Experimental Waveforms Research Articles

Ultrasonic detection and evaluation of delamination defects in carbon fiber composites based on finite element simulation

Delamination defects are prone to occur during the production and use of carbon fiber composites, which seriously affect the mechanical properties of the material. The production cost of carbon fiber composites is high, and it is difficult to create defect samples. In light of this, a method for ultrasonic testing of delamination defects in carbon fiber composites based on finite element simulation was studied, and the test results were evaluated accordingly. First, a finite element model of the carbon fiber composite material was established using COMSOL software, and ultrasonic testing was employed to detect delamination defects of varying sizes and positions. Next, ultrasonic detection signals and sound field cloud images were obtained through simulation. Finally, quantitative positioning detection was conducted by fabricating laminated carbon fiber composite samples with embedded delamination defects. The results indicate that the finite element model accurately reflects the sound field propagation of ultrasonic waves. The simulated and experimental waveform signals show high consistency in both amplitude and time-domain positioning, with an error margin within 3%. The simulation model exhibits good reliability. This study provides a time-saving, labor-saving, and cost-effective approach for the detection and analysis of defects in carbon fiber composites.

A modified experimental approach for generating internal solitary waves using the dual paddle technique

A modification to the dual paddle wave generation method for internal solitary waves (ISWs) has been achieved through the implementation of the adjusted high-order unidirectional (aHOU) model and the Miyata–Choi–Camassa (MCC) model. This modified method utilizes layer-averaged horizontal velocities from ISWs in both the upper and lower fluid layers to control the operational velocities of the corresponding paddles. Experimental investigations conducted in a two-layer fluid with varied stratification conditions were employed to evaluate the applicability of the aHOU and MCC models. The validation of this approach involved examining the stability of generated ISWs by comparing experimental waveforms with theoretical predictions, demonstrating good agreement with prior research. Furthermore, evaluation of the modified wave generation method included an analysis of dimensionless phase velocity and characteristic frequency. The study also explored the quasi-linear relationship between the designed wave amplitude and the actual wave amplitude, establishing a polynomial fit between the actual wave amplitude and the layer thickness ratio. This approach offers a new method for stable and controllable laboratory generation of ISWs. Under finite water depth conditions, the method can produce ISWs that propagate stably over long distances and effectively control parameters such as wave amplitude and wave profile across a broad range of wave amplitudes and stratifications. These results confirm the effectiveness of the modified method and underscore its practical applicability in ISWs generation.

Capacitive voltage effect at a resistive sintering system container and its electrical model

Abstract The electric current activated/assisted sintering (ECAS) method enables various kinds of materials to be produced much faster and environmentally friendly compared to conventional sample production systems. The main handicap of this system is that the heating regime varies according to the material type even the chemical composition of the same type of material and causes partial melting due to the sudden current flow. Previously, the ECAS output equivalent circuit is modeled as a temperature-dependent resistor in the literature. This study shows that it is insufficient to model the ECAS output consisting of a container and two stiffs as a resistor considering experimental waveforms. We report the discovery of a capacitive effect at the output of the ECAS system that has not been reported before. We have given an equivalent electrical circuit for the ECAS system output and examined the effect’s temperature dependence. The circuit model, which consists of a parallel resistor-capacitor (R p-C) circuit in series with another resistor (R s), is suggested for the container and the stiffs. By using the experimental data, the equivalent circuit parameters are calculated by curve-fitting. The temperature dependence of the equivalent circuit parameters is also examined. Possible explanations for the capacitive effect are given. Such a model and further examining the effect may help design better ECAS systems.

Multi-factor coupling analysis of electric field distribution in electrochemical machining with electrolyte suction tool

Electrochemical machining (ECM) technology holds significant potential for applications in high accuracy engineering and manufacturing. To confine the electrolyte region during ECM and mitigate the effects of reaction products and heat generation, an electrolyte suction tool has been proposed. However, the complex electric field distribution on the anode surface during the application of pulse voltage, limits the further utilization of ECM with suction tool. A multi-physics simulation model is established to calculate the region of electrolyte confinement by the suction tool, current density distribution within the electrolyte region, and material removal. The model considers the combined effects of polarization and double layer, and all key parameters are calibrated through classical electrochemical testing experiments rather than fitted based on the predicted results. This study elucidates the transient response of current density on the anode surface during the application of pulse voltage. The simulation accuracy is validated by comparing experimental and simulated current waveforms, as well as material removal profiles under different pulse parameters and electrode shapes. This research is of great significance for improving surface precision and controllability of complex structures in ECM with suction tool, promoting its further application in the field of precision machining.

