Design and modeling of an integrated flywheel magnetic suspension for kinetic energy storage systems

The paper presents a novel configuration of an axial hybrid magnetic bearing (AHMB) for the suspension of steel flywheels applied in power-intensive energy storage systems. The combination of a permanent magnet (PM) with excited coil enables one to reduce the power consumption, to limit the system volume, and to apply an effective control in the presence of several types of disturbances. The electromagnetic design of the AHMB parts is carried out by parametric finite element analyses with the purpose to optimize the force performances as well as the winding inductance affecting the electrical supply rating and control capability. Such investigation considers both the temperature dependence of the PM properties and the magnetic saturation effects. The electrical parameters and the force characteristics are then implemented in a control scheme, reproducing the electromechanical behavior of the AHMB-flywheel system. The parameter tuning of the controllers is executed by a Matlab/Simulink code, examining the instantaneous profiles of both the air-gap length and the winding ampere-turns. The results of different dynamic tests are presented, evidencing the smooth air-gap changes and the optimized coil utilization, which are desirable features for a safe and efficient flywheel energy storage

Induction Machine Stator Fault Tracking using the Growing Curvilinear Component Analysis

Detection of stator-based faults in Induction Machines (IMs) can be carried out in numerous ways. In particular, the shorted turns in stator windings of IM are among the most common faults in the industry. As a matter of fact, most IMs come with pre-installed current sensors for the purpose of control and protection. At this aim, using only the stator current for fault detection has become a recent trend nowadays as it is much cheaper than installing additional sensors. The three-phase stator current signatures have been used in this study to observe the effect of stator inter-turn fault with respect to the healthy condition of the IM. The pre-processing of the healthy and faulty current signatures has been done via the in-built DSP module of dSPACE after which, these current signatures are passed into the MATLAB® software for further analysis using AI techniques. The authors present a Growing Curvilinear Component Analysis (GCCA) neural network that is capable of detecting and follow the evolution of the stator fault using the stator current signature, making online fault detection possible. For this purpose, a topological manifold analysis is carried out to study the fault evolution, which is a fundamental step for calibrating the GCCA neural network. The effectiveness of the proposed method has been verified experimentally

Effects of zinc supplementation on cognitive function in healthy middle-aged and older adults: the ZENITH study

A randomised double-blind placebo-controlled design was employed to investigate the effects of Zn supplementation on cognitive function in 387 healthy adults aged 55–87 years. Several measures of visual memory, working memory, attention and reaction time were obtained using the Cambridge Automated Neuropsychological Test Battery at baseline and then after 3 and 6 months of 0 (placebo), 15 or 30 mg Zn/d. Younger adults (70 years), and performance improved with practice on some measures. For two out of eight dependent variables, there were significant interactions indicating a beneficial effect (at 3 months only) of both 15 and 30 mg/d on one measure of spatial working memory and a detrimental effect of 15 mg/d on one measure of attention. Further work is required to establish whether these findings generalise to older adults in poorer mental and physical health and with less adequate Zn intake and status than the present sample

Use of high intensity X-ray analysis as tool to create new, fundamental models for phase transformations and residual stress in ductile cast iron

Recent advances in high resolution X-Ray methods that involve use of synchrotron facilities have made it possible to do high resolution, in-situ experimental studies of phase transformations in engineering materials thus providing detailed and accurate information on the processes that take place during such phase transformations. This paper describes how such facilities can be applied to study solidification of cast iron and formation of residual stress after eutectoid transformation by resolving the processes in 3D and time

The immune system and the impact of zinc during aging

The trace element zinc is essential for the immune system, and zinc deficiency affects multiple aspects of innate and adaptive immunity. There are remarkable parallels in the immunological changes during aging and zinc deficiency, including a reduction in the activity of the thymus and thymic hormones, a shift of the T helper cell balance toward T helper type 2 cells, decreased response to vaccination, and impaired functions of innate immune cells. Many studies confirm a decline of zinc levels with age. Most of these studies do not classify the majority of elderly as zinc deficient, but even marginal zinc deprivation can affect immune function. Consequently, oral zinc supplementation demonstrates the potential to improve immunity and efficiently downregulates chronic inflammatory responses in the elderly. These data indicate that a wide prevalence of marginal zinc deficiency in elderly people may contribute to immunosenescence

An electron microscopy study of graphite growth in nodular cast irons

Growth of graphite during solidification and high-temperature solid-state transformation has been investigated in samples cut out from a thin-wall casting which solidified partly in the stable (iron–graphite) and partly in the metastable (iron–cementite) systems. Transmission electron microscopy has been used to characterize graphite nodules in as-cast state and in samples having been fully graphitized at various temperatures in the austenite field. Nodules in the as-cast material show a twofold structure characterized by an inner zone where graphite is disoriented and an outer zone where it is well crystallized. In heat-treated samples, graphite nodules consist of well-crystallized sectors radiating from the nucleus. These observations suggest that the disoriented zone appears because of mechanical deformation when the liquid contracts during its solidification in the metastable system. During heat-treatment, the graphite in this zone recrystallizes. In turn, it can be concluded that nodular graphite growth mechanism is the same during solidification and solid-state transformatio

Design issues of a rotating to linear motion magnetic converter for short-distance transport applications

This paper discusses some design issues of a magnetic rotating to linear motion converter (RLMC), suitable for the propulsion system of a short-distance low-capacity vehicle. It basically operates like a magnetic rack, which executes the contactless conversion of the motor torque into a propulsion thrust, deriving from the interaction of on-board permanent magnet (PM) modules and stationary ferromagnetic steel pieces. A design procedure is set up that deals with both the PM module arrangement and the geometric shape of the steel pieces to optimize different performance aspects. A simplified modeling based on 2D transient finite element analyses is carried out to determine the thrust profile and the RLMC losses, which are essential to assess its practical feasibility. Finally, the characteristics as functions of the load angle and speed are determined to enable the prediction of the dynamic power exchange and then of the net energy demand useful to size the on-board source