Conventional Pack Research Articles

Intraoperative Incidental Internal Carotid Artery Injury in Extended Endoscopic Endonasal Approaches—Causes, Prevention, and Management: A Technical Note

AbstractIn spite of good anatomical awareness, the position of internal carotid artery (ICA) can be tricky in an intraoperative setup with disease causing very significant distortion of anatomy and shift of carotid artery and its branches. A 45-year-old gentleman presented with complaints of left hemicranial headache and painless progressive vision loss in both eyes (left more than right) for 8 months. A probable clinico-radiological diagnosis of meningioma was reached. Intraoperatively, bleeding occurred from left side ICA, control of which was achieved using a long gauze piece used as conventional nasal pack with crushed muscle beneath the gauze piece along with abdominal fat, which was further reinforced with Surgicel. The parasellar ICA is the most common segment injured. Dehiscent or bulging canal of ICA, presence of pseudoaneurysm, attachment of sphenoid septae to the canal, displacement by the lesion, nonenlarged sella because of small size of lesion or vertically oriented lesions, and vessel wall abnormalities increase the risk of injury. It is very essential to have a preoperative discussion involving the skull base surgeons (neurosurgeons and otorhinolaryngologists), neuroradiologists, and neuroanesthetists regarding the complications expected in the case. In case of ICA bleed, the target should be to achieve a temporary hemostasis. In small tears, cottonoids for pressure and bipolar for cauterization will help stop the bleeding, while in larger tears, giving moderate pressure using crushed muscle and cottonoids to achieve intra-operative hemostasis should be tried. After intraoperative hemostasis, the patient needs to be shifted to angiography suite for endovascular stent placement.

Simulation and Testing of Self-Reconfigurable Battery Advanced Functions for Automotive Application

This article presents the design and production work carried out jointly by Vitesco Technologies and the CEA in order to build a Self-Reconfigurable Battery (SRB) demonstrator representative of an electric vehicle traction battery pack. The literature demonstrates that the use of an SRB allows for individual bypassing or serialization of each cell in a battery pack, enabling control of the voltage output and dynamic balancing of the battery pack during all phases of vehicle use. The simulations and tests presented in this article confirm that the use of an SRB results in a 6% reduction in energy consumption compared to a Conventional Battery Pack (CBP) on a driving profile based on WLTP cycles. Additionally, an SRB enhances fast charging performance, with a charging time that is 22% faster than a CBP. Furthermore, it is shown that an SRB without a voltage inversion capability can still be connected directly to the AC grid for charging without the need for a dedicated converter, using only a single diode bridge rectifier for the whole system.

AC Direct Charging for Electric Vehicles via a Reconfigurable Cascaded Multilevel Converter

This paper presents a charging architecture for the Reconfigurable Cascaded Multilevel converter, which was specifically designed for electric vehicle (EV) powertrain applications. The RCMC topology is capable of executing power conversion and actively managing battery systems concurrently. The active battery management is achieved using the Reconfigurable Battery Module, which regulates the serial connection of cells via a switch pattern. In this paper, the RCMC is directly interfaced with an AC three-phase power system, facilitating the dynamic control over battery cells charging. Its inherent design allows for the implementation of various charging algorithms, customizable to specific requirements, without necessitating additional intermediary power stages. Firstly, an overview of the RCMC topology is given, and an analysis to define the optimal filter inductance is carried out. Subsequently, after the AC system characteristics are explained, two charging algorithms are presented and described: one prioritizes State of Charge (SOC) balancing among battery cells, while the other focuses on minimizing power losses. Moreover, a time estimation computation for the RCMC is carried out considering a two-level AC charging station. The result is compared with the time required for a conventional battery pack. The results show a reduction of 10 s in charging time for a mere 20% increase in SOC. Finally, the experimental setup is presented and used to validate the efficacy of the proposed algorithms.

Fixed-matrix regenerators optimization with wire mesh screens using entropy generation minimization method

The thermodynamic efficiency of a wire mesh fixed matrix regenerative heat exchanger mainly depends on the regenerator’s heating performance and losses. This paper aims to increase the effectiveness and decrease the pressure loss of static regenerators with wire mesh screens as packing geometry. The entropy generated for several combinations of mesh screens is calculated by using the entropy generation minimization method (EGM), and this method helps in finding the right combination with the minimum entropy generation. The study aims to minimize entropy generation by dividing the conventional uniform mesh regenerator pack length into multiple zones by accommodating different combinations of wire mesh screens. For the sample flow condition, it is observed that 3.94 × 103 W/K entropy is generated by uniform mesh, and from 68 hybrid mesh combinations, 80–120–200 generated 2.11 × 103 W/K. By balancing pressure loss and thermal efficiency, the potential of EGM-based optimization is underscored during this study, which improves the regenerator’s performance.