Fluid flow reconstruction around a free-swimming sperm in 3D.

We investigate the dynamics and hydrodynamics of a human spermatozoa swimming freely in 3D. We simultaneously track the sperm flagellum and the sperm head orientation in the laboratory frame of reference via high-speed high-resolution 4D (3D+t) microscopy, and extract the flagellar waveform relative to the body frame of reference, as seen from a frame of reference that translates and rotates with the sperm in 3D. Numerical fluid flow reconstructions of sperm motility are performed utilizing the experimental 3D waveforms, with excellent accordance between predicted and observed 3D sperm kinematics. The reconstruction accuracy is validated by directly comparing the three linear and three angular sperm velocities with experimental measurements. Our microhydrodynamic analysis reveals a novel fluid flow pattern, characterized by a pair of vortices that circulate in opposition to each other along the sperm cell. Finally, we show that the observed sperm counter-vortices are not unique to the experimental beat, and can be reproduced by idealised waveform models, thus suggesting a fundamental flow structure for free-swimming sperm propelled by a 3D beating flagellum.

Analysis of Leakage Current in Dynamic Wireless Power Transfer Systems Based on LCC-S Architecture

This paper investigates the issue of leakage current at the transmitter in the Dynamic Wireless Power Transfer (DWPT) system for electric vehicles and puts forward a novel bilateral resonant compensation topology structure based on the conventional LCC-S architecture. Based on the LCC-S framework, a circuit model was developed for traditional (unilateral)/bilateral resonant compensation topologies. The Fourier series voltage-to-earth expansions for the power supply rail were deduced for both topologies. Subsequently, the voltage-to-earth waveforms for the power supply rail were obtained by utilizing the Fourier series expansions of the voltage-to-earth and the corresponding circuit simulation models. The results demonstrate the efficacy of the bilateral resonant compensation topology in mitigating higher-order harmonics of the voltage to earth on the power supply rail by effectively suppressing the distortion in the leakage current and minimizing its conduction. The effectiveness of the double-ended resonant compensation topology in suppressing leakage current conduction has been verified through experimental tests and waveform comparisons of the voltage to earth and leakage current on the power supply rail under two different topologies. Through experimental testing, during which the unilateral/bilateral resonant compensation topologies were compared, an analysis was conducted on the waveforms of the voltage to earth and leakage current of the power supply rail. The results verified the effectiveness of the bilateral resonant compensation topology in mitigating the conduction of leakage current. This study provides empirical evidence supporting the use of the bilateral resonant compensation topology for suppressing leakage current in power rail applications.

Analysis and design of an efficient soft‐switching inverter with asymmetric auxiliary circuits

SummaryThe paper designs an efficient three‐phase soft‐switching inverter with asymmetric auxiliary circuits, which is beneficial for further miniaturization and efficiency optimization. Only two auxiliary switches, one resonant inductor, and three resonant capacitors make up simple asymmetric auxiliary circuits of each phase, contributing to the reduction of power loss and hardware cost. As soon as the simple auxiliary circuits get involved in the operation of the designed inverter, main switches can realize zero‐voltage switching within the entire load range. The reduction of power loss of auxiliary circuits and main switches is conducive to further efficiency optimization. The paper expounds every operating status during one switching period. The relevant experimental waveforms make known that switching devices can realize soft‐switching. The efficiency reaches 99% at rated operation status of the designed inverter, confirming that the designed inverter has superiority over comparison objects in the experiment with regard to the efficiency. Thus, the structural simplification of auxiliary circuits is an effective method for further miniaturization and efficiency optimization.

Searching for chaotic behavior in the experimental ion current and discharge current waveforms of a Hall effect thruster

Searching for chaotic behavior in the experimental ion current and discharge current waveforms of a Hall effect thruster

Quantitative identification of causes of instrumental acoustic signal distortion in Global Navigation Satellite System-Acoustics Combination observations.

The Seafloor Geodetic Observation-Array (SGO-A), operated by the Japan Coast Guard, relies on the Global Navigation Satellite System-Acoustics combination (GNSS-A) technique, which integrates satellite positioning systems and undersea acoustic ranging to determine seafloor crustal deformation at the centimeter level for earthquake disaster prevention. Recently, we found distortion in the SGO-A 10-kHz carrier wave that degraded the accuracy. Carrier wave distortion can cause errors on the scale of several centimeters to twenty centimeters, which greatly impedes centimeter-level observations. This study investigated this carrier wave degradation by an underwater acoustic communication experiment conducted in 2022, using a transducer similar to that used by SGO-A. Also, we reproduced degraded waveforms through a grid search-like method for quantitatively evaluating the extent to which the interior of the equipment contributed to deterioration. Our results underscore the importance of careful consideration in signal processing, as the observed waveform degradation is not solely attributed to hardware structures but also to internal electrical circuits. The findings suggest that conventional signal identification methods may lead to errors, providing motivation for a shift towards experimental and experiential timing-based waveform identification approaches to enhance accuracy in GNSS-A systems.

