferris wheel is composed of many parts, and the outmost ring of it is assembled using a lock pin. This accident occurred because the lock pin caught the door of a gondola and the gondola overturned. Five of the seven passengers in the gondola fell to the ground, along with the gondola's viewing window. The investigation revealed that the gondola became stuck when its door was caught by a lock pin at the Ferris wheel's three o'clock position. The contact between the door and the lock pin was due to a structural problem: There was not enough space allotted between the door and the lock pin. Therefore, if a passenger pushed on the gondola's door, the potential existed for contact between the door and the lock pin. © 2016 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Wheel/rail noise generated by a high-speed train investigated with a line array of microphones

Science.gov (United States)

Barsikow, B.; King, W. F.; Pfizenmaier, E.

1987-10-01

Radiated noise generated by a high-speed electric train travelling at speeds up to 250 km/h has been measured with a line array of microphones mounted along the wayside in two different orientations. The test train comprised a 103 electric locomotive, four Intercity coaches, and a dynamo coach. Some of the wheels were fitted with experimental wheel-noise absorbers. By using the directional capabilities of the array, the locations of the dominant sources of wheel/rail radiated noise were identified on the wheels. For conventional wheels, these sources lie near or on the rim at an average height of about 0·2 m above the railhead. The effect of wheel-noise absorbers and freshly turned treads on radiated noise were also investigated.

Assessment of a rail vehicle running with the damaged wheel on a ride comfort for passengers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dižo Ján

2018-01-01

Full Text Available In certain conditions rail vehicles wheels can be during operation damaged. Then, the profile of wheels is no longer circular, but it is changed depending on the type and severity of defects. When such rail vehicle with the damaged wheel operates, the quality of a ride comfort for passenger is degraded. This article is focused on the assessment of ride comfort for passenger based on results obtained from dynamic analyses. Simulations and calculations were carried out in commercial multibody software. In our research we considered one type of the railway wheel untrueness – wheel-flat. This type of wheel damaging is relatively common and has such influence on the ride comfort for passenger worsening, which needs to be detected and investigated.

Improving Collaborative Behaviour Planning in Adult Auditory Rehabilitation: Development of the I-PLAN Intervention Using the Behaviour Change Wheel.

Science.gov (United States)

Barker, Fiona; Lusignan, Simon de; Deborah, Cooke

2018-05-18

The consequences of poorly managed hearing loss can be ameliorated with hearing aid use but rates of use are sub-optimal. The impact of audiologist behaviour on subsequent use, particularly over the long term, is unknown. This study aimed to describe the role of the behaviour change wheel in developing an intervention to introduce and embed particular clinical behaviours into adult hearing aid fitting consultations, within the framework of the Medical Research Council guidance on complex interventions. Following the steps of the behaviour change wheel, audiologist behaviours that might influence hearing aid use were identified based on a systematic review and qualitative work with audiologists. An analysis, using the COM-B model, identified potential drivers of the target behaviours. This was used to select intervention functions and behaviour change techniques likely to influence behaviour in this context. The target behaviours were as follows: giving information about the benefits of hearing aid use and the negative consequences of non-use, providing prompts for use and engaging in collaborative behavioural planning for use. The behavioural analysis suggested that psychological capability, opportunity and motivation were potential drivers of these behaviours. The intervention functions of education, coercion, training, environmental restructuring, modelling and enablement were selected and combined to develop a single complex intervention that seeks to address the target behaviours.

History of rotating machinery dynamics

CERN Document Server

Rao, JS

2011-01-01

This book starts with the invention of the wheel nearly 5000 years ago, and via Archimedes, Aristotle and Hero describes the first practical applications such as water wheels and grinding wheels, pushing on to more rigorous scientific research by inquiring minds such as Leonardo da Vinci and Copernicus in later ages. Newton and Leibniz followed, and beam structures received maximum attention three centuries ago. As focus shifts and related disciplines such as mathematics and physics also develop, slowly turbomachines and rotor and blade dynamics as we know the subject now take shape. While the

Steady state modeling of desiccant wheels

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bellemo, Lorenzo; Elmegaard, Brian; Kærn, Martin Ryhl

2014-01-01

Desiccant wheels are rotary desiccant dehumidifiers used in air conditioning and drying applications. The modeling of simultaneous heat and mass transfer in these components is crucial for estimating their performances, as well as for simulating and optimizing their implementation in complete...

Passive RFID Rotation Dimension Reduction via Aggregation

Science.gov (United States)

Matthews, Eric

Radio Frequency IDentification (RFID) has applications in object identification, position, and orientation tracking. RFID technology can be applied in hospitals for patient and equipment tracking, stores and warehouses for product tracking, robots for self-localisation, tracking hazardous materials, or locating any other desired object. Efficient and accurate algorithms that perform localisation are required to extract meaningful data beyond simple identification. A Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) is the strength of a received radio frequency signal used to localise passive and active RFID tags. Many factors affect RSSI such as reflections, tag rotation in 3D space, and obstacles blocking line-of-sight. LANDMARC is a statistical method for estimating tag location based on a target tag's similarity to surrounding reference tags. LANDMARC does not take into account the rotation of the target tag. By either aggregating multiple reference tag positions at various rotations, or by determining a rotation value for a newly read tag, we can perform an expected value calculation based on a comparison to the k-most similar training samples via an algorithm called K-Nearest Neighbours (KNN) more accurately. By choosing the average as the aggregation function, we improve the relative accuracy of single-rotation LANDMARC localisation by 10%, and any-rotation localisation by 20%.

Injection Therapies for Rotator Cuff Disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Kenneth M; Wang, Dean; Dines, Joshua S

2018-04-01

Rotator cuff disease affects a large proportion of the overall population and encompasses a wide spectrum of pathologies, including subacromial impingement, rotator cuff tendinopathy or tear, and calcific tendinitis. Various injection therapies have been used for the treatment of rotator cuff disease, including corticosteroid, prolotherapy, platelet-rich plasma, stem cells, and ultrasound-guided barbotage for calcific tendinitis. However, the existing evidence for these therapies remains controversial or sparse. Ultimately, improved understanding of the underlying structural and compositional deficiencies of the injured rotator cuff tissue is needed to identify the biological needs that can potentially be targeted with injection therapies. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A novel neural network based image reconstruction model with scale and rotation invariance for target identification and classification for Active millimetre wave imaging

Science.gov (United States)

Agarwal, Smriti; Bisht, Amit Singh; Singh, Dharmendra; Pathak, Nagendra Prasad

2014-12-01

Millimetre wave imaging (MMW) is gaining tremendous interest among researchers, which has potential applications for security check, standoff personal screening, automotive collision-avoidance, and lot more. Current state-of-art imaging techniques viz. microwave and X-ray imaging suffers from lower resolution and harmful ionizing radiation, respectively. In contrast, MMW imaging operates at lower power and is non-ionizing, hence, medically safe. Despite these favourable attributes, MMW imaging encounters various challenges as; still it is very less explored area and lacks suitable imaging methodology for extracting complete target information. Keeping in view of these challenges, a MMW active imaging radar system at 60 GHz was designed for standoff imaging application. A C-scan (horizontal and vertical scanning) methodology was developed that provides cross-range resolution of 8.59 mm. The paper further details a suitable target identification and classification methodology. For identification of regular shape targets: mean-standard deviation based segmentation technique was formulated and further validated using a different target shape. For classification: probability density function based target material discrimination methodology was proposed and further validated on different dataset. Lastly, a novel artificial neural network based scale and rotation invariant, image reconstruction methodology has been proposed to counter the distortions in the image caused due to noise, rotation or scale variations. The designed neural network once trained with sample images, automatically takes care of these deformations and successfully reconstructs the corrected image for the test targets. Techniques developed in this paper are tested and validated using four different regular shapes viz. rectangle, square, triangle and circle.

Investigation of diamond wheel topography in Elliptical Ultrasonic Assisted Grinding (EUAG) of monocrystal sapphire using fractal analysis method.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Qiuyan; Zhao, Wenxiang; Liang, Zhiqiang; Wang, Xibin; Zhou, Tianfeng; Wu, Yongbo; Jiao, Li

2018-03-01

The wear behaviors of grinding wheel have significant influence on the work-surface topography. However, a comprehensive and quantitative method is lacking for evaluating the wear conditions of grinding wheel. In this paper, a fractal analysis method is used to investigate the wear behavior of resin-bonded diamond wheel in Elliptical Ultrasonic Assisted Grinding (EUAG) of monocrystal sapphire, and a series of experiments on EUAG and conventional grinding (CG) are performed. The results show that the fractal dimension of grinding wheel topography is highly correlated to the wear behavior, i.e., grain fracture, grain pullout, and wheel loading. An increase in cutting edge density on the wheel surface results in an increase of the fractal dimension, but an increase in the grain pullout and wheel loading results in a decrease in the fractal dimension. The wheel topography in EUAG has a higher fractal dimension than that in CG before 60 passes due to better self-sharpening behavior, and then has a smaller fractal dimension because of more serious wheel loadings after 60 passes. By angle-dependent distribution analysis of profile fractal dimensions, the wheel surface topography is transformed from isotropic to anisotropic. These indicated that the fractal analysis method could be further used in monitoring of a grinding wheel performance in EUAG. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A Four-Wheel-Rhombus-Arranged Mobility System for a New Lunar Robotic Rover

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guilin Wen

2013-10-01

Full Text Available Different from traditional ground vehicles, planetary robotic rovers with limited weight and power need to travel in unfamiliar and extremely arduous environments. In this paper, a newly developed four-wheel-rhombus-arranged (FWRA mobility system is presented as a lunar robotic rover with high mobility and a low-weight structure. The mobility system integrates independent active suspensions with a passive rotary link structure. The active suspension with swing arms improves the rover's capacity to escape from a trapped environment whereas the passive rotary link structure guarantees continuous contact between the four wheels and the terrain. The four-wheel-three-axis rhombus configuration of the mobility system gives a high degree of lightweight structure because it has a simple mechanism with the minimum number of wheels among wheeled rovers with three-axis off-road mobility. The performance evaluation of the lightweight nature of the structure, manoeuvrability and the mobility required in a planetary exploring environment are illustrated by theoretical analysis and partly shown by experiments on the developed rover prototype.

