Design Requirements Research Articles

Design & Development of Vortex Cooling System

Abstract: Possibilities for integration of vortex tube with automotive radiator for more effective cooling of automotive engine is the aim of the overview. An automotive radiator/heat exchanger is a device which helps maintain the working temperature of the engine. The vortex tube is a device which provides low temperature and high temperature output with pressure as an input. Because of its compact design and little maintenance requirements, it is very popular in heating and cooling processes. Despite its simple geometry, the mechanism that produces the temperature separation inside the tube is complicated. In addition, thermal and kinetic energy considerations have been used to explain temperature separation. There have also been plenty of numerical analyses that confirm earlier experiments. One fact remains, however. In this study, the past investigations of the design criteria of vortex tubes were overviewed and the detailed information was presented on the design of them. Vortex tubes were classified and the type of them was described. All criteria of vortex tubes were given in detail using experimental and theoretical results from the past until now.

Global Copyright Consortium: Empowering Decentralisation with Authority - Backed Blockchain

Abstract: Digital images are transferred with ease through the network. Many users are using the images without the knowledge of the owners. Zero watermarking does not alter the original information contained in vector map data and provides perfect imperceptibility. The use of zero watermarking for data copyright protection has become a significant trend in digital watermarking research. However, zero watermarking encounters tremendous obstacles to its development and application because of its requirement to store copyright information with a third party and its difficulty in confirming copyright ownership. However, traditional digital image generation methods have high operational requirements for designers due to difficulties in collecting data sets and simulating environmental scenes, which results in poor quality, lack of diversity, and long generation speed of generated images, making it difficult to meet the current needs of image generation.

Civic administrative centres in the northern and southern cities of Ghana: Assessing their state and locational distribution and the implications for urban growth and land demand

Land remains a vital resource for the growth of infrastructure and human populations; however, it is increasingly becoming a matter of necessity to manage the earth's limited land and natural resources sustainably. Employing a mixed-methods research approach and case-studying Cape Coast and Wa, this study assessed the state and locational distribution of civic administrative land uses in the northern and southern cities of Ghana and clinched its implications for urban growth and land demand. Following this, the study found that the Cape Coast is 48% developed land-use-wise, and land dedicated to civic and administrative purposes is 0.019 km2. Wa is 69% built-up, with 0.015 km2 allocated for civic purposes as of 2023. Also, the study found that the built environment and planning strategies pertaining to land optimisation relied heavily on governments’ policies, commitments, and support from the required agencies to formulate a comprehensive land use regime and land tenure system for fast-growing cities in Ghana. Therefore, the researchers suggest a proposed design of a model administrative centre that meets 21st century design requirements and standards for public offices should be envisioned, with strategies to initiate a new sustainable building regime for administrative centres in Ghana and similar geographies in sub-Saharan Africa.

Design and Experimentation of Rice Seedling Throwing Apparatus Mounted on Unmanned Aerial Vehicle

In order to further exploit the production advantages of rice throwing, this paper proposes a systematically designed throwing device suitable for integration with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The device primarily comprises a seedling carrying and connection system, a seedling pushing mechanism, and a seedling guiding device. The operational principles and workflow of the device are initially elucidated. Subsequently, an analysis of factors influencing rice throwing effectiveness is conducted, with throwing height, working speed, and the bottom diameter of the seedling guide tube identified as key factors. Seedling spacing uniformity and seedling uprightness are designated as performance indicators. A three-factor, three-level response surface experiment is conducted, yielding regression models for the experimental indicators. Through an analysis of the response surface, the optimal parameter combination is determined to be a throwing height of 142.79 cm, a working speed of 55.38 r/min, and a bottom diameter of the seedling guide tube of 43.51 mm. At these parameters, the model predicts a seedling spacing uniformity of 88.43% and a seedling uprightness of 88.12%. Field experiments validate the accuracy of the optimized model results. Experimental data indicate that under the optimal operational parameters calculated by the regression model, the seedling spacing uniformity is 86.7%, and the seedling uprightness is 84.2%. The experimental results meet the design requirements, providing valuable insights for UAV rice-throwing operations.

Design of the offline test electronics for the nozzle system of proton therapy.

A set of nozzle equipment for proton therapy is currently under development at China Institute of Atomic Energy (CIAE). To facilitate the off-line commissioning of the whole equipment, a set of ionization chamber signal generation system, known as the test electronics, was designed. The results showed that the system can simulate the beam position, beam fluence (which exhibits a positive correlation with the dose), and other related analog signals generated by the proton beam when it traverses the ionization chamber. Moreover, the accuracy of the simulated beam position is within ± 0.33mm, and the accuracy of the simulated beam fluence signal is within ± 1%. The test electronics can output analog signals representing environmental parameters. The test electronics meets the design requirements, which can be used for the commissioning of the nozzle system as well as the treatment control system without the presence of the proton beam.

