Study of the auto-ignition phenomenon of PRFs under HCCI conditions in a RCEM by means of spectroscopy

An investigation of the effects of contour conditions and fuel properties on the auto-ignition and combustion process under HCCI conditions is presented in this study. A parametric variation of initial temperature, intake pressure, compression ratio, oxygen concentration and equivalence ratio has been carried out for Primary Reference Fuels in a Rapid Compression Expansion Machine while applying spectroscopy. The results have also been contrasted with natural chemiluminescence measurements. Additionally, the experiments have been simulated in CHEMKIN and the results derived from the optical techniques have been compared with the results from the chemical kinetics of the process, validating the chemical kinetic mechanism and an additional sub-model of excited OH . Two different scenarios can be seen according to the results from the spectrograph. For very lean or very low-temperature combustions no peak of OH is seen at 310 nm of wavelength, proving that the luminosity came from the CO continuum rather than from the OH . However, for more intense combustions (richer equivalence ratios, higher temperatures or lower EGR rates) spectrography shows a clear peak of OH that has much longer time of life than the corresponding to the CO continuum. The main chemical reaction that causes this two scenarios has been identified as H þ HO2 ) 2OH. The increase of relevance of this reaction at high combustion temperatures causes a higher OH accumulation, which leads to a brighter OH emission. Finally, for low temperature combustions the CO continuum out-shines the OH radiation so the light emitted by this radical cannot be detected by means of natural chemiluminescence. 201The authors would like to thank different members of the LAV team of the ETH-Zurich for their contribution to this work. The authors are grateful to the Universitat Politecnica de Valencia for financing the Ph.D. studies of W. Vera-Tudela (FPI SP1 grant 30/05/2012) and his stay at ETH-Zurich (grant 30/12/2014). Finally, the authors would like to thank the Spanish Ministry of Education for financing the Ph.D. studies of Dario Lopez-Pintor (grant FPU13/02329) and his stay at ETH-Zurich (grant EST14/00626).Desantes Fernández, JM.; García Oliver, JM.; Vera-Tudela-Fajardo, WM.; López Pintor, D.; Schneider, B.; Boulouchos, K. (2016). Study of the auto-ignition phenomenon of PRFs under HCCI conditions in a RCEM by means of spectroscopy. Applied Energy. 179:389-400. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2016.06.134S38940017

Large Eddy Simulation of acoustic pulse propagation and turbulent flow interaction in expansion mufflers

A novel hybrid pressure-based compressible solver is developed and validated for low Mach number acoustic flow simulation. The solver is applied to the propagation of an acoustic pulse in a simple expansion muffler, a configuration frequently employed in HVAC and automotive exhaust systems. A set of benchmark results for experimental analysis of the simple expansion muffler both with and without flow are obtained to compare attenuation in forced pulsation for various mean-flow velocities. The experimental results are then used for validation of the proposed pressure-based compressible solver. Compressible, Unsteady Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes (URANS) simulation of a muffler with a mean through flow is conducted and results are presented to demonstrate inherent limitations associated with this approach. Consequently, a mixed synthetic inflow boundary condition is developed and validated for compressible Large Eddy Simulation (LES) of channel flow. The mixed synthetic boundary is then employed for LES of a simple expansion muffler to analyse the flow-acoustic and acoustic-pulse interactions inside the expansion muffler. The improvement in the prediction of vortex shedding inside the chamber is highlighted in comparison to the URANS method. Further, the effect of forced pulsation on flow-acoustic is observed in regard to the shift in Strouhal number inside the simple expansion muffler

Study of ignition delay time and generalization of auto-ignition for PRFs in a RCEM by means of natural chemiluminescence

