Network unfairness in dragonfly topologies

Dragonfly networks arrange network routers in a two-level hierarchy, providing a competitive cost-performance solution for large systems. Non-minimal adaptive routing (adaptive misrouting) is employed to fully exploit the path diversity and increase the performance under adversarial traffic patterns. Network fairness issues arise in the dragonfly for several combinations of traffic pattern, global misrouting and traffic prioritization policy. Such unfairness prevents a balanced use of the resources across the network nodes and degrades severely the performance of any application running on an affected node. This paper reviews the main causes behind network unfairness in dragonflies, including a new adversarial traffic pattern which can easily occur in actual systems and congests all the global output links of a single router. A solution for the observed unfairness is evaluated using age-based arbitration. Results show that age-based arbitration mitigates fairness issues, especially when using in-transit adaptive routing. However, when using source adaptive routing, the saturation of the new traffic pattern interferes with the mechanisms employed to detect remote congestion, and the problem grows with the network size. This makes source adaptive routing in dragonflies based on remote notifications prone to reduced performance, even when using age-based arbitration.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

A computational fluid dynamics investigation of turbulent swirling burners

This thesis presents detailed numerical calculations of the Unsteady, Reynolds- Averaged Navier-Stokes (URANS) equations to simulate isothermal, single-phase flow in the geometries of realistic swirl burners at large Reynolds numbers. Simulations are run with two different turbulence closures, viz., the standard k-epsilon and Reynolds stresses (RSM) models. The numerical method is validated concerning convergence, grid density and far-field influence. Results describe a flow that is in any case periodic or pseudo-periodic, and exhibits quite convincing time-dependent features: bubble- and spiral-type vortex breakdowns and vortex core precession. Some simulations are validated by comparison with corresponding experiments. Good agreement with the experiments has been obtained for mean flow, and frequency peaks of the power spectral density of pressure fluctuations. In order to asses the reliability of URANS methods within this context, calculated time-averaged flow and coherent structures are documented via 2D graphs, spectral analysis, 3D isosurfaces and advanced, vortex-related visualization methods and 2D snapshot proper orthogonal decomposition (S-POD). Differences arising from the nature of the turbulence model (k-epsilon vs. RSM) are very relevant indeed, given the cost factor involved and the apparent verisimilitude of the predicted flow; they are thoroughly analyzed

Numerical Analysis of Melting and Holding Furnaces in Secondary Aluminum Production

En esta tesis, dos hornos de aluminio diferentes se analizan numéricamente: 1) un nuevo prototipo de horno de fundición; 2) un nuevo prototipo de horno de mantenimiento. Estos dispositivos son claves en la producción de aluminio secundario. Los modelos utilizados tienen en cuenta la conducción de calor en las partes sólidas, la convección en el aire y de aluminio fundido, las interacciones entre las zonas de gas-líquido-sólido, cambio de fase de la carga y la transferencia de calor por radiación. Con el objetivo de desarrollar una herramienta de cálculo para asistir en el diseño y escalado de hornos industriales, se evalúan diferentes estrategias de cálculo concernientes a la economía computacional y su precisión de cálculo de diferentes parámetros importantes. Las estimaciones de las temperaturas en los hornos se comparan con las mediciones experimentales realizadas en prototipos reales en ciclos de operación típicos

Experimentally based testing of the enthalpy-porosity method for the numerical simulation of phase change of paraffin-type PCMs