Investigating Functions with a Ferris Wheel

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Heather Lynn; Hornbein, Peter; Azeem, Sumbal

2016-01-01

The authors provide a dynamic Ferris wheel computer activity that teachers can use as an instructional tool to help students investigate functions. They use a student's work to illustrate how students can use relationships between quantities to further their thinking about functions.

49 CFR 215.103 - Defective wheel.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... of the rim; or, (i) A wheel on the car has been welded unless the car is being moved for repair in... on the car shows evidence of being loose such as oil seepage on the back hub or back plate; (h) A...

Uptake of wheel-filtration among clients of a supervised injecting facility: Can structured education work?

Science.gov (United States)

Steele, Maureen; Silins, Edmund; Flaherty, Ian; Hiley, Sarah; van Breda, Nick; Jauncey, Marianne

2018-01-01

Wheel-filtration of pharmaceutical opioid tablets is a recognised harm reduction strategy, but uptake of the practice among people who inject drugs is low. The study aimed to: (i) examine perceptions of filtration practices; (ii) provide structured education on wheel-filtration; and (iii) assess uptake of the practice. Frequent opioid tablet injectors (n = 30) attending a supervised injecting facility in Sydney, Australia, received hands-on instruction on wheel-filtration based on recommended practice. Pre-education, post-education and follow-up questionnaires were administered. Wheel-filtration was generally regarded as better than cotton-filtration (the typical method) in terms of perceived effects on health, ease of use and overall drug effect. Sixty-eight percent of those who said they would try wheel-filtration after the education had actually done so. Of those who usually used cotton-filtration, over half (60%) had used wheel-filtration two weeks later. Uptake of safer preparation methods for pharmaceutical opioid tablets increases after structured education in wheel-filtration. Findings suggest that SIFs are an effective site for this kind of education. Supervised injecting facility workers are uniquely positioned to provide harm reduction education at the time of injection. [Steele M, Silins E, Flaherty I, Hiley S, van Breda N, Jauncey M. Uptake of wheel-filtration among clients of a supervised injecting facility: Can structured education work? Drug Alcohol Rev 2018;37:116-120]. © 2017 Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs.

Elimination of torque pulsations in a direct drive EV wheel motor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hredzak, B.; Gair, S. [Napier Univ., Edinburgh (United Kingdom); Eastham, J.F. [Univ. of Bath (United Kingdom)

1996-09-01

Double sided axial field machines are attractive for direct wheel drives in electric vehicles. This is due to the fact that stator/rotor misalignments can be accommodated. In this case the stator of the machine is envisaged mounted on the chassis of the car while the rotor directly drives the road wheel. Since the wheel is perturbed by the road surface the rotor will move vertically between the outside stator assemblies and thus give rise to torque pulsations. A vector control scheme has been implemented whereby the torque pulsations are eliminated by (i) calculation of the flux variation due to the rotor perturbation and (ii) using this signal for the modulation of the motor input current.

Stress Distribution around Laser-Welded Cutting Wheels Using a Spherical Indentation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Yun Hee; Lee, Wan Kyu; Jeong, In Hyeon; Nahm, Seung Hoon [KRISS, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2008-04-15

A spherical indentation has been proposed as a nondestructive method of measuring local residual stress field in laser-voided joints. The apparent yield strengths interpreted from the spherical indentation data of as-welded cutting wheel were compared with the intrinsic yield strengths measured at nearly equivalent locations in annealed wheel. Their difference along the distance from the welding line is welding stress distribution because the intrinsic yield strength is invariant regardless of the elastic residual stress. The spherical indentations show that the laser-welded diamond cutting wheel displays a 10 min-wide distribution of the welding residual stress and has peak compressive and tensile stresses in the shank and tip regions, respectively.

Taste avoidance induced by wheel running: effects of backward pairings and robustness of conditioned taste aversion.

Science.gov (United States)

Salvy, Sarah-Jeanne; Pierce, W David; Heth, Donald C; Russell, James C

2004-09-15

Rats repeatedly exposed to a distinctive novel solution (conditioned stimulus, CS) followed by the opportunity to run in a wheel subsequently drink less of this solution. Investigations on this phenomenon indicate that wheel running is an effective unconditioned stimulus (US) for establishing conditioned taste aversion (CTA) when using a forward conditioning procedure (i.e., the US-wheel running follows the CS-taste). However, other studies show that wheel running produces reliable preference for a distinctive place when pairings are backward (i.e., the CS-location follows the US-wheel running). One possibility to account for these results is that rewarding aftereffects of wheel running conditioned preference to the CS. The main objective of the present study was to assess the effects of backward conditioning using wheel running as the US and a distinctive taste as the CS. In a between-groups design, two experimental groups [i.e., forward (FC) and backward conditioning (BC)] and two control groups [CS-taste alone (TA) and CS-US unpaired (UNP)] were compared. Results from this experiment indicated that there is less suppression of drinking when a CS-taste followed a bout of wheel running. In fact, rats in the BC group drank more of the paired solution than all the other groups.

Diabetes education on wheels.

Science.gov (United States)

Hardway, D; Weatherly, K S; Bonheur, B

1993-01-01

Diabetes education programs remain underdeveloped in the pediatric setting, resulting in increased consumer complaints and financial liability for hospitals. The Diabetes Education on Wheels program was designed to provide comprehensive, outcome-oriented education for patients with juvenile diabetes. The primary goal of the program was to enhance patients' and family members' ability to achieve self-care in the home setting. The program facilitated sequential learning, improved consumer satisfaction, and promoted financial viability for the hospital.

A Study of Torque Vectoring and Traction Control for an All-Wheel Drive Electric Vehicle

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maharun Mui’nuddin

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Common vehicle always experience energy loss during cornering manoeuver. Thus, to ensure it did not happened especially at high speed, a study of torque vectoring and traction control need to be made since it can increase the traction control of tyres during cornering at high speed. The study of torque vectoring and traction control for an all-wheel drive electric vehicle was conducted by modelling an all-wheel drive electric vehicle (EV in ADAMS/Car software. In addition, an optimal control algorithm will be developed for best performance to minimize energy losses using MATLAB/Simulink software. Furthermore, to prove the effectiveness of the all-wheel drive electric, the torque and traction control simulation of the all-wheel drive electric vehicle will be compared with uncontrolled electric vehicle model. According to the result, torque vectoring and traction control of in-wheel motor in all wheel drive EV can help to increase the performance of the electric vehicle during cornering manoeuver. In conclusion, this study of torque vectoring and traction control for an all-wheel drive electric vehicle will help researchers to improve the design of the future electric vehicle in term of the vehicle performance during cornering manoeuvre.

INFLUENCE OF USUAL AND DUAL WHEELS ON SOIL PENETRATION RESISTANCE: THE GIS-APPROACH

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhukov A. V.

2015-12-01

Full Text Available GIS-APPROACH application has allowed establishing that usual wheels of machine-tractor units carry out considerable influence on soil which exceeds visible borders of a track of wheels on the dimensions. This influence shows in augmentation of soil penetration resistance at 100-155 % in comparison with the control on depth of 0-10 cm and on 20-30 % on depth of 45-50 %. It is impossible to exclude that influence of wheels proceeds more deeply, than tests have been conducted. Critical for cultivated plants value of soil penetration resistance in 3 MPa under the influence of usual wheels of agricultural machinery comes nearer practically to a surface. Character of profile changes of hardness in various regions influences of wheels allows assuming the long season of a relaxation of soil for achievement of background values of soil penetration resistance. The further researches are necessary for an establishment of concrete indicators of dynamics. Negative influence of an overstocking does not confine only deterioration of conditions of growth of assemblages of rootlets of plants. Infringement of processes of moving of moisture in the soil, the accelerated evaporation and the slowed down processes of a filtration and an infiltration, destruction of modular frame, activization of erosive processes is possible. The understanding of these processes will give the chance volume understanding of real influence of running systems of machine-tractor devices on bedrock. Region intensive influence of dual wheels is circumscribed by the top soil layers (0-15 cm. The major feature of influence of dual wheels is absence of an overstocking above critical levels. It is impossible to exclude possible positive influence of moderate inspissations of soil under the influence of dual wheels for growth of agricultural crops and moisture conservation in soil. The cumulative negative effect on soil crossed vehicles traces is probable. The long season of a relaxation of

Wheel running reduces high-fat diet intake, preference and mu-opioid agonist stimulated intake

Science.gov (United States)

Liang, Nu-Chu; Bello, Nicholas T.; Moran, Timothy H.