An investigation of the effects of contour conditions and fuel properties on ignition delay time under Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition (HCCI) conditions is presented in this study. A parametric variation of initial temperature, intake pressure, compression ratio, oxygen concentration and equivalence ratio has been carried out for Primary Reference Fuels (PRFs) in a Rapid Compression Expansion Machine (RCEM) while applying the optical technique of natural chemiluminescence along with a photo-multiplier. Additionally, the ignition delay time has been calculated from the pressure rise rate and also corresponding numerical simulations with CHEMKIN have been done. The results show that the ignition delay times from the chemical kinetic mechanisms agree with the trends obtained from the experiments. Moreover, the same mechanism proved to yield consistent results for both fuels at a wide range of conditions. On the other hand, the results from natural chemiluminescence also showed agreement with the ignition delay from the pressure signals. A 310 nm interference filter was used in order to detect the chemiluminescence of the OH* radical. In fact, the maximum area and peak intensity of the chemiluminescence measured during the combustion showed that the process of auto-ignition is generalized in the whole chamber. Moreover, the correlation of peak intensity, maximum area and ignition delay time demonstrated that natural chemiluminescence can also be used to calculate ignition delay times under different operating conditions. Finally, the area of chemiluminescence was proved to be more dependant on the fuel and ignition delay time than on the operating conditions. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.The authors would like to thank different members of the LAV team of the ETH-Zurich for their contribution to this work. The authors are grateful to the Universitat Politecnica de Valencia for financing the Ph.D. studies of Vera-Tudela (FPI SP1 Grant 30/05/2012) and his stay at ETH-Zurich (grant 30/12/2014). Finally, the authors would like to thank the Spanish Ministry of Education for financing the Ph.D. studies of Lopez-Pintor (Grant FPU13/02329) and his stay at ETH-Zurich (Grant EST14/00626).Desantes Fernández, JM.; García Oliver, JM.; Vera-Tudela-Fajardo, WM.; López Pintor, D.; Schneider, B.; Boulouchos, K. (2016). Study of ignition delay time and generalization of auto-ignition for PRFs in a RCEM by means of natural chemiluminescence. Energy Conversion and Management. 111:217-228. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enconman.2015.12.052S21722811

Modelling and validation of near-field Diesel spray CFD simulations based on the Σ -Y model

[EN] Diesel spray modelling still remains a challenge, especially in the dense near-nozzle region. This region is difficult to experimentally access and also to model due to the complex and rapid liquid and gas interaction. Modelling approaches based on Lagrangian particle tracking have struggled in this area, while Eulerian modelling has proven particularly useful. An interesting approach is the single-fluid diffuse interface model known as Σ-Y, based on scale separation assumptions at high Reynolds and Weber numbers. Liquid dispersion is modelled as turbulent mixing of a variable density flow. The concept of surface area density is used for representing liquid structures, regardless of the complexity of the interface. In this work, an implementation of the Σ-Y model in the OpenFOAM CFD library is applied to simulate the ECN Spray A in the near nozzle region, using both RANS and LES turbulence modelling. Assessment is performed with measurements conducted at the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL). The ultra-smallangle x-ray scattering (USAXS) technique has been used to measure the interfacial surface area, and x-ray radiography to measure the fuel dispersion, allowing a direct evaluation of the Σ-Y model predictions.Authors acknowledge that part of this work was partially funded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness in the frame of the COMEFF (TRA2014-59483-R) project. Parts of this research were performed at the 7-BM and 9-ID beam lines of the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Laboratory. Use of the APS is supported by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) under Contract No. DEAC02-06CH11357. The research was partially funded by DOE's Vehicle Technologies Program, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. The authors would like to thank Team Leaders Gurpreet Singh and Leo Breton for their support of this workDesantes Fernández, JM.; García Oliver, JM.; Pastor, J.; Pandal, A.; Naud, B.; Matusik, K.; Duke, D.... (2017). Modelling and validation of near-field Diesel spray CFD simulations based on the Σ -Y model. En Ilass Europe. 28th european conference on Liquid Atomization and Spray Systems. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 98-105. https://doi.org/10.4995/ILASS2017.2017.4715OCS9810