The Importance of Ontological Commitment and Linguistics in Relation to the Elucidation of Design Requirements

One of the design process’s earliest and most critical stages is establishing and determining requirements. Design requirements are often expressed through language, whether in written documents, diagrams, or verbal discussions in terms of the client’s “wants” and “needs” or balancing what they can “afford.” Designers use of quotes around “wants,” “needs,” and “afford” signals ambiguity or doubt in the meaning of the terms. The language used during early discourse is crucial for expressing and translating theseambiguous terms into specific unambiguous design requirements, which significantly shape and constrain possible solutions. In philosophy, this concept is known as ontological commitment. Embedded language in requirements documents, expressed through constraints, objectives, and functions, establish the ontological commitment to a specific solution space. Prior marine design research has focused on the wicked problem of requirements elucidation, with the goal visualizing potential solutions derived from language, and a more direct link to ontological commitment was developed by Andrews in the concept of style Duchateau (2016) van Ores (2011) Andrews (2012). However, the role and impact of linguistics in translating and interpreting uncertain or ambiguous terms into specific design requirements has been largely overlooked. This paper presents modern direct examples of ontological commitment from requirements development for the Littoral Combat Ship.

Application of Computational Law and Artificial Intelligence Methods for Sharia Compliance Analysis of E-Waste Management Systems Based on Blockchain

This paper aims to 1) develop a methodology using computational law and blockchain technology to ensure Sharia compliance in e-waste management systems; 2) propose a conceptual model for a Sharia blockchain platform enabling compliance monitoring and verification; and 3) formulate recommendations to facilitate real-world implementation. The study employs a conceptual approach using inductive analysis of Sharia principles, deductive reasoning, and systems modeling to formulate design requirements and components for a blockchain platform that can enable transparent, tamper-proof monitoring and control of e-waste handling in accordance with Islamic law. Firstly, analysis reveals five key criteria for Sharia compliance in e-waste management and how blockchain, smart contracts, and AI can address these. A comprehensive compliance assurance methodology leveraging these technologies is proposed. Secondly, a conceptual model is delineated for a multipurpose Sharia blockchain platform encompassing consensus, cryptography, smart contract rule engines, and AI analytics. Thirdly, recommendations are synthesized covering technological, regulatory, economic, infrastructure, and social factors needed to enable real-world implementation. This pioneering research bridges Sharia law, sustainability, and emerging technologies to offer culturally attuned e-waste management solutions. The methodology, conceptual models, and practical framework devised inform development of next-generation systems for values-aligned compliance assurance, with potential impact extending beyond the realm of e-waste contexts.

Joint optimization of efficiency and volume for an inductor‐based battery balancing circuit

SummaryIn recent years, with the increase in the number of electric vehicles, the number of retired power batteries, which predominantly include lithium‐ion batteries, has surged. Recycling these retired power batteries can reduce environmental pollution and resource waste. However, the voltage of a single lithium‐ion battery is low, and multiple single batteries need to be connected in series to satisfy application requirements. This use of multiple batteries results in inconsistencies in battery cell parameters. As the number of series connections increases, this inconsistency problem becomes more prominent, and it can even decrease the system's capable number of charge and discharge cycles. Due to the wide voltage performances of lithium‐ion batteries, inductive balancing circuits are more suitable for balancing a series of lithium‐ion battery cells. This paper considers a single inductor balancing circuit and proposes a joint optimization of efficiency and volume. By flexibly allocating the weight coefficients of efficiency and volume, the algorithm can optimize the overall efficiency and volume of the hardware circuit according to different circuit design requirements. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed joint optimization method is verified by building a laboratory prototype.

A stacking machine‐learning based method for accelerating magnetic coupler design with ferrite cores in inductive power transfer applications

AbstractThis paper presents a magnetic coupler design method for WPT systems based on stacking machine‐learning algorithms. A synthetic dataset generated by ANSYS Maxwell is used for training and evaluating machine‐learning models. Stacking technology effectively combines the results from multiple models and make best predictions. The designed model allows us to obtain the optimal values of the coil inner radius and number of turns , when other coil design parameters such as the coil outer radius , the wire diameter , and the coil inductance , are given based on the application environment. The proposed method provides practical solutions meeting design requirements quickly, easily accommodating magnetic couplers with ferrite cores, and showing advantages in designing magnetic couplers with optimal power transfer efficiency.