Experimental full waveform inversion for elastic material characterization with accurate transducer modeling

For quality assurance and in-service safety, sufficient characterization of the materials is essential during the development, manufacture, and processing of a material in any industrial setting. Evaluation of elastic coefficients, material microstructures, morphological features, and related mechanical properties are all part of the process of characterizing a material. Ultrasonic signals are sensitive to material properties such as wave speeds, attenuation, diffusion backscattering, microstructural variation, and elastic characteristics (e.g., elastic modulus, hardness, etc.). Ultrasonic computed tomography (USCT) is an emerging imaging method that can be implemented to obtain a quantitative estimation of material properties. In this study, a source estimation technique was initially proposed to obtain the source time function for accurate forward modeling by constructing a linear inverse problem for the unknown transducer modeling. Finally, a material characterization approach was proposed with accurate source estimation to extract wave speed distribution from an elastic material by employing a wave-based method, known as full waveform inversion (FWI). Systematic performance analysis of the proposed FWI model with accurate source estimation was assessed using experimental and synthetic data obtained from a 6061 aluminum sample. Overall, the proposed FWI technique has successfully reconstructed the wave speed distribution, exhibiting the potential of the proposed method of material characterization in various engineering applications.

Coupled thermo-mechanical phase field modeling for shear ductile fracture at high strain rate and temperature

The objective of the current study is to introduce a coupled thermo-mechanical phase field model to elucidate shear ductile fracture under varying strain rates and temperatures. Both the plastic work threshold and fracture energy exhibit dependence on the strain rate and temperature. To explore this in detail, hat-shaped specimens are adopted to systematically investigate shear ductile fracture under distinct strain rates and temperatures by the split Hopkinson pressure bar apparatus. The simulated and experimental strain waveforms are then compared to calibrate and validate the damage parameters of the presented phase field model. The results demonstrate that the numerical simulations are in agreement with the experiments. Moreover, the fracture process of the hat-shaped specimen is also examined. The numerical results furnish a reliable description of the hat-shaped specimen from damage initiation to complete fracture. It's found that the influences of strain rate on shear stress and fracture initiation are less pronounced than that of temperature for U75V steel. In summary, the developed phase field model can reproduce shear ductile failure of the hat-shaped specimen under diverse strain rates and temperatures.

Quad‐active‐bridge converter with flexible power flow based on LC series resonance decoupling for renewable energy charging stations

AbstractIntegration of photovoltaic panels (PV) with electric vehicle (EV) charging stations could reduce the grid impact and carbon footprint from the extensive fast and ultra‐fast charging. This paper introduces a decoupled quad‐active‐bridge converter (QAB) with multi‐directional power flow capability, which can integrate PV, energy storage (ES), grid, and EV in a charging station and rule the power among them. As the number of ports increases in the multiple‐active‐bridge converter, the complexity of control increases exponentially because of power decoupling. For the QAB, by tuning one port in series with LC units, the decoupling is achieved between the other three ports, reducing the control difficulty significantly. Further, the resonance decoupling method is extended to the n‐port converter. For different power flows, the system automatically switches between different resonance modes to form higher‐efficiency power flow channels. Three operating modes with decoupled closed‐loop control methods have been constructed for the QAB to be suitable for future charging stations: (1) Charging mode: PV, ES, and grid coordinate with each other to provide incessant and stable charging for EV. (2) Electricity sales mode: Gird is supplied by PV, ES, and EV flexibly. (3) Under no load, PV power is stored locally. Experimental waveforms were presented by a 1‐kW prototype, verifying the effectiveness of power decoupling and the feasibility of the three operating modes.

Controller Design of a Novel Interleaved Parallel Bi-Directional DC-DC Converter

To improve the dynamic performance of the output voltage of the new interleaved shunt bi-directional DC-DC converter, a double closed-loop control method of voltage and current based on fuzzy PI control is proposed. Firstly, based on the study of the operating principle and steady-state performance of the new interleaved parallel DC-DC converter, a small-signal mathematical model of the interleaved parallel bidirectional DC-DC converter with different modes is established, and based on the model, the transfer functions from duty cycle to output voltage and inductor current are derived, and accordingly, the double-closed-loop controller of the bidirectional DC-DC converter is designed. Then the design method of the fuzzy PI controller is described in detail, and the fuzzy control is applied to the voltage outer loop of the double closed-loop control so that the system can adjust the PI parameters in real time. Simulation experiments are carried out by Matlab/Simulink to compare the simulation experimental waveforms using fuzzy PI control and conventional PI control, and it is verified that the fuzzy PI control improves the output voltage response speed of the new interleaved shunt bi-directional DC-DC converter, reduces the voltage peak of the system, and reduces the overshoot.