Experimental correlations for transient soot measurement in diesel exhaust aerosol with light extinction, electrical mobility and diffusion charger sensor techniques

A study of soot measurement deviation using a diffusion charger sensor with three dilution ratios was conducted in order to obtain an optimum setting that can be used to obtain accurate measurements in terms of soot mass emitted by a light-duty diesel engine under transient operating conditions. The paper includes three experimental phases: an experimental validation of the measurement settings in steady-state operating conditions; evaluation of the proposed setting under the New European Driving Cycle; and a study of correlations for different measurement techniques. These correlations provide a reliable tool for estimating soot emission from light extinction measurement or from accumulation particle mode concentration. There are several methods and correlations to estimate soot concentration in the literature but most of them were assessed for steady-state operating points. In this case, the correlations are obtained by more than 4000 points measured in transient conditions. The results of the new two correlations, with less than 4% deviation from the reference measurement, are presented in this paper.Bermúdez, V.; Pastor Soriano, JV.; López, JJ.; Campos, D. (2014). Experimental correlations for transient soot measurement in diesel exhaust aerosol with light extinction, electrical mobility and diffusion charger sensor techniques. Measurement Science and Technology. 25(6):1-13. doi:10.1088/0957-0233/25/6/065204S113256Davidson, C. I., Phalen, R. F., & Solomon, P. A. (2005). Airborne Particulate Matter and Human Health: A Review. Aerosol Science and Technology, 39(8), 737-749. doi:10.1080/02786820500191348Pope, C. A., Bates, D. V., & Raizenne, M. E. (1995). Health effects of particulate air pollution: time for reassessment? Environmental Health Perspectives, 103(5), 472-480. doi:10.1289/ehp.95103472Giechaskiel, B., Dilara, P., Sandbach, E., & Andersson, J. (2008). Particle measurement programme (PMP) light-duty inter-laboratory exercise: comparison of different particle number measurement systems. Measurement Science and Technology, 19(9), 095401. doi:10.1088/0957-0233/19/9/095401Park, K., Kittelson, D. B., & McMurry, P. H. (2004). Structural Properties of Diesel Exhaust Particles Measured by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM): Relationships to Particle Mass and Mobility. Aerosol Science and Technology, 38(9), 881-889. doi:10.1080/027868290505189LUO, C.-H., LEE, W.-M., & LIAW, J.-J. (2009). Morphological and semi-quantitative characteristics of diesel soot agglomerates emitted from commercial vehicles and a dynamometer. Journal of Environmental Sciences, 21(4), 452-457. doi:10.1016/s1001-0742(08)62291-3Matti Maricq, M. (2007). Chemical characterization of particulate emissions from diesel engines: A review. Journal of Aerosol Science, 38(11), 1079-1118. doi:10.1016/j.jaerosci.2007.08.001Smith, O. I. (1981). Fundamentals of soot formation in flames with application to diesel engine particulate emissions. Progress in Energy and Combustion Science, 7(4), 275-291. doi:10.1016/0360-1285(81)90002-2Haynes, B. S., & Wagner, H. G. (1981). Soot formation. Progress in Energy and Combustion Science, 7(4), 