Assessment of acoustic reciprocity and conservativeness in exhaust aftertreatment systems

[EN] Tightening emission standards limiting gas and aerosol emissions from internal combustion engines have led to the extensive use of exhaust aftertreatment systems (EATS) with different chemical functions as a solution to meet standards requirements. Incidentally, the placement of aftertreatment monolithic devices into the exhaust line also plays a key role on the exhaust noise emission. Their presence disturbs the pattern of the pressure waves and sets the boundary conditions for the silencer design. The impact of the EATS on wave transmission can be analyzed by means of the transmission or scattering matrix. The present work discusses the implications of acoustic reciprocity and conservativeness on the definition of the scattering matrix elements. The fulfillment of these properties in real operating conditions was evaluated against a set of experimental data obtained for several exhaust aftertreatment monolithic bricks in an impulse test rig. The influence of different excitation amplitudes and superimposed mean flows was also considered. Once it was shown that the devices are reciprocal, the need to account for dissipation phenomena was evidenced. Finally, the application of reciprocity and conservativeness together with dissipation provided simple expressions allowing to predict the response of the EATS in the inverse direction, i.e. from outlet to inlet, from the transmission and reflection properties obtained in the direct direction. Thus, the proposed procedure becomes useful to reduce both the required number of tests and the gas dynamics modelling work in methodologies driven to assess the acoustic response of EATS based on the use of experimental and computational tools. (C) 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.This research has been partially supported by FEDER and the Government of Spain through project TRA2016-79185-R. Additionally, the Ph.D. student Enrique José Sanchis has been funded by a grant from Universitat Politècnica de València with reference FPI-2016-S2-1355.Torregrosa, AJ.; Piqueras, P.; Sanchis-Pacheco, EJ.; Guilain, S.; Dubarry, M. (2018). Assessment of acoustic reciprocity and conservativeness in exhaust aftertreatment systems. Journal of Sound and Vibration. 436:46-61. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsv.2018.08.032S466143

Insight into the OH polarimetric structure of OH 26.5+0.6

We present the first view of the magnetic field structure in the OH shell of the extreme OH/IR star OH 26.5+0.6. MERLIN interferometric observations of this object were obtained in December 1993 in full polarisation, at 1612, 1665 and 1667 MHz. The maser spots show a spheroidal distribution both at 1612 and 1667 MHz, while at 1665 MHz emission from the blue-shifted maser peak is concentrated on the stellar position, and the red-shifted peak emission exhibits a filamentary structure oriented on a SE-NW axis. The linear polarisation in both main lines is rather faint, ranging from 9 to 20% at 1665 MHz and from 0 to 30% at 1667 MHz. At 1612 MHz most maser spots exhibit a similar range of linear polarisation although those in the outermost parts of the envelope reach values as high as 66%. This is particularly apparent in the southern part of the shell. The detailed distribution of the polarisation vectors could only be obtained at 1612 MHz. The polarisation vectors show a highly structured distribution indicative of a poloidal magnetic field inclined by 40-60$^\circ$ to the line of sight. The velocity distribution of the maser spots with respect to the radial distance is well explained by an isotropic outflow at constant velocity in the case of a prolate shaped spheroid envelope, also tilted about 45-65$^\circ$ to the line of sight.Comment: 20 pages, 16 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA

