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In the last decade, IPv6 over Low power Wireless Personal Area Networks, also known as 6LoWPAN, has well evolved as a primary contender for short range wireless communication and holds the promise of an Internet of Things, which is completely based on the Internet Protocol. In the meantime, various 6LoWPAN implementations are available, be it open source or commercial. One of these implementations, which was developed by the authors' team, was tested on an Automated Physical Testbed for Wireless Systems at the Laboratory Embedded Systems and Communication Electronics of Offenburg University of Applied Sciences, which allows the flexible setup and full control of arbitrary topologies. It also supports time-varying topologies and thus helps to measure performance of the RPL implementation. The results of the measurements show a very good stability and short-term and long-term performance also under dynamic conditions. In addition, it can be proven that the performance predictions from other papers are consistent with real-life implementations.
A benchmark analysis of Long Range (LoRaTM) Communication at 2.45 Ghz for safety applications
(2014)
Air traffic is by nature crossing borders and organizations. The supporting infrastructure represents a federative distributed system of independent Air Traffic Service Units, typically each with its own proprietary system architecture. Interaction between the centers is taking place over dedicated protocols, often organized as a mesh of 1:1 bilateral data exchanges.
This contribution gives an overview of the ongoing efforts to standardize this data exchange. At the core is a data-centric view, using a shared virtual Flight Object as the IT counterpart of a real flight. It permits a uniform way to access and update a flight’s static and dynamic attributes. A middleware is presented that implements this abstraction and maps it onto a physical level, employing DDS (Data Distribution Service) technology for the 1:N dissemination of flight data.
Signal detection and bandwidth estimation, also known as channel segmentation or information channel estimation, is a perpetual topic in communication systems. In the field of radio monitoring this issue is extremely challenging, since unforeseeable effects like fading occur accidentally. In addition, most radio monitoring devices normally scan a wide frequency range of several hundred MHz and have to detect a multitude of different signals, varying in signal power, bandwidth and spectral shape. Since narrowband sensing techniques cannot be directly applied, most radio monitoring devices use Nyquist wideband sensing to discover the huge frequency range. In practice, sensing is normally conducted by an FFT sweep spectrum analyzer that delivers the power spectral density (PSD) values to the radio monitoring system. The channel segmentation is the initial step of a comprehensive signal analysis in a radio monitoring system based on the PSD values. In this paper, a novel approach for channel segmentation is presented that is based on a quantization and a histogram evaluation of the measured PSD. It will be shown that only the combination of both evaluations will lead to an successful automatic channel segmentation. The performance of the proposed algorithm is shown in a real radio monitoring szenario.
A new RFID/NFC (ISO 15693 standard) based inductively powered passive SoC (System on chip) for biomedical applications is presented here. The proposed SOC consists of an integrated 32 bit microcontroller, RFID/NFC frontend, sensor interface circuit, analog to digital converter and some peripherals such as timer, SPI interface and memory devices. An energy harvesting unit supplies the power required for the entire system for complete passive operation. The complete chip is realized on CMOS 0.18 μm technology with a chip area of 1.5 mm × 3.0 mm.
Various rapid prototyping methods have been available for the production of physical architectural models for a few years. This paper highlights in particular the advantages of 3D printing and Fused Layer Modeling for the production of detailed architectural models. In addition, the current challenges for the creation and transfer of CAAD-data are explained. Furthermore, new methods are being developed in order to improve both the technical and economic boundary conditions for the application of 3DP und FLM. This makes the production of models with very detailed interior rooms possible. The internal details are made visible by dividing the complex overall model into individual models connected by means of an innovative plug-in system. In addition, three case studies are shown in which the developed methods are applied in order to implement detailed architectural models. Finally manufacturing time and costs of the architectural models in the three case studies are compared.
Recently a P-matrix and COM formalism was presented, which predicts third order intermodulation (IMD3) and triple beat with good accuracy and needs only a single nonlinearity constant. This formalism describes frequency dependence correctly. In this work the dependence of this nonlinearity constant on metalization ratio is investigated for aluminum metalization on LiTaO 3 (YXl)/42°. By comparison to test devices the nonlinearity constant is shown to be largely independent of metalization ratio. The nonlinear effect, however, strongly depends on metalization ratio, which is well described by the model. The linearity of a duplexer is optimized by reduction of metalization ratio and redesign of Tx branch topology.