2015-01-01

The ranges of mechanisms by which exercise affects energy balance remain unclear. One potential mechanism may be that exercise reduces intake and preference for highly palatable, energy dense fatty foods. The current study used a rodent wheel running model to determine whether and how physical activity affects HF diet intake/preference and reward signaling. Experiment 1 examined whether wheel running affected the ability of intracerebroventricular (ICV) µ opioid receptor agonist D-Ala2, NMe-Phe4, Glyol5-enkephalin (DAMGO) to increase HF diet intake. Experiment 2 examined the effects of wheel running on the intake of and preference for a previously preferred HF diet. We also assessed the effects of wheel running and diet choice on mesolimbic dopaminergic and opioidergic gene expression. Experiment 1 revealed that wheel running decreased the ability of ICV DAMGO administration to stimulate HF diet intake. Experiment 2 showed that wheel running suppressed weight gain and reduced intake and preference for a previously preferred HF diet. Furthermore, the mesolimbic gene expression profile of wheel running rats was different from that of their sedentary paired-fed controls but similar to that of sedentary rats with large HF diet consumption. These data suggest that alterations in preference for palatable, energy dense foods play a role in the effects of exercise on energy homeostasis. The gene expression results also suggest that the hedonic effects of exercise may substitute for food reward to limit food intake and suppress weight gain. PMID:25668514

MATHEMATICAL MODEL OF ATTITUDE CONTROL BUCKET‐WHEEL EXCAVATOR

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ivana ONDERKOVÁ

2013-07-01

Full Text Available This lecture deals with the application problems of convertibility GPS system at paddle excavator K 800. The claims of the modern operating surface mining of the excavators requires a lot of information for monitoring of mining process, capacity mining, selective extraction etc. The utilization of monitoring the excavator setting by GPS system proved to be the only one proper because the receivers are resistant to the vibration, dust, temperature divergence and weather changeable. Only the direct contact with communications satellite is required. It means that they can´t be located in a metal construction space (shadow caused by construction elements, influence of electrical high voltage cables even they can´t be located close to the paddle wheel on the paddle boom (shadow possibility caused by cuttinng edge created during lower gangplanks mining. This is the reason that GPS receivers are set uppermost on the metal construction excavator and the mathematical formulation is required for determination of paddle wheel petting. The relations for calculation of the paddle wheel coordinate were defined mathematically and after that the mathematical model was composed.

Dynamic analysis of elastic rubber tired car wheel breaking under variable normal load

Science.gov (United States)

Fedotov, A. I.; Zedgenizov, V. G.; Ovchinnikova, N. I.

2017-10-01

The purpose of the paper is to analyze the dynamics of the braking of the wheel under normal load variations. The paper uses a mathematical simulation method according to which the calculation model of an object as a mechanical system is associated with a dynamically equivalent schematic structure of the automatic control. Transfer function tool analyzing structural and technical characteristics of an object as well as force disturbances were used. It was proved that the analysis of dynamic characteristics of the wheel subjected to external force disturbances has to take into account amplitude and phase-frequency characteristics. Normal load variations impact car wheel braking subjected to disturbances. The closer slip to the critical point is, the higher the impact is. In the super-critical area, load variations cause fast wheel blocking.

Tire-rim interface pressure of a commercial vehicle wheel under radial loads: theory and experiment

Science.gov (United States)

Wan, Xiaofei; Shan, Yingchun; Liu, Xiandong; He, Tian; Wang, Jiegong

2017-11-01

The simulation of the radial fatigue test of a wheel has been a necessary tool to improve the design of the wheel and calculate its fatigue life. The simulation model, including the strong nonlinearity of the tire structure and material, may produce accurate results, but often leads to a divergence in calculation. Thus, a simplified simulation model in which the complicated tire model is replaced with a tire-wheel contact pressure model is used extensively in the industry. In this paper, a simplified tire-rim interface pressure model of a wheel under a radial load is established, and the pressure of the wheel under different radial loads is tested. The tire-rim contact behavior affected by the radial load is studied and analyzed according to the test result, and the tire-rim interface pressure extracted from the test result is used to evaluate the simplified pressure model and the traditional cosine function model. The results show that the proposed model may provide a more accurate prediction of the wheel radial fatigue life than the traditional cosine function model.

Asymmetric Barrier Lyapunov Function-Based Wheel Slip Control for Antilock Braking System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaolei Chen

2015-01-01

Full Text Available As an important device of the aircraft landing system, the antilock braking system (ABS has a function to avoid aircraft wheels self-locking. To deal with the strong nonlinear characteristics, complex nonlinear control schemes are applied in ABS. However, none of existing control schemes focus on the braking operating status, which directly reflects wheels self-locking degree. In this paper, the braking operating status region is divided into three regions: the healthy region, the light slip region, and the deep slip region. An ABLF-based wheel slip controller is proposed for ABS to constrain the braking system operating status in the healthy region and the light slip region. Therefore the ABS will be prevented from operating in the deep slip region. Under the proposed control scheme, self-locking is avoided completely and zero steady state error tracking of the wheel optimal slip ratio is implemented. The Hardware-In-Loop (HIL experiments have validated the effectiveness of the proposed controller.

[Active and safe with wheeled walkers : Pilot study on feasibility of mobility exercises for wheeled walker users].

Science.gov (United States)

Pflaum, Marina; Lang, Frieder R; Freiberger, Ellen

2016-07-01

The number of older people with mobility impairments using wheeled walkers is increasing; however, the handling of these walking aids is often ineffective. Moreover, age-associated functional loss, environmental demands and fear of falling may additionally challenge mobility. The new training program "Active and safe with wheeled walkers" aims to enhance skills and to improve mobility. The present pilot study was carried out to assess the feasibility of the training as well as to identify training effects and methodological insights for further research. The study was carried out with 28 wheeled walker users (age 68-91 years) in assisted living facilities using a pre-post design. Of the participants 13 persons were trained for 10 weeks (90 min, twice a week) and 15 persons served as a control group. Data were collected on functional mobility, hand strength, leg strength, balance, walker handling and fear of falling. The drop-out rate for the training was 38 % due to health concerns (n = 2), lack of time (n = 1) and changes in health status independent of training (n = 3). Medium to large effects were detected. Data regarding the recruitment strategy and the acceptance of individual exercises are available. The results indicate a good feasibility and effectiveness of the training. The simple accessibility of the training was conducive for the regular participation. The everyday relevance of the results and the lack of comparable interventions suggest that further research efforts be carried out. Recruitment strategies, training requirements and data collection methods need to be optimized.

Optimal Electrical Energy Slewing for Reaction Wheel Spacecraft

Science.gov (United States)

Marsh, Harleigh Christian

The results contained in this dissertation contribute to a deeper level of understanding to the energy required to slew a spacecraft using reaction wheels. This work addresses the fundamental manner in which spacecrafts are slewed (eigenaxis maneuvering), and demonstrates that this conventional maneuver can be dramatically improved upon in regards to reduction of energy, dissipative losses, as well as peak power. Energy is a fundamental resource that effects every asset, system, and subsystem upon a spacecraft, from the attitude control system which orients the spacecraft, to the communication subsystem to link with ground stations, to the payloads which collect scientific data. For a reaction wheel spacecraft, the attitude control system is a particularly heavy load on the power and energy resources on a spacecraft. The central focus of this dissertation is reducing the burden which the attitude control system places upon the spacecraft in regards to electrical energy, which is shown in this dissertation to be a challenging problem to computationally solve and analyze. Reducing power and energy demands can have a multitude of benefits, spanning from the initial design phase, to in-flight operations, to potentially extending the mission life of the spacecraft. This goal is approached from a practical standpoint apropos to an industry-flight setting. Metrics to measure electrical energy and power are developed which are in-line with the cost associated to operating reaction wheel based attitude control systems. These metrics are incorporated into multiple families of practical high-dimensional constrained nonlinear optimal control problems to reduce the electrical energy, as well as the instantaneous power burdens imposed by the attitude control system upon the spacecraft. Minimizing electrical energy is shown to be a problem in L1 optimal control which is nonsmooth in regards to state variables as well as the control. To overcome the challenge of nonsmoothness, a

Single-Isocenter Multiple-Target Stereotactic Radiosurgery: Risk of Compromised Coverage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roper, Justin; Chanyavanich, Vorakarn; Betzel, Gregory; Switchenko, Jeffrey; Dhabaan, Anees

2015-01-01

Purpose: To determine the dosimetric effects of rotational errors on target coverage using volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) for multitarget stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS). Methods and Materials: This retrospective study included 50 SRS cases, each with 2 intracranial planning target volumes (PTVs). Both PTVs were planned for simultaneous treatment to 21 Gy using a single-isocenter, noncoplanar VMAT SRS technique. Rotational errors of 0.5°, 1.0°, and 2.0° were simulated about all axes. The dose to 95% of the PTV (D95) and the volume covered by 95% of the prescribed dose (V95) were evaluated using multivariate analysis to determine how PTV coverage was related to PTV volume, PTV separation, and rotational error. Results: At 0.5° rotational error, D95 values and V95 coverage rates were ≥95% in all cases. For rotational errors of 1.0°, 7% of targets had D95 and V95 values 95% for only 63% of the targets. Multivariate analysis showed that PTV volume and distance to isocenter were strong predictors of target coverage. Conclusions: The effects of rotational errors on target coverage were studied across a broad range of SRS cases. In general, the risk of compromised coverage increased with decreasing target volume, increasing rotational error and increasing distance between targets. Multivariate regression models from this study may be used to quantify the dosimetric effects of rotational errors on target coverage given patient-specific input parameters of PTV volume and distance to isocenter.