Direct Predictive Voltage Control for Grid-Connected Permanent Magnet Synchronous Generator System

In this paper, a direct predictive voltage control (DPVC) is proposed for the grid-connected permanent magnet synchronous generator (PMSG) system. In the proposed strategy, the dc-link voltage regulation and power regulation terms are merged into one cost function, thereby eliminating the conventional cascade control structure. The strategy selects the voltage vector that not only will generate a dc-link voltage closer to the setpoint at instant <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$k+2$</tex-math></inline-formula> , but will generate an active power that can further reduce that voltage error for the future instant. To cope with the mismatch between the actual and nominal parameters, Kalman filter has been added to compensate for the steady-state error. Besides, to enhance the dynamic performance and to save the effort of parameter tuning, the weighting factor is further eliminated from the cost function by sorting the terms into two groups and independently evaluating each group in turn. To fully validate the effectiveness of the proposed strategy, the experimental test waveforms of the DPVC strategy with and without weighting factor have been presented and compared with that of the conventional PI-MPC strategy in various testing conditions.

Seismoelectric wave conversions at an interface: a quantitative comparison between laboratory data and full-waveform modelling

SUMMARYSeismo-electromagnetic phenomena, electrokinetic in nature, take place whenever a seismic wave propagates in fluid-bearing media, its energy depending mainly on the electrical properties of the fluid and the hydraulic properties of the porous medium. They result from a conversion of mechanical into electromagnetic (EM) energy due to the transient ionic interactions occurring at the pore scale. Two of these phenomena are usually studied: the electric field accompanying seismic waves, and the EM field that travels independently, generated at discontinuities of physicochemical properties in the porous medium. Although the first event is sensitive to physical parameters of the surrounding medium, the second catches information about interfaces in the subsurface, with the resolution of seismic methods, making it very attractive to near surface exploration. In this context, we propose a new experimental setup where both phenomena can be simultaneously studied. At first, we use a porous medium composed of homogeneous water-saturated sand and study the characteristics of the coseismic electric field. Afterwards, a thin layer of Vosges sandstone is inserted into the sand, which allows the study of the EM waves generated at the two closely spaced sand-sandstone interfaces. We record the seismic displacement field at the upper surface of the sand volume using a laser vibrometer, and use stainless steel electrodes buried in the sand to acquire individual electric potentials rather than electric fields, seeking to favour the measurement of the EM interface-generated signals. With the help of direct numerical simulations, we compare experimental measurements and theoretical predictions, based on a well established set of seismoelectric governing equations. In both types of experiments, this comparison shows very good agreements between experimental and numerical waveforms, thus confirming the relevant theory. The electric potential data also show that the EM signals generated at interfaces are clearly recorded at distances of about 10 seismic P wavelengths away from the interface. By contrast, the same events are barely noticeable near the inserted layer when measured using classical electric dipolar arrays.

Electrical Characterization and Modeling of High Frequency Arcs for Higher Voltage Aerospace Systems

Arcing in future high-voltage aerospace systems could occur more frequently and cause irreversible damage to electrical components, system structure and increase the risk of fire. While arcs seen in low-voltage aerospace systems tend to be long-duration and low-energy events, higher power but short-duration arcs may occur in high-voltage aerospace systems if they are readily detectable by system protection. This paper investigates the characteristics of high current arc faults generated at the AC frequencies expected in future rotating machines used for higher voltage aerospace systems. As such, arcs with a peak current up to 4.6 kA are generated at frequencies in the range of 0.5-2 kHz using an underdamped RLC circuit, under pressures of 0.2-1 bar absolute. High frequency arcs exhibit a similar characteristic to lower frequency arcs. A reduction in pressure results in lower arc voltage and arc power. Arcing tests at atmospheric pressure may therefore represent a worst-case scenario and the development of a low-pressure test environment may not be necessary. A black box model is developed to provide good agreement with experimental arc voltage waveforms for different parameters investigated in this study. This is a generalized modeling approach to estimate high-frequency high-voltage arcing characteristics without recourse to experiment.