This paper investigates the maximum torque capability and torque ripple reduction using the asymmetric stator teeth for interior permanence magnet (IPM) synchronous machines. Traditional electric machines have the identical width for all stator teeth and the winding function is fixed. Using different widths for different stator teeth changes the winding function, therefore, the torque ripple components. The mathematical modeling of interior permanent magnet (IPM) synchronous machine torque ripple and finite element analysis simulation results for the characteristic properties of electric machines are presented. Compared with a similar rating IPM machine, certain combinations of the teeth widths can reduce the torque ripple by 80% with less than 4% average torque decline.
Transcatheter aortiv valve implantation is a new safe strategy treatment for patients with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis and high operative risk. The aim of the study was to compare the pre-and post- muiscatheter aortiv valve implantation procedures to determine the atrioventricuktr conduction time as a potential predictor of permanent pacemaker therapy requirement after transcatheter aortiv valve implantation. The transcatheter aortiv valve implantation patients were divided into groups without pacemaker and with dual or single chamber pacemEtker with diffent atrioventrieular conduction time disturbance before and after transcatheter aortiv valve implantation. In heart failure, patients without permanent pacemaker therapy after transcatheter aortiv valve implantation, atrioventricular conduction time was prolonged after transcatheter aortiv valve implantation. In patients with permanent dual chamber pacemaker therapy after transcatheter aortiv valve implantation, atrioventricular conduction time was normalised with dual chaniber atrioventrieuku pacing mode. Atrioventricular conduction time may be a useful parameter to evaluate the risk of post-procedural atrioventricular conduction block and permanent pacemaker therapy in transcatheter north, valve implantation patients.
Automated RF Emulator for a Highly Scalable IEEE802.11p Communication and Localization Subsystem
(2014)
The IEEE802.11p standard describes a protocol for car-to-X and mainly for car-to-car-communication. In the research project Ko-TAG, which is part of the research initiative Ko-FAS, cooperative sensor technology is developed for the support of highly autonomous driving. The Ko-TAG subsystem improves the real-time characteristics of IEEE802.11p needed for precise time of flight real-time localization while still fitting into the regulatory schemes. A secondary radar principle based on communication signals enables localization of objects with simultaneous data transmission. The Ko-TAG subsystem mainly concentrates on the support of traffic safety applications in intra-urban scenarios. This paper details on the development of a fully automated RF emulator used to test the Ko-TAG subsystem.
The RF emulator includes the physical networking nodes, but models the RF environment using RF-waveguides. The RF emulator allows the controlling of path loss and connectivity between any of the nodes with the help of RF attenuators and programmable RF switches, while it is shielded against its surrounding RF environment in the lab. Therefore it is an inexpensive alternative to an RF absorber chamber, which often is not available or exceeds the project’s budget.
Details about the system definition can be found in earlier papers. Test results are shown in the last part of the paper.
Several cloud schedulers have been proposed in the literature with different optimization goals such as reducing power consumption, reducing the overall operational costs or decreasing response times. A less common goal is to enhance the system security by applying specific scheduling decisions. The security risk of covert channels is known for quite some time, but is now back in the focus of research because of the multitenant nature of cloud computing and the co-residency of several per-tenant virtual machines on the same physical machine. Especially several cache covert channels have been identified that aim to bypass a cloud infrastructure's sandboxing mechanism. For instance, cache covert channels like the one proposed by Xu et. al. use the idealistic scenario with two alternately running colluding processes in different VMs accessing the cache to transfer bits by measuring cache access time. Therefore, in this paper we present a cascaded cloud scheduler coined C 3 -Sched aiming at mitigating the threat of a leakage of customers data via cache covert channels by preventing processes to access cache lines alternately. At the same time we aim at maintaining the cloud performance and minimizing the global scheduling overhead.
