In-house Test Facility Research Articles

Numerical modelling of a hybrid vapor compression refrigeration assisted closed loop liquid cooling system for high-performance computing systems

This study presents a numerical model of a miniature vapor compression refrigeration (VCR) system that is used to cool liquid coolant in a secondary pumped loop that is deployed to cool a high-powered CPU. The model employs a physical approach and iterative algorithms to solve coupled non-linear equations for both the refrigeration cycle and pumped single phase cooling loop. Experimental tests were conducted to verify the model using an in-house test facility. This paper outlines the modelling and solution approaches taken, discusses the efficacy of the model in terms of agreement with experimental measurements, and highlights the utility of the model as a design tool for cooling high powered electronics.

A dual-mode novel Parabolic Trough Collector for process heating applications in small scale industries—Thermo-hydraulic and performance investigation

Only a few industries worldwide use solar heat for industrial processes, despite the fact that it is a proven and cleaner solution. More over, Small-scale industries need hot water and low-enthalpy steam, but such systems receive scant attention due to the active nature of Parabolic Trough Collectors as well as the use of less efficient flat plate technology in this temperature range. This delineate the opportunity for research focus in efficient passive technologies especially in low temperature range. In this regard a novel dual mode Parabolic Trough Collector based on an Open Natural Circulation Loop (PTC-ONCL) is proposed here. Focus of this work is to assess the proposed system’s suitability for process heating applications requiring hot water/low enthalpy steam, especially in rural areas. Experiments are conducted on an in-house prototype. A novel methodology for correlating actual solar data to the input heat load for the in-house test facility is developed. Five representative solar days are considered for individual tests. Startup, transient, and efficiency parameters are evaluated. Productivity, industrial viability, and environmental impact are also accessed. Throughout the test, the loop maintained a stable flow, where the start-up oscillations, thermal oscillations and type-I instabilities are observed. The system operates at an unprecedented efficiency of 72 ± 4% in hot water mode and 70 ± 5% in Steam generation over a 7 h period. The economic analysis shows an ambitious Levelized Cost of Heat of 2.8 cents/kWh, with a payback period of 3.21 years. Moreover environmental study shows its huge potential in reducing the CO 2 emissions. A dimensionless index is proposed to represent the solar day and is correlated to predict the average water temperature and steam generated with RMSE values of 0.98 °C and 0.125 kg respectively. The solar day index comprehends the total irradiation, wind velocity and the ambient temperature. The proposed PTC-ONCL system is capable of producing an annual average of 8.67 kgday −1 and/or 150 L of hot water at an average temperature of 89.07 °C. The results, and the system’s low cost and near-maintenance-free nature demonstrates its capability in the desired application, both technologically and economically. • A passive Parabolic Trough Collector based on an Open Natural Circulation Loop for process heat at low temperature. • New methodology correlates actual solar data to input for an in-house test facility. • Generates 8.67 kg of steam/ hot water at 89 °C on a yearly average with 65% efficiency. • Levelized Cost of Heat of 2.8 cent/kWh & 3.2 years of payback period found promising. • Dimensionless solar day index includes combines irradiation and ambient condition.

Experimental Study on Structural Behaviour of Steel Wire Mesh under Impact Loading

In view of application to debris flow/rockfall barrier system, several types of steel wire mesh were selected to verify their basic behaviour under impact load of free fall weight at the controlled testing environment at an in-house testing facility capable of dropping a heavy weight on approximately 1-meter square panel made of such steel wire mesh material. Out of the 3 types of wire mesh tested, high-performance chain link endured the highest impact load energy, while newly developed wire mesh showed a high potential of effectively absorbing the impact energy by its plastic deformation along the total length of wire components. Both of the above two types of wire mesh are expected to be applied in flexible type debris flow catchment system in combination with larger opening mesh such as ring net. The newly developed wire mesh consisting of spirally deformed steel wires behaved as energy-absorbing elements while transmitting the impact load to the supporting ropes by its own plastic deformation along the total wire length.

Tensegrital wheel for enhanced planetary surface mobility: Part 2 - Performance assessment of a ruggedized, double-layer tensegrital wheel

This paper details ProtoInnovations’ work on a novel wheel design concept for planetary mobility. The tensegrital wheel for enhanced surface mobility exploits the geometric and mechanical attributes of tensegrity to mimic the compliant and load-distributing properties of a pneumatic tire using space-qualified materials. The third iteration of these wheel concepts, dubbed the TW3, was subject to particular scrutiny. In this paper, we explore the development of the TW3 and evaluate its performance in lab tests, performed at ProtoInnovation’s in-house testing facility, and field experiments, performed in conjunction with NASA Ames Research Center at the Atacama Rover Astrobiology Drilling Studies (ARADS). We compare the TW3 performance to baseline wheels and conclude with suggestions for further tensegrital wheel development.

Uncertainty Analysis of Fluorescence-Based Oil-In-Water Monitors for Oil and Gas Produced Water.

Offshore oil and gas facilities are currently measuring the oil-in-water (OiW) concentration in the produced water manually before discharging it into the ocean, which in most cases fulfills the government regulations. However, as stricter regulations and environmental concerns are increasing over time, the importance of measuring OiW in real-time intensifies. The significant amount of uncertainties associated with manual samplings, that is currently not taken into consideration, could potentially affect the acceptance of OiW monitors and lower the reputation of all online OiW measurement techniques. This work presents the performance of four fluorescence-based monitors on an in-house testing facility. Previous studies of a fluorescence-based monitor have raised concerns about the measurement of OiW concentration being flow-dependent. The proposed results show that the measurements from the fluorescence-based monitors are not or insignificantly flow-dependent. However, other parameters, such as gas bubbles and droplet sizes, do affect the measurement. Testing the monitors’ calibration method revealed that the weighted least square is preferred to achieve high reproducibility. Due to the high sensitivity to different compositions of atomic structures, other than aromatic hydrocarbons, the fluorescence-based monitor might not be feasible for measuring OiW concentrations in dynamic separation facilities with consistent changes. Nevertheless, they are still of interest for measuring the separation efficiency of a deoiling hydrocyclone to enhance its deoiling performance, as the separation efficiency is not dependent on OiW trueness but rather the OiW concentration before and after the hydrocyclone.

