2,410 research outputs found
Fully submerged composite cryogenic testing
New methods for marine salvage and decommissioning of structures in the open sea are continually being sought in order to improve control and lower operational costs [1]. The concept design of a lightweight, cryogenic, marine, heavy lift, buoyancy system has been investigated [2]. The objective is to be able to raise or lower high mass objects controlled solely from a surface support vessel. The overall design concept and associated system development issues have been discussed previously. A number of the sub-systems in one complete buoyancy system involve considerable design and development, these include: structural design of the buoyancy chamber, mechanical systems to control and connection to the lift device, the cryogenic system itself and overall process control systems. The main area of concern in the design process is the composite cryogenic Dewar. This is required to operate not only at temperatures as low as -196oC but also to withstand pressure differences exceeding 35bar. As such the composite materials have to perform in a very aggressive environment. This work details a method for fully submersed composite cryogenic testing in order to qualify the materials for use in the Dewar of the buoyancy system
Development of high performance composite bend-twist coupled blades for a horizontal axis tidal turbine
Development of a design methodology for a composite, bend-twist coupled, tidal turbine blade has been undertaken. Numerical modelling was used to predict the response of the main structural member for the adaptive blade. An experimental method for validation is described. The analysis indicates a non-linear blade twist response
Use of cryogenic buoyancy systems for controlled removal of heavy objects from the seabed
The concept design of a lightweight cryogenic marine heavy lift buoyancy system has been investigated. The approach makes use of a novel cryogenic system for provision of buoyancy within the ocean environment. The objective is to be able to lift or lower large displacement objects under full remote control. The nature of subsea lifting and lowering operations requires a high degree of precise control for operational safety, reasons and to preserve the structural integrity of the load. The lift operation occurs in two phases: Development of lift to overcome seabed suction, and then rapid reduction of buoyancy to maintain a controlled ascent. Descent involves controlled release of the buoyancy. The proposed buoyancy system consists of a buoyancy chamber and an integral cryogenic gas generation unit. The application of an on-board gas generation unit allows the removal of the engineering challenges associated with use of compressors and the concomitant complex manifold of connecting umbilical pipe work. It provides for a fully remote system completely eliminating all risk associated with extensive physical surface to subsea connection throughout the entire lift operation.
The opening stages of the project work include the development of a system that will operate efficiently and effectively to a depth of 350m. An initial general arrangement for the buoyancy system has been developed. A number of these systems involve considerable design and development, these include: structural design of the buoyancy chamber, mechanical systems to control and connection to the lift device, the cryogenic system itself and overall process control systems. As part of the design process for such an arrangement, numerical simulation of the complete system has been undertaken in order to develop mechanical, cryogenic and process control systems efficiently and effectively. This system simulation has been developed using Matlab Simulink. This paper considers the overall design concept and associated system development issues. These are illustrated through use of the time accurate simulation of alternative design configurations that confirm the viability of the concept. A main conclusion is that minimisation of the dry weight of the system is critical to cost-effective operation of the project
Development of a floating tidal energy system suitable for use in shallow water
A proposal is made for the use of a traditional streamwaterwheel suspended between two floating catamaranNPL series demi-hulls as means of generating electricalpower. Two prototype devices, of lengths 1.6m and 4.5m,have been developed, constructed and tested. It was foundthat the concept is sound although greater investment isrequired with regards to the materials and bothhydrodynamic and aerodynamic design of the waterwheelto ensure an economically viable system. The workpresented concentrates on practical aspects associated withdesign, construction and trial testing in Southampton waterof the 4.5m prototype. The relatively low cost, ease ofdeployment, and the fact that conventional boat mooringsystems are effective, combine to make this an attractivealternative energy solution for remote communities
Absence of resonant enhancements in some inclusive rates
A toy model is defined and solved perturbatively with the aim of examining
