6,291 research outputs found
Hybrid propulsion technology program: Phase 1, volume 1
A number of booster propulsion system concepts are being considered for the next generation of manned and unmanned space launch vehicles. The one propulsion system concept that has potential for reducing costs with increased safety, reliability, and performance is hybrid propulsion (HP). A HP system may be thought of as a liquid propulsion system with solid fuel or a solid propulsion system with a liquid oxidizer. The liquid propulsion features that are most attractive are the higher specific impulse, clean exhaust, separated propellants, and oxidizer loading just prior to launch. The most attractive solid propulsion features includes low life cycle costs, no rotating machinery, compact size, and a robust case. In addition, a HP system has a robust LO2 tank; provides thrust control for ignition, to alleviate flight loads, and for thrust termination; and uses an inert grain that is not sensitive to anomalies such as cracks, voids, and separations. The object is to develop the technology to enable the application of HP to manned and unmanned space launch vehicles. This program will identify the necessary technology, acquire that technology, and demonstrate that technology. This volume is the executive summary
Hybrid propulsion technology program: Phase 1. Volume 3: Thiokol Corporation Space Operations
Three candidate hybrid propulsion (HP) concepts were identified, optimized, evaluated, and refined through an iterative process that continually forced improvement to the systems with respect to safety, reliability, cost, and performance criteria. A full scale booster meeting Advanced Solid Rocket Motor (ASRM) thrust-time constraints and a booster application for 1/4 ASRM thrust were evaluated. Trade studies and analyses were performed for each of the motor elements related to SRM technology. Based on trade study results, the optimum HP concept for both full and quarter sized systems was defined. The three candidate hybrid concepts evaluated are illustrated
Comparison of Josephson vortex flow transistors with different gate line configurations
We performed numerical simulations and experiments on Josephson vortex flow
transistors based on parallel arrays of YBa2Cu3O(7-x) grain boundary junctions
with a cross gate-line allowing to operate the same devices in two different
modes named Josephson fluxon transistor (JFT) and Josephson fluxon-antifluxon
transistor (JFAT). The simulations yield a general expression for the current
gain vs. number of junctions and normalized loop inductance and predict higher
current gain for the JFAT. The experiments are in good agreement with
simulations and show improved coupling between gate line and junctions for the
JFAT as compared to the JFT.Comment: 3 pages, 6 figures, accept. for publication in Appl. Phys. Let
The Management and Use of Social Network Sites in a Government Department
In this paper we report findings from a study of social network site use in a
UK Government department. We have investigated this from a managerial,
organisational perspective. We found at the study site that there are already
several social network technologies in use, and that these: misalign with and
problematize organisational boundaries; blur boundaries between working and
social lives; present differing opportunities for control; have different
visibilities; have overlapping functionality with each other and with other
information technologies; that they evolve and change over time; and that their
uptake is conditioned by existing infrastructure and availability. We find the
organisational complexity that social technologies are often hoped to cut
across is, in reality, something that shapes their uptake and use. We argue the
idea of a single, central social network site for supporting cooperative work
within an organisation will hit the same problems as any effort of
centralisation in organisations. We argue that while there is still plenty of
scope for design and innovation in this area, an important challenge now is in
supporting organisations in managing what can best be referred to as a social
network site 'ecosystem'.Comment: Accepted for publication in JCSCW (The Journal of Computer Supported
Cooperative Work
Constriction size distributions of granular filters: a numerical study
The retention capability of granular filters is controlled by the narrow constrictions connecting the voids within the filter. The theoretical justification for empirical filter rules used in practice includes consideration of an idealised soil fabric in which constrictions form between co-planar combinations of spherical filter particles. This idealised fabric has not been confirmed by experimental or numerical observations of real constrictions. This paper reports the results of direct, particle-scale measurement of the constriction size distribution (CSD) within virtual samples of granular filters created using the discrete-element method (DEM). A previously proposed analytical method that predicts the full CSD using inscribed circles to estimate constriction sizes is found to poorly predict the CSD for widely graded filters due to an over-idealisation of the soil fabric. The DEM data generated are used to explore quantitatively the influence of the coefficient of uniformity, particle size distribution and relative density of the filter on the CSD. For a given relative density CSDs form a narrow band of similarly shaped curves when normalised by characteristic filter diameters. This lends support to the practical use of characteristic diameters to assess filter retention capability
Modeling Diel Vertical Migration with Membrane Computing
Diel vertical migration (DVM) is an important ecological phenomenon in which zooplankton migrate vertically to deal with
trade-offs associated with greater food availability in shallow waters and lower predator risk in deep waters due to lower
light availability. Because of these trade-offs, DVM dynamics are particularly sensitive to changes in light intensity at the
water surface. Therefore, changes in the proportion of cloudy and sunny days have the potential to disrupt DVM dynamics.
We propose a new membrane computing model that captures the effect of cloud cover on DVM in Daphnia, and we use
it to explore the impacts of an increased proportion of cloudy days that are predicted to occur with climate change. Our
2-dimensional, spatially explicit model integrates multiple trophic levels from abiotic nutrients to Daphnia predators. We
analyzed the effect that different proportions of cloudy and sunny days throughout the summer have on our model. The model
simulations suggest that an increase in sunny days promotes a high phytoplankton concentration near the surface but does
not necessarily promote an increased abundance of Daphnia. Our model also suggests that a higher proportion of cloudy
days would increase Daphnia abundance due to a shift in the vertical distribution of Daphnia populations towards superficial
waters. Our results highlight that climate changes in multiple regions will affect animal migrations leading to altered food
web dynamics in freshwater ecosystems, and emphasize the potential of membrane computing as a modeling framework for
spatially and temporally explicit ecological processes
Wood furniture components: Implementation of flow-line technology based on lean manufacturing concepts
This case study is #3 in a series of studies that relate specifically to the development and application of lean manufacturing techniques for the furniture and wood component supplying industries. Case study #3 is an example of how productivity can be increased in a furniture manufacturing organization by using flow-line technology.
This case study provides information about lean manufacturing and how a lean manufacturing system can be implemented, followed by a detailed case study of a wood component manufacturing company’s adoption of a new flow-line technology based on lean manufacturing concepts
Quarkonium production in hadronic collisions
We summarize the theoretical description of charmonium and bottonium
production in hadronic collisions and compare it to the available data from
hadron-nucleon interactions. With the parameters of the theory established by
these data, we obtain predictions for quarkonium production at RHIC and LHC
energies.Comment: 11 pages (Plain Tex), 16 figures available on request by fax (41-22)
782 391
- …