Electro-thermal performance evaluation of a prismatic battery pack for an electric vehicle

Abstract In recent years, electric vehicles (EVs) have grown in popularity as a viable way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by replacing conventional vehicles. The need for EV batteries is steadily increasing. An essential and expensive part of electric transportation is the battery. The operating temperature of the lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery significantly impacts the performance of the EV battery pack. Battery packs undergo temperature fluctuations during the charging and discharging procedures due to internal heat generation, necessitating an examination of the temperature distribution of the battery pack. The geometrical spacing between cells is considered larger and identical and is kept open on two sides for free air circulation. A novel battery thermal management system (BTMS) design is required to effectively dissipate heat from the prismatic battery pack module. The electro-thermal behaviour of the prismatic Li-ion battery pack module was investigated based on the high charge/discharge rate. This study presents the development of a three-dimensional free open-source OpenFOAM computational fluid dynamics model for prismatic cell battery packs that simulates heat generation, air flow field, and temperature distribution across the width and depth of the battery pack module. The prismatic battery pack simulation results are compared with the experimental and simulation results of the cylindrical battery pack. It was also revealed that prismatic cells generate more heat on the backside, requiring battery packs to have increased cooling and space between individual cells to ensure sufficient air circulation for cooling and gas removal. The BTMS is improved by designing with increased space among the prismatic battery cells as compared with the conventional prismatic cell battery pack design.

Genetic Monitoring of Grey Wolves in Latvia Shows Adverse Reproductive and Social Consequences of Hunting.

Nowadays, genetic research methods play an important role in animal population studies. Since 2009, genetic material from Latvian wolf specimens obtained through hunting has been systematically gathered. This study, spanning until 2021, scrutinizes the consequences of regulated wolf hunting on population genetic metrics, kinship dynamics, and social organization. We employed 16 autosomal microsatellites to investigate relationships between full siblings and parent-offspring pairs. Our analysis encompassed expected and observed heterozygosity, inbreeding coefficients, allelic diversity, genetic distance and differentiation, mean pairwise relatedness, and the number of migrants per generation. The Latvian wolf population demonstrated robust genetic diversity with minimal inbreeding, maintaining stable allelic diversity and high heterozygosity over time and it is not fragmented. Our findings reveal the persistence of conventional wolf pack structures and enduring kinship groups. However, the study also underscores the adverse effects of intensified hunting pressure, leading to breeder loss, pack disruption, territorial displacement, and the premature dispersal of juvenile wolves.

Life cycle assessment of lithium ion battery from water-based manufacturing for electric vehicles

Lithium ion batteries produced using the water-based manufacturing processes, as a greener technology, have great potential to be used in future electric vehicles (EVs). A cradle-to-grave life cycle assessment model configured for actual EV applications has been developed for the water-based manufactured lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide (NMC)-graphite battery pack. Experimental and modeling results cover raw material extraction and processing, water-based battery manufacturing processes, battery usage during EV driving, and direct recycling at End-of-Life. The ReCiPe method is employed to investigate the environmental impacts of the water-based battery pack and benchmark it against the impacts of a conventional N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP)-based battery pack with the same mass. The cradle-to-grave energy consumption of the studied water-based battery pack is 0.976 MJ/km EV driving, equivalent to a 4.5% reduction over the NMP-based battery pack. Aside from energy usage, we find reductions in all environmental impact categories (3.0%∼85%) compared to the conventional battery pack.

Application of phase change material (PCM) in battery thermal management system (BTMS): A critical review

The battery thermal management system (BTMS)'s goals are to maintain the batteries' ideal operating temperature range and to offer safety precautions. The need for more advanced energy storage devices, such lithium-ion batteries, is on the rise as the market for electric vehicles and other mobile equipment reaches its peak. A huge pressure has been placed on the conventional air-cooled pack BTMS as a result of this demand. Over the past few decades, phase change material (PCM) use has been crucial in helping to overcome these constraints. Without using an external system, the PCM has demonstrated a considerably superior capacity to maintain the batteries' ideal operating temperature. The advantages and working concept for PCM in BTMS are thoroughly examined in the current review effort. The recent work for the utilization of PCM in the form of foam, fins, composite material, and the modified cooling pack is incorporated and reviewed. Additionally, the effect of the thermophysical properties of PCM on BTMS is summarized along with the available challenges. In the end, the conclusion is drawn on the basis of existing technology and further future needs in BTMS. The current review study will guide the researcher and help the manufacturers in the area of the development of sustainable battery thermal management systems using PCM.