229-273. doi:10.1016/0360-1285(81)90001-0Bockhorn, H. (Ed.). (1994). Soot Formation in Combustion. Springer Series in Chemical Physics. doi:10.1007/978-3-642-85167-4Tree, D. R., & Svensson, K. I. (2007). Soot processes in compression ignition engines. Progress in Energy and Combustion Science, 33(3), 272-309. doi:10.1016/j.pecs.2006.03.002Kennedy, I. M. (1997). Models of soot formation and oxidation. Progress in Energy and Combustion Science, 23(2), 95-132. doi:10.1016/s0360-1285(97)00007-5Buonanno, G., Dell’Isola, M., Stabile, L., & Viola, A. (2011). Critical aspects of the uncertainty budget in the gravimetric PM measurements. Measurement, 44(1), 139-147. doi:10.1016/j.measurement.2010.09.037Symonds, J. P. R., Reavell, K. S. J., Olfert, J. S., Campbell, B. W., & Swift, S. J. (2007). Diesel soot mass calculation in real-time with a differential mobility spectrometer. Journal of Aerosol Science, 38(1), 52-68. doi:10.1016/j.jaerosci.2006.10.001Luque de Castro, M. D., & Priego-Capote, F. (2010). Soxhlet extraction: Past and present panacea. Journal of Chromatography A, 1217(16), 2383-2389. doi:10.1016/j.chroma.2009.11.027Wang, S. C., & Flagan, R. C. (1990). Scanning Electrical Mobility Spectrometer. Aerosol Science and Technology, 13(2), 230-240. doi:10.1080/02786829008959441Snegirev, A. Y., Makhviladze, G. ., & Roberts, J. . (2001). The effect of particle coagulation and fractal structure on the optical properties and detection of smoke. Fire Safety Journal, 36(1), 73-95. doi:10.1016/s0379-7112(00)00037-0Zhou, Z.-Q., Ahmed, T. U., & Y. Choi, M. (1998). Measurement of dimensionless soot extinction constant using a gravimetric sampling technique. Experimental Thermal and Fluid Science, 18(1), 27-32. doi:10.1016/s0894-1777(98)10005-5Arregle, J., Bermúdez, V., Serrano, J. R., & Fuentes, E. (2006). Procedure for engine transient cycle emissions testing in real time. Experimental Thermal and Fluid Science, 30(5), 485-496. doi:10.1016/j.expthermflusci.2005.10.002Bermúdez, V., Luján, J. M., Serrano, J. R., & Pla, B. (2008). Transient particle emission measurement with optical techniques. Measurement Science and Technology, 19(6), 065404. doi:10.1088/0957-0233/19/6/065404Giechaskiel, B., Maricq, M., Ntziachristos, L., Dardiotis, C., Wang, X., Axmann, H., … Schindler, W. (2014). Review of motor vehicle particulate emissions sampling and measurement: From smoke and filter mass to particle number. Journal of Aerosol Science, 67, 48-86. doi:10.1016/j.jaerosci.2013.09.003Lapuerta, M., Armas, O., & Gómez, A. (2003). Diesel Particle Size Distribution Estimation from Digital Image Analysis. Aerosol Science and Technology, 37(4), 369-381. doi:10.1080/02786820300970Desantes, J. M., Bermúdez, V., Molina, S., & Linares, W. G. (2011). Methodology for measuring exhaust aerosol size distributions using an engine test under transient operating conditions. Measurement Science and Technology, 22(11), 115101. doi:10.1088/0957-0233/22/11/115101Roessler, D. M. (1982). Diesel particle mass concentration by optical techniques. Applied Optics, 21(22), 4077. doi:10.1364/ao.21.004077Park, D., Kim, S., An, M., & Hwang, J. (2007). Real-time measurement of submicron aerosol particles having a log-normal size distribution by simultaneously using unipolar diffusion charger and unipolar field charger. Journal of Aerosol Science, 38(12), 1240-1245. doi:10.1016/j.jaerosci.2007.09.00

