This paper is a case study conducted to present an approach to the process of designing
new products using virtual prototyping. During the first stage of research a digital geometric
model of the vehicle was created. Secondly it underwent a series of tests utilising the
multibody system method in order to determine the forces and displacements in selected
construction nodes of the vehicle during its movement on an uneven surface. In consequence
the most dangerous case of loads was identified. The obtained results were used to conduct
detailed strength testing of the bicycle frame and changes its geometry. For the purposes
of this case study two FEA software environments (Inventor and SolidWorks) were used. It
has been confirmed that using method allows to implement the process of creating a new
product more effectively as well as to assess the influence of the conditions of its usage more
efficiently. It was stated that using of different software environments increases the complexity
of the technical process of production preparation but at the same time increases the
certainty of prototype testing. The presented example of simulation calculations made for
the bicycle can be considered as a useful method for calculating other prototypes with high
complexity of construction due to its systematized character of chosen conditions and testing
procedure. It allows to verify the correctness of construction, functionality and perform
many analyses, which can contribute to the elimination of possible errors as early as at the
construction stage.
An on-line optimising control strategy involving a two level extended Kalman filter (EKF) for dynamic model identification and a functional conjugate gradient method for determining optimal operating condition is proposed and applied to a biochemical reactor. The optimiser incorporates the identified model and determines the optimal operating condition while maximising the process performance. This strategy is computationally advantageous as it involves separate estimation of states and process parameters in reduced dimensions. In addition to assisting on-line dynamic optimisation, the estimated time varying uncertain process parameter information can also be useful for continuous monitoring of the process. This strategy ensures that the biochemical reactor is operated at the optimal operation while taking care of the disturbances that are encountered during operation. The simulation results demonstrate the usefulness of the two level EKF assisted dynamic optimizer for on-line optimising control of uncertain nonlinear biochemical systems.
The paper presents a simulation model of the hybrid magnetic bearing dedicated to simulations of transient state. The proposed field-circuit model is composed of two components. The first part constitutes a set of ordinary differential equations that describes electrical circuits and mechanics. The second part of the simulation model consists of parameters such as magnetic forces, dynamic inductances and velocity-induced voltages obtained from the 3D finite element analysis. The MATLAB/Simulnik softwarewas used to implement the simulation model with the required control system. The proposed field-circuit model was validated by comparison of time responses with the prototype of the hybrid magnetic bearing.
The article presents a constitutive model for Shape Memory Alloys (SMA) along with result of dynamic simulations of SMA model. The applications of devices incorporating SMA in civil engineering focus mostly on mitigation of the seismic hazard effects in new-build and historical buildings or improvement of fatigue resilience. The unique properties of SMA, such as shape memory effect and superelasticity give promising results for such applications. The presented model includes additional phenomenon of SMA – internal loops. The paper shows the method of formulation of physical relations of SMA based on special rheological structure, which includes modified Kepes’s model. This rheological element, introduced as dual-phase plasticity body, is given in the context of martensite phase transformation. One of the advantages of such an approach is a possibility of formulation of constitutive relationships as a set of explicit differential equations. The application of the model is demonstrated on example of dynamic simulations of three dimensional finite element subjected to dynamic excitation.
The airflow through a two-dimensional horizontal rectangular cross-section channel in the presence of two baffles has been numerically examined and analyzed in the steady turbulent regime. The baffles were of the zig-zag type or plane one. The calculations are based on the finite volume approach and the average Navier–Stokes equations along with the energy equation, have been solved using the SIMPLE algorithm. The nonuniform structured quadrilateral-type element mesh is used in this study. The fluid flow patterns represented for Reynolds numbers based on the hydraulic diameter of the channel ranging from 5000 to 20 000. Effects of various Reynolds number values on flow fields, dimensionless axial velocity profiles, as well as local and average friction coefficients in the test channel is presented. The obtained results show that the flow structure is characterized by strong deformations and large recirculation regions. In general, the fluid velocity and skin friction loss rise with the increase in the flow rate and hence the Reynolds number.