Optimal Design of a BLDC Motor Considering Three-Dimensional Structures Using the Response Surface Methodology

In this paper, the optimal design of a brushless direct current motor with a three-dimensional (3D) structure using the response surface methodology (RSM) is presented. There were two optimization goals: reduction of the cogging torque and maintenance of the back electromotive force to prevent performance degradation. For motors with a 3D structure, a 3D finite element method analysis is essential, though it requires considerable computation time. Therefore, to reduce the optimal design time, the 3D structure was placed on the 2D plane. Thereafter, a 2D corrected model was applied to the RSM. For the validity of the technique, the analysis results of the initial 3D model, 2D model, and 2D corrected model were compared, and the results of the optimal design 3D model, 2D corrected model, and experiment were compared.

Fracture Assessment for Pressurized Water Reactor Vessel Nozzles Subjected to Pressure and Thermal Loading

To ensure the structure integrity of the RPV, the main challenge is the embrittlement of beltline material. However, the stress of inlet or outlet nozzles of the RPV which are in general reinforced in comparison with the beltline, is more complex especially under the thermal loads. In recently studies, a lot of works have been done to show that the nozzle region may be more challenging under some conditions. In this paper, a fracture assessment for the RPV nozzles subjected to pressure and thermal loading is discussed using the software ABAQUS 6.12 and Zen Crack 7.9-3. It includes: SIF calculation based on 3D finite element method; structural integrity assessment under a typical LOCA transient; and the fatigue crack growth evaluation under cyclic loading situations. The results show that the SIF along the crack front is obviously asymmetric, and only to assess the safety of the deepest point along the crack front in the ASME and RCC-MR codes may be reconsider. If the KIa criteria is applied, under a typical LOCA transient, it is difficult to obtain an effective fracture safety margin for a 1/4 thickness crack, while based on the KIC criteria, the nozzle is shown to be safe in the case study. The shape of the surface elongated crack (which is often easily produced in the nozzle area) tends to be circle under the cyclic pressure loading situation which shows the crack shape assumed in the ASME and RCC-MR codes is reasonable.

Analysis of the Electromechanical Characteristics of Power Transformer under Different Residual Fluxes

When the electromagnetic transients occur in a power transformer, an inrush current is generated in its winding. The inrush current not only affects the performance of the transformer windings, but also affects the lifetime of the transformer. Many factors affect the inrush current, the most influential ones among which are the closing phase angle and the residual flux. In this paper, a dry-type transformer simulation model is built to analyze the influence of the inrush current on the performance of transformer windings during no-load reclosing conditions. Firstly, the inrush current was generated in the transformer windings during the no-load reclosing operation under different residual fluxes. Secondly, the field-circuit coupling 3d finite element method is used to analyze the electromagnetic force at different locations of the transformer windings under the influence of different inrush currents. The results of winding structural parameter variations are obtained through electromagnetic-structural coupling simulation, and the electromagnetic forces are used as the input parameter for the structural analysis. Finally, the residual flux is generated by controlling the opening and closing angle of the transformer through the phase-controlled switch, and the winding electromechanical characteristics are tested under different residual fluxes. Finally, comparisons of the test and simulation results are drawn to verify the impact of the closing angle and residual flux on inrush current and the winding deformation during the no-load reclosing conditions.

Effects of different processes of tunneling on displacements soil using 3D Finite Element Method

The excavation process of tunnels induces stresses and deformation in the surrounding soil. The method of excavation is one of the major problems related to the safety of the operators and the ground stability during the construction of underground works. So, it is necessary to choose an ideal method to minimize the displacements and stresses induced by tunneling. The main aim of this study is to simulate numerically the effect of different processes of tunneling on ground displacements, the settlements at surface soil and the internal efforts induced in the lining tunnel; in order to select the best process of excavation, which gives us a less effects on displacements generated by tunneling, thus, ensuring the stability and the solidity of the underground constructions. In addition, this study allows us to control and to predict the diverse movements generated by tunneling (displacements, settlements, efforts internes) exclusively for the shallow tunnel nearby to the underground constructions in the urban site. This modeling will be done by employing five different processes for tunnel excavation using the NATM (New Austrian Tunneling Method) method. The first process, the modeling of the excavation tunnel, is done almost in the same way as in reality; the partial face excavation, with seven slices, made by the excavation. The second process, by partial face excavation, is divided into eleven slices, next, we used the partial face excavation by nine slices, and then in thirteen slices. Finally, the dig is made by full-face excavation. The paper contributes to the prediction of the response of the soil environment to tunnel excavation using the NATM method and to minimize the diverse movements generated by tunneling. The appropriately chosen methodology confirms that displacements and subsidence are strongly influenced by the tunneling method. The three-dimensional Finite Elements Method using Plaxis3D program has been applied in the numerical simulation. The study resulted in the recommendation of a process that minimizes the effect of excavation on subsidence and ground displacement for a particular Setiha tunnel.

