Realistic Configurations Research Articles

Configuration of last-mile distribution networks for an encroaching manufacturer

AbstractThe surge of e-commerce has revolutionized distribution channels, escalating from simple single-channel frameworks to complex multi-channel and omni-channel networks. In particular developments in information technology and rising customer expectations have popularized the transition from multi- to omni-channel distribution, where the classic brick-and-mortar stores can also be part of the omni-channel distribution strategy. This evolution poses intricate challenges for manufacturers, especially in the integration and optimization of these channels. Thus, there is a strong need for an in-depth analysis of how manufacturers navigate the transition across diverse distribution channels to meet the varying needs of different customer segments. To this end, we investigate single-, multi-, and omni-channel distribution strategies for the case of a manufacturer selling both standard and customized products to different customer segments with varying preferences. A central contribution of this research is the creation of an integrated optimization model that resolves a location-routing problem, designing a complex and realistic supply chain configuration suitable for an omni-channel distribution system. This model strategically serves to fragmented customer demands through multiple shopping and delivery options. The outcomes of our study indicate that an omni-channel distribution system is a viable approach, capable of serving more customer segments while simultaneously minimizing logistics costs. In addition, we offer a detailed analysis of the cost implications of in-store pickup versus home-delivery options, providing a comprehensive evaluation of their respective impacts on total logistics costs and customer responsiveness.

Effects of layered heterogeneity on mixed physical barrier performance to prevent seawater intrusion in coastal aquifers

Mixed physical barriers (MPB), which combine a cutoff wall and subsurface dam, were applied in heterogeneous coastal aquifer settings, and their ability to prevent seawater intrusion (SWI) was tested. The performance of MPB was examined in a typical stratified aquifer using laboratory experiments and numerical modelling. The performance of the MPB was compared to that of a single cut-off wall by measuring the percentage of reduction of the intrusion length. SEAWAT was used for validation purposes and to further evaluate the effectiveness of MPB in five additional realistic heterogeneous configurations. Experimental results show that the MPB effectively reduced the saltwater wedge length by up to 71%. The MPB outperformed the single cut-off wall by up to 55 %. Also, numerical results show that the MPB proved to be effective, achieving a SWI length reduction of up to 69% in the scenario regardless of the aquifer layering structures. Comparable performance was observed when the high K layer was confined between two low K layers or when the aquifer presented a monotonically increasing/decreasing K pattern. The findings of this study provide insights into the applicability of the MPB in realistic heterogeneous coastal aquifers.

Large-eddy simulation investigation on the effects of inlet swirl/Reynolds number and fuel heating value on a turbulent kerosene spray flame

To progress toward the high efficiency and low emission aviation engine technology, it is mandatory to understand the complex phenomena including kerosene spray atomization, evaporation, turbulent mixing and combustion in the engine combustor. Nowadays with the rapid growth of computational capacity over the world, large-eddy simulation (LES) performs a more and more important role in understanding the complex multi-phase combustion process of kerosene fuels in aviation engine configuration. In the present work, LES is employed to investigate a swirling kerosene spray jet flame in a model combustor, which has been studied experimentally. The turbulent combustion is modeled by the flamelet generated manifold (FGM) approach with a 3-component surrogate kerosene skeletal mechanism. The averaged gas velocity and temperature predicted by LES generally agrees well with the experimental measurements. Local extinction is observed at the inner shear layer of the swirling spray flame, due to droplet-turbulence-flame interactions. A parametric study with 11 cases is then performed to investigate the effects of inlet swirl/Reynolds number and fuel heating value on the kerosene flame. As the swirl number increases, the enhanced turbulent mixing between kerosene fuel and air facilitates the combustion process, but combustion instabilities may occur if the swirl number is too high. A higher Reynolds number can promote the turbulent combustion via a stronger recirculation zone, but it also has strong dilution effects on the combustion field. Variations in the fuel heating value directly impact the temperature field, but the flow field, major species concentrations and droplet phase statistics are only slightly affected. These LES results give clues to achieve optimal combustion performance in realistic aviation engine configurations via better arrangements of fuel and air injections.

