Ripple Profile Research Articles

Analyzing the Profile Effects of the Various Magnet Shapes in Axial Flux PM Motors by Means of 3D-FEA

Axial flux machines have positive sides on the power and torque density profile. However, the price of this profile is paid by the torque ripples and irregular magnetic flux density production. To gather higher efficiency, torque ripples should close to the zero and the stator side iron should be unsaturated. Torque ripples mainly occur due to the interaction between the rotor poles and the stator teeth. In this study, different rotor poles are investigated in contrast to stator magnetic flux density and the torque ripple effects. Since the components of the axial flux machines vary by the radius, analysis of the magnetic resources is more complicated. Thus, 3D-FEA (finite element analysis) is used to simulate the effects. The infrastructure of the characteristics which are obtained from the 3D-FEA analysis is built by the magnetic equivalent circuit (MAGEC) analysis to understand the relationships of the parameters. The principal goal of this research is a smoother distribution of the magnetic flux density and lower torque ripples. As the result, the implementations on the rotor poles have interesting influences on the torque ripple and flux density profiles. The MAGEC and 3D-FEA results validate each other. The torque ripple is reduced and the magnetic flux density is softened on AFPM irons. In conclusion, the proposed rotors have good impacts on the motor performance.

Suppressing double-metal-surface resonant multipactor by three dimensional wavy surface

Here, a method to suppress resonant multipaction in microwave systems is proposed in which the radio frequency system's metal plates are patterned with a three-dimensional periodic ripple profile in which each unit is two orders smaller than the radio frequency wavelength. The multipaction-inhibiting mechanism was studied analytically and with a particle-in-cell simulation. The analytical and three-dimensional electromagnetic simulated field distribution of the rotationally symmetric surface structures shows the evanescent E-field characteristics in the ripple valleys, which increase the electron staid time and the temporal dispersion of the secondary electron generation, as well as causing the electrons to deviate from the resonant phase that causes multipaction.

Formation of nanoripples on amorphous alumina thin films during low-energy ion-beam sputtering: Experiments and simulations

The formation of nanopatterns induced by low-energy (0.5--1.5 keV) ${\mathrm{Xe}}^{+}$ ion-beam sputtering of amorphous alumina thin films is investigated by atomic force microscopy and grazing incidence small-angle x-ray scattering. The observed dependence of the surface morphology on ion incidence angle, temperature, ion energy, and fluence is compared with the predictions of linear and nonlinear continuum theoretical models. The results show that ion-induced mass redistribution stabilizes the surface at near-normal and very grazing incidence angles, while curvature-dependent erosion governs the formation of periodic nanoripples in the range of incidence angles between ${50}^{\ensuremath{\circ}}$ and ${65}^{\ensuremath{\circ}}$. Surface-confined ion-induced viscous flow is shown to be the dominant relaxation mechanism during erosion. Moreover, pattern evolution with ion fluence (pattern ordering and asymmetry of the ripple profile, in particular) suggests that nonlinear effects that are ignored by the Sigmund's collision cascade theory of sputtering contribute strongly to the observed dynamics of ripple formation.

A New Model for Sand-Ripple Scattering Based on SSA Method and Practical Ripple Profiles

In the former model for sand surface electromagnetic (EM) scattering, the sand ripples are generally viewed as a standard sine-shaped wave surface, which artificially deprives many inherent properties of natural sand ripples. For example, the ripples have two pretty distinct sides: Y-junctions and variable texture directions. For these reasons, these corresponding scattering models deserve doubts to final calculated results. On the other hand, the former models usually are statistical models, which are not favorable in target coupling scattering problems and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imaging simulations. In this paper, based on the physical mechanism governing the formation of aeolian landforms, sand ripples of actual shape are generated under the discrete models. Furthermore, as the slope of the ripple surface is fully small, facet-based small-slope approximation (SSA) method is unquestionably utilized in the EM scattering studies of sand ripples. Finally, significant differences are shown between the results based on sine-shaped wave surface and practical ripple surface, which proves the necessity of the new model for EM scattering of sand ripples.

A theoretical model of asymmetric wave ripples.