The enthalpy-porosity method is generally applied as an economical resort for the numerical simulation of phase change materials (PCMs). However, having been developed strictly for metals, its suitability for the task is unclear, nor is the rationale for assigning its internal parameters, e.g., latent enthalpy and the constant of the momentum source term representing the “mushy” region. We first experimentally and exhaustively characterize a paraffin-type PCM, including differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) at several heating rates, T-history, and fusion visualization. Then, we develop a numerical model and systematically run simulations under different internal parameters and thermophysical properties of the PCM. Simulation results exhibit significant disagreement with experiments that cannot be reduced by any strategy for combining different material properties and model parameters. Among other effects, the constant of the momentum source term, which has to be assigned somewhat arbitrarily, has more relevance in the accuracy than any set of properties obtained by DSC and other experimental techniques. Thus, a rather negative, although interesting, conclusion is suggested: the enthalpy-porosity method may fail to model the phase change of paraffin-type PCMs. This is, of course, of paramount importance for the studies of their utilization in practical systems since it puts a fundamental point of uncertainty in any numerical study or lumped-type model derived thereof. The paper concludes with a tentative discussion of the possible causes of this failure and perspectives for developing more proper models

Pyrolysis and CO2 gasification of barley straw: Effect of particle size distribution and chemical composition

We evaluate how the heterogeneity of the precursor may affect pyrolysis and CO2 gasification behavior aimed at activated carbon applications. Barley straw, ground and classified into five size ranges, is characterized by non-isothermal thermogravimetry tests at various heating rates. Fixed carbon and volatile matter contents decrease with particle size. Also, the finest fraction is enriched in minerals by exogenous contamination and accumulation of silicon-rich leaves. Faster pyrolysis kinetics are found for small sizes, caused by their higher alkali contents and heat-mass transfer rates. Char-CO gasification conversion rates show an unexpected behavior, not previously reported. Higher reactivity is found for the finest fraction, decreasing significantly at temperatures beyond 750 °C. The high alkali content of the finest fraction promotes the catalytic effect of minerals on gasification reactivity at lower temperatures, hindering the reaction at higher temperatures by forming low-melting-point potassium silicates. Results help improve pretreatment strategies to enhance activated carbon quality

A Novel Method for Pre-combustion CO2 Capture in Fluidized Bed

La comunidad internacional está realizando enormes esfuerzos para mitigar los efectos de las emisiones de gases de efecto invernadero (GEI) en el cambio climático. Aproximadamente le 25% de las emisiones globales de GEI (fundamentalmente CO2) son generados por la combustión de combustibles fósiles en el sector eléctrico. La captura y almacenamiento de CO2 se ha propuesto como una alternativa para reducir las emisiones de GEI en centrales térmicas. Numerosas tecnologías para la captura de CO2 se han desarrollado en los últimos años, fundamentalmente en tres líneas tecnológicas: postcombustión, oxicombustión y precombustión. Esta tesis presenta un nuevo método para la captura de CO2 en precombustión, produciendo hidrógeno a partir de carbón, sin emisiones de GEI. El objetivo principal de este trabajo ha sido desarrollar un modelo completo, mediante herramientas de fluido dinámica computacional (CFD), del proceso de reformado de un gas de síntesis con alto contenido en metano combinado con la captura de CO2 mediante adsorción con sorbentes sólidos regenerables. Este proceso es conocido como reformado de metano mejorado por adsorción (o SE-SMR, su acrónimo en inglés). SE-SMR representa una novedosa y eficiente energéticamente ruta para la producción de hidrógeno con captura in situ de CO2. Este proceso ha sido estudiado en un lecho fluido burbujeante, usando sorbentes sólidos de óxido de calcio como captores de CO2. Dos sorbentes sólidos han sido estudiados en laboratorio: uno natural (Dolomita) y uno sintético (CaO- Ca12Al14O33). Además, varios tratamientos han sido desarrollados para mejorar la capacidad de captura de estos sorbentes. Un completo modelo CFD del proceso de SE-SMR ha sido desarrollado. Una aproximación Euleriana-Euleriana ha sido combinada con la Teoría Cinética de Flujos Granulares para simular la fluidodinámica del lecho fluido burbujeante. Los reacciones químicas de reformado y carbonatación han sido implementadas en el modelo CFD. Se ha incluido un modelo detallado de captura de CO2 para simular el comportamiento de los diferentes sorbentes sometidos a diferentes pretratamientos para mejorar su rendimiento. Asimismo, un modelo de arrastre de partículas ha sido desarrollado para reducir el coste computacional de las simulaciones a escala semi-industrial. Se ha llevado a cabo una extensa campaña de simulaciones para validar el modelo a escala de laboratorio y semi-industrial. Las simulaciones CFD han sido combinadas con un Diseño de Experimentos Robusto, con el objetivo predecir y evaluar la sensibilidad del proceso SE-SMR a diversos factores operativos