A High-Performance Vortex Adjustment Design for an Air-Cooling Battery Thermal Management System in Electric Vehicles

To boost the performance of the air-cooling battery thermal management system, this study designed a novel vortex adjustment structure for the conventional air-cooling battery pack used in electric vehicles. T-shape vortex generating columns were proposed to be added between the battery cells in the battery pack. This structure could effectively change the aerodynamic patterns and thermodynamic properties of the battery pack, including turbulent eddy frequency, turbulent kinetic energy, and average Reynolds number, etc. The modified aerodynamic patterns and thermodynamic properties increased the heat transfer coefficient with little increase in energy consumption and almost no additional cost. Different designs were also evaluated and optimized under different working conditions. The results showed that the cooling performance of the Design 1 improved at both low and high air flow rates. At a small flow rate of 11.88 L/s, the Tmax and ΔT of Design 1 are 0.85 K and 0.49 K lower than the conventional design with an increase in pressure drop of 0.78 Pa. At a relative high flow rate of 47.52 L/s, the Tmax and ΔT of the Design 1 are also 0.46 K and 0.13 K lower than the conventional design with a slight increase in pressure drop of 17.88 Pa. These results demonstrated that the proposed vortex generating design can improve the cooling performance of the battery pack, which provides a guideline for the design and optimization of the high-performance air-cooling battery thermal management systems in electric vehicles.

High-rate deposition of ultra-thick silver film by hollow cathode magnetron sputtering

The deposition of high-performance micro-sized ultra-thick silver films is a critical issue. Hollow cathode magnetron sputtering is one of the promising techniques for depositing ultra-thick silver films. A novel cylindrical “three-dimensional magnetron sputtering” (3-DMS) magnet pack presented here was developed based on a conventional hollow cathode magnet pack to deposit high-performance ultra-thick silver film at a high rate. A stable process condition at the average power of 4 kW is realized by the new cylindrical “3-DMS” magnet pack's 137.5 mm diameter targets and a specially designed cooling well. Comparison of deposition rates with different power supplies and at different average power levels are discussed. The behavior of electrons on the target surface in this magnetic field arrangement is investigated using COMSOL Multiphysics software. The composition, topography, mechanical properties and residual stress of the ultra-thick silver film deposited by different sputtering modes (DCMS, HIPIMS, and Pulsed DCMS) are also discussed.

Comparison of outcomes using conventional nasal pack with hydroxylated polyvinyl acetate pack following Septoplasty

Aim: To compare the conventional anterior nasal packing (CANP) with Hydroxylated polyvinyl acetate pack (Merocele) after septoplasty, in terms of pain, bleeding, and postoperative complications like synechia formation. Material and Methods: This study was a prospective, randomized, interventional study conducted among 48 patients. Patients underwent septoplasty under general anesthesia for symptomatic deviated nasal septum. In all the 48 patients, post-surgery, one nasal cavity was packed with a conventional nasal pack and the other cavity was packed with Merocele nasal pack. Pain and bleeding were evaluated during pack removal on the third post-operative day. Synechia was assessed at the 8th post-operative week (2 months) follow-up. The results were compared between the two groups. Result: Out of 48 patients who underwent surgery, 3 patients were lost to follow-up. So, results were compared between 45 patients. Pain and bleeding during removal of conventional and merocele packs were not seen to be statistically significant. Post-operative synechia was not seen in any of the nasal cavities, irrespective of the packing material used. Conclusion: Hence, in terms of pain, bleeding during pack removal, and post-operative synechia; conventional and merocele nasal packs were comparable and there was no significant difference in using either of the materials post-septoplasty.

