Physical Configuration Research Articles

Solitary wave structures for the stochastic Nizhnik–Novikov–Veselov system via modified generalized rational exponential function method

In this article, a significant stochastic Nizhnik–Novikov–Veselov (SNNV) system with truncated M-fractional derivative (TMD) is investigated. This mathematical model is considered an isotropic Lax extension of the one-dimensional Kortewegde Vries equation which has diverse applications in the areas of warm ions, shallow-water waves, electromagnetic signals, and river irrigation flows. To collect different solitary wave solutions of the SNNV system, a modification of generalized rational exponential function method is employed. Some new trigonometric, exponential and hyperbolic stochastic solutions are obtained by using the modified generalized rational exponential function method (mGERFM). Furthermore, some graphs of the formulated solutions are presented to depict the physical configuration of stochastic solutions by changing the parameters. The method used in this research is effective, precise, competent, and reliable to compute the soliton solutions for nonlinear models. We predict that the performed results will have great potential applications to optical fibers, magneto-electrodynamics, the collision of heavy ions, and quantum mechanics.

Efficient removal of perfluorinated compounds with the polyamide nanofiltration membrane and membrane fouling resistance analysis

Abstract Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) are significant pollutants known for their high toxicity and resistance to natural degradation, posing a severe threat to both the global environment and human health. In this study, a polyamide (PA) membrane with an intermediate layer structure of MXene-TiO2 (referred to as MXT-NFM) was utilized for the removal of PFCs. Experimental results confirm that MXT-NFM exhibited remarkable capacity in intercepting PFCs, accompanied by the high water flux. To gain insights into the mechanisms governing membrane fouling induced by PFCs, inorganic ions, and organics, a series of fouling tests were conducted using MXT-NFM under diverse conditions. Additionally, the XDLVO theory was employed to provide a theoretical perspective on the interactions occurring during the fouling process. The findings suggest that the MXene-TiO2 intermediate layer contributed to the exceptional hydrophilicity and rough surface properties, enabling multiple functionalities. These include alleviating membrane pore plugging, improving the physical configuration of the PA layer, and effectively mitigating fouling phenomena in coexisting systems during practical applications. Moreover, the particle size of pollutant colloids and the acid–base interaction were identified as decisive factors influencing the development of membrane fouling.

Core processing neuron‐enabled circuit motifs for neuromorphic computing

AbstractBased on brain‐inspired computing frameworks, neuromorphic systems implement large‐scale neural networks in hardware. Although rapid advances have been made in the development of artificial neurons and synapses in recent years, further research is beyond these individual components and focuses on neuronal circuit motifs with specialized excitatory–inhibitory (E–I) connectivity patterns. In this study, we demonstrate a core processor that can be used to construct commonly used neuronal circuits. The neuron, featuring an ultracompact physical configuration, integrates a volatile threshold switch with a gate‐modulated two‐dimensional (2D) MoS2 field‐effect channel to process complex E–I spatiotemporal spiking signals. Consequently, basic neuronal circuits are constructed for biorealistic neuromorphic computing. For practical applications, an algorithm‐hardware co‐design is implemented in a gate‐controlled spiking neural network with substantial performance improvement in human speech separation.image

Measurement of switching transient overvoltages with a capacitive electric field sensor

This paper presents a case study of measurements of switching transient overvoltages using a capacitive electric field sensor. The system was developed and installed in a substation after the failure of a surge arrester during the energization of a 420 kV transmission line. First, the closing operation was simulated in an electromagnetic transient simulation program to estimate the switching transient overvoltages for this event. Then, the concept and design of the measurement system are explained. The system calibration performed in the high-voltage laboratory is presented. Afterward, the installation of the measurement system in the substation is discussed, with a special focus on the calibration of the voltage ratio considering the physical configuration where it is installed. Finally, the measurement results are presented and compared with simulations. The results show that the transient overvoltages caused by the energization of the transmission line should not cause the failure of the surge arrester. The measurement system has been demonstrated to be capable of measuring switching transient voltages of a 420 kV transmission line and can be considered a flexible solution for the long-term monitoring of transient overvoltages in substations.