The time development of ripples under sea waves is investigated by means of the weakly nonlinear stability analysis of a flat sandy bottom subjected to the viscous oscillatory flow that is present in the boundary layer at the bottom of propagating sea waves. Second-order effects in the wave steepness are considered, to take into account the presence of the steady drift generated by the surface waves. Hence, the work of Vittori & Blondeaux (1990 J. Fluid Mech. 218, 19-39 (doi:10.1017/S002211209000091X)) is extended by considering steeper waves and/or less deep waters. As shown by the linear analysis of Blondeaux et al. (2000 Eur. J. Mech. B 19, 285-301 (doi:10.1016/S0997-7546(90)00106-I)), because of the presence of a steady velocity component in the direction of wave propagation, ripples migrate at a constant rate that depends on sediment and wave characteristics. The weakly nonlinear analysis shows that the ripple profile is no longer symmetric with respect to ripple crests and troughs and the symmetry index is computed as a function of the parameters of the problem. In particular, a relationship is determined between the symmetry index and the strength of the steady drift. A fair agreement between model results and laboratory data is obtained, albeit further data and analyses are necessary to determine the behaviour of vortex ripples and to be conclusive.

The effect of periodic wavy profile on suppressing window multipactor under arbitrary electromagnetic mode

The three-dimensional periodic ripple profile with each unit of rotational symmetric surface is proposed to suppress multipactor for arbitrary electromagnetic mode with any polarization. The field distribution and multipactor electron dynamics on the wavy surface are studied to illustrate the multipactor inhibition mechanism. High power microwave experiment was conducted to demonstrate the effect of wavy surface on significantly improving the window power capacity.

Channeling motion of gold nanospheres on a rippled glassed surface

Gold nanospheres have been manipulated by atomic force microscopy on a rippled glass surface produced by ion beam sputtering and coated with an ultrathin (10 nm thick) graphitic layer. This substrate is characterized by irregular wavy grooves running parallel to a preferential direction. Measurements in ambient conditions show that the motion of the nanoparticles is confined to single grooves (‘channels’), along which the particles move till they are trapped by local bottlenecks. At this point, the particles cross the ripple pattern in a series of consecutive jumps and continue their longitudinal motion along a different channel. Moreover, due to the asymmetric shape of the ripple profiles, the jumps occur in the direction of minimum slope, resembling a ratchet mechanism. Our results are discussed, extending a collisional model, which was recently developed for the manipulation of nanospheres on flat surfaces, to the specific geometry of this problem.

Gain smoothening filter in two-segment fiber-optical parametric amplifier

This paper demonstrates a method to remove the gain ripple profile specifically for a two-segment fiber optical parametric amplifier arising from the dispersion differences between the fiber gain medium and the standard single mode fiber attached to the optical components. This is achieved by using a simple design that incorporates a gain smoothening filter at the mid-stage of the amplifier. This simple yet practical method is useful when isolators are adopted for stimulated Brillouin scattering suppression but it comes with the expense of parametric gain.

A new switching scheme for Z-source inverter to minimize ripples in the Z-source elements

This paper presents a modification in pulse width modulation (PWM) scheme with unequal shoot-through distribution for the Z-source inverter (ZSI) which can minimize ripples in the current through the Z-source inductors as well as the voltage across the Z-source capacitors. For the same system parameters, the proposed control technique provides better voltage boost across the Z-source capacitor, DC-link, and also the AC output voltage than the traditional PWM. The ripples in the Z-network elements are found to be reduced by 75% in the proposed modulation scheme with optimum harmonic profile in the AC output. Since the Z-network requirement will be based on the ripple profile of the elements, the Z-network requirements can be greatly reduced. The effectiveness of the proposed modulation scheme has been simulated in Matlab/Simulink software and the results are validated by the experiment in the laboratory.

The significance of redeposition and backscattering in nanostructure formation by focused ion beams

Focused ion beam (FIB) milling allows for the direct patterning of three-dimensional shapes at very fine length scales. In this work the roles of redeposition and second-order sputtering are investigated using a segment-based model in two dimensions. Angular distributions and yields for sputtering and backscattering are extracted from Monte–Carlo simulations. Deep trenches exhibiting microtrenching are simulated. It is found that redeposition leads to inclined sidewalls and a bending up of the bottom towards the sidewalls, while secondary sputtering causes the formation of a pair of microtrenches that increase in size until they meet in the center of the trench. Redeposition leads to a reduction of the effective milling rate, while secondary sputtering may increase it, particularly once the two microtrenches have met. A scaling rule is shown to apply to our simulations, which reduces the number of parameters the observed profile shape depends on. In addition, results are presented of flux calculations on experimentally obtained ripple profiles, suggesting that redeposition and backscattering may play a role in late stage ripple development.

