Virtual Design and BIM in Architecture and Urban Design – Potential Benefit for Urban Emotions Initiative

The contribution deals with the topic of using virtual design Environment and Building Information Modelling technology (BIM) to create immersive urban situations for real-time experiments. Three questions will be answered: How can architects and urban designer work in the future with simple and consistent workflows to check their models during their draft and how can they communicate the result better to non-professionals? Is this methodology a framework to build up virtual laboratory environments for the Urban Emotions Initiative to exclude unpredictable incidents? Students and scientists worked out solutions in an interdisciplinary research project, where virtual reality offers planners the opportunity to examine their models not only on their computer but also to experience in the new planned building or urban situation to analyse spatial impressions, paths and lighting conditions. Supported by generative tools a multi-scale "Swiss army knife" workflow between model creation and design discussing platform in VR was developed which can be adapted to a virtual tour for examination "urban emotions" via head-mounted displays

Virtual Design and BIM in Architecture and Urban Design – Potential Benefit for Urban Emotions Initiative

Der vorliegende Beitrag beschäftigt sich mit dem Thema der Nutzung der virtuellen Realität und der Building Information Modelling Technologie (BIM), zur Schaffung von immersiven urbanen Situationen für Echtzeit-Experimente. Grundsätzliche Fragestellungen hierbei waren: Wie können Architekten und Stadtplaner in Zukunft mit einfachen und konsistenten Workflows arbeiten, um ihre Modelle während des Entwurfs zu überprüfen, und wie können sie das Ergebnis besser an Nicht-Profis kommunizieren? Ist diese Methodik ein Rahmen, um virtuelle Laborumgebungen für die Urban Emotions Initiative aufzubauen, um unvorhersehbare Ereignisse auszuschließen? Studenten und Wissenschaftler erarbeiteten in einem interdisziplinären Forschungsprojekt Lösungen, bei denen die virtuelle Realität den Planern die Möglichkeit bietet, ihre Modelle nicht nur am Computer zu betrachten, sondern diese auch in der neu geplanten Gebäude- oder Stadtsituation zu erleben, um Raumeindrücke, Wege und Lichtverhältnisse zu analysieren. Unterstützt durch generative Werkzeuge wurde ein maßstabsübergreifender "Schweizer Taschenmesser"-Workflow zwischen Modellerstellung und Entwurfsdiskussionsplattform in VR entwickelt, der über Head-Mounted-Displays zu einem virtuellen Rundgang zur Untersuchung "urbaner Emotionen" angepasst werden kann

Automated parametric neutronics analysis of the Helium Cooled Pebble Bed breeder blanket with Be₁₂Ti

The Helium Cooled Pebble Bed (HCPB) breeder blanket is being developed as part of the European Fusion Programme. Part of the programme is to investigate blanket designs relevant for future demonstration fusion power plants. This paper presents neutronics analyses of the HCPB with an alternative neutron multiplier, Be12Ti which is incorporated into the design, replacing the current Be multiplier. A parameter study was performed for a range of geometries to identify the optimal heights of the lithium ceramic and neutron multiplier pebble beds. Automated creation of CAD models followed by conversion to constructive solid geometry (CSG) and unstructured mesh (UM) geometry allows the models to be useful for both neutronics simulations and engineering simulations. In this neutronics study simulations were performed using MCNP 6.1 to find the tritium breeding ratio, energy multiplication and the volumetric heat loads of different blanket designs. Combinations of geometry parameters and material choices that resulted in adequate TBR values were identified and will be further investigated with automated engineering simulations. This paper provides insight, supported by neutronics analysis, on the validity of the design and comments on some of the potential advantages and disadvantages of using Be12Ti in the Helium Cooled Pebble Bed (HCPB) breeder blanket. Blankets with Be12Ti neutron multiplier were found to produce less tritium but higher energy multiplication when compared to blankets with Be neutron multiplier

Impact of materials technology on the breeding blanket design – Recent progress and case studies in materials technology