Voluntary wheel running in dystrophin-deficient (mdx) mice: Relationships between exercise parameters and exacerbation of the dystrophic phenotype

OpenAIRE

Smythe, Gayle M; White, Jason D

2012-01-01

Voluntary wheel running can potentially be used to exacerbate the disease phenotype in dystrophin-deficient mdx mice. While it has been established that voluntary wheel running is highly variable between individuals, the key parameters of wheel running that impact the most on muscle pathology have not been examined in detail. We conducted a 2-week test of voluntary wheel running by mdx mice and the impact of wheel running on disease pathology. There was significant individual variation in the...

Rotation Effect on Jet Impingement Heat Transfer in Smooth Rectangular Channels with Film Coolant Extraction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

James A. Parsons

2001-01-01

Full Text Available The effect of channel rotation on jet impingement cooling by arrays of circular jets in twin channels was studied. Impinging jet flows were in the direction of rotation in one channel and opposite to the direction of rotation in the other channel. The jets impinged normally on the smooth, heated target wall in each channel. The spent air exited the channels through extraction holes in each target wall, which eliminates cross flow on other jets. Jet rotation numbers and jet Reynolds numbers varied from 0.0 to 0.0028 and 5000 to 10,000, respectively. For the target walls with jet flow in the direction of rotation (or opposite to the direction of rotation, as rotation number increases heat transfer decreases up to 25% (or 15% as compared to corresponding results for non-rotating conditions. This is due to the changes in flow distribution and rotation induced Coriolis and centrifugal forces.

Analysis and experimental kinematics of a skid-steering wheeled robot based on a laser scanner sensor.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Tianmiao; Wu, Yao; Liang, Jianhong; Han, Chenhao; Chen, Jiao; Zhao, Qiteng

2015-04-24

Skid-steering mobile robots are widely used because of their simple mechanism and robustness. However, due to the complex wheel-ground interactions and the kinematic constraints, it is a challenge to understand the kinematics and dynamics of such a robotic platform. In this paper, we develop an analysis and experimental kinematic scheme for a skid-steering wheeled vehicle based-on a laser scanner sensor. The kinematics model is established based on the boundedness of the instantaneous centers of rotation (ICR) of treads on the 2D motion plane. The kinematic parameters (the ICR coefficient , the path curvature variable and robot speed ), including the effect of vehicle dynamics, are introduced to describe the kinematics model. Then, an exact but costly dynamic model is used and the simulation of this model's stationary response for the vehicle shows a qualitative relationship for the specified parameters and . Moreover, the parameters of the kinematic model are determined based-on a laser scanner localization experimental analysis method with a skid-steering robotic platform, Pioneer P3-AT. The relationship between the ICR coefficient and two physical factors is studied, i.e., the radius of the path curvature and the robot speed . An empirical function-based relationship between the ICR coefficient of the robot and the path parameters is derived. To validate the obtained results, it is empirically demonstrated that the proposed kinematics model significantly improves the dead-reckoning performance of this skid-steering robot.

Design and testing of a MRF rotational damper for vehicle applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Giorgetti, A; Baldanzini, N; Citti, P; Biasiotto, M

2010-01-01

Adaptive dampers are an interesting solution for conjugating the necessity of controllable devices and low power consumption. Magneto-rheological fluids (MRF) can be profitably employed in adaptive dampers because of the significant variation of fluid parameters with magnetic field properties. This paper focuses on the design process of an innovative rotational MR damper specifically created to be placed in the front-wheel suspension of a compact car. The advantages of the rotational damper and the definition of the optimal design are described. The proposed damper significantly reduces several key problems associated with MR devices: the quantity of fluid required, the sedimentation of ferromagnetic particles in the suspension and the abrasion of the seals. In fact, with this solution, low average working pressure, low flow velocity through valves, a wide range of variable damping characteristics, and high durability of the damper can be achieved. Thanks to this innovative component, different new architectures for adaptive suspension systems can be developed to have a planar distribution of the suspension components with a consequent space optimization and size reduction in the vertical direction

Rotational radiotherapy for prostate cancer in clinical practice

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Aznar, Marianne C; Petersen, Peter Meidahl; Logadottir, Ashildur

2010-01-01

Radiotherapy is the standard treatment in locally advanced prostate cancer. The latest technological improvement is modulated rotational radiotherapy, where one single rotation of the treatment machine is used to conform the dose delivery to the target and spare organs at risk, requiring less than...

PARAMETER MATCHING OF INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE AND ELECTROMECHANICAL POWER TRAIN OF WHEEL TRACTOR

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. V. Kliuchnikov

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The paper considers stepless electromechanical power train of a wheel tractor. Methodology for parameter matching of electromechanical transmission and internal combustion engine for their optimum performance as part of a power wheel tractor unit. 

Development of Composite Grinding Wheels for Hard and Soft Metals

OpenAIRE

Pruti, Faruk

2012-01-01

This research investigates the performance of grinding wheel in terms of its internal granular particles and their effect on the surface finish for both soft and hard metals subjected to both dry and wet conditions of use. The study considers the properties of materials of construction including hardness of the granular particles and their size and distributions that affects the grinding wheel efficiency in abrading of soft and hard metal surfaces. Furthermore, in order to improve grinding pe...

Wheeled Vehicle Steering Systems. Military Curriculum Materials for Vocational and Technical Education.

Science.gov (United States)

Army Ordnance Center and School, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD.

This course is one of several subcourses that make up the entire Army correspondence course on wheeled vehicle maintenance. The subcourse is designed to provide the student with information about the operation, malfunction diagnosis, maintenance, and repair of wheeled vehicle steering systems. It provides the basic theory, and also includes…

Wheeled Vehicle Electrical Systems. Military Curriculum Materials for Vocational and Technical Education.

Science.gov (United States)

Army Ordnance Center and School, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD.

This course is one of several subcourses that make up the entire Army correspondence course on wheeled vehicle maintenance. The subcourse is designed to provide the student with information about the operation, malfunction diagnosis, maintenance, and repair of wheeled vehicle electrical systems. It provides the basic theory, and also includes…

Deformation and lifetime behaviour of cyclic loaded rail and wheel steels

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Denne, B.; Lang, K.-H.; Loehe, D. [Karlsruhe Univ. (T.H.) (Germany). Inst. fuer Werkstoffkunde 1

2000-07-01

Corrugation, shelling and squats are some unexpected technical problems caused by increasing service tonnage, increasing load of the rails and increasing train speed at Deutsche Bahn AG lines since the last decades. As the complex phenomena of rolling contact fatigue in the rail / wheel system is difficult to understand extensive investigations have to be done to describe the multiaxial rolling contact fatigue processes and to develop and verify multiaxial fatigue criteria and lifetime predictions. To reach this aim a reliable fatigue data base of the utilised steels is required. To obtain such data, specimens were worked out of rails and wheels used in high speed traffic. With these specimens the lifetime behaviour and the endurance limit were estimated from push-pull tests. For the rail steel stress and total strain controlled fatigue tests were performed. The resulting lifetime behaviour is compared. In the wheel there are several regions with different microstructures due to the heat treatment at the end of the manufacturing process. Specimens were taken from the wheel rim representing these different microstructures. With these specimens stress controlled fatigue tests were performed. The influence of the different microstructures on the deformation and lifetime behaviour is showed. (orig.)

A novel dual motor drive system for three wheel electric vehicles

Science.gov (United States)

Panmuang, Piyapat; Thongsan, Taweesak; Suwapaet, Nuchida; Laohavanich, Juckamass; Photong, Chonlatee

2018-03-01

This paper presents a novel dual motor drive system used for three wheel electric vehicles that have one free wheel at the front and two wheels with a drive system at the end of the vehicles. A novel dual motor drive system consists of two identical DC motors that are independently controlled by its speed-torque controller. Under light load conditions, only one of the DC motors will operate around it rated whilst under hard load conditions both of the DC motors will operate. With this drive system, the motors will operate only at its high performance at rated or else no operate to retain longer lifetime. The simulated results for the Skylab three wheel electric vehicle prototype with 8kW at full load (high torque, low speed) and around 4kW at light/normal operating loads (regular speed-torque) showed that the proposed system provides better dynamic responses with faster overshoot current/voltage recovery time, has lower investment costs, has longer lifetime of the motors and allows the motors to always operate at their high performance and thus achieve more cost effective system compared to a single motor drive system with 8kW DC motors.