Inverse design of nano-sized FGM phononic crystals with anticipated band gaps using probabilistic generation based deep-learning network

Current research on the inverse design of phononic crystals, which aim to retrieve optimal structures according to given band gaps, is limited to controlling elastic waves at the macro-scale. This work extends the concept to nano-scale and implements this concept with phononic nanobeam made up of functionally graded materials by applying the nonlocal strain gradient theory and the probabilistic tandem network (PTN), which is responsible for detecting size effects and unveiling implicit relationships between band gaps and nanostructures. An analytical model that has not been published before is proposed based on the plane wave expansion method to predict band structures within size, thickness and porosity effects, enabling quick preparation for composing a dataset to train the network. Acting as an auto-encoder-like framework, the component of PTN in the reverse path allows to effectively encode required band gaps into a latent space, while the network in the forward path serves as a surrogate model to map the candidates from the latent space to band gaps. Numerical results not only show the influences of size effects on band gaps but also verify the accuracy, diversity, and generalization ability to meet different requirements of the inverse design. The proposed PTN can fulfill the on-demand design by generating multiple phononic nanobeams possessing same man-made band gaps. Undoubtedly, the framework proposed in the present work makes it a promising approach to provide flexible and diversified solutions, paving the way to discovering innovative phononic crystals at nano-scale.

Design and analysis of bending-active configurations through an initial flat-cut pattern based on the curvature lines

Bending active structures involve the deformation of originally flat structures during the erection process. These structures offer a promising approach to enhance design sustainability. However, despite advancements in structural computational methods, their implementation is still limited. This paper examines the constraints associated with this design approach from a designer’s perspective and proposes potential solutions. From this analysis, a design method is developed that utilizes additive manufacturing to explore different solutions during the concept stage. Prior to the form-finding process, a flat, variable-density pattern is created within a parametric environment. This pattern, referred to as the “Soft Pattern based on Control Points” (SPSCP), incorporates multiple design variables to accommodate diverse design requirements. In this preliminary study, we compare the impact of varying the design parameters on a small-scale model, as observed by the naked eye, and through finite element analysis.

Design and performance analysis of high-speed on/off valve based on energy-coupled actuator

The development digital hydraulics demands higher performance on high-speed on/off valves. In order to fully exploit the energy saving advantages of digital hydraulics, advanced high-speed valves are expected to possess a fast response and a large nominal flow rate simultaneously. Energy-coupled-actuator (ECA) utilizes the shear working mode of magnetic rheological fluid to achieve reciprocating motion of the valve spool through the coupling/decoupling of a pair of disks and a translational piece and its driving force is not affected by the valve spool’s position. The reported advantages of ECA meets the design requirements of actuators for high-speed on/off valve. This study gives the detailed design proposal of high-speed valve based on ECA (ECAV). The work also established a multi-physics coupled model for ECAV, calculated the key parameters of the valve driving system, and predicted the switching performance of ECAV. Finally, a prototype of ECAV with updated sealing solution between the actuator and valve block was fabricated and experimental tested. The results indicate that for current ECAV prototype successfully established 40 l min−1@5 bar (1.5 mm stroke) using response time less than 7 ms. Moreover, the prototype only consumed 14 ms to reach a long stroke of 5 mm with a significantly increased ratio of stroke over response time.

Constructing and applying a neural-network-based architectural landscape evaluation model

With the continuous improvement of living standards, people go outdoors and spend more and more time in scenic spots. The landscape architecture design that serves people in urban scenic spots attracts more and more public attention, which puts forward higher requirements for landscape architecture design that serves people in scenic spots. How to integrate better the design of all kinds of landscape architecture into nature, to serve the public better, is an urgent problem to be solved at this stage. This paper selects the evaluation indexes of urban architectural landscapes, uses the analytic hierarchy process to determine the weight of each index and quantifies six evaluation indexes to build an evaluation model of architectural landscape design. In terms of the improvement of the you only look once version 4 (YOLOv4) model, MobileNetV3 was selected as the backbone feature extraction network, and the convolution in the feature enhancement extraction network was replaced by the depth-separable volume, and an architectural landscape recognition system based on the improved YOLOv4 model was constructed. In terms of algorithm performance verification, the improved algorithm was compared with the single-shot detector, MobileNetV3, ShuffleNetV2, YOLOv3, YOLOv4 and YOLOv5s algorithms under multiple evaluation indexes. The experimental results show that the size of the model is 51.4 MB, which does not cause a large burden. The mean average precision value of the improved YOLOv4 algorithm is 93.5%, and the frames per second (FPS) value is 30 FPS, which has higher recognition accuracy and detection speed and has obvious advantages.