Brittle-plastic relaxation of misfit stresses in the Si(001)/Si1 − x Ge x system

It is found that stressed luminescent samples of Si(001)/Si1 − xGex/Si with a germanium concentration of up to 16% contain microcracks. In contrast to ordinary cracks, microcracks are characterized by partial cracks of the substrate that are not perpendicular to the plane of the plate and are detected by specially designed X-ray analysis techniques. In a 60-nm-thick layer of SiGe with a germanium concentration of 5%, individual microcracks arise in samples near the edges of the same type, and the traces of these microcracks coincide with the ripple profiles of the corrugated growth surface. As the germanium concentration increases, first, the number of microcracks near the edges of a sample increases, while the corrugated growth relief nearly completely disappears, and then microcracks appear even in the central region of the sample, thus leading to the vanishing of the curvature of the structure in this region without visible signs of plastic relaxation. At the same time, even a thin (20 nm) layer of SiGe exhibits a layered structure, and diffuse scattering near the peak of the SiGe layer increases, which points to the presence of fragments of the layer that are misoriented by ±0.015°; the intensity of the diffuse scattering may amount to 0.5% of the layer intensity. A spatial analysis of the luminescence of samples with microcracks shows that the emergence of microcracks hardly affects the peak position and the half-width of the emission line of the SiGe layer. At the same time, the intensity of exciton emission from both the SiGe layer and the bulk of silicon is significantly (several times) changed when passing to the regions with microcracks. All the phenomena observed can be accounted for under the assumption that, between the stages of the loss of the plane crystallization front and the development of plastic relaxation of misfit stresses, there exists an earlier unknown stage of growth in which the concentration of nonequilibrium vacancies increases by four to five orders of magnitude and then the vacancies condensate into micropores.

Suspension and near‐bed load sediment transport processes above a migrating, sand‐rippled bed under shoaling waves

The present study focuses on the fine‐scale flow and sand transport processes above onshore migrating ripples below skewed surface gravity waves in the shoaling zone. A set of acoustic instruments was deployed in the shoaling region of the large‐scale wave channel at Canal d'Investigacío i Experimatacío Marítima, Universitat Poltiècnica de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain, in order to provide high‐resolution velocity and sediment concentration profiles with an acoustic concentration and velocity profiler (ACVP). Measurements are analyzed relative to the positions of the measured nonmoving sand bed and the interface separating the suspension from the near‐bed load layer. This interface is detected here by the application of a novel acoustic bed echo detection method. Furthermore, the use of the dual‐frequency inversion proposed in the work of Hurther et al. (2011) allows for the calculation of the sediment concentration profile across both the suspension and near‐bed load layers. The sand bed was covered by quasi‐two‐dimensional suborbital ripples migrating onshore. As proposed by O'Donoghue et al. (2006), the occurrence of quasi‐two‐dimensional ripples is attributed to the fine‐size sand ofD50= 250μm used in the present study under full‐scale forcing conditions. In order to determine the effect of shoaled wave skewness on the ripple vortex entrainment and sediment transport, the instantaneous and mean measurements of the flow, sediment concentration, and sediment flux along the ripple profile are discussed in terms of (1) the occurrence of ripple vortex entrainment on either side of the ripple crest; (2) the wave velocity phase lagging driven by the ripple vortex entrainment process and the turbulent bed friction effects in the wave boundary layer; (3) phase lagging between velocity and maximum concentration and sediment flux events; (4) the structure of bed friction and ripple‐driven turbulence across the suspension and the near‐bed load layers; and (5) the streaming components. The results on these aspects strongly support that the wave velocity skewness effect under shoaling waves is fairly similar to the one obtained in skewed oscillatory water tunnel flows. Furthermore, it is found that the onshore‐oriented net bed load sediment transport is at the origin of the onshore ripple migration. This flux is roughly twice as much as the opposite offshore‐oriented net suspension flux dominated by the ripple vortex entrainment processes.