Wheel Slip Control of Vehicle ABS Using Piezoactuator-Based Valve System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juncheol Jeon

2014-04-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a novel piezoactuator-based valve for vehicle ABS. The piezoactuator located in one side of a rigid beam makes a displacement required to control the pressure at a flapper-nozzle of the pneumatic valve. In order to obtain the wide control range of the pressure, a pressure modulator comprised of dual-type cylinder and piston is proposed. The governing equation of the piezovalve system which consists of the proposed piezoactuator-based valve and the pressure modulator is obtained. The longitudinal vehicle dynamics and the wheel slip condition are then formulated. In order to evaluate the performance of the proposed piezovalve system from the viewpoint of the vehicle ABS, a sliding mode controller is designed for wheel slip control. The tracking control performances for the desired wheel slip rate are evaluated and the braking performances in terms of braking distance are then presented on different road conditions (dry asphalt, wet asphalt, and wet jennite. It is clearly shown that the desired wheel slip rate is well achieved and the braking distance and braking time can be significantly reduced by using the proposed piezovalve system associated with the slip rate controller.

Simulation modeling of wheeled vehicle dynamics on the stand "Roller"

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G. O. Kotiev

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The tests are an integral part of the wheeled vehicle design, manufacturing, and operation. The need for their conducting arises from the research and experimental activities to assess the qualitative and quantitative characteristics of the vehicles in general, as well as the individual components and assemblies. It is obvious that a variety of design features of wheeled vehicles request a development of methods both for experimental studies and for creating the original bench equipment for these purposes.The main positive feature of bench tests of automotive engineering is a broad capability to control the combinations of traction loads, speed rates, and external input conditions. Here, the steady state conditions can be used for a long time, allowing all the necessary measurements to be made, including those with video and photo recording experiment.It is known that the benefits of test "M" type (using a roller dynamometer include a wide range of test modes, which do not depend on the climatic conditions, as well as a capability to use a computer-aided testing programs. At the same time, it is known that the main drawback of bench tests of full-size vehicle is that the tire rolling conditions on the drum mismatch to the real road pavements, which are difficult to simulate on the drum surface. This problem can be solved owing to wheeled vehicle tests at the benches "Roller" to be, in efficiency, the most preferable research method. The article gives a detailed presentation of developed at BMSTU approach to its solving.Problem of simulation mathematical modeling has been solved for the vehicle with the wheel formula 8 × 8, and individual wheel-drive.The simulation results have led to the conclusion that the proposed principle to simulate a vehicle rolling on a smooth non-deformable support base using a bench " Roller " by simulation modeling is efficient.

Light and Heavy Tactical Wheeled Vehicle Fuel Consumption Evaluations Using Fuel Efficient Gear Oils (FEGO)

Science.gov (United States)

2016-05-01

UNCLASSIFIED LIGHT AND HEAVY TACTICAL WHEELED VEHICLE FUEL CONSUMPTION EVALUATIONS USING FUEL EFFICIENT GEAR OILS (FEGO) FINAL... HEAVY TACTICAL WHEELED VEHICLE FUEL CONSUMPTION EVALUATIONS USING FUEL EFFICIENT GEAR OILS (FEGO) FINAL REPORT TFLRF No. 477 by Adam C...August 2014 – March 2016 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE LIGHT AND HEAVY TACTICAL WHEELED VEHICLE FUEL CONSUMPTION EVALUATIONS USING FEUL EFFICIENT GEAR OILS

Analysing a Relationship Between Wheel Wear and Cutting Forces During Diamond Grinding

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. A. Shavva

2014-01-01

Full Text Available In diamond grinding cutting forces affect the quality of the machined surface. We can estimate a wear rate of the diamond wheel by the magnitude of the forces and promptly resort to the restoration of its cutting properties. To solve this problem it is necessary to define a relationship between grinding wheel wear and cutting forces. There was no this dependence found in the sources of literature.The forces acting on a single worn diamond grain are considered to find the relationship between wheel wear and cutting forces. The main forces acting on the diamond grain are such as a reaction force of machining material, a frictional force over a worn place of the grain, and a total pressure on the contact surface of the grain and machining material. According to calculation results, in grinding the cutting forces are proportional to the hardness of machining material, and depend on the grain wear, as well as on the process operation conditions.The paper presents a technique for calculating the number of cutting (active grains per unit surface of diamond wheel to determine a total cutting force in grinding. The number of cutting grains depends on the properties of diamond wheel and on the operation conditions of grinding process.During grinding a total cutting force is calculated through the single grain cutting force, the number of cutting grains per unit surface of the grinding wheel and the contact area between the wheel and the work piece. Theoretical calculation of the forces is based on the condition that protrusions of all cutting grains are identical and all grains have a maximum wear, i.e. maximum worn place of grain.Calculations based on proposed theoretical formulas are compared with the calculations from the empirical formulas given in the literature. Varying the operation conditions of grinding makes the comparison. Convergence of results in the range of 5-20% is regarded as acceptable.On the BMSTU base flat diamond grinding of tungsten

Omnidirectional Wheel-Legged Hybrid Mobile Robot

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

István Vilikó

2015-06-01

Full Text Available The purpose of developing hybrid locomotion systems is to merge the advantages and to eliminate the disadvantages of different type of locomotion. The proposed solution combines wheeled and legged locomotion methods. This paper presents the mechatronic design approach and the development stages of the prototype.

The physics of wheel-rail stability

Science.gov (United States)

Tan, B. T. G.

2018-05-01

This article discusses, at a simple level, the dynamics of the wheel-rail interface, which is fundamental to the stability of rail vehicles. The physics underlying this topic deserves to be better known by physicists and physics students, as it underpins such an important part of our technological infrastructure.

The Physics of Wheel-Rail Stability

Science.gov (United States)

Tan, B. T. G.

2018-01-01

This article discusses, at a simple level, the dynamics of the wheel-rail interface, which is fundamental to the stability of rail vehicles. The physics underlying this topic deserves to be better known by physicists and physics students, as it underpins such an important part of our technological infrastructure

Genetic algorithm–based varying parameter linear quadratic regulator control for four-wheel independent steering vehicle

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Linlin Gao

2015-11-01

Full Text Available From the perspective of vehicle dynamics, the four-wheel independent steering vehicle dynamics stability control method is studied, and a four-wheel independent steering varying parameter linear quadratic regulator control system is proposed with the help of expert control method. In the article, a four-wheel independent steering linear quadratic regulator controller for model following purpose is designed first. Then, by analyzing the four-wheel independent steering vehicle dynamic characteristics and the influence of linear quadratic regulator control parameters on control performance, a linear quadratic regulator control parameter adjustment strategy based on vehicle steering state is proposed to achieve the adaptive adjustment of linear quadratic regulator control parameters. In addition, to further improve the control performance, the proposed varying parameter linear quadratic regulator control system is optimized by genetic algorithm. Finally, simulation studies have been conducted by applying the proposed control system to the 8-degree-of-freedom four-wheel independent steering vehicle dynamics model. The simulation results indicate that the proposed control system has better performance and robustness and can effectively improve the stability and steering safety of the four-wheel independent steering vehicle.

Effect of sucrose availability and pre-running on the intrinsic value of wheel running as an operant and a reinforcing consequence.

Science.gov (United States)

Belke, Terry W; Pierce, W David

2014-03-01

The current study investigated the effect of motivational manipulations on operant wheel running for sucrose reinforcement and on wheel running as a behavioral consequence for lever pressing, within the same experimental context. Specifically, rats responded on a two-component multiple schedule of reinforcement in which lever pressing produced the opportunity to run in a wheel in one component of the schedule (reinforcer component) and wheel running produced the opportunity to consume sucrose solution in the other component (operant component). Motivational manipulations involved removal of sucrose contingent on wheel running and providing 1h of pre-session wheel running. Results showed that, in opposition to a response strengthening view, sucrose did not maintain operant wheel running. The motivational operations of withdrawing sucrose or providing pre-session wheel running, however, resulted in different wheel-running rates in the operant and reinforcer components of the multiple schedule; this rate discrepancy revealed the extrinsic reinforcing effects of sucrose on operant wheel running, but also indicated the intrinsic reinforcement value of wheel running across components. Differences in wheel-running rates between components were discussed in terms of arousal, undermining of intrinsic motivation, and behavioral contrast. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Modelling and simulation of dynamic wheel-rail interaction using a roller rig

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anyakwo, A; Pislaru, C; Ball, A; Gu, F

2012-01-01

The interaction between the wheel and rail greatly influences the dynamic response of railway vehicles on the track. A roller rig facility can be used to study and monitor real time parameters that influence wheel-rail interaction such as wear, adhesion, friction and corrugation without actual field tests being carried out. This paper presents the development of the mathematical models for full scale roller rig and 1/5 scale roller rig and the wear prediction model based on KTH wear function. The simulated critical speed for the 1/5 scale roller rig is about one-fifth of the critical speed for the full scale model so the simulated results compare well with the theory related to wheel-rail contact and dynamics. Also the differences between the simulated rolling radii for the full scale model with and without wear function are analysed. This paper presents the initial stage of a large scale research project where the influence of wear on the wheel-rail performance will be studied in more depth.

Assistive devices alter gait patterns in Parkinson disease: advantages of the four-wheeled walker.