Evaluation of natural and tracer fluorescent emission methods for droplet size measurements in a diesel spray

The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12239-012-0070-zSpray sizing that records fluorescent emission and scattered light has been widely applied to spray diagnostics over the last two decades. Different experimental strategies have been developed, but comparing the different solutions offered has remained of interest to experimentalists. In this work, a comparison of two fluorescence strategies for measuring droplet size in the liquid phase of a last-generation DI diesel spray is conducted. The natural fluorescent emission of a commercial diesel fuel and the fluorescence emitted by a tracer (Rhodamine B) are compared using theoretical and experimental approaches. The LIF/Mie ratio commonly called Planar Droplet Sizing (PDS) technique is applied in two different ways to elucidate the possible advantages of using a fluorescent dopant. The sprays were injected under non-evaporative conditions into a constant pressure vessel that simulates densities present at the moment of injection in currently used passenger car diesel engines. Characterization of the signal properties was performed by measuring the absorption coefficient, fluorescence emission spectrum, quantum yield and lifetime of both configurations. The scattered light and fluorescence intensities were calculated to verify the dependencies of the droplet surface and volume. When applying the two techniques to quantify droplet size in dense diesel sprays, the results show that signal weakness and lack of control over the properties of natural fluorescence produce distortion in the shape of the spray and cause measurements to be unreliable. © 2012 The Korean Society of Automotive Engineers and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.This research has been funded in the frame of the project PROFUEL reference TRA2011-26293 from Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovacion. The injectors are part of the ECN international project.Pastor Soriano, JV.; Payri, R.; Salavert Fernandez, J.; Manin, J. (2012). Evaluation of natural and tracer fluorescent emission methods for droplet size measurements in a diesel spray. International Journal of Automotive Technology. 13(5):713-724. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12239-012-0070-zS713724135Albrecht, H. E., Damaschke, N., Borys, M. and Tropea, C. (2003). Laser Doppler and Phase Doppler Measurement Techniques. Springer. Berlin.Barnes, M. D., Whitten, W. B. and Ramsey, J. M. (1994). Enhanced fluorescence yields through cavity quantumelectrodynamic effects in microdroplets. J. Optical Society of America B 11,7, 1297–1304.Benajes, J., Molina, S., Novella, R., Amorim, R., Ben Hadj Hamouda, H. and Hardy, J. (2010). Comparison of two injection systems in an HSDI diesel engine using split injection and different injector nozzles. Int. J. Automotive Technology 11,2, 139–146.Charalampous, G. and Hardalupas, Y. (2011). Method to reduce errors of droplet sizing based on the ratio of fluorescent and scattered light intensities (laser-induced fluorescence/Mie technique). Applied Optics, 50, 3622–3637.Chen, G., Mazumder, M., Chang, R. K., Swindal, J. C. and Acker, W. P. (1996). Laser diagnostics for droplet characterization: Application of morphology dependent resonances. Progress in Energy and Combustion Science 22,2, 163–188.Desantes, J. M., Payri, R., Garcia, J. M. and Salvador, F. J. (2007). A contribution to the understanding of isothermal diesel spray dynamics. Fuel 86,7–8, 1093–1101.Domann, R. and Hardalupas, Y. A. (2000). Study of parameters that influence the accuracy of the planar droplet sizing (PDS) technique. Part. Part. Syst. Charact. 3–11.Domann, R. and Hardalupas, Y. A. (2001). Spatial distribution of fluorescence within large doplets and its dependence on dye concentration. Applied Optics 40,21, 3586–3597.Domann, R. and Hardalupas, Y. A. (2002). Quantitative measurement of planar droplet sauter mean diameter in sprays using planar droplet sizing. 