Core transport properties in JT-60U and JET identity plasmas

The paper compares the transport properties of a set of dimensionless identity experiments performed between JET and JT-60U in the advanced tokamak regime with internal transport barrier, ITB. These International Tokamak Physics Activity, ITPA, joint experiments were carried out with the same plasma shape, toroidal magnetic field ripple and dimensionless profiles as close as possible during the ITB triggering phase in terms of safety factor, normalized Larmor radius, normalized collision frequency, thermal beta, ratio of ion to electron temperatures. Similarities in the ITB triggering mechanisms and sustainment were observed when a good match was achieved of the most relevant normalized profiles except the toroidal Mach number. Similar thermal ion transport levels in the two devices have been measured in either monotonic or non-monotonic q-profiles. In contrast, differences between JET and JT-60U were observed on the electron thermal and particle confinement in reversed magnetic shear configurations. It was found that the larger shear reversal in the very centre (inside normalized radius of 0.2) of JT-60U plasmas allowed the sustainment of stronger electron density ITBs compared with JET. As a consequence of peaked density profile, the core bootstrap current density is more than five times higher in JT-60U compared with JET. Thanks to the bootstrap effect and the slightly broader neutral beam deposition, reversed magnetic shear configurations are self-sustained in JT-60U scenarios. Analyses of similarities and differences between the two devices address key questions on the validity of the usual assumptions made in ITER steady scenario modelling, e.g. a flat density profile in the core with thermal transport barrier? Such assumptions have consequences on the prediction of fusion performance, bootstrap current and on the sustainment of the scenario.

Real-time ultrawide-band group delay profile monitoring through low-noise incoherent temporal interferometry

A simple, highly accurate measurement technique for real-time monitoring of the group delay (GD) profiles of photonic dispersive devices over ultra-broad spectral bandwidths (e.g. an entire communication wavelength band) is demonstrated. The technique is based on time-domain self-interference of an incoherent light pulse after linear propagation through the device under test, providing a measurement wavelength range as wide as the source spectral bandwidth. Significant enhancement in the signal-to-noise ratio of the self-interference signal has been observed by use of a relatively low-noise incoherent light source as compared with the theoretical estimate for a white-noise light source. This fact combined with the use of balanced photo-detection has allowed us to significantly reduce the number of profiles that need to be averaged to reach a targeted GD measurement accuracy, thus achieving reconstruction of the device GD profile in real time. We report highly-accurate monitoring of (i) the group-delay ripple (GDR) profile of a 10-m long chirped fiber Bragg grating over the full C band (~42 nm), and (ii) the group velocity dispersion (GVD) and dispersion slope (DS) profiles of a ~2-km long dispersion compensating fiber module over an ~72-nm wavelength range, both captured at a 15 frames/s video rate update, with demonstrated standard deviations in the captured GD profiles as low as ~1.6 ps.

Torque Ripple Minimization in Hybrid Stepper Motors Using Acceleration Measurements

AbstractHybrid stepper motors (HSMs) are commonly used in many cost-sensitive industrial and consumer applications. With the use of micro-stepping techniques, they could theoretically achieve a very high resolution in positioning of mechanical loads, even without position sensors. However, it is well known that HSMs are affected by a large torque ripple, due to cogging and phase unbalancing. This, in turn, may cause large vibrations on the load, especially in those systems with flexible elements (e.g. transmission belts). Several solutions have been proposed to alleviate this problem, but most of them make use of a load-side position sensor, by means of which it is possible to determine a position-dependent torque ripple profile, to be compensated during operations. Introducing a high resolution sensor on the load side, however, makes the cost of the system higher, thus vanishing the advantage of having a low cost open-loop actuator. Additionally, it is not always possible to accommodate a new position sensor on an existing mechanical system. In this paper, we propose a new system to compensate for the first two harmonics of the torque ripple in HSMs, based on the use of a load-side MEMS accelerometer, which can be easily fitted into existing systems, without any major modifications. The automated procedure developed minimizes the torque ripple by acting on the offset and amplitude of the phase currents. Experimental results on systems with and without load elasticity are reported, proving the effectiveness of the proposed approach.

Effects of Settling and Preferential Deposition of Sediment on Ripple Roundness Under Shoaling Waves

Abstract A comprehensive series of wave-flume experiments were performed to examine the effects of settling of entrained sediment on ripple roundness, using three sizes of well-sorted quartz sand (D50 = 0.32, 0.49, 0.73 mm). The observed ripple profiles were closely examined with reference to ripple roundness and ripple asymmetry. In order to quantify the effect of sediment settling, settling time factor Ωs ((= η/(w0T); η is ripple height, w0 is settling velocity, and T is wave period) is newly introduced. It is shown that ripples developed under shoaling waves manifest the following geometrical features pertaining to ripples. (1) The measured performance of ripple roundness correlates systematically with Ωs, irrespective of grain size. (2) The preferential deposition of entrained sediment on the ripple crest and the onshore-side slope of each ripple is accentuated under conditions of smaller Ωs. Such deposition takes place under shoaling waves when the oscillatory flow direction is reversed from onshore to offshore, thereby allowing the entrained sediment to stall, to some extent, prior to being subjected to the subsequent peak offshore-going flow. Thus round-crested ripples ensue. (3) The way in which preferential deposition occurs under shoaling waves, is similar to the deposition process that occurs under combined flows on rippled beds (Yokokawa et al. 1995). (4) This reasoning led to a comparison of the ripple roundness and ripple symmetry in both flow regimes. Ripples formed under shoaling waves are in cases significantly round-crested with marked asymmetry. In contrast, equally round-crested ripples under combined flows (Yokokawa 1995) are commonly more symmetrical in profile. Thus, combined-flow ripples can be identified from the geological record using their degree of roundness and symmetry of their profile.