Pore formation and porous structure evolution on CO2 activation processes

Please click Additional Files below to see the full abstrac

Modeling of the evolution of the porous structure during a physical activation process for the production of activated biocarbon: A novel low conversion approach

Many experimental studies have shown the feasibility of using biomass precursors to produce activated carbon, often improving the properties obtained from traditional materials. However, hardly any models focus on the development of porosity during the process. Among the so-called pore models, the random pore model (RPM) is the most popular and accurately predicts the evolution of the porous structure due to pore growth and coalescence. However, in activation processes with a low degree of conversion, in which pore formation is the dominant mechanism, the RPM does not correctly predict the evolution of the specific surface area since it does not consider the appearance and creation of new porosity. In this work, a new model is proposed that predicts the specific surface area created due to the formation of new pores. Subsequently, it is combined with the determination of the variation of the specific surface area predicted by the RPM due to the growth and coalescence of existing pores. The validation of the new pore evolution model with activated carbon samples obtained at different conversions shows that the model proposed adequately predicts the specific surface area and pore distribution evolution throughout the activation process

Artificial neural networks to forecast failures in water supply pipes

Article number 8226The water supply networks of many countries are experiencing a drastic increase in the number of pipe failures. To reverse this tendency, it is essential to optimise the replacement plans of pipes. For this reason, companies demand pioneering techniques to predict which pipes are more prone to fail. In this study, an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) is designed to classify pipes according to their predisposition to fail based on physical and operational input variables. In addition, the usefulness and effectiveness of two sampling methods, under-sampling and over-sampling, are analysed. The implementation of the model is done using the open-source software Weka, which is specialised in machine-learning algorithms. The system is tested with a database from a real water network in Spain, obtaining high-accurate results. It is verified that the balance of the training set is imperative to increase the predictions’ accurateness. Furthermore, under-sampling prioritises true positive rates, whereas over-sampling makes the system learn to predict failures and non-failures with the same precision.Universidad de Sevilla VI-PPIT-U

Alternativas para el calentamiento de moldes en procesos de fundición por gravedad en aleaciones de aluminio-silicio

Tras una breve introducción en el capítulo 1 sobre el contexto, objetivos y alcance de este proyecto el lector podrá encontrar el contenido de este proyecto dividido en cuatro partes:A lo largo del capítulo 2 se describe cualitativamente y se comenta fundamentos básicos sobre los procesos de fundición junto con todos los componentes y utillajes más importantes y básicos en fundiciones de aluminio. Asimismo, se profundizará levemente en el proceso de calentamiento del molde (tema esencial para el desarrollo de este proyecto), los parámetros más importantes durante el calentamiento y la metodología a seguir para poder analizar cuantitativamente los parámetros comentados previamente. Una vez desarrollada la metodología de análisis, en el capítulo 3 se aplica el planteamiento propuesto en el capítulo anterior y se desarrolla más ampliamente todos los cálculos y resultados, a fin de conocer valores de eficiencia y calor transmitido entre otros. Finalmente, tras tener una estimación de los valores más representativos del proceso de calentamiento, se propondrán 3 alternativas distintas con respecto a la actual.Finalmente, a lo largo del capítulo 4 se concluye desarrollando dos partes: por un lado, las conclusiones obtenidas del análisis realizado en el capítulo anterior y posibles mejoras que se pueden realizar a la hora de implementar un cálculo más preciso con respecto del realizado. Por otro lado, se realiza un pequeña discusión comparativa entre los 3 métodos y el actual, concluyendo al final con el método alternativo más adecuado.<br /