11th Int. Symp. Application of Laser Techniques to Fluid Mechanics, Lisbon, Portugal.Eckbreth, A. C. (1988). Laser Diagnostics for Combustion Species and Temperature. Abacus. Cambridge. Mass.Greenhalgh, D. A. (1999). Planar measurements of fuel vapour, liquid fuel, liquid droplet size and soot. Planar Optical Measurement Methods for Gas Turbine Components, 1–7.Im, K., Lin, K., Lai, M. and Chon, M. (2011). Breakup modeling of a liquid jet in cross flow. Int. J. Automotive Technology 12,4, 489–496.Jermy, M. C. and Greenhalgh, D. A. (2000). Planar dropsizing by elastic and fluorescence scattering in sprays too dense for phase doppler measurement. Appl. Phys. B, 71, 703–710.Kim, Y., Kim, K. and Lee, K. (2011). Effect of a 2-stage injection strategy on the combustion and flame characteristics in a PCCI engine. Int. J. Automotive Technology 12,5, 639–644.Ko, F. H., Weng, L. Y., Ko, C. J. and Chu, T. C. (2006). Characterization of imprinting polymeric temperature variation with fluorescent Rhodamine B molecule. Microelectronic Engineering, 83, 864–868.Lakowicz, J. R. (2006). Principles of Fluorescence Spectroscopy. 3rd Edn. Springer.Lee, S. H., Teong, J., Lee, J. T., Ryou, H. S. and Hong, K. (2005). Investigation on spray characteristics under ultrahigh injection pressure conditions. Int. J. Automotive Technology 6,2, 125–131.Lee, B., Song, J., Chang, Y. and Jeon, C. (2010). Effect of the number of fuel injector holes on characteristics of combustion and emissions in a diesel engine. Int. J. Automotive Technology 11,6, 783–791.LeGal, P., Farrugia, N. and Greenhalgh, D. A. (1999). Laser sheet dropsizing of dense sprays. Optics and Laser Techn., 31, 75–83.Lockett, R. D., Richter, J. and Greenhalgh, D. A. (1998). The characterisation of a diesel spray using combined laser induced fluorescence and laser sheet dropsizing. Conf. Lasers and Electro-Optics Europe.Magde, D., Rojas, G. E. and Seybold, P. (1999). Solvent dependence of the fluorescence lifetimes of xanthene dyes. Photochem. Photobiol., 70, 737.Naber, J. and Siebers, D. (1996). Effects of gas density and vaporization on penetration and dispersion of diesel sprays. SAE Paper No. 960034.Pastor, J. V., López, J. J., Juliá, J. E. and Benajes, J. V. (2002). Planar laser-induced fluorescence fuel concentration measurements in isothermal diesel sprays. Opt. Express 10,7, 309–323.Pastor, J. V., Payri, R., Araneo, L. and Manin, J. (2009). Correction method for droplet sizing by laser-induced fluorescence in a controlled test situation. Optical Engineering 48,1, 013601.Payri, R., Garcia, J. M., Salvador, F. J. and Gimeno, J. (2005a). Using spray momentum flux measurements to understand the influence of diesel nozzle geometry on spray characteristics. Fuel, 84, 551–561.Payri, R., Salvador, F. J., Gimeno, J. and Soare, V. (2005b). Determination of diesel sprays characteristics in real engine in-cylinder air density and pressure conditions. J. Mech. Sci. Technol., 19, 2040–2052.Payri, R., Tormos, B., Salvador, F. J. and Araneo, L. (2008). Spray droplet velocity characterization for convergent nozzles with three different diameters. Fuel 87,15, 3176–3182.Payri, F., Pastor, J., Payri, R. and Manin, J. (2011). Determination of the optical depth of a DI diesel spray. J. Mech. Sci. Technol., 25, 209–219.Potz, D., Chirst, W. and Dittus, B. (2000). Diesel nozzle: The determining interface between injection system and combustion chamber. Conf. Thermo and Fluid-dynamic Processes in Diesel Engines, Valencia, Spain.Ramírez, A. I., Som, S., Aggarwal, S. K., Kastengren, A. L., El-Hannouny, E. M., Longman, D. E. and Powell, C. F. (2009). Quantitative X-ray measurements of highpressure fuel sprays from a production heavy duty diesel injector. Experiments in Fluids 47,1, 119–134.Schulz, C. and Sick, V. (2005). 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Proc. 3rd Cong. Opt. Part. Sizing, Yokohama, Japan, 335–361