Role of laboratory services in primary health center (PHC) outpatient department performance: an Indian case study.

In resource-constrained settings, primary health centers (PHCs) are critical for universal health coverage. Laboratory service is one of its important components. While PHC and its performance are focused, its laboratory service has been neglected in developing countries like India. To determine the role of different level of PHC laboratory services on the overall PHC performance. Cross-sectional study based on 42 PHCs of Osmanabad District, Maharashtra, India was performed. The study used levels of laboratory services in PHC as independent parameter and PHC outpatient department (OPD) visits per day (≤ 80 versus > 80) as dependent parameter. The control parameters used in the study were number of medical doctors, availability of laboratory technicians (LTs) and population coverage by PHC. Field visit was done to collect data on levels of laboratory services, but secondary source was used for other parameters. The logistic regression analysis was performed in study. The study found variation in PHC population coverage (10788-74702) and OPD visits per day (40-182) across PHC. Strong positive association was observed between levels of laboratory services and number of OPD visits per day in PHC. PHC offering both malaria and tuberculosis in-house testing had higher odds (4.81) of getting more OPDs (≥ 80 OPD visits per day) as compared to PHC not offering in-house testing facility for malaria and tuberculosis. This association was stronger in PHCs with lower population coverage (0-75 quartile) as compared to PHCs with higher population coverage (75-100 quartile). Focus on laboratory services is needed to enhance the existing PHCs performance. Skill-up gradation of existing LT could help in improving the contribution of the existing laboratories in PHC functioning.

The High Energy Materials Science Beamline (HEMS) at PETRA III

The HEMS beamline at PETRA III has a main energy of 120 keV, is tunable in the range 30-200 keV, and optimized for sub-micrometer focusing with Compound Refractive Lenses. Design, construction, and main funding was the responsibility of the Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht, HZG. Approximately 70 % of the beamtime is dedicated to Materials Research, the rest reserved for “general physics” experiments covered by DESY, Hamburg. The beamline P07 in sector 5 consists of an undulator source optimized for high energies, a white beam optics hutch, an in-house test facility and three independent experimental hutches, plus additional set-up and storage space for long-term experiments. HEMS has partly been operational since summer 2010. First experiments are introduced coming from (a) fundamental research for the investigation of the relation between macroscopic and micro-structural properties of polycrystalline materials, grain-grain-interactions, recrystallisation processes, and the development of new & smart materials or processes; (b) applied research for manufacturing process optimization benefitting from the high flux in combination with ultra-fast detector systems allowing complex and highly dynamic in-situ studies of microstructural transformations, e.g. in-situ friction stir welding; (c) experiments targeting the industrial user community.

Drop and fire testing of spent fuel and HLW transport casks at ‘BAM Test Site Technical Safety’

BAM, as a competent German government institute for the mechanical and thermal testing of radioactive material transport and storage containers, operates unique drop and fire test facilities for experimental investigations on the open air BAM Test Site Technical Safety. To be able to perform even drop tests with full scale spent fuel or HAW casks (i.e. the German CASTOR cask designs), BAM constructed in 2004 a large drop test facility capable to handle 200 ton test objects, and to drop them onto a steel plate covered unyielding target with a mass of nearly 2600 ton. Drop test campaigns of the 181 ton GNS CONSTOR V/TC, the 129 ton MHI MSF-69BG and a 1∶2 scale model of the GNS CASTOR HAW28M (CASTOR HAW/TB2) have been performed since then. The experimental BAM drop testing activities can be supported also by drop testing of smaller packages (up to 2 ton) in an in-house test facility and by dynamic, guided impact testing of package components and material specimen inside a new drop test machine. In May 2008, ...

The High Energy Materials Science Beamline at PETRA III

The future High Energy Materials Science Beamline HEMS at the new German high brilliance synchrotron radiation storage ring PETRA III [1] will have a main energy of 120 keV, will be fully tunable in the range of 50 to 300 keV, and will be optimized for sub-micrometer focusing with Compound Refractive Lenses and Kirkpatrick-Baez Multilayer mirrors. Design and construction is the responsibility of the Research Center Geesthacht, GKSS, with approximately 70 % of the beamtime being dedicated to Materials Research, the rest reserved for “general physics” experiments covered by DESY, Hamburg. Fundamental research will encompass metallurgy, physics and chemistry. For first experiments in investigating grain-grain-interactions a dedicated 3D-microstructure-mapper will be designed. Applied research for manufacturing process optimization will benefit from the high flux in combination with ultra-fast detector systems allowing complex and highly dynamic in-situ studies of microstructural transformations. The beamline infrastructure will allow easy accommodation of large user provided equipment. Experiments targeting the industrial user community will be based on well established techniques with standardised evaluation, allowing "full service" measurements. Environments for strain mapping [2] on large structural components up to 1 t will be provided as well as automated investigations of large numbers of samples, e.g. for tomography and texture determination. The current design for the beamline (P07 in sector 5 of the future experimental hall) consists of a nearly five meter in-vacuum undulator source (U19-5) optimized for high energies, a general optics hutch, an in-house test facility and three independent experimental hutches working alternately, plus additional set-up and storage space for long-term experiments. HEMS should be operational in spring 2009 as one of the first beamlines running at PETRA III.