Science.gov (United States)

Kegelmeyer, Deb A; Parthasarathy, Sowmya; Kostyk, Sandra K; White, Susan E; Kloos, Anne D

2013-05-01

Gait abnormalities are a hallmark of Parkinson's disease (PD) and contribute to fall risk. Therapy and exercise are often encouraged to increase mobility and decrease falls. As disease symptoms progress, assistive devices are often prescribed. There are no guidelines for choosing appropriate ambulatory devices. This unique study systematically examined the impact of a broad range of assistive devices on gait measures during walking in both a straight path and around obstacles in individuals with PD. Quantitative gait measures, including velocity, stride length, percent swing and double support time, and coefficients of variation were assessed in 27 individuals with PD with or without one of six different devices including canes, standard and wheeled walkers (two, four or U-Step). Data were collected using the GAITRite and on a figure-of-eight course. All devices, with the exception of four-wheeled and U-Step walkers significantly decreased gait velocity. The four-wheeled walker resulted in less variability in gait measures and had less impact on spontaneous unassisted gait patterns. The U-Step walker exhibited the highest variability across all parameters followed by the two-wheeled and standard walkers. Higher variability has been correlated with increased falls. Though subjects performed better on a figure-of-eight course using either the four-wheeled or the U-Step walker, the four-wheeled walker resulted in the most consistent improvement in overall gait variables. Laser light use on a U-Step walker did not improve gait measures or safety in figure-of-eight compared to other devices. Of the devices tested, the four-wheeled-walker offered the most consistent advantages for improving mobility and safety. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Design and development of automatic sharia compliant wheelchair wheels cleaner

Science.gov (United States)

Shaari, Muhammad Farid; Rasli, Ibrahim Ismail Mohammad; Jamaludin, M. Z. Z. Wan; Isa, W. A. Mohamad; M., H.; Rashid, A. H. Abdul

2017-04-01

Sharia compliant wheelchair wheel cleaner was developed in order to assist the muslim Person with Disabilities (PWD) to pray in the mosque without leaving their wheelchair because of the filthy wheels. Though there are many wheelchair wheel cleaning system in the market, it is very rare to find sharia compliant cleaning system that applies sertu concept which is one of the cleaning and purification technique in Islamic practice. The sertu concept is based on 6:1 ratio that refers to the six times pipe water cleaning and one time soiled water cleaning. The development process consists of design stage, fabrication and system installation stage and followed by testing stage. During the design stage, the proposed prototype underwent design brainstorming, operation programming and structural simulation analysis. Once fabricated, the cleaner prototype underwent was tested. The results showed that the prototype can cater load up to 100kg with 1.31×10-6 mm shaft bending displacement. The water ejection timing varied approximately 3% compared to the program.

Mathematical Modeling of the Braking System of Wheeled Mainline Aircraft

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I. S. Shumilov

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The braking system of the landing gear wheels of a mainline aircraft has to meet mandatory requirements laid out in the Aviation Regulations AP-25 (Para 25.735. «Brakes and brake systems". These requirements are essential when creating the landing gear wheel brake control system (WBCS and are used as main initial data in its mathematical modeling. The WBCS is one of the most important systems to ensure the safe completion of the flight. It is a complex of devices, i.e. units (hydraulic, electrical, and mechanical, connected through piping, wiring, mechanical constraints. This complex should allow optimizing the braking process when a large number of parameters change. The most important of them are the following: runway friction coefficient (RFC, lifting force, weight and of the aircraft, etc. The main structural elements involved in braking the aircraft are: aircraft wheels with pneumatics (air tires and brake discs, WBCS, and cooling system of gear wheels when braking.To consider the aircraft deceleration on the landing run is of essence at the stage of design, development, and improvement of brakes and braking systems. Based on analysis of equation of the aircraft motion and energy balance can be determined energy loading and its basic design parameters, braking distances and braking time.As practice and analysis of energy loading show, they (brake + wheel absorb the aircraftpossessed kinetic energy at the start of braking as much as 60-70%, 70-80%, and 80-90%, respectively, under normal increased, and emergency operating conditions. The paper presents a procedure for the rapid calculation of energy loading of the brake wheel.Currently, the mainline aircrafts use mainly electrohydraulic brake systems in which there are the main, backup, and emergency-parking brake systems. All channels are equipped with automatic anti-skid systems. Their presence in the emergency (the third reserve channel significantly improves the reliability and safety of

Experimental analysis on performance of high temperature heat pump and desiccant wheel system

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sheng, Ying; Zhang, Yufeng; Deng, Na

2013-01-01

In order to solve the problem of high energy consumption for regeneration of desiccant wheel in the rotary desiccant system, high temperature heat pump and desiccant wheel (HTHP&DW) system and corresponding air conditioning unit is built and tested in the extensive thermal hygrometric environment...

Optimization of wheel-rail interface friction using top-of-rail friction modifiers: State of the art

Science.gov (United States)

Khan, M. Roshan; Dasaka, Satyanarayana Murty

2018-05-01

High Speed Railways and Dedicated Freight Corridors are the need of the day for fast and efficient transportation of the ever growing population and freight across long distances of travel. With the increase in speeds and axle loads carried by these trains, wearing out of rails and train wheel sections are a common issue, which is due to the increase in friction at the wheel-rail interfaces. For the cases where the wheel-rail interface friction is less than optimum, as in case of high speed trains with very low axle loads, wheel-slips are imminent and loss of traction occurs when the trains accelerate rapidly or brake all of a sudden. These vast variety of traction problems around the wheel-rail interface friction need to be mitigated carefully, so that the contact interface friction neither ascents too high to cause material wear and need for added locomotive power, nor be on the lower side to cause wheel-slips and loss of traction at high speeds. Top-of-rail friction modifiers are engineered surface coatings applied on top of rails, to maintain an optimum frictional contact between the train wheels and the rails. Extensive research works in the area of wheel-rail tribology have revealed that the optimum frictional coefficients at wheel-rail interfaces lie at a value of around 0.35. Application of top-of-rail (TOR) friction modifiers on rail surfaces add an extra layer of material coating on top of the rails, with a surface frictional coefficient of the desired range. This study reviews the common types of rail friction modifiers, the methods for their application, issues related with the application of friction modifiers, and a guideline on selection of the right class of coating material based on site specific requirements of the railway networks.

Modeling of Two-Wheeled Self-Balancing Robot Driven by DC Gearmotors

Science.gov (United States)

Frankovský, P.; Dominik, L.; Gmiterko, A.; Virgala, I.; Kurylo, P.; Perminova, O.

2017-08-01

This paper is aimed at modelling a two-wheeled self-balancing robot driven by the geared DC motors. A mathematical model consists of two main parts, the model of robot's mechanical structure and the model of the actuator. Linearized equations of motion are derived and the overall model of the two-wheeled self-balancing robot is represented in state-space realization for the purpose of state feedback controller design.

Construction substantiation of the combined packer wheel of the seed drill

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Дмитро Юрійович Артеменко

2016-11-01

Full Text Available It was determined that the main factors affecting the packing process are the construction of the working body and physical - mechanical properties of the soil. The destruction process of soil particles in the interaction with the wheel was investigated. It was established that the maximum impact on a soil particle occurs when it remains stationary and fixed. An improved construction of the combined packer wheel was proposed

Three-wheeled scooter taxi: A safety analysis

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Three-wheel scooter taxis (TSR) form an essential part of public transport for the urban ... These low cost vehicles will remain a major mode of travel in the South Asian region ... commercial codes can be avoided for computational efficiency.

Target size matters: target errors contribute to the generalization of implicit visuomotor learning.

Science.gov (United States)

Reichenthal, Maayan; Avraham, Guy; Karniel, Amir; Shmuelof, Lior

2016-08-01

The process of sensorimotor adaptation is considered to be driven by errors. While sensory prediction errors, defined as the difference between the planned and the actual movement of the cursor, drive implicit learning processes, target errors (e.g., the distance of the cursor from the target) are thought to drive explicit learning mechanisms. This distinction was mainly studied in the context of arm reaching tasks where the position and the size of the target were constant. We hypothesize that in a dynamic reaching environment, where subjects have to hit moving targets and the targets' dynamic characteristics affect task success, implicit processes will benefit from target errors as well. We examine the effect of target errors on learning of an unnoticed perturbation during unconstrained reaching movements. Subjects played a Pong game, in which they had to hit a moving ball by moving a paddle controlled by their hand. During the game, the movement of the paddle was gradually rotated with respect to the hand, reaching a final rotation of 25°. Subjects were assigned to one of two groups: The high-target error group played the Pong with a small ball, and the low-target error group played with a big ball. Before and after the Pong game, subjects performed open-loop reaching movements toward static targets with no visual feedback. While both groups adapted to the rotation, the postrotation reaching movements were directionally biased only in the small-ball group. This result provides evidence that implicit adaptation is sensitive to target errors. Copyright © 2016 the American Physiological Society.

Automatic stair-climbing algorithm of the planetary wheel type mobile robot in nuclear facilities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Byung Soo; Kim, Seung Ho; Lee, Jong Min [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Taejon (Korea, Republic of)

1995-10-01

A mobile robot, named KAEROT, has been developed for inspection and maintenance operations in nuclear facilities. The main feature of locomotion system is the planetary wheel assembly with small wheels. This mechanism has been designed to be able to go over the stairs and obstacles with stability. This paper presents the inverse kinematic solution that is to be operated by remote control. The automatic stair climbing algorithm is also proposed. The proposed algorithms the moving paths of small wheels and calculates the angular velocity of 3 actuation wheels. The results of simulations and experiments are given for KAEROT performed on the irregular stairs in laboratory. It is shown that the proposed algorithm provides the lower inclination angle of the robot body and increases its stability during navigation. 14 figs., 16 refs. (Author).