Feasibility and analysis of bipolar concentric recording of Electrohysterogram with flexible active electrode

The conduction velocity and propagation patterns of Electrohysterogram (EHG) provide fundamental information about uterine electrophysiological condition. The accuracy of these measurements can be impaired by both the poor spatial selectivity and sensitivity to the relative direction of the contraction propagation associated with conventional disc electrodes. Concentric ring electrodes could overcome these limitations the aim of this study was to examine the feasibility of picking up surface EHG signals using a new flexible tripolar concentric ring electrode (TCRE), and to compare it with conventional bipolar recordings. Simultaneous recording of conventional bipolar signals and bipolar concentric EHG (BC-EHG) were carried out on 22 pregnant women. Signal bursts were characterized and compared. No significant differences among channels in either duration or dominant frequency in the Fast Wave High frequency range were found. Nonetheless, the high pass filtering effect of the BC-EHG records resulted in lower frequency content within the range 0.1 to 0.2 Hz than the bipolar ones. Although the BC-EHG signal amplitude was about 5-7 times smaller than that of bipolar recordings, similar signal-to-noise ratio was obtained. These results suggest that the flexible TCRE is able to pick up uterine electrical activity and could provide additional information for deducing uterine electrophysiological condition.The authors are grateful to the Obstetrics Unit of the Hospital Universitario La Fe de Valencia (Valencia, Spain), where the recording sessions were carried out. The work was supported in part by the Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnologia de Espana (TEC2010-16945), by the Universitat Politecnica de Valencia (PAID SP20120490) and Generalitat Valenciana (GV/2014/029) and by General Electric Healthcare.Ye Lin, Y.; Alberola Rubio, J.; Prats Boluda, G.; Perales Marin, AJ.; Desantes, D.; Garcia Casado, FJ. (2015). Feasibility and analysis of bipolar concentric recording of Electrohysterogram with flexible active electrode. Annals of Biomedical Engineering. 43(4):968-976. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10439-014-1130-5S968976434Alberola-Rubio, J., G. Prats-Boluda, Y. Ye-Lin, J. Valero, A. Perales, and J. Garcia-Casado. Comparison of non-invasive electrohysterographic recording techniques for monitoring uterine dynamics. Med. Eng. Phys. 35(12):1736–1743, 2013.Besio, W. G., K. Koka, R. Aakula, and W. Dai. Tri-polar concentric ring electrode development for laplacian electroencephalography. IEEE Trans. Biomed. Eng. 53(5):926–933, 2006.Devasahayam, S. R. Signals and Systems in Biomedical Engineering. Berlin: Springer, 2013.Devedeux, D., C. Marque, S. Mansour, G. Germain, and J. Duchene. Uterine electromyography: a critical review. Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol. 169(6):1636–1653, 1993.Estrada, L., A. Torres, J. Garcia-Casado, G. Prats-Boluda, and R. Jane. Characterization of laplacian surface electromyographic signals during isometric contraction in biceps brachii. Conf. Proc. IEEE Eng Med. Biol. Soc. 2013:535–538, 2013.Euliano, T. Y., D. Marossero, M. T. Nguyen, N. R. Euliano, J. Principe, and R. K. Edwards. Spatiotemporal electrohysterography patterns in normal and arrested labor. Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol. 200(1):54–57, 2009.Farina, D., and C. Cescon. Concentric-ring electrode systems for noninvasive detection of single motor unit activity. IEEE Trans. Biomed. Eng. 48(11):1326–1334, 2001.Fele-Zorz, G., G. Kavsek, Z. Novak-Antolic, and F. Jager. A comparison of various linear and non-linear signal processing techniques to separate uterine EMG records of term and pre-term delivery groups. Med. Biol. Eng Comput. 46(9):911–922, 2008.Garfield, R. E., and W. L. Maner. Physiology and electrical activity of uterine contractions. Semin. Cell Dev. Biol. 18(3):289–295, 2007.Garfield, R. E., W. L. Maner, L. B. Mackay, D. Schlembach, and G. R. 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