This book constitutes the proceedings of the 6th International Workshop on Communication Technologies for Vehicles, Nets4Cars/Nets4Trains/Nets4Aircraft 2014, held in Offenburg, Germany in May 2014. The 10 papers presented in this volume were carefully reviewed and selected from 15 submissions. The book also contains 4 invited papers. The contributions are organized in topical sections named: automotive issues, car-to-car, aviation issues, in-car, and infrastructures.
Energy management in distribution grids is one of the key challenges that needs to be overcome to increase the share of fluctuating renewable energies. Current control systems for energy management mainly demonstrate centralized- or decentralized-hierarchical control structures. Very few systems manifest a fully decentralized multiagent-based control structure. Multiagent-based control systems promise to be an advantageous approach for the future distributed energy supply system because no central control entity is necessary, which eases parameterization in case of grid topology changes, and the agents are more stable against failures and changes of control topologies. Research is necessary to prove these benefits. In this study, we introduce a design of a multiagent-based voltage control system for low-voltage grids. In detail we introduce cooperative decision-making processes and software solutions that allow the agents to perceive and control their environment, the agent-discovery and localization in different types of communication networks, agent-to-agent communication, and the integration of the multiagent system in existing grid-control infrastructures. Furthermore, the study proposes how different existing technologies can be combined into an applicable multiagent-based voltage control system: the Java/OSGi-based OpenMUC framework allows a generic field–device interaction; peer-to-peer discovery and session establishment functionalities are combined with the agent communication defined by the Foundation for Intelligent Physical Agents (FIPA). The ripple control-signal technology is applied as a fallback communication between the agent and a central grid-control center.
Efficient, secure and reliable communication is a major precondition for powerful applications in smart metering and smart grid. This especially holds true for the so called primary communication in the Local Metrological Network (LMN) between meter and data collector, as the LMN comes with the most stringent requirements with regard to cost, range, as well as bandwidth and energy efficiency. Until today, LMN field tests are operated all over the world. In these installations, however, energy autarkic systems play a marginal role. This contribution describes the results of the framework 7 (FP 7) WiMBex project (“Remote wireless water meter reading solution based on the EN 13757 standard, providing high autonomy, interoperability and range”). In this project an energy autarkic water meter was developed and tested, which follows the specification of the Wireless M-Bus protocol (EN 13757). The complete system development covers the PCB with the RF transceiver and the microcontroller, the energy converter and storage, and the software with the protocol. This contribution especially concentrates on the design, the development and the verification of the routing protocol. The routing protocol is based on the Q mode of EN13757-5 (Wireless M-Bus) and was extended by an additional energy state related parameter. This extension is orthogonal to the existing protocol and considers both the charge level and the charge characteristics (rate of occurrences, intensity). The software was implemented in NesC under the operating system TinyOS. The system was verified in an automated test bed and in field tests in UK and Ireland.
The invention relates to a device for metalising substrates. In particular, the invention relates to the field of contact elements used to electroplate solar cells within the context of a wet-chemical continuous treatment system. A wet-chemical treatment system according to the invention, for electrochemically coating flat substrates (1) with coating material, has a tank for accommodating an electrolyte, transporting means, by means of which the flat substrates (1) can be transported through the electrolyte horizontally, and at least one contact element (2), which comprises a shaft (4) having an axis of rotation (5) and a cylindrical circumferential surface suitable for rolling on the substrate (1), wherein the circumferential surface comprises at least one electrically insulating segment (3B) and at least one electrically conductive segment (3A), which can be connected to a current source (6) in such a way that the polarity can be reversed, wherein the axis of rotation (5) of the contact element (2) is positioned above the surface of the electrolyte, and wherein the contact element (2) is designed as a consumable electrode.
Introduction: Despite lots of developments in the last years, radiofrequency ablation of rhythm diseases is a safe but still complex procedure that requires special experience and expertise of the physicians and biomedical engineers. Thus, there is a need of special trainings to become familiar with the different equipment and to explain several effects that can be observed during clinical routine.