Equivalent inductance model for the design analysis of electrodynamic suspension coils for hyperloop

Hyperloop is a new concept of ground transportation. In Hyperloop, travelling occurs in near-vacuum tubes under 0.001 atm at a subsonic speed of up to 1200 km/h. During acceleration to and driving at a subsonic speed, magnetic levitation is employed. Thus far, various levitation technologies in existing high-speed maglev trains have been considered. Among those technologies, superconducting (SC) electrodynamic suspension (EDS) is a highly effective levitation system for Hyperloop owing to its advantages of a large levitation gap, levitation stability, and control being unnecessary. However, analyzing an EDS system requires the electromagnetic transient analysis of complex three-dimensional (3D) features, and its computational load generally limits the use of numerical methods, such as the 3D finite element method (FEM) or dynamic circuit theory. In this study, a novel model that can rapidly and accurately calculate the frequency-dependent equivalent inductance was developed. The developed model was then applied to design an EDS system using the decoupled resistance-inductance equations of levitation coils. Next, levitation coils of SC-EDS were designed and analyzed for use in Hyperloop. The obtained results were compared with the FEM results to validate the developed model. In addition, the model was experimentally validated by measuring currents induced by moving pods.

3D Multi-Track and Multi-Layer Epitaxy Grain Growth Simulations of Selective Laser Melting

An integrated simulation framework consisting of the 3D finite element method and 3D cellular automaton method is presented for simulating the multi-track and multi-layer selective laser melting (SLM) process. The framework takes account of all the major multi-physics phenomena in the SLM process, including the initial grain structure, the growth kinetics, the laser scanning strategy, the laser–powder and laser–matter interactions, the melt flow, and the powder-to-liquid-to-solid transformations. The feasibility of the proposed framework is demonstrated by simulating the evolution of the epitaxy grain structure of Inconel 718 (IN718) during a 15-layer SLM process performed using a bi-directional 67° rotation scanning strategy and various SLM process parameters. The simulation results are found to be in good agreement with the experimental observations obtained in the present study and in the literature. In particular, a strong (001) texture is observed in the final component, which indicates that the grains with a preferred <001> orientation win the competitive epitaxy grain growth process. In addition, the size and shape of the IN718 grains are governed primarily by the cooling rate, where the cooling rate is determined in turn by the SLM parameters and the build height. Overall, the results show that the proposed framework provides an accurate approach for predicting the final microstructures of SLM components, and therefore, it can play an important role in optimizing the SLM processing parameters in such a way as to produce components with the desired mechanical properties.

Auditory startle disrupts speech coordination

Speech production requires temporal coordination between the actions of different functional groupings of muscles in the human body. Crucially, such functionally organized units, or “modules”, may be susceptible to disruption by an external stimulus such as a startling auditory stimulus (SAS; >120dB), enabling a possible window into the internal structure of learned speech movements. Following on the observation that SAS is known to accelerate the release of pre-planned actions, the current study examines lip kinematics in SAS-induced responses during speech movements to test whether this accelerated release applies on the scale of entire syllables or on the scale of smaller functional units. Production measures show that SAS-elicited bilabial movements in [ba] syllables are prone to disruption as measured by discontinuity in velocity profiles. We use a 3D finite element method (FEM) biomechanical model to simulate the temporal interaction between muscle groupings in speech. Simulation results indicate that this discontinuity can be accounted for as an instance of temporally decoupled coordination across neuromuscular modules. In such instances, the muscle groupings controlling lip compression and jaw opening, which normally fire sequentially, appear more likely to be activated synchronously.

Study on the Earth Pressure during Sinking Stage of Super Large Caisson Foundation

End resistance is a dominant variable in the sinking process of super-sized caisson foundation, which is of great importance to the safe sinking of the caisson foundation. Based on soil excavation process of super large caisson foundation of the main tower of Changtai Yangtze River Bridge, the distribution characteristics and variation of earth pressure under the foot blade was analyzed using 3D finite element method at the first stage of soil excavation. Furthermore, the earth pressure was monitored in real time during soil excavation in order to analyze the influence of soil excavation process on the distribution of earth pressure. The analysis results of engineering practice showed that in the process of soil excavation from inner area to outer area, the end resistance of inner bulkhead and inner partition walls decreased, while the end resistance of outer bulkhead and outer partition walls gradually increased till the soil reached the failure state in the outer bulkhead area. The distribution characteristics and variation of the earth pressure can really reflect overall stress state of caisson foundation, which helps guide the safe sinking by soil excavation.

Dry Friction Interblade Damping by 3D FEM Modelling of Bladed Disk: HPC Calculations Compared with Experiment

Interblade contacts and damping evaluation of the turbine bladed wheel with prestressed dry friction contacts are solved by the 3D finite element method with the surface-to-surface dry friction contact model. This makes it possible to model the space relative motions of contact pairs that occur during blade vibrations. To experimentally validate the model, a physical model of the bladed wheel with tie-boss couplings was built and tested. HPC computation with a proposed strategy was used to lower the computational time of the nonlinear solution of the wheel resonant attenuation used for damping estimation. Comparison of experimental and numerical results of damping estimation yields a very good agreement.