Automatic stair-climbing algorithm of the planetary wheel type mobile robot in nuclear facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Byung Soo; Kim, Seung Ho; Lee, Jong Min

1995-01-01

A mobile robot, named KAEROT, has been developed for inspection and maintenance operations in nuclear facilities. The main feature of locomotion system is the planetary wheel assembly with small wheels. This mechanism has been designed to be able to go over the stairs and obstacles with stability. This paper presents the inverse kinematic solution that is to be operated by remote control. The automatic stair climbing algorithm is also proposed. The proposed algorithms the moving paths of small wheels and calculates the angular velocity of 3 actuation wheels. The results of simulations and experiments are given for KAEROT performed on the irregular stairs in laboratory. It is shown that the proposed algorithm provides the lower inclination angle of the robot body and increases its stability during navigation. 14 figs., 16 refs. (Author)

Dissociation of conditioned taste avoidance from conditioned disgust reactions induced by wheel running in rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Grant, Virginia L; McDonald, Sarah V; Sheppard, Robyn C; Caldwell, Catherine L; Heeley, Thomas H; Brown, Adam R; Martin, Gerard M

2012-06-01

It is well established that wheel running in rats produces conditioned taste avoidance; that is, rats that run in wheels after consuming a novel-tasting solution later consume less of that solution than rats that do not run. In experiment 1, we found that wheel running also produces conditioned disgust reactions, indicated by gapes elicited by both the taste and context that were experienced before running. Experiment 2 showed that the conditioned disgust reactions were likely not due to running itself but to a by-product of running, the rocking of the wheel that occurs when the running stops. When rocking was reduced, the disgust reactions were also reduced, but consumption of the taste solution was not changed, showing dissociation of conditioned taste avoidance and disgust. These findings indicate that the taste avoidance induced by wheel running itself is more like the taste avoidance produced by rewarding drugs than that produced by nausea-inducing drugs. Crown Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Analysis of process parameters for a DCMS process of a rotating ceramic ITO target

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ries, Patrick; Wuttig, Matthias [Institute of Physics, RWTH Aachen University (Germany)

2012-07-01

ITO is the most commonly used but at the same time rather expensive Transparent Conducting Oxide. This fact is due to the high Indium to Tin ratio of 90:10 that is necessary to obtain the best electrical conductivity. If it is possible to find another ratio with similar electrical properties but higher Tin content, this would be of great industrial relevance. To accomplish this goal and to check the hypothesis an in-house developed serial co-sputtering system is employed. The tool consists of a rotating primary cathode and up to two secondary cathodes for co-sputtering processes. The process parameters of a DC-sputtered ceramic ITO target installed on the primary cathode are analyzed and correlations with the thin film properties, especially the resistance and the transmittance are shown. The resistance behavior upon changing the Tin content via a co-deposition process from a secondary cathode will be presented.

Examination of a failed fifth wheel coupling

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Fernandes, PJL

1998-03-01

Full Text Available Examination of a fifth wheel coupling which had failed in service showed that it had been modified and that the operating handle had been moved from its original design position. This modification completely eliminated the safety device designed...

A novel mouse running wheel that senses individual limb forces: biomechanical validation and in vivo testing

Science.gov (United States)

Roach, Grahm C.; Edke, Mangesh

2012-01-01

Biomechanical data provide fundamental information about changes in musculoskeletal function during development, adaptation, and disease. To facilitate the study of mouse locomotor biomechanics, we modified a standard mouse running wheel to include a force-sensitive rung capable of measuring the normal and tangential forces applied by individual paws. Force data were collected throughout the night using an automated threshold trigger algorithm that synchronized force data with wheel-angle data and a high-speed infrared video file. During the first night of wheel running, mice reached consistent running speeds within the first 40 force events, indicating a rapid habituation to wheel running, given that mice generated >2,000 force-event files/night. Average running speeds and peak normal and tangential forces were consistent throughout the first four nights of running, indicating that one night of running is sufficient to characterize the locomotor biomechanics of healthy mice. Twelve weeks of wheel running significantly increased spontaneous wheel-running speeds (16 vs. 37 m/min), lowered duty factors (ratio of foot-ground contact time to stride time; 0.71 vs. 0.58), and raised hindlimb peak normal forces (93 vs. 115% body wt) compared with inexperienced mice. Peak normal hindlimb-force magnitudes were the primary force component, which were nearly tenfold greater than peak tangential forces. Peak normal hindlimb forces exceed the vertical forces generated during overground running (50-60% body wt), suggesting that wheel running shifts weight support toward the hindlimbs. This force-instrumented running-wheel system provides a comprehensive, noninvasive screening method for monitoring gait biomechanics in mice during spontaneous locomotion. PMID:22723628

THE PROCESS OF FORMATION OF RAILWAY WHEEL DAMAGES AND TIRES IN OPERATION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N. A. Grischenko

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Purpose. The dependence analysis of structural changes in the metal of railway wheels and tires from indicated influences in operation, for the further development of strategy of service reliability growth. Methodology. Test materials are the details selected from railway wheels which were taken out of operation beforehand because of various damages. Micro-structural researches were made with the use of light microscope Epiquant and electron microscope. The sizing of structural elements was done by using the methods of quantitative metallography. Findings. Over the past few decades the rapid development of industry was supported by the steady growth of intensity of using railway transport. In this case simultaneous increase of load at wheel set axle, with the increase of speed was accompanied by natural increase of the amount of cases of premature wheels and tires’ withdrawing out of operation. Railway wheel, except the formation of metal layer at rolling surface with the high defects concentration of crystal structure and first of all dislocations, falls under thermal influence from interaction with break blocks. The nature of joint influence (cold deformation and heating on the metal rim of a wheel is conditioned by the appearance of sufficiently high gradients of structural changes that can be considered as the influence on the level of internal residual stresses. In case of the rise of volume part of carbide phase at a constant ferrite grain size, it is achieved only by the increasing of dislocation nucleation sources without changing the number of annihilation positions. In this case the accumulation of dislocations at the initial stages of plastic deformation (in metal volume in front of delta arm crack will lead to the formation of cementite globes around certain interlocked dislocation density. In contrast the sharp increase of deformation hardening carbon steel parameters is observed. Originality. During the braking of locomotive the

Reaction Wheel Disturbance Model Extraction Software, Phase II

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Reaction wheel mechanical noise is one of the largest sources of disturbance forcing on space-based observatories. Such noise arises from mass imbalance, bearing...

Gamma counter shutter assembly

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aday, R.W. Jr.; Barber, D.G.

1976-01-01

A shutter assembly for a radioactivity measuring apparatus is described having a sample counting chamber, the assembly having a bulky solid lead cylinder with a sample access port extending therethrough for alignment with the sample chamber. The cylinder is rotated by a Geneva wheel arrangement having a drive wheel with a plurality of equi-angularly disposed pins perpendicular to the surface thereof engaging radially extending open-ended slots in a driven wheel secured to the lead cylinder for concurrent rotation therewith. The drive wheel is rotated at a constant speed with the driven wheel accelerating as a pin traverses the slot from the open end toward the driven wheel center and then decelerating as the pin traverses the reverse direction to provide precise positioning with adjacent pins engaging the open ends of adjacent slots in the stop position of the cylinder. 8 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures

Mathematical modeling of porosity formation in die cast A356 wheels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maijer, D.; Cockcroft, S.L.; Wells, M.A.; Luciuk, T.; Hermesmann, C.

2000-01-01

In an effort to leverage recent advances in modeling and process simulation tools, a mathematical model has been developed to predict porosity formation in die cast A356 wheels as part of a collaborative research agreement between researchers at the University of British Columbia and Canadian Autoparts Toyota Incorporated. The heat transfer model represents a three-dimensional, 30 o , slice of the wheel and die and is based on the commercial finite element code ABAQUS. Extensive temperature measurements in the die and in the wheel taken over several cycles in the casting process were used to fine tune and validate the model. Initial work on predicting porosity formation has focused on using the Niyama parameter as a measure of the probability of porosity. To date Niyama porosity predictions agree well with plant experience and show promise for reducing losses associated with porosity. (author)

Simulation of the ATLAS New Small Wheel trigger

CERN Document Server

AUTHOR|(INSPIRE)INSPIRE-00399900; The ATLAS collaboration

2018-01-01

The instantaneous luminosity of the LHC will increase up to a factor of seven with respect to the original design value to explore physics at higher energy scale. The inner station of the ATLAS muon end-cap system (Small Wheel) will be replaced by the New Small Wheel (NSW) to benefit from the high luminosity. The NSW will provide precise track-segment information to the Level-1 trigger system in order to suppress the trigger rate from fake muon tracks. This article summarizes the NSW trigger decision system and track-segment finding algorithm implemented in the trigger processor, and discusses results of performance studies on the trigger system. The results demonstrate that the NSW trigger system is capable of working with good performance satisfying the requirements.