Simulation of spin-echo SANS (SESANS) using McStas on monochromatic and time of flight instruments

We conduct simulations of Spin Echo Small Angle Neutron Scattering (SESANS) by employing Monte Carlo methods to a setup using four magnetic Wollaston prisms. Our primary focus involves the validation of these models, encompassing monochromatic scenarios across various neutron wavelengths to ascertain the reliability of the simulations. Subsequently, we extend this validation to encompass simulations in time-of-flight mode. Our model consistently and precisely predicts the scattering patterns emanating from dilute spheres in both monochromatic and time-of-flight modes. Notably, it also accurately reproduces the intricate encoding associated with scattering occurring between the third and fourth magnetic Wollaston prism, which provides us with another approach to increase the solid angle coverage of a SESANS instrument. This validation process conclusively demonstrates the efficacy of our simulation methods. Importantly, it paves the way for simulating more intricate and realistic instrumental configurations, broadening the horizons for future research endeavours.

Room Temperature Quantum Control of N‐Donor Electrons at Si/SiO2 Interface

AbstractThe manuscript theoretically discusses various important aspects for donor atom based single qubit operations in silicon (Si) quantum computer architecture at room temperature using a single nitrogen (N) deep‐donor close to the Si/SiO2 interface. Quantitative investigation of room temperature single electron shuttling between a single N‐donor atom and the interface is the focus of attention under the influence of externally applied electric and magnetic field. To apprehend the realistic experimental configurations, central cell correction along with effective mass approach is adopted throughout the study. Furthermore, a detailed discussion currently explores the significant time scales implicated in the process and their suitability for experimental purposes. Theoretical estimates are also provided for all the external fields required to successfully achieve coherent single electron shuttling and their stable maintenance at the interface as required. The results presented in this work offer practical guidance for quantum electron control using N‐donor atoms in Si at room temperature.

Impact of Anisotropic Cosmic-Ray Transport on the Gamma-Ray Signatures in the Galactic Center

The very high energy (VHE) emission of the central molecular zone (CMZ) is rarely modeled in 3D. Most approaches describe the morphology in 1D or simplify the diffusion to the isotropic case. In this work, we show the impact of a realistic 3D magnetic field configuration and gas distribution on the VHE γ-ray distribution of the CMZ. We solve the 3D cosmic-ray transport equation with an anisotropic diffusion tensor using the approach of stochastic differential equations as implemented in the CRPropa framework. We test two different source distributions for five different anisotropies of the diffusion tensor, covering the range of effectively fieldline-parallel diffusion to isotropic diffusion. Within the tested magnetic field configuration, the anisotropy of the diffusion tensor is close to the isotropic case, and three point sources within the CMZ are favored. Future missions such as the upcoming CTA will reveal more small-scale structures that are not yet included in the model. Therefore, a more detailed 3D gas distribution and magnetic field structure will be needed.

Identification of energy management configuration concepts from a set of pareto-optimal solutions

Implementing resource efficient energy management systems in facilities and buildings becomes increasingly important in the transformation to a sustainable society. However, selecting a suitable configuration based on multiple, typically conflicting objectives, such as cost, robustness with respect to uncertainty of grid operation, or renewable energy utilization, is a difficult multi-criteria decision making problem. The recently developed concept identification technique can facilitate a decision maker by sorting configuration options into semantically meaningful groups (concepts).In this process, the partitioning of the objectives and design parameters into different sets (called description spaces) is a very important step. In this study we focus on utilizing the concept identification technique for finding relevant and viable energy management configurations from a very large data set of Pareto-optimal solutions. The data set consists of 20,000 realistic Pareto-optimal building energy management configurations generated by a many-objective evolutionary optimization of a high quality Digital Twin energy management simulator. We analyze how the choice of description spaces, i.e., the partitioning of the objectives and parameters, impacts the type of information that can be extracted. We show that the decision maker can introduce constraints and biases into that process to meet expectations and preferences. The iterative approach presented in this work allows for the generation of valuable insights into trade-offs between specific objectives, and constitutes a powerful and flexible tool to support the decision making process when designing large and complex energy management systems.