Seismic Performance Assessment of Conventional Construction and Ductile Concrete Moment Frames Using Performance-Based Unified Procedure

A Performance-Based Unified (PBU) procedure has recently been proposed by the National Research Council Canada (NRC) to systematically evaluate seismic design requirements available in the National Building Codes (NBC) of Canada. Conventional Construction reinforced Concrete Moment-resisting Frame (CC-CMF) and Ductile reinforced Concrete Moment-Resisting Frame (D-CMF) systems were used in this paper to first assess the proposed PBU procedure and second determine the adequacy of the basis for seismic design requirements in NBC and see its performance margin against different structural performance levels. Results indicate that the detailed screening in the PBU procedure efficiently reduces the number of Incremental Dynamic Analyses (IDA) by more than 60% for CC-CMF while providing remarkable accuracy. It was also found that the CC-CMF system designed for the Normal importance category can provide an adequate margin against Life Safety (LS) performance level objectives, while the D-CMF system designed for the same importance category passes the Collapse Prevention (CP) performance level criteria.

Research on the Positioning Method of Steel Belt Anchor Holes Applied in Coal Mine Underground

In order to improve the automation and safety of underground steel belt support in coal mines, a method for the intelligent identification and positioning of steel belt anchor holes in roadway support using inductive sensors is proposed. Using STM32F407ZGT6 as the main control chip, tasks such as data acquisition and processing, motor motion control, etc., are assigned based on the real-time operating system FreeRTOS. Using the XY mobile platform equipped with inductive sensors to detect steel belts, The collected data includes coordinate values and voltage values. Adaptive threshold generation and correction strategies are used for threshold segmentation and extraction of anchor hole boundary points. The principle of Hough circle transformation is used to fit the extracted boundary points into circles. The results show that this method can perform anchor hole positioning with a positioning error of within 5 mm, meeting the design requirements.

Hydraulic-based optimization algorithm for the design of stormwater drainage networks

Stormwater drainage networks are designed to reduce the risk of rainwater damage to the served area. The purpose of optimizing a stormwater drainage system is to reduce overall construction costs and to meet hydraulic design requirements. Currently, designs that rely on software or manual calculations are limited by the available time and the designer’s capabilities. In fact, manual optimization for large networks consumes a lot of time and effort, and there is no guarantee that the optimal design is reached, also it is subject to human errors. In recent years, several researchers have focused on creating optimization design algorithms specifically for sewer and storm networks, such as genetic algorithm (GA), linear programming (LP), heuristic programming (HP),…etc. However, these studies were limited to covering one or two design parameters and constraints. Additionally, in some studies, the hydraulic performance of the designed network was not treated in a proper way, especially the water surface profile effects. So, the main objective of the study is to develop an effective hydraulic-based optimization algorithm (HBOA) that can dynamically get the optimal design with minimum total cost for a given storm network layout and meet all hydraulic requirements. To achieve this, a MATLAB code is created and coupled with SewerGEMS software that automatically simulates all expected optimization scenarios based on network hydraulic performance. The HBOA is validated economically and hydraulically using two benchmark examples from the literature. According to the economic validation, the total network cost generated by HBOA was the lowest when compared to the optimization methods found in the literature. During the hydraulic evaluation, it was observed that the optimization algorithm (GA-HP) used in the literature for the benchmark examples does not meet the hydraulic requirements where the networks are flooded, whereas HBOA meets the hydraulic requirements with minimal overall network cost. Also, the HBOA is applied to four real stormwater drainage networks that were already designed, constructed, and optimized manually. The four redesigned real cases using HBOA revealed a cost reduction of about 15% compared to the original designs, while consuming a few hours for the design and optimization processes. Finally, the developed HBOA is a robust, time-efficient, and cost-effective optimization and hydraulic design tool which could be used in the design of stormwater drainage networks with different design constraints with minimal human interference.