Methods: The Offenburg University of Applied Sciences offers a biomedical engineering study path specialized in the fields of cardiology, electrophysiology and cardiac electronic implants. It`s Peter Osypka Institute for Pacing and Ablation provides teaching following the slogan “Learning by watching, touching and adjusting”. It conducts lots of trainings for students as well as young physicians interested in electrophysiology and radiofrequency ablation.
Results: In-vitro trainings will be provided using the Osypka HAT 200 and HAT300s, Stockert EPshuttle and SmartAblate system as well as the Boston EPT-1000XP and Maestro 3000 and the Radionics RFG-3E cardiac radio frequency ablation generators. All of them require different handling as well as special accessories like catheter connection cables or boxes and back plates. The participants will be trained in the setup of temperature, power and cut-off impedance dependent on different ablation catheters. Furthermore troubleshooting in hard- and software is part of the program. Performing procedures in pork or animal protein and using physiological saline solution to simulate the blood flow, they can study the influence of contact force and impedance on lesion geometry etc. and to avoid adverse effects like “plops”. Lots of catheter types are available: 4mm tip, 8mm standard and gold tip, open and closed irrigated tip ablation catheters of different companies. The experiments will be completed by measuring the lesion size dependent on the used catheter type and ablation settings.
Conclusion: In-vitro training in radiofrequency ablation is a challenge for biomedical engineering students and young physicians.
Active safety systems for advanced driver assistance systems act within a complex, dynamic traffic environment featuring various sensor systems which detect the vehicles’ surroundings and interior. This paper describes the recent progress towards a performance evaluation of car-to-car communication (C2C) for active safety systems - in particular for crash constellation prediction. The methodology introduced in this work is designed to evaluate the impact of different sensors on the accuracy of a crash constellation prediction algorithm. The benefit of C2C communication (viewed as a virtual sensor) within a sensor data fusion architecture for pre-crash collision prediction is explored. Therefore, a simulation environment for accident scenarios analysis reproducing real-world sensor behaviour, is designed and implemented. Performance evaluation results show that C2C increases confidence in the estimated position of the oncoming vehicle. With C2C enhancement the given accuracy in time-to-collision (TTC) estimation is achievable about 110 ms earlier for moderate velocities at TTC range of [0.5s..0.2s]. The uncertainty in the vehicle position prediction at the time of collision can be reduced about half by integrating C2C communication into the sensor data fusion.
This paper presents the competence-, business- and research-orientated education approach Fit4PracSis (= Fit for Practice and Sciences). Fit4PracSis is designed for freshman students in interdisciplinary engineering degree programs. It is an education concept, which is establishing a relationship to the future profession and scientific work during the introductory study phase. The freshman students will be early trained in important skills, which are necessary for the successful achievement of the final degree and the future business and research activities.
Meeting the requirements of smart grids local, decentralized subnets will offer additional potentials to stabilize and compensate the utility grid mainly on the low voltage level. In a quite complex configuration these decentralized energy systems are combined power, heat and cooling power distributions. According to the regional and local availability of renewable energy sources advanced energy management concepts should consider climatic conditions as well as the state of the interacting utility grid and consumption profiles. The approach uses demonstrational setups to develop a forecast based energy management for trigeneration subnets by taking into account the running conditions of local electrical and thermal energy conversion units. This should lead to the best coverage of the demand and supporting/stabilizing the utility grid at the same time. For the first of three demonstrational projects the priorities of the subnet are given with the maximization of the CHP operation to substitute a major part of the heating and cooling power delivered by electric heaters or compression chillers.
A former remote area power supply was converted to a smart cogeneration subnet with combined heat and power to develop and validate a forecast based energy management at the University of Applied Sciences in Offenburg/Germany. Locally processed weather forecasts and forecasted demand profiles are integrated to allow a precise reaction to changes of fluctuating power sources, changes in scheduled demand profiles and to improve the energy efficiency of the supply. The management of the electrical and thermal storages is influenced by the forecasted energy contributions and the forecasted demand. Further approaches should improve the accuracy of forecasting algorithms and integrate parameter models gained of a detailed monitoring to realize predictive controllers.