Phase‐reconstruction from magnitude‐only data of electrically small antennas for body‐centric wireless communication

AbstractA method for phase retrieval from magnitude‐only data for electrically small antennas intended for use in relation to body‐centric wireless communication, is presented. The method utilizes the spherical wave expansion (SWE) description of the electromagnetic field radiated by the antenna under test (AUT). The expansion coefficients of the SWE are optimized such that errors between the reconstructed and provided data magnitudes are as small as possible. The required additional phase information is acquired from additional magnitude‐only data sets of the AUT in different orientations. These orientations are defined by rotations of the AUT along the Eulerian angles. The performance of the method is evaluated for a realistic configuration, which consists of an inverted‐A antenna in the vicinity of an ear. The sensitivity of the method to the angular resolution of the field data, as well as to the Eulerian rotation accuracy, is investigated. Finally, the reconstruction method is tested on a set of practical antenna measurements conducted in an RF‐anechoic chamber.

Electromagnetic field on the complexity of minimally deformed compact stars

In the context of this endeavor, we establish a simple protocol for formulating interior stellar solutions that exhibit spherically symmetric configurations against the backdrop of relativistic gravitational decoupling through radial metric deformation (minimal geometric deformation scheme). In this pursuit, we make use of the vanishing complexity factor (Y~TF\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\widetilde{Y}_{TF}$$\\end{document}) condition, based on Herrera’s (Phys Rev D 97, 044010, 2018) innovative concept regarding the complexity of static or slowly evolving spherical matter configurations. The idea of a complexity factor emerges as the outcome of the orthogonal splitting of the Riemann–Christoffel tensor, which yields different scalar functions, known as structure scalars. The protocol is demonstrated by employing the Buchdahl and Tolman relativistic stellar ansatzes as isotropic seeds. Both of these ansatzes exhibit similar physical features, with a minor variation in their magnitudes in the case of Y~TF≠0\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\widetilde{Y}_{TF}\ e 0$$\\end{document}, where 0≤α<1\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$0\\le \\alpha <1$$\\end{document}, and α\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\alpha $$\\end{document} represents a coupling parameter. However, when Y~TF=0\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\widetilde{Y}_{TF}=0$$\\end{document}, the Buchdahl stellar ansatz exhibits a uniform density matter configuration, while the Tolman model features an increasing pressure profile. The obtained relativistic stellar models satisfy the basic viability constraints required for the physically realistic configurations.

Analysis of the vortex-induced vibration response characteristics of riser under the soft suspension evacuation condition

This paper establishes a nonlinear dynamic model for a suspended riser under the condition of considering realistic configurations, based on the principles of virtual work and Hamilton's variational principle. The nonlinearity of the model is manifested by considering vortex-induced vibration in the cross flow (CF) and in-line (IL) directions, as well as large deformations, taking into account the variable diameter of the riser in the compliant riser system. The model is discretized using the finite element method and solved using the Newmark-β method. Experimental validation is conducted to verify the effectiveness of the model. Utilizing the parameters of a riser in a well in the South China Sea, the paper explores the influence of different environmental and structural parameters on the VIV response characteristics of a compliant riser. Results show that the vibration frequency is controlled by both the bare tube and buoyant block when the buoyant block coverage rate is 25%, which can significantly inhibit VIV. With the increase of flow velocity, the VIV energy jumps from low order to high order, and the riser mode also transitions from low order to high order. The increase in suspension length transfers the vibration energy from high to low frequency, thus realizing energy transition and mode shape transformation. With the increase in LMRP weight, the vibration and natural frequencies of the riser increase synchronously, the vibration amplitude decreases, and the mode shape remains unchanged.