Unsupervised classification identifies coherent thermohaline structures in the Weddell Gyre region

Abstract. The Weddell Gyre is a major feature of the Southern Ocean and an important component of the planetary climate system; it regulates air–sea exchanges, controls the formation of deep and bottom waters, and hosts upwelling of relatively warm subsurface waters. It is characterised by low sea surface temperatures, ubiquitous sea ice formation, and widespread salt stratification that stabilises the water column. Observing the Weddell Gyre is challenging, as it is extremely remote and largely covered with sea ice. At present, it is one of the most poorly sampled regions of the global ocean, highlighting the need to extract as much value as possible from existing observations. Here, we apply a profile classification model (PCM), which is an unsupervised classification technique, to a Weddell Gyre profile dataset to identify coherent regimes in temperature and salinity. We find that, despite not being given any positional information, the PCM identifies four spatially coherent thermohaline domains that can be described as follows: (1) a circumpolar class, (2) a transition region between the circumpolar waters and the Weddell Gyre, (3) a gyre edge class with northern and southern branches, and (4) a gyre core class. PCM highlights, in an objective and interpretable way, both expected and underappreciated structures in the Weddell Gyre dataset. For instance, PCM identifies the inflow of Circumpolar Deep Water (CDW) across the eastern boundary, the presence of the Weddell–Scotia Confluence waters, and structured spatial variability in mixing between Winter Water and CDW. PCM offers a useful complement to existing expertise-driven approaches for characterising the physical configuration and variability of oceanographic regions, helping to identify coherent thermohaline structures and the boundaries between them.

The built-up environment modulates the association of artificial night-time lights with the urban extent

ABSTRACT Artificial night-time light (NTL) emissions, collected by satellites, are a reliable and widely used remote proxy for urban extent. Recently, it was demonstrated that NTLs are stronger associated with the total volume of the buildings than with their total footprint area, a traditional urban extent measure. However, this finding may not be a general rule: We presume that both associations are sensitive to characteristics of the built-up environment, while the latter is known to be quite heterogeneous within and between cities. Moreover, we hypothesize that at least in specific built-up environments, NTL may even stronger correlate with another urban extent measure – the total lateral surface area of the buildings, due to its more accurate proportionality to the area of light-emitting windows. The present study uses NTLs and buildings datasets of 38 European capital cities and compares the associations of NTLs with the three aforementioned urban extent measures (the total footprint area, the total volume, and the total lateral surface area of the buildings) across different built-up environments. The results indicate that in urban areas characterized by a high density of tall buildings the strongest observed association is between NTLs and the building’s footprint area. In comparison, the total volume of buildings is better related to NTLs in urban areas that host compact settings of relatively small buildings. But there is a third type of physical urban configuration, characterized by large buildings sparsely distributed in space. In this type of urban area, the strongest observed association is between NTLs and lateral surface area. We conclude that monitoring urban growth using NTLs will benefit from a preliminary assessment of the local built-up characteristics.

Physical and numerical modeling of seismic soil-structure interaction of prefabricated subway station structure

Physical and numerical studies were conducted to explore the seismic performance characteristics of multi-story and multi-span prefabricated subway station structures, and to identify its weak parts and damage mode during earthquakes. A two-story three-span prefabricated subway station structure was designed and fabricated with a scale ratio of 1:10 and was subjected to a static pushover test that simulated the soil-structure interaction. The test results were interpreted to determine the horizontal resistance - interstory displacement capacity curve of the station, and the interstory displacement ratio (IDR) limit values under each seismic performance state. The experimental results revealed that the upper layer of the prefabricated subway station structure was more severely damaged than to the lower layer, and that the column ends of the upper layer were the weakest parts of the structure in terms of seismic resistance. The splicing joints were generally reliable, but the side wall-middle span splicing joint showed visible cracks. Furthermore, a finite element model was established based on the physical test configuration and was utilized to analyze the pushover tests. The numerical results indicated that the vertical load significantly accelerates the prefabricated subway station to reach the peak point and limit point of its horizontal bearing capacity. The IDR value of subway station seismic performance level 4 determined by the bearing capacity curve of the column was 30% lower than the IDR value obtained by the structural bearing capacity curve.