Formal Description of Inductive Air Interfaces Using Thévenin's Theorem and Numerical Analysis
(2014)
With the development of new integrated circuits to interface radio frequency identification protocols, inductive air interfaces have become more and more important. Near field communication is not only able to communicate, but also possible to transfer power wirelessly and to build up passive devices for logistical and medical applications. In this way, the power management on the transponder becomes more and more relevant. A designer has to optimize power consumption as well as energy harvesting from the magnetic field. This paper discusses a model with simple equations to improve transponder antenna matching. Furthermore, a new numerical analysis technique is presented to calculate the coupling factors, inductions, and magnetic fields of multiantenna systems.
Although short range wireless communication explicitly targets local and very regional applications, range continues to be an extremely important issue. The range directly depends on the so called link budget, which can be increased by the choice of modulation and coding schemes. Especially, the recent transceiver generation comes with extensive and flexible support for Software Defined Radio (SDR). The SX127x family from Semtech Corp. is a member of this device class and promises significant benefits for range, robust performance, and battery lifetime compared to competing technologies. This contribution gives a short overview into the technologies to support Long Range (LoRa ™), describes the outdoor setup at the Laboratory Embedded Systems and Communication Electronics of Offenburg University of Applied Sciences, shows detailed measurement results and discusses the strengths and weaknesses of this technology.
Logging information is more precious as it contains the execution of a system; it is produced by millions of events from simple application logins to random system errors. Most of the security related problems in the cloud ecosystem like intruder attacks, data loss, and denial of service, etc. could be avoided if Cloud Service Provider (CSP) or Cloud User (CU) analyses the logging information. In this paper we introduced few challenges, which are place of monitoring, security, and ownership of the logging information between CSP and CU.
Also we proposed a logging architecture to analyze the behaviour of the cloud ecosystem, to avoid data breaches and other security related issues at the CSP space. So that we believe our proposed architecture can provide maximum trust between CU and CSP.
We present a two dimensional (2D) planar chromatographic separation of estrogenic active compounds on RP-18 (Merck, 1.05559) and silica gel (Merck, 1.05721) phase. A mixture of 13 substances was separated using a solvent mix consisting of methanol–acetonitrile–water (2 + 2 + 1, v/v/v) on RP-18 phase in the first direction and cyclohexane–butylacetate–methanol (8 + 6 + 1, v/v/v) in the second direction on silica gel plate. Both developments were carried out over a distance of 70 mm. We used the grafted method to combine both plates in a 2D-separation. This 2D-separation method can be used to quantify 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2) in an effect-directed analysis using the yeast strain Saccharomyces cerevisiae BJ3505. The test strain (according to McDonnell) contains the estrogen receptor. Its activation by estrogen active compounds is measured by inducting the reporter gene lacZ that encodes the enzyme ß-galactosidase. This enzyme activity is determined on plate by using the fluorescent substrate MUG (4-methylumbelliferyl ß-D-galactopyranoside).
Since direct current high energy shock fulguration was initially performed in the mid 1980s, ablation of cardiac arrhythmias has come to widespread use. Today the most frequently used energy source for catheter ablation is radio frequency (RF). It was the German engineer Peter Osypka who made available the HAT 100 as the first simple commercial RF ablator.
Nevertheless, in the first years of ablation, physicians were effectively working in the dark. Until today with an increasing understanding of arrhythmia mechanisms, both at the atrial and ventricular levels, this curative technology has made tremendous progress. Now, due to crucial improvement of RF ablation generators, temperature and contact force sensor catheters in combination with non-flouroscopic electroanatomical mapping technologies, computerized temperature and impedance controlled radiofrequency catheter ablation can be used to cure all types of arrhythmias including atrial and ventricular fibrillation. For the latter, cooled ablation by saline solution irrigated catheters has been developed to a widely used standard method. This procedure resulting in pulmonary vein isolation requires transseptal puncture and is technically demanding. Nevertheless, it has shown to be more effective than antiarrhythmic drug therapy.
While earliest RF ablations were performed with non-steerable catheters, today are used steerable sensor catheters without or with external and internal cooling and tips of 4mm or 8mm length. Further innovations like integration of mapping and cardiac imaging give exact information of the number of pulmonary veins and branching patterns and help to correlate electrical signals with anatomical structures.