Combined-flow ripple profiles A preliminary note

Combined-flow ripple profiles A preliminary note

Kinematic Analysis of a Swash-Plate Controlled Variable Displacement Axial-Piston Pump With a Conical Barrel Assembly

Variable displacement, swash-plate controlled, axial-piston pumps are widely used in applications that require high pressure and variable flow rates. The pump consists of a rotating barrel assembly that houses several pistons in a circular array. A swash-plate is used to control the displacement of the pistons to adjust the output flow of hydraulic fluid. As the barrel rotates, the pistons slide along the angled swash-plate and draw oil from the supply and then discharge oil into the high pressure circuit. This results in an almost constant output flow rate. This paper analyzes the kinematics of a pump based on its geometry dependent characteristics. The analysis assumes an idealized case in which there is no oil leakage and the fluid is considered to be incompressible. It is revealed through the analysis that the piston displacement and the pump output flow are slightly increased by using a conical barrel. Instantaneous and mean flow rate equations are used to describe the output flow characteristics and flow ripple effect. The output flow rate ripple profile is found to be a function of both swash-plate angle and the conical barrel angle. A term defined as the flow rate uniformity coefficient is used to better quantify the flow ripple phenomenon. A frequency analysis is performed on the output flow rate and an additional order is found to be present when using a conical barrel pump versus one with a cylindrical barrel when the pumps have an odd number of pistons. Conical barrel piston pumps are found to have a slight increase in piston displacement, velocity, and acceleration relative to the rotating barrel frame of reference over a pump with a cylindrical barrel. This translates into an increase in the output flow rate for a conical piston pump under the same operating conditions. The conical barrel is also found to have a reduction in the rotational inertia allowing for faster angular acceleration. The presence of an extra order from a frequency analysis for a conical pump with an odd number of pistons has the potential to cause unwanted noise or vibration to the structure or components attached to the pump.

Largest wind ripples on Earth?

Unique wind ripples attaining heights to 2.3 m, wavelengths to 43 m, and a crest maximum grain size of 19 mm occur on the Argentine Puna Plateau at ~4000 m altitude. These are the largest ripples reported on Earth, comparable only to Mars counterparts. They form in the presence of high proportions of low-density pumice clasts (0.91 g/cm 3 ), although crests are exclusively composed of varnished, normal-density clasts (2.43 g/cm 3 ). Mature ripple profiles are partly excavated on bedrock, so they form by a combination of deflation, winnowing of finer grains, minor wind drift of fine gravel, and lagging of clasts >4 cm. The large ripple size appears to be related to strong winds, dense saltation layers, and a long time for evolution. Ripple sizes are smaller on obstacles, as compared to flat terrain; there is a lack of correlation between clast size, wavelength, and the extreme ripple size (in spite of the thin atmosphere), all of which suggest that while small-scale gravel ripples may form according to a reptation model, their evolution into large-scale types may relate to aerodynamic instabilities originating at the saltation curtain–air interface.

Self-similarity of asymmetric sand-ripple profiles formed under nonlinear shoaling waves

We report the results of laboratory experiments conducted to study equilibrium profiles of asymmetric sand ripples that form under nonlinear shoaling waves. Waves were generated in a large wave tank with a sandy slope that mimics the oceanic coastal zone. The measurements revealed that, to the first approximation, the equilibrium asymmetric sand ripples profiles can be considered as self-similar. In the experimental parameter range considered (wave asymmetry A=1.3–5; mobility parameter Ψ=8–70; shoaling coefficient S=1.03–1.6), the ripple profiles can be described by a simple similarity profile of “sawtooth” shape with “universal” onshore θ1 (≈34°) and offshore θ2 (≈18°) ripple slope angles. The results may be useful in parameterization of coastal bed roughness, in underwater acoustics and sediment transport applications.