A Transponder Aggregator With Efficient Use of Filtering Function for Transponder Noise Suppression

Colorless, directionless, and contentionless reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexing (CDC-ROADM) provides highly flexible physical layer network configuration. Such CDC-ROADM must operate in multiple wavelength bands which are being increasingly implemented in optical transmission systems. The operation in C+L bands requires switch devices used in CDC-ROADM to also be capable of multiband operation. Recent studies on wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) systems have pointed out the impact of amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) noise generated by signals of different wavelengths, which causes OSNR degradation. Therefore, it is desirable to filter out the ASE noise from different transponders when multiplexing multiple wavelengths at the transmitter side, especially in a system with non-wavelength selective combiners such as directional couplers and multicast switches. The use of transponder aggregators with filtering functions, such as the M × N wavelength selective switch (WSS), is preferable for this filtering. However, the downside of these devices is that it is difficult to provide economical multiband support. Therefore, we propose an economical transponder aggregator configuration by allowing a certain amount of ASE superposition and reducing the number of filtering functions. In this paper, we fabricated a prototype of the proposed transponder aggregator by combining silica-based planar lightwave circuit technology and C+L band WSS, both commercially available, and verified its feasibility through transmission experiments. The novel transponder aggregator is a practical solution for a multiband CDC-ROADM system with improved OSNR performance.

Guiding the Lean Design of a Hospital's New Laboratory: A Case Study.

To present the process used by a clinical laboratory to guide the design of their new facility, part of a major campus expansion at a pediatric hospital. The primary objective was to generate information about arrangement and allocation of laboratory space and functional flows in the early phases of the expansion project. Seattle Children's Hospital has increased the capacity of their primary campus in response to growing demand for specialized services. The clinical laboratory was identified as one of the functional groups that would move their operations to the new building. The clinical laboratory team agreed on a three-stage process to guide the development of their initial design specifications: formulate the concept, develop design alternatives, and evaluate those alternatives. The different tasks were executed successfully. The process defined-based on Plan, Do, Check, Act (PDCA)-provided a context for collaboration among sections of the clinical laboratory, reducing silo thinking, so common in the specialized sections within a large clinical laboratory. The process was developed to guide the lean design efforts, even when initial space and location parameters had not yet been decided and was sufficiently flexible to accommodate changes in the project constraints and emergent information generated by the concurrent design activities of other hospital functional groups to be included in the campus expansion. The three-stage process allowed the team to review each laboratory section's complexity, create multiple conceptual designs for review, and ultimately increase the likelihood of an efficient physical configuration that would satisfy a diverse group of stakeholders.

Performance evaluation of a pipe-embedded phase change material (PE-PCM) roof integrated with solar collector

Utilizing renewable energy in buildings is important for the development of zero-energy buildings to achieve the goals of carbon peak and carbon neutrality. A novel roof with a pipe-embedded phase change material (PE-PCM) integrated with a solar collector is proposed to fully utilize solar energy and improve building efficiency. The PE-PCM layer is attached to the inner side of the roof for effective utilization of solar energy and enables all-day indoor heating via thermal storage. In this study, a simplified model of a PE-PCM structure was developed based on its physical configuration, which included a variable thermal capacitance and thermal resistance model (VarRC model). The simplified PE-PCM roof model integrated with the VarRC model is validated using a numerical model. Additionally, a platform for a room with the PE-PCM roof and solar collector is developed to investigate the system performance. The results showed that the heating demand can be met, except under extreme weather conditions. When the indoor temperature is controlled above 17 °C by auxiliary heating, the total energy required for heating the room with the PE-PCM roof can be reduced by 54% compared to that of a conventional roof room.