The magnetic navigation significantly improved the success rates and safety of catheter ablation. Thus, in most cases RF catheter ablation has developed in the treatment of supraventricular arrhythmias from an alternative approach to drug therapy into the first therapeutic choice providing low complication rates.
In future, robotic navigation will further simplify procedures and reduce radiation exposure of this curative approach.
Hybrid SPECT/US
(2014)
Impedance of the Surface Double Layer of LSCF/CGO Composite Cathodes: An Elementary Kinetic Model
(2014)
This thesis deals with the implementation of character controls and combat system of the Action Adventure 'Scout 3D'. The game development was realized with the game engine Unity 3D. In the first part, the architecture of a typical game engine is explained. The single components are describes step by step. Then, five well-known game engines are compared and evaluated. In the next chapter, a short overview about design and architecture patterns is worked out. The features of Unity, that are used for the implementation, and Unity's animation system 'Mecanim, are described finally. The second part includes the requirement definitions for the game 'Scout COD' which define player input, different conditions that allow or disallow several activities and the behaviour of enemies. With the help of patterns the architecture of the game is designed. Then, the implementation is explained by means of code snippets.
Non-responder rate in cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) could be partly decreased by individualized parameter optimization excluding adverse hemodynamic timing. In heart failure patients with sinus rhythm, an atrial kick enables the completion of atrial contraction and may significantly enhance the ventricular filling. Compared to that, exclusion of atrial kick is a sign of suboptimal atrioventricular timing. However, the recognition of atrial kick by echocardiography will be negatively affected in patients requiring a very short or long AV delays.
Integration of BACNET OPC UA-Devices Using a JAVA OPC UA SDK Server with BACNET Open Source Library
(2014)
Data is ever increasing in the computing world. Due to advancement of cloud technology the dynamics of volumes of data and its capacity has increased within a short period of time and will keep increasing further. Providing transparency, privacy, and security to the cloud users is becoming more and more challenging along with the volume of data and use of cloud services. We propose a new approach to address the above mentioned challenge by recording the user events in the cloud ecosystem into log files and applying MAR principle namely 1) Monitoring 2) Analyzing and 3) Reporting.
The characteristic features and applications of linear and nonlinear guided elastic waves propagating along surfaces (2D) and wedges (1D) are discussed. Laser-based excitation, detection, or contact-free analysis of these guided waves with pump–probe methods are reviewed. Determination of material parameters by broadband surface acoustic waves (SAWs) and other applications in nondestructive evaluation (NDE) are considered. The realization of nonlinear SAWs in the form of solitary waves and as shock waves, used for the determination of the fracture strength, is described. The unique properties of dispersion-free wedge waves (WWs) propagating along homogeneous wedges and of dispersive wedge waves observed in the presence of wedge modifications such as tip truncation or coatings are outlined. Theoretical and experimental results on nonlinear wedge waves in isotropic and anisotropic solids are presented.
In anisotropic media, the existence of leaky surface acoustic waves is a well-known phenomenon. Very recently, their analogs at the apex of an elastic silicon wedge have been found in experiments using laser-ultrasonics. In addition to a wedge-wave (WW) pulse with low speed, a pseudo-wedge wave (p-WW) pulse was found with a velocity higher than the velocity of shear bulk waves, propagating in the same direction. With a probe-beam-deflection technique, the propagation of the WW pulses was monitored on one of the faces of the wedge at variable distance from the apex. In this way, their depth structure and the leakage of the p-WW could be visualized directly. Calculations were carried out using a method based on a representation of the displacement field in Laguerre functions. This method has been validated by calculating the surface density of states in anisotropic media and comparing the results with those obtained from the surface Green's tensor. The approach has then been extended to the continuum of acoustic modes in infinite wedges with fixed wave-vector along the apex. These calculations confirmed the measured speeds of the WW and p-WW pulses.