On the experimental determination of the efficiency of piezoelectric impact-type energy harvesters using a rotational flywheel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Janphuang, P; Lockhart, R; Briand, D; De Rooij, N F; Henein, S

2013-01-01

This paper demonstrates a novel methodology using a rotational flywheel to determine the energy conversion efficiency of the impact based piezoelectric energy harvesters. The influence of the impact speed and additional proof mass on the efficiency is presented here. In order to convert low frequency mechanical oscillations into usable electrical energy, a piezoelectric harvester is coupled to a rotating gear wheel driven by flywheel. The efficiency is determined from the ratio of the electrical energy generated by the harvester to the mechanical energy dissipated by the flywheel. The experimental results reveal that free vibrations of the harvester after plucking contribute significantly to the efficiency. The efficiency and output energy can be greatly improved by adding a proof mass to the harvester. Under certain conditions, the piezoelectric harvesters have an impact energy conversion efficiency of 1.2%

Modeling of Two-Wheeled Self-Balancing Robot Driven by DC Gearmotors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Frankovský P.

2017-08-01

Full Text Available This paper is aimed at modelling a two-wheeled self-balancing robot driven by the geared DC motors. A mathematical model consists of two main parts, the model of robot’s mechanical structure and the model of the actuator. Linearized equations of motion are derived and the overall model of the two-wheeled self-balancing robot is represented in state-space realization for the purpose of state feedback controller design.

Desiccant wheels for air humidification: An experimental and numerical analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

De Antonellis, Stefano; Intini, Manuel; Joppolo, Cesare Maria; Molinaroli, Luca; Romano, Francesco

2015-01-01

Highlights: • The use of desiccant wheel to humidify an air stream is investigated. • Air humidification is obtained by extracting water vapour from outdoor air. • Experimental tests in winter humidification conditions are performed. • The design of the proposed humidification system is numerically analyzed. • Effects of boundary conditions on humidification capacity are investigated. - Abstract: In this work the use of a desiccant wheel for air humidification is investigated through a numerical and experimental approach. In the proposed humidification system, water vapour is adsorbed from outdoor environment and it is released directly to the air stream supplied to the building. Such a system can be an interesting alternative to steam humidifiers in hospitals or, more generally, in applications where air contamination is a critical issue and therefore adiabatic humidifiers are not allowed. Performance of the proposed system is deeply investigated and optimal values of desiccant wheel configuration parameters are discussed. It is shown that in the investigated conditions, which are representative of Southern Europe winter climate, the system can properly match the latent load of the building. Finally, power consumption referred to the primary source of the proposed humidification system is compared to the one of steam humidifiers. The present analysis is carried out through experimental tests of a desiccant wheel in winter humidification conditions and through a phenomenological model of the device, based on heat and mass transfer equations.

2009 Tactical Wheeled Vehicles Conference (TWV)

Science.gov (United States)

2009-02-03

fields. 5 ... Spent $265.2 Million in Reset of TWVs … or larger than the entire 2007 revenue of the Los Angeles Dodgers . ... Spent $265.2 Million in...Reset of T Vs or larger than the entire 2007 revenue of the Los Angeles Dodgers . ... Maintains over 29,000 Tactical Wheeled Vehicles in theater … or

Proposal to use vibration analysis steering components and car body to monitor, for example, the state of unbalance wheel

Science.gov (United States)

Janczur, R.

2016-09-01

The results of road tests of car VW Passat equipped with tires of size 195/65 R15, on the influence of the unbalancing front wheel on vibration of the parts of steering system, steering wheel and the body of the vehicle have been presented in this paper. Unbalances wheels made using weights of different masses, placed close to the outer edge of the steel rim and checked on the machine Hunter GSP 9700 for balancing wheels. The recorded waveforms vibration steering components and car body, at different constant driving speeds, subjected to spectral analysis to determine the possibility of isolating vibration caused by unbalanced wheel in various states and coming from good quality asphalt road surface. The results were discussed in terms of the possibility of identifying the state of unbalancing wheels and possible changes in radial stiffness of the tire vibration transmitted through the system driving wheel on the steering wheel. Vibration analysis steering components and car body, also in the longitudinal direction, including information from the CAN bus of the state of motion of the car, can be used to monitor the development of the state of unbalance wheel, tire damage or errors shape of brake discs or brake drums, causing pulsations braking forces.

An indentation depth-force sensing wheeled probe for abnormality identification during minimally invasive surgery.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, H; Puangmali, P; Zbyszewski, D; Elhage, O; Dasgupta, P; Dai, J S; Seneviratne, L; Althoefer, K

2010-01-01

This paper presents a novel wheeled probe for the purpose of aiding a surgeon in soft tissue abnormality identification during minimally invasive surgery (MIS), compensating the loss of haptic feedback commonly associated with MIS. Initially, a prototype for validating the concept was developed. The wheeled probe consists of an indentation depth sensor employing an optic fibre sensing scheme and a force/torque sensor. The two sensors work in unison, allowing the wheeled probe to measure the tool-tissue interaction force and the rolling indentation depth concurrently. The indentation depth sensor was developed and initially tested on a homogenous silicone phantom representing a good model for a soft tissue organ; the results show that the sensor can accurately measure the indentation depths occurring while performing rolling indentation, and has good repeatability. To validate the ability of the wheeled probe to identify abnormalities located in the tissue, the device was tested on a silicone phantom containing embedded hard nodules. The experimental data demonstrate that recording the tissue reaction force as well as rolling indentation depth signals during rolling indentation, the wheeled probe can rapidly identify the distribution of tissue stiffness and cause the embedded hard nodules to be accurately located.

Restricted vs. unrestricted wheel running in mice: Effects on brain, behavior and endocannabinoids.

Science.gov (United States)

Biedermann, Sarah V; Auer, Matthias K; Bindila, Laura; Ende, Gabriele; Lutz, Beat; Weber-Fahr, Wolfgang; Gass, Peter; Fuss, Johannes

2016-11-01

Beneficial effects of voluntary wheel running on hippocampal neurogenesis, morphology and hippocampal-dependent behavior have widely been studied in rodents, but also serious side effects and similarities to stereotypy have been reported. Some mouse strains run excessively when equipped with running wheels, complicating the comparability to human exercise regimes. Here, we investigated how exercise restriction to 6h/day affects hippocampal morphology and metabolism, stereotypic and basal behaviors, as well as the endocannabinoid system in wheel running C57BL/6 mice; the strain most commonly used for behavioral analyses and psychiatric disease models. Restricted and unrestricted wheel running had similar effects on immature hippocampal neuron numbers, thermoregulatory nest building and basal home-cage behaviors. Surprisingly, hippocampal gray matter volume, assessed with magnetic resonance (MR) imaging at 9.4 Tesla, was only increased in unrestricted but not in restricted runners. Moreover, unrestricted runners showed less stereotypic behavior than restricted runners did. However, after blockage of running wheels for 24h stereotypic behavior also increased in unrestricted runners, arguing against a long-term effect of wheel running on stereotypic behavior. Stereotypic behaviors correlated with frontal glutamate and glucose levels assessed by 1 H-MR spectroscopy. While acute running increased plasma levels of the endocannabinoid anandamide in former studies in mice and humans, we found an inverse correlation of anandamide with the daily running distance after long-term running. In conclusion, although there are some diverging effects of restricted and unrestricted running on brain and behavior, restricted running does not per se seem to be a better animal model for aerobic exercise in mice. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Simulation of the ATLAS New Small Wheel Trigger Sysmtem

CERN Document Server

Saito, Tomoyuki; The ATLAS collaboration

2017-01-01

The instantaneous luminosity of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN will be increased up to a factor of five with respect to the original design value to explore higher energy scale. In order to benefit from the expected high luminosity performance, the first station of the ATLAS muon end-cap Small Wheel system will be replaced by a New Small Wheel (NSW) detector. The NSW provide precise track segment information to the muon Level-1 trigger to reduce fake triggers. This contribution will summarize a detail of the NSW trigger decision system, track reconstruction algorithm implemented into the trigger processor and results of performance studies on the trigger system.

Advanced Control of Wheeled Inverted Pendulum Systems

CERN Document Server

Li, Zhijun; Fan, Liping

2013-01-01

Advanced Control of Wheeled Inverted Pendulum Systems is an orderly presentation of recent ideas for overcoming the complications inherent in the control of wheeled inverted pendulum (WIP) systems, in the presence of uncertain dynamics, nonholonomic kinematic constraints as well as underactuated configurations. The text leads the reader in a theoretical exploration of problems in kinematics，dynamics modeling, advanced control design techniques,and trajectory generation for WIPs. An important concern is how to deal with various uncertainties associated with the nominal model, WIPs being characterized by unstable balance and unmodelled dynamics and being subject to time-varying external disturbances for which accurate models are hard to come by.   The book is self-contained, supplying the reader with everything from mathematical preliminaries and the basic Lagrange-Euler-based derivation of dynamics equations to various advanced motion control and force control approaches as well as trajectory generation met...

Utilizing wheel-ring architecture for stable and selectable single-longitudinal-mode erbium fiber laser

Science.gov (United States)

Yeh, Chien-Hung; Yang, Zi-Qing; Huang, Tzu-Jung; Chow, Chi-Wai

2018-03-01

To achieve a steady single-longitudinal-mode (SLM) erbium-doped fiber (EDF) laser, the wheel-ring architecture is proposed in the laser cavity. According to Vernier effect, the proposed wheel-ring can produce three different free spectrum ranges (FSRs) to serve as the mode-filter for suppressing the densely multi-longitudinal-mode (MLM). Here, to complete wavelength-tunable EDF laser, an optical tunable bandpass filter (OTBF) is utilized inside the cavity for tuning arbitrarily. In addition, the entire output performances of the proposed EDF wheel-ring laser are also discussed and analyzed experimentally.