Computer Interface for Electroluminescence (EL)

The goal of Computer aided device start from the physical description of integrated circuit devices, considering both the physical configuration and related device properties and build the link between the broad range of physics and electrical behavior models that support circuit design. Physics-based modeling of devices, is distributed and lumped form is an essential part of the IC process development. It seeks to quantify the underlying understanding of the technology and abstract that knowledge to the device design level, including extraction of the key parameters that support circuit design and statistical metrology [1][2]. IC development for more than a quarter-century has been dominated by the MOS technology. In the 1970s and 1980s NMOS was favored owing to speed and area advantages, coupled with technology limitations and concerns related to isolation, parasitic effects and process complexity. During that era of NMOS-dominated LSI and the emergence of VLSI, the fundamental scaling laws of MOS technology were codified and broadly applied [3]. It was also during this period that Computer Aided Device reached maturity in terms of realizing robust process modeling (primarily one-dimensional) which then became an integral technology design tool, used universally across the industry [4]. At the same time device simulation, dominantly two-dimensional owing to the nature of MOS devices, became the work-horse of technologists in the design and scaling of devices [5]. The transition from NMOS to CMOS technology resulted in the necessity of tightly coupled and fully 2D simulators for process and device simulations [6][7].

A filtering waveguide aperture antenna based on all‐resonator structures

AbstractIn recent years, there has been a large amount of attention focused on the design of filtering antennas to reduce the front‐end size of modern wireless communication systems. Although numerous design approaches are presented in the literature, they are usually applicable to a certain microwave circuit structure. Additionally, their implementations demand extra matching circuits or a structure which leads to an increase in the filtering antenna size. In this paper, the design of a 3rd‐order filtering antenna operating at the X‐band frequencies is presented utilizing the coupling matrix approach. It is based on 3rd order coupled‐resonators filter without employing any extra structure. For the physical configuration, three inline coupled rectangular waveguide cavity resonators operating at TE101 mode are employed. The output of the last resonator is coupled to free space via a rectangular aperture. The dimensions of the aperture are manipulated to control the radiation quality factor (Qr). To validate the simulated results, the design has been fabricated using the Computer Numerical Control technique. Excellent agreement between the simulation and measurement results has been obtained. The fractional bandwidth (FBW) is more than 10% when the reflection coefficient S11 = −20 dB. The gain response is very flat (7.54 0.2 dBi) from 9.5 to 10.5 GHz. The proposed filtering antenna is compact and low profile which may be of interest in radar applications.

Towards a Digital Twin Warehouse through the Optimization of Internal Transport

Through the construction of parametric simulation models in which possible storage space distributions and positioning logics are also considered as variables, it is possible to build scenarios that allow analyzing the changing reality of storage needs in order to minimize material movements in each case, optimize internal transportation, and increase the efficiency of production processes. This article shows a particular analysis of a restricted storage space in height, typical to when it comes to logistics associated with raw material in a “big bag” format made of recycled and easily deteriorated material. In conjunction, a location management solution based on passive RFID (radio-frequency identification) tags has been chosen. The process is carried out through simulations with object-oriented discrete event software, where the optimization of the internal transport associated with the layout is carried out considering network theory to define the shortest path between warehouse nodes. The combination of both approaches allows, on the one hand, the evaluation of alternatives in terms of distribution and positioning logics, while the implemented system enables the possibility of making agile changes in the physical configuration of this type of storage space.

Heat transfer mechanism in ternary nanofluid between parallel plates channel using modified Hamilton-Crossers model and thermal radiation effects