Nowadays, it is assumed of many applications, companies and parts of the society to be always available online. However, according to [Times, Oct, 31 2011], 73% of the world population do not use the internet and thus aren't “online” at all. The most common reasons for not being “online” are expensive personal computer equipment and high costs for data connections, especially in developing countries that comprise most of the world’s population (e.g. parts of Africa, Asia, Central and South America). However it seems that these countries are leap-frogging the “PC and landline” age and moving directly to the “mobile” age. Decreasing prices for smart phones with internet connectivity and PC-like operating systems make it more affordable for these parts of the world population to join the “always-online” community. Storing learning content in a way accessible to everyone, including mobile and smart phones, seems therefore to be beneficial. This way, learning content can be accessed by personal computers as well as by mobile and smart phones and thus be accessible for a big range of devices and users. A new trend in the Internet technologies is to go to “the cloud”. This paper discusses the changes, challenges and risks of storing learning content in the “cloud”. The experiences were gathered during the evaluation of the necessary changes in order to make our solutions and systems “cloud-ready”.
This paper reports on the evolution of cracks in the cylinder heads of a large V8 Diesel engine during cyclic engine tests. The observations are compared with the predictions of a lifetime model for combined thermo-mechanical (TMF) and high cycle fatigue (HCF) loading, which is based on a fracture mechanics analysis of microcrack growth in viscoplastic solids and assumes that the crack advance per cycle is proportional to the cyclic crack tip opening displacement. Since the material of the cylinder heads, the cast iron EN-GJV450, exhibits the typical features of cast iron, namely pressure dependence of the yield stress, dilatancy and tension-compression asymmetry, the Gurson model is applied and combined with the viscoplastic Chaboche model. This constitutive model together with the lifetime model is implemented into a finite element code as a user defined material routine. Published model parameters for the considered cast iron are used to carry out the simulation of the engine test. This simulation comprises a CFD analysis to determine the heat transfer coefficients, a thermal analysis of the load cycle and the mechanical analysis. The thermal analysis reproduces the temperatures at various measuring points sufficiently accurately. Finally, the mechanical analysis predicts the location and orientation of the cracks in the valve bridges correctly in all cases. However, the lifetime predictions are rather conservative compared to the tests (by a factor of 1 to 5 in lifetime). This is discussed and explained by the fact that the cracks were detected in the tests only when they had already spread over a substantial fraction of the valve bridge width. To describe this situation a long-crack analysis would be necessary, which is not yet included in the applied lifetime model.
The paper is addressing the needs of the universities regarding qualification of students as future R&D specialists in efficient techniques for successfully running innovation process. It briefly describes the program of a novel one-semester-course of 150 hours in new product development and inventive problem solving with TRIZ methodology, offered for the master students at the Beuth University of Applied Sciences in Berlin. The paper outlines multi-source educational approach, which includes a new product development project (about 50% of the complete course), theory, practical work, self-learning with the software tools for computer-aided innovation, and demonstrates examples of the students work. The research part analyses the learning experience, identifies the factors that impact the innovation and problem solving performance of the students, and underlines the main difficulties faced by the students in the course. It describes a method for measurement of education efficiency and compares the results with educational experience in the industry. The presented results can help universities to establish the education in new product development or to improve its performance.
Lithium–sulfur (Li/S) cells are promising candidates for a next generation of safe and cost-effective high energy density batteries for mobile and stationary applications. At present, most Li/S cells still suffer from relatively poor cyclability, capacity loss under moderate current densities and self-discharge. Furthermore, the underlying chemical mechanisms of the general discharge/charge behavior as well as Li/S-specific phenomena like the polysulfide shuttle are not yet fully understood. Here we present a thermodynamically consistent, fully reversible continuum model of a Li/S cell with simplified four-step electrochemistry, including a simple description of the polysulfide shuttle effect. The model is parameterized using experimental discharge curves obtained from literature and reproduces behavior at various current densities with fairly high accuracy. While being instructively simple, the presented model can still reproduce distinct macroscopic Li/S-cell features caused by the shuttle effect, e.g., seemingly infinite charging at low charge current densities, and suboptimal coulombic efficiency. The irreversible transport of active material from the cathode to the anode results in a voltage drop and capacity loss during cycling, which can also be observed experimentally.