The Effect of Cross-Coupling on the Dynamic Performance of a Dual Phase Shift Controlled BiWPT System

In a bidirectional wireless power transfer (BiWPT) system, dual phase-shift (DPS) control is used to maintain the optimal efficiency at constant output power over varying misalignment. The presence of multiple control and output variables in DPS control creates cross-coupling between transmitter and receiver side, making BiWPT a multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) system. Due to cross coupling, any change in control variable in one side of the BiWPT system will affect the output of the same side as well as output and control input in the other side. This results in an uncertain dynamic behaviour of the output response. The cross-coupling effect has not been adequately researched in the literature. Hence, this paper presents an accurate dynamic model using a generalized state-space averaging approach (GSSA) and an extended describing function (EDF) method for a multivariable control of the S-S compensated BiWPT system. This model is used to derive the system’s relative gain array (RGA), which is used to study the effect of cross-coupling terms on the output variables. A 1 kW S-S compensated BiWPT experimental set-up is used to validate the effect of cross-coupling on the dynamic behavior of the system by comparing DPS and single phase-shift (SPS) controlled experimental waveforms. The steady-state and transient behavior of the BiWPT system has also been investigated with simulation and experimental results.

An Efficient Resonant Pole Inverter With One Single Auxiliary Switch of Each Phase for AC Motor Drive

The brief presents an efficient resonant pole inverter for the sake of the efficiency improvement of the inverter. Its design process is elaborated briefly as follows: the same auxiliary units are added in parallel with three bridge arms and auxiliary units on each bridge arm only consist of one auxiliary switch, two auxiliary diodes, two resonant capacitors and two coupled resonant inductors; when the auxiliary units work, the voltage across main switches can decrease to zero periodically before main switches are switched on. Thus, main switches can acquire zero-voltage switching, making for the reduction of switching loss. In particular, the notable advantage of the presented inverter is that only one switch is included in the auxiliary units of each phase, which is beneficial to the simplification of the control strategy and the restriction on the hardware cost. Moreover, the single auxiliary switch of each phase can also acquire zero-current switching. The brief illustrates each working state in a switching period. The relative experimental waveform indicates that switching devices attain soft-switching. Furthermore, the efficiency of the presented inverter achieves 98% at rated output power, increasing by 0.3%, compared with that in the latest literature. Consequently, the presented inverter is more advantageous in efficiency than other similar soft-switching inverters.

Optimising a computational model of human auditory cortex with an evolutionary algorithm

We demonstrate how the structure of auditory cortex can be investigated by combining computational modelling with advanced optimisation methods. We optimise a well-established auditory cortex model by means of an evolutionary algorithm. The model describes auditory cortex in terms of multiple core, belt, and parabelt fields. The optimisation process finds the optimum connections between individual fields of auditory cortex so that the model is able to reproduce experimental magnetoencephalographic (MEG) data. In the current study, this data comprised the auditory event-related fields (ERFs) recorded from a human subject in an MEG experiment where the stimulus-onset interval between consecutive tones was varied. The quality of the match between synthesised and experimental waveforms was 98%. The results suggest that neural activity caused by feedback connections plays a particularly important role in shaping ERF morphology. Further, ERFs reflect activity of the entire auditory cortex, and response adaptation due to stimulus repetition emerges from a complete reorganisation of AC dynamics rather than a reduction of activity in discrete sources. Our findings constitute the first stage in establishing a new non-invasive method for uncovering the organisation of the human auditory cortex.

A Theory of Mechanical Stress-Induced H2O2 Signaling Waveforms in Planta

Recent progress in nanotechnology-enabled sensors that can be placed inside of living plants has shown that it is possible to relay and record real-time chemical signaling stimulated by various abiotic and biotic stresses. The mathematical form of the resulting local reactive oxygen species (ROS) wave released upon mechanical perturbation of plant leaves appears to be conserved across a large number of species, and produces a distinct waveform from other stresses including light, heat and pathogen-associated molecular pattern (PAMP)-induced stresses. Herein, we develop a quantitative theory of the local ROS signaling waveform resulting from mechanical stress in planta. We show that nonlinear, autocatalytic production and Fickian diffusion of H2O2 followed by first order decay well describes the spatial and temporal properties of the waveform. The reaction-diffusion system is analyzed in terms of a new approximate solution that we introduce for such problems based on a single term logistic function ansatz. The theory is able to describe experimental ROS waveforms and degradation dynamics such that species-dependent dimensionless wave velocities are revealed, corresponding to subtle changes in higher moments of the waveform through an apparently conserved signaling mechanism overall. This theory has utility in potentially decoding other stress signaling waveforms for light, heat and PAMP-induced stresses that are similarly under investigation. The approximate solution may also find use in applied agricultural sensing, facilitating the connection between measured waveform and plant physiology.