Simulating the bi-directional pedestrian flow under high densities by a floor field cellular automaton model

In this paper we propose one floor field cellular automaton model, which can simulate the bi-directional pedestrian flow at high densities. Based on the model rules proposed by Nowak and Schadschneider, we make some modifications, including changes of cell size, realistic velocity configurations and extended lateral movement. The best parameters are determined by the results of sensitivity analysis. Some data extracted from pedestrian flow experiments, including the fundamental diagrams and the lane numbers after lane formation, are used for model validations. When the corridor width is 2m, the simulation results show that the fundamental diagrams of bi-directional flow are quantitatively similar to the experimental results, and the lane formation could be successful at high densities. By comparing with the statistical results in the experiments, we find the probabilities of the occurrence of different lanes are similar to the experimental results: two-lane and three-lane states usually emerge, while the probability for more lanes is low. The inhomogeneous distributions of pedestrians also could be observed. We think our model could be a good choice for simulating the lane formation process at high densities.

Active flow control for bluff body drag reduction using reinforcement learning with partial measurements

Active flow control for drag reduction with reinforcement learning (RL) is performed in the wake of a two-dimensional square bluff body at laminar regimes with vortex shedding. Controllers parametrised by neural networks are trained to drive two blowing and suction jets that manipulate the unsteady flow. The RL with full observability (sensors in the wake) discovers successfully a control policy that reduces the drag by suppressing the vortex shedding in the wake. However, a non-negligible performance degradation ( $\sim$ 50 % less drag reduction) is observed when the controller is trained with partial measurements (sensors on the body). To mitigate this effect, we propose an energy-efficient, dynamic, maximum entropy RL control scheme. First, an energy-efficiency-based reward function is proposed to optimise the energy consumption of the controller while maximising drag reduction. Second, the controller is trained with an augmented state consisting of both current and past measurements and actions, which can be formulated as a nonlinear autoregressive exogenous model, to alleviate the partial observability problem. Third, maximum entropy RL algorithms (soft actor critic and truncated quantile critics) that promote exploration and exploitation in a sample-efficient way are used, and discover near-optimal policies in the challenging case of partial measurements. Stabilisation of the vortex shedding is achieved in the near wake using only surface pressure measurements on the rear of the body, resulting in drag reduction similar to that in the case with wake sensors. The proposed approach opens new avenues for dynamic flow control using partial measurements for realistic configurations.

Numerical continuation and stability of nonlinear systems with distributed delays: Application to fluid-induced impacts of tubes in cross-flow

Fluid–elastic instability is the main source of concern during the design of heat-exchanger tube bundles. The associated research has focused on the understanding of the physical mechanisms behind this phenomenon and the establishing of models capable of predicting its onset; also some concomitant work has been done to establish post-instability behaviour and to prevent from excessive wear in possible sliding contacts. Moreover, the existing studies make use of time-integration methods alone for this purpose, through which it is difficult to get a comprehensive insight of global dynamics. Continuation methods, which give access to unstable branches and precise bifurcation information, are a precious tool to unfold the attainable dynamic regimes. In this paper, the parametric behaviour of two representative systems under cross-flow excitation is explored through pseudo arc-length continuation with mean flow velocity as a main driving parameter, wherein the nonlinear modal equations of motion are solved by harmonic balance at each step. As the quasi-unsteady model used for fluid–elastic coupling introduces convolution integrals, this approach is quite natural and we show that, despite some difficulties regarding the treatment of stiff intermittent contacts, it allows for a thorough exploration of the system’s response. For the first case -a benchmark model-, increasingly complex dynamics arise as more modes are kept in the truncated modal basis, which is due to a series of modal interactions as the impacts distribute mechanical energy from the linearly-unstable first mode to the higher ones. This can be anticipated by studying the nonlinear normal modes of the system, as they expose the allowed internal resonances. In the second case, consisting of a realistic heat-exchanger tube configuration, a similar pattern is observed.

