Experimental evaluation of an advanced Space Shuttle main engine hot-gas manifold design concept

This study, using an extensively modified, full-scale space shuttle main engine (SSME) hot-gas manifold (HGM), established a detailed aerodynamic data base to support development of an advanced, three-dimensional, fluid-dynamic analysis computer model. In addition, the advanced SSME hot-gas manifold design used in this study demonstrated improved flow environment (uniformity) in the fuel side turbine exit and transfer duct exit regions. Major modifications were incorporated in the full-scale HGM flow test article model using two large transfer ducts on the fuel turbine side of the HGM in place of the three small transfer ducts in the present design. Other model features included an increases in the flow areas downstream of the 180-degree turn and in the fishbowl regions

Puckering Free Energy of Pyranoses: an NMR and Metadynamics--Umbrella Sampling Investigation

We present the results of a combined metadynamics--umbrella sampling investigation of the puckered conformers of pyranoses described using the gromos 45a4 force field. The free energy landscape of Cremer--Pople puckering coordinates has been calculated for the whole series of alpha and beta aldohexoses, showing that the current force field parameters fail in reproducing proper puckering free energy differences between chair conformers. We suggest a modification to the gromos 45a4 parameter set which improves considerably the agreement of simulation results with theoretical and experimental estimates of puckering free energies. We also report on the experimental measurement of altrose conformers populations by means of NMR spectroscopy, which show good agreement with the predictions of current theoretical models

On the origin of the various types of radio emission in GRS 1915+105

We investigate the association between the radio ``plateau'' states and the large superluminal flares in GRS 1915+105 and propose a qualitative scenario to explain this association. We identify several candidate superluminal flare events from available monitoring data on this source and analyze the contemporaneous RXTE pointed observations. We detect a strong correlation between the average X-ray flux during the ``plateau'' state and the total energy emitted in radio during the subsequent radio flare. We find that the sequence of events is similar for all large radio flares with a fast rise and exponential decay morphology. Based on these results, we propose a qualitative scenario in which the separating ejecta during the superluminal flares are observed due to the interaction of the matter blob ejected during the X-ray soft dips, with the steady jet already established during the ``plateau'' state. This picture can explain all types of radio emission observed from this source in terms of its X-ray emission characteristics.Comment: Corrected typo in the author names, contents unchanged, accepted in Ap

Shear Stiffness of Pallet Rack Upright Frames

PaIIet racks, often fabricated using cold-formed steel, are used for the storage of goods. Uprights of these racks are braced in the cross-aisle direction forming a frame, which behaves like a built-up column. Evaluation of the shear stiffness of this frame is needed to determine the buckling load. Currently two approaches prevail in the rack industry to determine the shear stiffness. The RMI code uses a theoretical formula and the FEM code requires testing. There is a considerable difference in the stiffness values determined by two approaches. The present paper describes experimental and numerical studies conducted at Oxford Brookes University to evaluate shear stiffness in an ongoing research project

Quality engineering of a traction alternator by robust design

Robust design is an engineering methodology for improving productivity during research and development so that high-quality products can be developed and produced quickly and at low cost. A large electrical company was developing traction alternators for a diesel electrical engine. Customer requirement was to obtain very high efficiency which, in turn, was influenced by several design parameters. The usual approach of the 'design-build-test' cycle was considered time-consuming and costly; it used to take anywhere from 4 months to 1 year before finalizing the product design parameters as it involved physical assembly and also testing. Instead, the authors used Taguchi's parameter design approach. This approach took about 8 weeks to arrive at optimum design parameter values; clearly demonstrating the cutting edge of this methodology over the traditional design-build-test approach. The prototype built and tested accordingly gave satisfactory overall performance, meeting and even exceeding customer requirements

Temperature and Strain-Rate Effects on Low-Cycle Fatigue Behavior of Alloy 800H

The effects of strain rate (4 x 10(exp -6) to 4 x 10(exp -3)/s) and temperature on the Low-Cycle Fatigue (LCF) behavior of alloy 800H have been evaluated in the range 750 C to 950 C. Total axial strain controlled LCF tests were conducted in air at a strain amplitude of +/- 0.30 pct. LCF life decreased with decreasing strain rate and increasing temperature. The cyclic stress response behavior showed a marked variation with temperature and strain rate. The time- and temperature- dependent processes which influence the cyclic stress response and life have been identified and their relative importance assessed. Dynamic strain aging, time-dependent deformation, precipitation of parallel platelets of M(23)C6 on grain boundaries and incoherent ledges of twins, and oxidation were found to operate depending on the test conditions. The largest effect on life was shown by oxidation processes

Entanglement enhanced atomic gyroscope

The advent of increasingly precise gyroscopes has played a key role in the technological development of navigation systems. Ring-laser and fibre-optic gyroscopes, for example, are widely used in modern inertial guidance systems and rely on the interference of unentangled photons to measure mechanical rotation. The sensitivity of these devices scales with the number of particles used as $1/ \sqrt{N}$. Here we demonstrate how, by using sources of entangled particles, it is possible to do better and even achieve the ultimate limit allowed by quantum mechanics where the precision scales as 1/N. We propose a gyroscope scheme that uses ultra-cold atoms trapped in an optical ring potential.Comment: 19 pages, 2 figure

Closed orbit correction at synchrotrons for symmetric and near-symmetric lattices

This contribution compiles the benefits of lattice symmetry in the context of closed orbit correction. A symmetric arrangement of BPMs and correctors results in structured orbit response matrices of Circulant or block Circulant type. These forms of matrices provide favorable properties in terms of computational complexity, information compression and interpretation of mathematical vector spaces of BPMs and correctors. For broken symmetries, a nearest-Circulant approximation is introduced and the practical advantages of symmetry exploitation are demonstrated with the help of simulations and experiments in the context of FAIR synchrotrons

Induction of division and differentiation of somatic embryos in the leaf epidermis of Gaillardia picta

Somatic embroys and subsequent plant regeneration were obtained from isolated leaf epidermis of Gaillardia picta. Abaxial and adaxial epidermal peels (monolayer) from 45 days old aseptic seedlings were isolated and segments measuring 5 mm × 3 mm were cultured on B5 basal medium supplemented with various growth regulators such as naphthaleneacetic acid or indolebutyric acid and benzylaminopurine or kinetin. Within 12 h of culture the epidermal cells showed receding of cytoplasm from the walls. After 48 h of incubation 3 or 4 localized zones, each consisting of 3-8 cells that accumulated cytoplasm and stained densely, were observed. Mitotic divisions occurred in these zones on day 3 of culture and localized masses of callus were observed in 95% of the cultures after 10 days. In another 5 days, the callus differentiated somatic embryos or roots, depending on the growth regulators and their concentration in the medium