Interval-valued spherical fuzzy quality function deployment methodology: Metaverse collaborative system design application

The metaverse collaborative system (MCS) aims to assist users in working together, sharing resources, and participating in joint activities in the metaverse environment. As an interactive system, identifying essential design requirements (DRs) based on user requirements (URs) during the conceptual design phase of MCS is challenging as it directly affects the cost of subsequent optimization design and user experimentation, as well as user experience. Therefore, we propose a quality function deployment (QFD) method based on multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) in an interval-valued spherical fuzzy (IVSF) environment to establish a mapping relationship between URs and DRs and identify human-centered DRs to guide the conceptual design process of MCS. Firstly, we summarized the URs for MCS design and calculated their weights using IVSF based analytical hierarchy process (IVSF-AHP). Afterward, we determined DRs based on URs and established the UR-DR relationship in the house of quality of QFD. Next, we integrate the VlseKriterijuska Optimizacija I Komoromisno Resenje (VIKOR) method in the IVSF environment into QFD to determine the priority of DRs. The results indicate that system functional design, scene layout design, compatibility design, and multi-user collaborative optimization design are important DRs for designing MCS and should be carefully considered. We validated the applicability of this method through an urban planning MCS design example and provided a conceptual design case including functional blueprints. Sensitivity analysis and comparative analysis demonstrate the flexibility and reliability of the proposed method.

Research on Multi-Objective Optimization of Renovation Projects in Old Residential Areas Based on Evolutionary Algorithms

Old residential areas present unique challenges in terms of design, stakeholders, and renovation requirements compared to traditional building projects. However, unreasonable construction plans can lead to delays, cost overruns, poor quality, and conflicts between the construction party and local residents. This article proposes an optimization model that prioritizes progress, quality, and cost as the key control objectives, leveraging the actual conditions of renovating old residential areas. The NSGA-II genetic algorithm is employed to solve the mathematical model. To validate the effectiveness and scientific rigor of the algorithm, a renovation project in an old residential area in Wuhan is used as a case study. The findings of this study offer valuable theoretical support for decision makers in selecting appropriate construction plans.

Mechanical Properties of Folding Arch Frame Joints for Unmanned Arch Erection

The application of folding arch frames is deemed crucial for unmanned arch frame erection, with the selection of the joint form being a determining factor in the overall mechanical performance of the folding arch frame, particularly in influencing the primary support safety. In light of the geological conditions of the New Wushaoling Tunnel project, three feasible joint forms for folding arch frames were proposed: buckle, adhesive, and interference-fit joints. Numerical simulations were conducted to analyze the arch’s overall mechanical and the joints’ local mechanical performances, aiming to identify the optimal joint form. On-site construction data were collected, and the effectiveness of unmanned arch frame erection was evaluated. The design requirements for the vertical displacement results of the steel arches with different joints were met. The maximum shear stress of the buckled arch frame was found to be the lowest, whereas that of the interference-fitted arch frame was the highest. The local shear stress of the adhesive joints was the lowest, while that of the interference-fit joint was the highest. Considering the material application limitations and calculation results, buckle joints are recommended. Unmanned arch frame erection, compared with manual arch frame erection, can save 66.6% of human resources and reduce the construction time by 33.3% to 50%. Statistical analysis has confirmed that the quality of automated arch construction can be guaranteed.

Elderly clothing upgrading in product-service system design using extended Kansei Engineering methodology

PurposeThis study aims to integrate fall-protection function into the elderly clothing to meet both the daily life and fall-protection needs of the elderly people, thereby upgrading the performance of elderly clothing.Design/methodology/approachThis study identified the design strategies of elderly clothing using an Extended Kansei Engineering methodology. Extended Kansei Engineering methodology is a new design framework developed from the traditional Kansei Engineering methodology to meet the design requirements of the product-service system. This study focuses on the product section of product-service system design. According to the product design process of the Extended Kansei Engineering methodology, this study first collected and organized the design elements and Kansei words of elderly clothing. Then a questionnaire was designed using Semantic Differential Scale. Finally, the questionnaire survey was conducted and the collected data was analysed to understand the consumption preferences of elderly people. A total of 399 elderly people aged 65 and older provided valuable design insights for this survey.FindingsThe research findings include the product design strategies for the development of elderly clothing, as well as a product prototype canvas and a product prototype elderly clothing developed based on the design strategies.Practical implicationsThe research findings can provide competitive design strategies for the development of elderly clothing, thereby upgrading the performance of elderly clothing.Social implicationsThis elderly clothing integrates fall-protection function to reduce the risk of injury for elderly people due to falls, thereby helping society alleviate the medical and healthcare pressure caused by falls for elderly people.Originality/valueThe research findings can provide competitive design strategies for the development of elderly clothing. Furthermore, the Extended Kansei Engineering methodology introduced in this study can provide product and service designers with design methods that are more in line with the development trend of modern product-service system business models.