Non-Dimensional Probabilistic Analysis of Seismic Pounding Between Flexible Structures and Rigid Boundaries

ABSTRACT Pounding between adjacent structures subjected to earthquake actions can cause significant damage. Due to the many uncertainties inherent to the seismic input and the impact phenomenon, a probabilistic assessment of the occurrence of seismic pounding and of its consequences on the structural performance is necessary. This work analyzes the problem of pounding by considering a single-degree-of-freedom benchmark system surrounded by rigid boundaries and subjected to a stochastic earthquake input. Although simplified, the model is representative of several realistic configurations, such as base-isolated systems surrounded by moat walls or bridge decks near the bridge abutments. The problem is cast in non-dimensional form and a parametric study is carried out to evaluate the influence of the identified non-dimensional input parameters on the statistics of the response. A probabilistic demand model is developed for the impact forces via non-linear regression, with the demand expressed as a function of the identified non-dimensional parameters. This model provides an estimate of median pounding force and of its dispersion given the seismic intensity of the input. Finally, global sensitivity analysis is used to rank the model parameters in terms of their influence on the system performance.

Robust mode analysis of three-bluff-body combustion flow

Studies of combustion flows behind bluff-body configurations help optimize stability and efficacy of propulsion engines. However, theoretical and computational analyses of these systems are difficult in realistic configurations, especially for strongly driven flows. The advent of high-resolution, high-frequency imaging opens a new avenue to study these systems through data-analytic approaches. We use a recently introduced methodology, robust mode analysis (RMA), to study a series of combustion flows behind a three-bluff-body configuration. RMA identifies periodically evolving spatial structures in a flow common between multiple, nominally identical realizations of a flow and, hence, can be used to discard noise and other irregular flow facets. Our experiment records the flow in two spatial perspectives and through a set of time-series pressure measurements. Periods of robust modes, computed through the three recordings, are shown to be consistent for the entire set of experiments. A method to quantify the proximity of spatial structures of modes from different imaging viewpoints is introduced. It is used to compare robust modes in the two imaging views, to identify quasi-periodically evolving flow constituents, and to construct bifurcation diagrams for each constituent.

Non-Maxwellian electron effects on the macroscopic response of a Hall thruster discharge from an axial–radial kinetic model

A 2D axial–radial particle-in-cell (PIC) model of a Hall thruster discharge has been developed to analyze (mainly) the fluid equations satisfied by the azimuthally-averaged slow dynamics of electrons. Their weak collisionality together with a strong interaction with the thruster walls lead to a non-Maxwellian velocity distribution function (VDF). Consequently, the resulting macroscopic response differs from a conventional collisional fluid. First, the gyrotropic (diagonal) part of the pressure tensor is anisotropic. Second, its gyroviscous part, although small, is relevant in the azimuthal momentum balance, where the dominant contributions are orders of magnitude lower than in the axial momentum balance. Third, the heat flux vector does not satisfy simple laws, although convective and conductive behaviors can be identified for the parallel and perpendicular components, respectively. And fourth, the electron wall interaction parameters can differ largely from the classical sheath theory, based on near Maxwellian VDF. Furthermore, these effects behave differently in the near-anode and near-exit regions of the channel. Still, the profiles of basic plasma magnitudes agree well with those of 1D axial fluid models. To facilitate the interpretation of the plasma response, a quasiplanar geometry, a purely-radial magnetic field, and a simple empirical model of cross-field transport were used; but realistic configurations and a more elaborate anomalous diffusion formulation can be incorporated. Computational time was controlled by using an augmented vacuum permittivity and a stationary depletion law for neutrals.

