Standoff tool speeds placement of friction-fit electrical terminals

Hand operated tool inserts terminals through compartment walls in electronic equipment. The tool is in the configuration of a modified pair of pliers with jaws consisting of a split chuck and anvil

Remark on a result of D. Dritschel

A hypothesis put forward by D. Dritschel [J. Fluid Mech. 94, 511 (1988)], namely that an isolated symmetrical disturbance on a uniform vortex patch will filament in time proportional to the inverse square of the disturbance amplitude, is subject to independent testing using a nonintrusive numerical method. The hypothesis that the trend is maintained to substantially smaller amplitudes than were originally considered by Dritschel is both supported and verified. The results may be interpreted as providing limited evidence that contour smoothness is maintained in filamentation and that corner formation does not occur up to the time of wave overturning

The density of organized vortices in a turbulent mixing layer

It is argued on the basis of exact solutions for uniform vortices in straining fields that vortices of finite cross-section in a row will disintegrate if the spacing is too small. The results are applied to the organized vortex structures observed in turbulent mixing layers. An explanation is provided for the disappearance of these structures as they move downstream and it is deduced that the ratio of average spacing to width should be about 3·5, the width being defined by the maximum slope of the mean velocity. It is shown in an appendix that walls have negligible effect

On steady compressible flows with compact vorticity; the compressible Stuart vortex

Numerical and analytical solutions to the steady compressible Euler equations corresponding to a compressible analogue of the linear Stuart vortex array are presented. These correspond to a homentropic continuation, to finite Mach number, of the Stuart solution describing a linear vortex array in an incompressible fluid. The appropriate partial differential equations describing the flow correspond to the compressible homentropic Euler equations in two dimensions, with a prescribed vorticity–density–streamfunction relationship. In order to construct a well-posed problem for this continuation, it was found, unexpectedly, to be necessary to introduce an eigenvalue into the vorticity–density–streamfunction equation. In the Rayleigh–Janzen expansion of solutions in even powers of the free-stream Mach number M[infty infinity], this eigenvalue is determined by a solvability condition. Accurate numerical solution by both finite-difference and spectral methods are presented for the compressible Stuart vortex, over a range of M[infty infinity], and of a parameter corresponding to a confined mass-flow rate. These also confirm the nonlinear eigenvalue character of the governing equations. All solution branches followed numerically were found to terminate when the maximum local Mach number just exceeded unity. For one such branch we present evidence for the existence of a very small range of M[infty infinity] over which smooth transonic shock-free flow can occur

Feasibility of active feedback control of rotordynamic instability

Some of the considerations involved in the use of feedback control as a means of eliminating or alleviating rotordynamic instability are discussed. A simple model of a mass on a flexible shaft is used to illustrate the application of feedback control concepts