HI in circumstellar environments

We present new results of a spectroscopic survey of circumstellar HI in the direction of evolved stars made with the Nancay Radiotelescope. The HI line at 21 cm has been detected in the circumstellar shells of a variety of evolved stars: AGB stars, oxygen-rich and carbon-rich, Semi-Regular and Miras, and Planetary Nebulae. The emissions are generally spatially resolved, i.e. larger than 4', indicating shell sizes of the order of 1 pc which opens the possibility to trace the history of mass loss over the past ~ 10^4-10^5 years. The line-profiles are sometimes composite. The individual components have generally a quasi-Gaussian shape; in particular they seldom show the double-horn profile that would be expected from the spatially resolved optically thin emission of a uniformly expanding shell. This probably implies that the expansion velocity decreases outwards in the external shells (0.1-1 pc) of these evolved stars. The HI line-profiles do not necessarily match those of the CO rotational lines. Furthermore, the centroid velocities do not always agree with those measured in the CO lines and/or the stellar radial velocities. The HI emissions may also be shifted in position with respect to the central stars. Without excluding the possibility of asymmetric mass ejection, we suggest that these two effects could also be related to a non-isotropic interaction with the local interstellar medium. HI was detected in emission towards several sources (rho Per, alpha Her, delta^2 Lyr, U CMi) that otherwise have not been detected in any radio lines. Conversely it was not detected in the two oxygen-rich stars with substantial mass-loss rate, NML Tau and WX Psc, possibly because these sources are young with hydrogen in molecular form, and/or because the temperature of the circumstellar HI gas is very low (< 5 K).Comment: Accepted for publication in The Astronomical Journa

Guidelines for assessment of gait and reference values for spatiotemporal gait parameters in older adults: The biomathics and canadian gait consortiums initiative

Abstract: Background: Gait disorders, a highly prevalent condition in older adults, are associated with several adverse health consequences. Gait analysis allows qualitative and quantitative assessments of gait that improves the understanding of mechanisms of gait disorders and the choice of interventions. This manuscript aims (1) to give consensus guidance for clinical and spatiotemporal gait analysis based on the recorded footfalls in older adults aged 65 years and over, and (2) to provide reference values for spatiotemporal gait parameters based on the recorded footfalls in healthy older adults free of cognitive impairment and multi-morbidities.Methods: International experts working in a network of two different consortiums (i.e., Biomathics and Canadian Gait Consortium) participated in this initiative. First, they identified items of standardized information following the usual procedure of formulation of consensus findings. Second, they merged databases including spatiotemporal gait assessments with GAITRite® system and clinical information from the “Gait, cOgnitiOn & Decline” (GOOD) initiative and the Generation 100 (Gen 100) study. Only healthy—free of cognitive impairment and multi-morbidities (i.e., ≤ 3 therapeutics taken daily)—participants aged 65 and older were selected. Age, sex, body mass index, mean values, and coefficients of variation (CoV) of gait parameters were used for the analyses. Results: Standardized systematic assessment of three categories of items, which were demographics and clinical information, and gait characteristics (clinical and spatiotemporal gait analysis based on the recorded footfalls), were selected for the proposed guidelines. Two complementary sets of items were distinguished: a minimal data set and a full data set. In addition, a total of 954 participants (mean age 72.8 ± 4.8 years, 45.8% women) were recruited to establish the reference values. Performance of spatiotemporal gait parameters based on the recorded footfalls declined with increasing age (mean values and CoV) and demonstrated sex differences (mean values). Conclusions: Based on an international multicenter collaboration, we propose consensus guidelines for gait assessment and spatiotemporal gait analysis based on the recorded footfalls, and reference values for healthy older adults

Adaptive turbo matching: radial turbine design optimization through 1D engine simulations with meanline model in-the-loop

Turbocharging has become the favored approach for downsizing internal combustion engines to reduce fuel consumption and CO 2 emissions, without sacrificing performance. Matching a turbocharger to an engine requires a balance of various design variables in order to meet the desired performance. Once an initial selection of potential compressor and turbine options is made, corresponding performance maps are evaluated in 1D engine cycle simulations to down-select the best combination. This is the conventional matching procedure used in industry and is passive' since it relies on measured maps, thus only existing designs may be evaluated. In other words, turbine characteristics cannot be changed during matching so as to explore the effect of design adjustments. Instead, this paper presents an adaptive' matching methodology for the turbocharger turbine. By coupling an engine cycle simulation to a turbine meanline model (in-the-loop'), adjustments in turbine geometry are reflected in both the exhaust boundary conditions and overall engine performance. Running the coupled engine-turbine model within an optimization framework, the optimal turbine design evolves. The methodology is applied to a Renault 1.2 L turbocharged gasoline engine, to minimize fuel consumption over given full- and part-load operating points, while meeting performance constraints. Despite the current series production turbine being a very good match already, and with optimization restricted to a few turbine geometric parameters, the full-load case predicted a significant cycle-averaged BSFC reduction of 3.5 g/kWh, while the part-load optimized design improved BSFC by 0.9 g/kWh. No engine design parameters were changed, so further efficiency gains would be possible through simultaneous engine-turbocharger optimization. The proposed methodology is not only useful for improving existing designs; it can also develop a bespoke turbine geometry in new engine projects where there is no previously available match. For these reasons, adaptive' turbo matching will become the standard approach in the automotive industry