some claimed "resonant" enhancements of certain reaction rates that enter
popular models of leptogenesis. We find: a) that such enhancements are absent;
and b) that the perturbative solution, as done correctly using finite-
temperature field theory, is well defined without the "resumming" procedures
found in the literature. The pathologies that led to the perceived need for
these procedures are an artifact of uncritical use of weighted vacuum cross-
sections in the determination of rates, without adequate attention to the
effects of the medium upon the single particle states within it.Comment: 11 pages, no figures. Some typos corrected. More typos correcte
Entropy of a Quantum Oscillator coupled to a Heat Bath and implications for Quantum Thermodynamics
The free energy of a quantum oscillator in an arbitrary heat bath at a
temperature T is given by a "remarkable formula" which involves only a single
integral. This leads to a corresponding simple result for the entropy. The low
temperature limit is examined in detail and we obtain explicit results both for
the case of an Ohmic heat bath and a radiation heat bath. More general heat
bath models are also examined. This enables us to determine the entropy at zero
temperature in order to check the third law of thermodynamics in the quantum
regimeComment: International Conference on "Frontiers of Quantum and Mesoscopic
Thermodynamics
Synchronisation and MSW sharpening of neutrinos propagating in a flavour blind medium
We consider neutrino oscillations in a medium in which scattering processes
are blind to the neutrino flavour. We present an analytical derivation of the
synchronised behaviour obtained in the limit where the average scattering rate
is much larger than the oscillation frequency. We also examine MSW transitions
in these circumstances, and show that a sharpening of the transition can
result.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in Phys. Lett.
Decoherence in Nanostructures and Quantum Systems
Decoherence phenomena are pervasive in the arena of nanostructures but
perhaps even more so in the study of the fundamentals of quantum mechanics and
quantum computation. Since there has been little overlap between the studies in
both arenas, this is an attempt to bridge the gap. Topics stressed include (a)
wave packet spreading in a dissipative environment, a key element in all
arenas, (b) the definition of a quantitative measure of decoherence, (c) the
near zero and zero temperature limit, and (d) the key role played by initial
conditions: system and environment entangled at all times so that one must use
the density matrix (or Wigner distribution) for the complete system or
initially decoupled system and environment so that use of a reduced density
matrix or reduced Wigner distribution is feasible. Our approach utilizes
generalized quantum Langevin equations and Wigner distributions
Morphing of âflyingâ shapes for autonomous underwater and aerial vehicles
Autonomous vehicles are energy poor and should be designed to minimise the power required to propel
them throughout their mission. The University of Southamptonâs School of Engineering Sciences is
actively involved in the development of improved designs for aerial and maritime autonomous vehicles.
The ability to adapt or âmorphâ their shape in-flight offers an opportunity to extend mission
range/duration and improve agility. The practical implementation of such systems at small scale requires
detailed consideration of the number, mass and power requirements of the individual actuation elements.
Three approaches for minimising actuation requirements are considered. The first uses a combination of
push-pull actuators coupled with a snap-through composite lay-up to achieve alterations in shape. It is
proposed that such a system could be applied to the trailing edge of an autonomous underwater glider
wing instead of the more usual servo operated trailing edge flap. The anisotropy achieved through use of
different composite ply orientations and stacking can also be used to generate bend-twist coupling such
that fluid dynamic loads induce âpassiveâ shape adaptation. The third approach uses a detailed
understanding of the structural response of buckled elements to applied control moments to deform a
complete wing. At this stage of the research no definitive conclusions have been drawn other than that all
three approaches show sufficient promise and can now be applied to one of the autonomous vehicles
On the controllability of bimodal piecewise linear systems
This paper studies controllability of bimodal systems that consist of two linear dynamics on each side of a given hyperplane. We show that the controllability properties of these systems can be inferred from those of linear systems for which the inputs are constrained in a certain way. Inspired by the earlier work on constrained controllability of linear systems, we derive necessary and sufficient conditions for a bimodal piecewise linear system to be controllable.Natl Sci Fdn; Univ Penn, Sch Engn & Appl Sci
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