Analysis of satellite-to-ground quantum key distribution with adaptive optics

Future quantum communication infrastructures will rely on both terrestrial and space-based links integrating high-performance optical systems engineered for this purpose. In space-based downlinks in particular, the loss budget and the variations in the signal propagation due to atmospheric turbulence effects impose a careful optimization of the coupling of light in single-mode fibers required for interfacing with the receiving stations and the ground networks. In this work, we perform a comprehensive study of the role of adaptive optics (AO) in this optimization, focusing on realistic baseline configurations of prepare-and-measure quantum key distribution, with both discrete and continuous-variable encoding, and including finite-size effects. Our analysis uses existing experimental turbulence datasets at both day and night time to model the coupled signal statistics following a wavefront distortion correction with AO, and allows us to estimate the secret key rate for a range of critical parameters, such as turbulence strength, satellite altitude and ground telescope diameter. The results we derive illustrate the interest of adopting advanced AO techniques in several practical configurations.

Solar Eruptions Triggered by Flux Emergence below or near a Coronal Flux Rope

Observations have shown a clear association of filament/prominence eruptions with the emergence of magnetic flux in or near filament channels. Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations have been employed to systematically study the conditions under which such eruptions occur. These simulations to date have modeled filament channels as 2D flux ropes or 3D uniformly sheared arcades. Here we present MHD simulations of flux emergence into a more realistic configuration consisting of a bipolar active region containing a line-tied 3D flux rope. We use the coronal flux-rope model of Titov et al. as the initial condition and drive our simulations by imposing boundary conditions extracted from a flux emergence simulation by Leake et al. We identify three mechanisms that determine the evolution of the system: (i) reconnection displacing footpoints of field lines overlying the coronal flux rope, (ii) changes of the ambient field due to the intrusion of new flux at the boundary, and (iii) interaction of the (axial) electric currents in the preexisting and newly emerging flux systems. The relative contributions and effects of these mechanisms depend on the properties of the preexisting and emerging flux systems. Here we focus on the location and orientation of the emerging flux relative to the coronal flux rope. Varying these parameters, we investigate under which conditions an eruption of the latter is triggered.

Quantum and quantum-inspired optimization for an in-core fuel management problem

Operation management of nuclear power plants consists of several computationally hard problems. Searching for an in-core fuel loading pattern is among them. The main challenge of this combinatorial optimization problem is the exponential growth of the search space with a number of loading elements. Here we study a reloading problem in a Quadratic Unconstrained Binary Optimization (QUBO) form. Such a form allows us to apply various techniques, including quantum annealing, classical simulated annealing, and quantum-inspired algorithm in order to find fuel reloading patterns for several realistic configurations of nuclear reactors. We present the results of benchmarking the in-core fuel management problem in the QUBO form using the aforementioned computational techniques. This work demonstrates potential applications of quantum computers and quantum-inspired algorithms in the energy industry.

Modeling rainfall-induced landslide using the concept of local factor of safety: Uncertainty propagation and sensitivity analysis

Rainfall-induced landslides (RILS) are commonly investigated using hydro-mechanical models with the concept of local factor of safety. The inputs of these models are usually prone to uncertainties. An uncertainty analysis is required to investigate how uncertainties propagate through the model and impact the predictions. An appropriate strategy for uncertainty propagation analysis is suggested in this work to deal with nonlinearity and high dimensionality of RILS problems. It proceeds by performing a sensitivity analysis in two steps. A screening technique is first applied to eliminate insignificant parameters. Then, a global sensitivity analysis is performed to rank the parameters by order of importance. The Sobol indices are used as sensitivity metrics. The polynomial chaos expansion is used to compute the Sobol indices. The proposed strategy is first applied to a hypothetical benchmark and then to a more realistic configuration where prior knowledge of parameters and type of soil are considered. The results show that, when prior knowledge of soil is available, the most important parameters are the coefficient of cohesion, friction angle and air entry pressure head, respectively. The results also show that 10% uncertainty on these parameters leads to about 20% uncertainty on the prediction of slope stability.