Numerical analysis of an energy storage system based on a metal hydride hydrogen tank and a lithium-ion battery pack for a plug-in fuel cell electric scooter

This work investigates on the performance of a hybrid energy storage system made of a metal hydride tank for hydrogen storage and a lithium-ion battery pack, specifically conceived to replace the conventional battery pack in a plug-in fuel cell electric scooter. The concept behind this solution is to take advantage of the endothermic hydrogen desorption in metal hydrides to provide cooling to the battery pack during operation.The analysis is conducted numerically by means of a finite element model developed in order to assess the thermal management capabilities of the proposed solution under realistic operating conditions.The results show that the hybrid energy storage system is effectively capable of passively controlling the temperature of the battery pack, while enhancing at the same time the on-board storage energy density. The maximum temperature rise experienced by the battery pack is around 12 °C when the thermal management is provided by the hydrogen desorption in metal hydrides, against a value above 30 °C obtained for the same case without thermal management. Moreover, the hybrid energy storage system provides the 16% of the total mass of hydrogen requested by the fuel cell stack during operation, which corresponds to a significant enhancement of the hydrogen storage capability on-board of the vehicle.

Development of a plug-in fuel cell electric scooter with thermally integrated storage system based on hydrogen in metal hydrides and battery pack

The thermal management of lithium-ion batteries in hybrid electric vehicles is a key issue, since operating temperatures can greatly affect their performance and life. A hybrid energy storage system, composed by the integration of a battery pack with a metal hydride-based hydrogen storage system, might be a promising solution, since it allows to efficiently exploit the endothermic desorption process of hydrogen in metal hydrides to perform the thermal management of the battery pack. In this work, starting from a battery electric scooter, a new fuel cell/battery hybrid powertrain is designed, based on the simulation results of a vehicle dynamic model that evaluates power and energy requirements on a standard driving cycle. Thus, the design of an original hybrid energy storage system for a plug-in fuel cell electric scooter is proposed, and its prototype development is presented. To this aim, the battery pack thermal power profile is retrieved from vehicle simulation, and the integrated metal hydride tank is sized in such a way to ensure a suitable thermal management. The conceived storage solution replaces the conventional battery pack of the vehicle. This leads to a significant enhancement of the on-board gravimetric and volumetric energy densities, with clear advantages on the achievable driving range. The working principle of the novel storage system and its integration within the powertrain of the vehicle are also discussed.

BORIDING OF STEELS: IMPROVEMENT OF MECHANICAL PROPERTIES - A REVIEW

Boriding on steels is an outstanding surface hardening technique widely used to improve the hardness, resistance to wear, corrosion, and oxidation. However, borided steels exhibit low ductility, strength, and toughness due to brittleness issues. The conventional pack boriding process induces brittleness in the borided case and core. Due to the brittleness, wide-scale industrial applications of the borided steels are limited. Many researchers have attempted to increase the ductility, strength, and toughness of the borided steels through reduction of the brittleness. This review examines the various aspects of boride surface modification of the steels, mainly the reasons for the brittleness and the efforts to reduce it.

987 Braidlock - The Evolution of a Novel Drain Securing Device

Abstract Introduction The use of drains in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery is widespread and the securing method using a silk suture laddering along the drain in a standard ‘roman sandal’ pattern is well established. Other methods include tie-lock with sutures and adhesive dressings. We describe the use of a braided device (Braidlock®) without using sutures, based on the concept of a Chinese finger trap, to secure the drain onto patients' skin using tissue adhesive. We report the evolutionary changes of Braidlock. Device Evolution Braidlock® is a Class I non-invasive disposable medical device which provides securement of lines, drains and catheters to a patient using tubing from 3.5Fr to 36Fr. The diameter of the Braidlock® expands when the device is compressed, similar to a ‘Chinese finger trap’. A line can then be inserted through the device and into the body. When decompressed, the Braidlock® squeezes the line tightly and securely. The initial Braidlock® device was hook & loop which required suturing to secure onto skin. Integrated adhesive is a recent invention. Advancement With advances in adhesive dressing and ultrasonic wielding between the plastic casing and adhesive pads, Braidlock® drain securing device appears to be a safe medical device that enables successful securement of drains. Braidlock® may represent a cost saving relative to the conventional suture pack for drain securement. Conclusions This new drain securing device offers a cost effective and reliable alternative to the standard suture fixation. This will eliminate the risk of sharps injury and allow shortening of the drain by ward staff with minimal training.

Solid Power to go public via SPAC

The solid-state battery start-up Solid Power will become a publicly traded company later this year through a merger with a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC), a public firm formed to find and execute a deal like this. The move values Solid Power at $1.2 billion and will add about $650 million to its working capital. Solid Power says its lithium-sulfide battery cells can give an electric vehicle a range 50–75% greater than that provided by a conventional lithium-ion battery pack. In May, the firm completed a $130 million series B funding round led by Ford and BMW.