Heat transfer in ternary nanofluids has promising applications particularly in heat exchangers containing parallel pates, chemical and applied thermal engineering. Therefore, the study is conducted for thermal enhancement between two parallel plates using ternary nanofluid. The new insights of thermal radiations and modified Hamilton-Crossers thermal conductivity incorporated in the model. The final model containing the nonlinearities and thermal radiation effects achieved from the physical flow configuration of ternary nanofluid. Further, mathematical analysis of the model performed through Galerkin Finite Element Method (GFEM) and analyzed the influence of potential physical parameters in thermal enhancement, skin friction and local Nusselt number. The results revealed that the velocity increases due to the fluid injection (A1=0.1,0.3,0.5,0.7) for towards (Sq<0) and away (Sq>0) movement of the plates. The temperature of ternary nanofluid enhanced significantly under thermal radiation with parametric ranges from 0.1 to 1.5. The maximum Nusselt number values observed as 5.09128 and 4.76039 at the upper plate for A1=1.1 and Ω=11, respectively. Moreover, thermophysical characteristics of ternary nanofluid are dominant over the nano and hybrid nanofluids for nanoparticles concentration ranging from 1% to 6% for ζ1 while keeping ζ2 and ζ3 as 2%.

Analytical Study and Experimental Verification of Shear-Thinning Ink Flow in Direct Ink Writing Process

Abstract Direct ink writing (DIW) process is a facile additive manufacturing technology to fabricate three-dimensional (3D) objects with various materials. Its versatility has attracted considerable interest in academia and industry in recent years. As such, upsurging endeavors are invested in advancing the ink flow behaviors in order to optimize the process resolution and the printing quality. However, so far, the physical phenomena during the DIW process are not revealed in detail, leaving a research gap between the physical experiments and its underlying theories. Here, we present a comprehensive analytical study of non-Newtonian ink flow behavior during the DIW process. Different syringe-nozzle geometries are modeled for the comparative case studies. By using the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation method, we reveal the shear-thinning property during the ink extrusion process. Besides, we study the viscosity, shear stress, and velocity fields, and analyze the advantages and drawbacks of each syringe-nozzle model. On the basis of these investigations and analyses, we propose an improved syringe-nozzle geometry for stable extrusion and high printing quality. A set of DIW printing experiments and rheological characterizations are carried out to verify the simulation studies. The results developed in this work offer an in-depth understanding of the ink flow behavior in the DIW process, providing valuable guidelines for optimizing the physical DIW configuration toward high-resolution printing and, consequently, improving the performance of DIW-printed objects.

Significance of Dufour and Soret aspects on dynamics of water based ternary hybrid nanofluid flow in a 3D computational domain

The prime motive to conduct this communication is to explicate hydrothermal attributes of water by inducing new composition of nanoparticles termed as ternary particles. For this purpose, two differently natured groups one with lesser densities (Carbon nanotubes, Graphene and Aluminium oxide) and with higher densities (Copper oxide, Copper and Silver) are accounted. A 3D permeable surface is considered as a physical configuration of problem by providing dual stretching. Initially, mathematical structuring in dimensional representation expressing the constitutive relations for mass, momentum and energy conservation is manifested. Later on, a set of similar variables are executed to express attained coupled system into ordinary form. Numerical simulations are performed to find solution by employing shooting and RK-4 methods in conjunction. Description about change is displayed through graphical visualization. Subsequently, temperature distribution and heat flux coefficient against sundry variables are also measured and comprehensively discussed in pictorial and tabular format. Wall drag coefficients along (x, y) directions are also computed. It is inferred from the outcomes that velocity, temperature and concentration of base fluid is higher for ternary group 1 containing particles of low densities than for group 2 with more denser particles. It is also deduced that elevation in temperature of fluid is revealed against Soret number whereas contrary aspects is observed in view of concentration distribution. Dufour number has declining impact on temperature profile whereas it upsurges the mass distribution. It is depicted that skin friction in case of group containing particles with less densities are more than other group.

Evaluation of 3-D spatial distribution of dissolved oxygen concentrations in a eutrophic lake