Multi-objective optimization of turbocharger turbines for low carbon vehicles using meanline and neural network models

Due to slow turnover of the global vehicle parc internal combustion engines will remain a primary means of motive power for decades, so the automotive industry must continue to improve engine thermal efficiency to reduce emissions, since savings will be compounded over the long lifetime of millions of vehicles. Turbochargers are a proven efficiency technology (most new vehicles are turbocharged) but are not optimally designed for real-world driving. The aim of this study was to develop a framework to optimize turbocharger turbine design for competing customer objectives: minimizing fuel consumption (and thus emissions) over a representative drive cycle, while minimizing transient response time. This is achieved by coupling engine cycle, turbine meanline, and neural network inertia models within a genetic algorithm-based optimizer, allowing aerodynamic and inertia changes to be accurately reflected in drive cycle fuel consumption and transient performance. Exercising the framework for the average new passenger car across a drive cycle representing the Worldwide harmonized Light vehicles Test Procedure reveals the trade-off between competing objectives and a turbine design that maintains transient response while minimizing fuel consumption due to a 3 percentage-point improvement in turbine peak efficiency, validated by experiment. This optimization framework is fast to execute, requiring only eight turbine geometric parameters, making it a commercially viable procedure that can refine existing or optimize tailor-made turbines for any turbocharged application (whether gasoline, diesel, or alternatively fuelled), but if applied to turbocharged gasoline cars in the EU would lead to lifetime savings of 290,000 tonnes per production year, and millions of tonnes if deployed worldwide

Methodological analysis of variable geometry turbine technology impact on the performance of highly downsized spark-ignition engines

[EN] New generation of spark ignition (SI) engines are expected to represent most of the future market share in a context of powertrain hybridization. Nevertheless, the current technology has still critical challenges in front to meet incoming CO2 and pollutant emissions standards, so new technologies are emerging to improve engine efficiency. In parallel to combustion concepts, a key required trend is downsizing based on high engine boosting. New turbocharger technologies, such as variable geometry turbines (VGT), become suitable for its application under the demanding operating conditions of SI engines. In this work, a methodology for the analysis of the VGT usage in comparison with traditional waste-gate (WG) turbine is presented. From experimental data obtained in engine test cell, a theoretical analysis aimed at ensuring full control on turbine boundary conditions, such as combustion variability, compressor map or engine calibration, was conducted. Taking advantage of highly validated and physically representative 1-D gas-dynamics and turbocharger models, the engine performance is discussed as a function of the turbine technology at full and partial load in a wide range of engine speed at the same time as the altitude impact is addressed. In all, it was found that VGT technology shows less limitations in extreme working conditions, such as low- and high-end torque regions, where the WG technology represents a limitation in terms of the maximum power output. Full load differences become more even more evident in altitude working conditions. When it comes to partial loads, differences in fuel consumption are minor, but potentially beneficial for VGTs.Alejandro Gomez Vilanova is partially supported through contract: Ayuda de Formacion de Profesorado Universitario (FPU18/04811). The authors wish to thank Vicente Esteve Ferrer for his invaluable work during the experimental campaign.Serrano, J.; Piqueras, P.; De La Morena, J.; Gómez-Vilanova, A.; Guilain, S. (2021). Methodological analysis of variable geometry turbine technology impact on the performance of highly downsized spark-ignition engines. Energy. 215:1-12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2020.119122S11221