Effect of Rolling Mode on Grain Growth of Electrodeposited Nanocrystalline Nickel

The electrodeposited nanocrystalline nickel samples were deformed by conventional unidirectional rolling, cross rolling and pack rolling, respectively. The effect of rolling mode on grain growth behavior was investigated by x-ray line profile analysis, transmission electron microscopy observation and microhardness measurement. Quantitative analysis indicated that rolling deformation induced grain growth is associated with grain rotation as well as dislocation activity, no matter what the rolling mode we use. Based on grain rotation induced grain growth, cross rolling induced grain growth is the most obvious, followed by conventional unidirectional rolling and pack rolling.

Nonlinear Model Predictive Control for a Simulated Reconfigurable Battery Pack

Abstract Cells within the same battery pack age unequally fast due to the non-uniform manufacturing process, and inhomogeneous operating conditions, and environment. This paper proposes a nonlinear Model Predictive Control approach for optimal pack balancing while taking pack and cell limitations into account. The control is designed for a sophisticated battery pack, which is a pack augmented by semiconductor switches to vary the number of cells connected in series. This pack is usually composed of more cells than a conventional battery pack. Each serial cell in the pack can be activated or deactivated while keeping the serial connection. Simulation results based on a realistic mission profile illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach by optimizing the overall performance and degradation of the battery architecture.

Effect of lumbar stabilization exercises and thoracic mobilization with strengthening exercises on pain level, thoracic kyphosis, and functional disability in chronic low back pain.

The purpose of this study was to compare the effect of lumbar stabilization exercise and thoracic mobilization with strengthening exercise on pain level, thoracic kyphosis, and functional disability in patients with Chronic Low Back Pain (CLBP). Thirty patients with CLBP were recruited based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. They were randomly allocated into two groups i.e., Group A (n=15) and B (n=15). Group A has received lumbar stabilization exercise and thoracic mobilization with strengthening exercises and Group B received only lumbar stabilization exercises, three sessions per week for 4weeks both the groups. The conventional moist hot pack and interferential therapy was given to both the groups before the administration of exercise. Pre- and post-treatment pain level, Thoracic kyphosis, and functional disability were taken and statistical analysis was done. The result of this study showed significant improvement from pre-intervention to post-intervention on pain level, thoracic kyphosis, and functional disability for both the groups i.e., Group A and group B but Group A showed greater changes in Numerical pain rating scale (NPRS), Kyphotic index, and Oswestry disability index (ODI), than Group B. The 4week of therapeutic intervention including lumbar stabilization exercise with thoracic mobilization and strengthening exercise showed significantly reduction of the thoracic kyphosis, pain level and functional disability in patients with Chronic Low Back Pain.

Impacts of Compost Bedded Pack Barns on the Welfare and Comfort of Dairy Cows.

Simple SummaryAs few studies have examined the most common housing systems in terms of cow behavior and welfare, we designed this study to compare three loose housing systems for lactating cows: compost bedded pack, conventional bedded pack, and freestalls. Cows kept in bedded pack barns were dirtier yet had fewer hairless patches and lesions or swellings on the body and spent more time lying down in the resting area than cows housed in freestalls. All housing systems show benefits and inconveniences in terms of welfare and comfort at resting. Other factors, such as management practices and proper barn design, should be considered when comparing housing systems in terms of animal welfare. Three loose housing systems for lactating cows (compost bedded pack, CBP; conventional bedded pack, BP; and freestalls, FS) were assessed on one farm in terms of cow behavior and welfare. An on-farm welfare assessment based on the Welfare Quality protocols was used four times every three months on 757 cows. Video recordings taken twice over four days were used to assess behavior patterns at resting areas. Cows in CBP and BP were dirtier than those in FS (p < 0.0001). Fewer integument alterations were recorded for CBP and BP than FS (p < 0.001). Cows in BP were quicker to lie down and stand up compared to those in CBP or FS (p < 0.001). Percentages of cows needing more attempts before rising were higher for FS (p < 0.01). However, a higher frequency of kneeling was observed in CBP (p = 0.033). A lower percentage of cows lying in the resting area was recorded for FS (56%) than CBP or BP (97 or 84%, respectively, p < 0.05). Overall, in this study, cows kept in bedded pack barns were dirtier but had fewer integument alterations and spent more time lying down in the resting area than cows housed in freestalls.