In this study, three-dimensional (3-D) ordinary kriging of dissolved oxygen (DO) concentrations was performed for a eutrophic reservoir based on 81 sampling points using Stanford Geostatistical Modeling Software (SGeMs). Potential hotspots (problematic zones in terms of water quality with high/low DO concentrations) not only at the surface but also in deeper layers of Porsuk Dam Reservoir (PDR) were evaluated. Moreover, 3-D distributions of DO, and specific conductivity (SC) were examined against the thermocline layer identified using the 3-D temperature data. Thermocline layer existed between 10 and 14m below the surface based on 3-D temperature data. This result showed that the traditional approach of collecting samples from mid-depths may cause incomplete characterization and evaluation of water quality as thermocline layer may not coincide with mid-depth. Although the variation in SC values and temperatures above and below the thermocline layer were relatively homogeneous, this was not the case for DO. 3-D DO distribution suggested a better location for water withdrawal for domestic purposes. 3-D DO maps generated by predicting data at unmeasured locations at different depths could be used as input for 3-D water quality estimation in the reservoir through model simulations in future. Moreover, the outcomes can also be useful in the segmentation (physical configuration) of the water body for future water quality modeling studies.

A Modular Architecture of Command-and-Control Software in Multi-Sensor Systems Devoted to Public Security

Preventing terrorist attacks at soft targets has become a priority for our society. The realization of sensor systems for automatic threat detection in crowded spaces, such as airports and metro stations, is challenged by the limited sensing coverage capability of the devices in place due to the variety of dangerous materials, to the scanning rate of the devices, and to the detection area covered. In this context, effectiveness of the physical configuration of the system based on the detectors used, the coordination of the sensor data collection, and the real time data analysis for threat identification and localization to enable timely reactions by the security guards are essential requirements for such integrated sensor-based applications. This paper describes a modular distributed architecture of a command-and-control software, which is independent from the specific detectors and where sensor data fusion is supported by two intelligent video systems. Furthermore, the system installation can be replicated at different locations of a public space. Person tracking and later re-identification in a separate area, and tracking hand-over between different video components, provide the command-and-control with localization information of threats to timely activate alarm management and support the activity of subsequent detectors. The architecture has been implemented for the NATO-funded DEXTER program and has been successfully tested in a big city trial at a metro station in Rome both when integrated with two real detectors of weapons and explosives and as a stand-alone system. The discussion focuses on the software functions of the command-and-control and on the flexibility and re-use of the system in wider settings.

Radar Attenuation in Enceladus' Ice Shell: Obstacles and Opportunities for Constraining Shell Thickness, Chemistry, and Thermal Structure

AbstractEnceladus is a dynamic icy moon of Saturn and a leading target for future planetary missions focused on the search for life beyond Earth. For such missions, instruments that can provide geophysical and geochemical context for ice shell and ocean processes are critical to evaluate whether conditions are suitable for life and biosignature detection. Radar sounding is a powerful geophysical technique to probe the thermophysical and chemical properties of icy moons, like Enceladus, and to investigate the subsurface context for the exchange of material and energy between their subsurface oceans, ice shells, and plumes. To inform the scientific potential and instrument performance demands of such a radar‐sounding investigation of Enceladus' ice shell, we adapt and extend previous radar attenuation analysis done for Europa to the configuration and conditions of Enceladus. We also discuss how attenuation (both as an obstacle for the detection of ice shell reflectors and as a signal itself) can help constrain the thermal, physical, and chemical configuration of Enceladus' ice shell and reveal the processes governing the moon's ocean/shell/plume system.

The Advent of Upgrading Schemes in Urbanizing Traditional Settlements of Botswana: Case of Kanye Village

Botswana is a country with one of the fastest urbanizing population in sub-Saharan Africa with over 60% of its population living in cities, towns and urban villages. Botswana consists of several urbanizing traditional settlements within its settlement system, which have over the years transformed in terms of size, morphology and economic structures. The policy intervention processes and the resultant physical configuration within these urbanizing traditional settlements is testimony to the political economy of Botswana’s history. Contemporary planning as a key policy intervention process, in these urbanizing traditional settlements, however, provides the space for contest between formal planning based on ‘northern-derived theory’ and indigenous planning practices. Thus, the advent of Upgrading Schemes, as part of this contemporary planning, brings to the fore this contestation. This paper traces the case of an Upgrading Scheme for Kanye village, articulating its relevance, shortcomings and limitations to effect change, and so proposes a policy framework within which the upgrading schemes could be formulated and undertaken in Botswana.