A major part in the EUROfusion materials research program is dedicated to characterize and quantify nuclear fusion specific neutron damage in structural materials. While the majority of irradiation data gives a relatively clear view on the displacement damage, the effect of transmutation – i.e. especially hydrogen and helium production in steels – is not yet explored very well. However, few available results indicate that EUROFER-type steels will reach their operating limit as soon as the formation of helium bubbles reaches a critical amount or size. At that point, the material would fail due to embrittlement at the considered load. This paper presents a strategy for the mitigation of the before-mentioned problem using the following facts: • the neutron dose and related transmutation rate decreases quickly inside the first wall, that is, only a plasma-near area is extremely loaded • nanostructured oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) steels may have an enormous trapping effect on helium and hydrogen, which would suppress the formation of large helium bubbles • compared to conventional steels, ODS steels show improved irradiation tensile ductility and creep strength In summary, producing the plasma facing, highly neutron and heat loaded part of blankets by an ODS steel, while using EUROFER97 for everything else, would allow a higher heat flux as well as a longer operating period. Consequently, we (1) developed and produced 14 % Cr ferritic ODS steel plates. (2) We fabricated a mockup with 5 cooling channels and a plated first wall of ODS steel, using the same production processes as for a real component. And finally, (3) we performed high heat flux tests in the HELOKA facility (Helium Loop Karlsruhe at KIT) applying short and up to 2 h long pulses, in which the operating temperature limit for EUROFER97 (i.e., 550 °C) was finally exceeded by 100 K. Thereafter, microstructure and defect analyses did not reveal defects or recognizable damage. Only a heat affected zone in the EUROFER/ODS steel interface could be detected. This demonstrates that the use of ODS steel could make a decisive difference in the future design and performance of breeding blankets

Fabrication routes for advanced first wall design alternatives

In future nuclear fusion reactors, plasma facing components have to sustain specific neutron damage. While the majority of irradiation data provides a relatively clear picture of the displacement damage, the effect of helium transmutation is not yet explored in detail. Nevertheless, available results from simulation experiments indicate that 9%-chromium steels will reach their operating limit as soon as the growing helium bubbles extent a critical size. At that point, the material would most probably fail due to grain boundary embrittlement. In this contribution, we present a strategy for the mitigation of the before-mentioned problem using the following facts. (1) The neutron dose and related transmutation rate decreases quickly inside the first wall of the breeding blankets, that is, only a plasma-near area is extremely loaded. (2) Nanostructured oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) steels may have an enormous trapping effect on helium, which would suppress the formation of large helium bubbles for a much longer period. (3) Compared to conventional steels, ODS steels also provide improved irradiation tensile ductility and creep strength. Therefore, a design, based on the fabrication of the plasma facing and highly neutron and heat loaded parts of blankets by an ODS steel, while using EUROFER97 for everything else, would extend the operating time and enable a higher heat flux. Consequently, we (i) developed and produced 14%Cr ferritic ODS steel plates and (ii) optimized and demonstrated a scalable industrial production route. (iii) We fabricated a mock-up with five cooling channels and a plated first wall of ODS steel, using the same production processes as for a real component. (iv) Finally, we performed high heat flux tests in the Helium Loop Karlsruhe, applying a few hundred short and a few 2 h long pulses, in which the operating temperature limit for EUROFER97 (i.e. 550 ◦C) was finally exceeded by 100 K. (v) Thereafter, microstructure and defect analyses did not reveal critical defects or recognizable damage. Only a heat affected zone in the EUROFER/ODS steel interface could be detected. However, a solution to prohibit the formation of such heat affected zones is given. These research contributions demonstrate that the use of ODS steel is not only feasible and affordable but could make a decisive difference in the future design and performance of breeding blankets

Curved Tails in Polymerization-Based Bacterial Motility

The curved actin ``comet-tail'' of the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes is a visually striking signature of actin polymerization-based motility. Similar actin tails are associated with Shigella flexneri, spotted-fever Rickettsiae, the Vaccinia virus, and vesicles and microspheres in related in vitro systems. We show that the torque required to produce the curvature in the tail can arise from randomly placed actin filaments pushing the bacterium or particle. We find that the curvature magnitude determines the number of actively pushing filaments, independent of viscosity and of the molecular details of force generation. The variation of the curvature with time can be used to infer the dynamics of actin filaments at the bacterial surface.Comment: 8 pages, 2 figures, Latex2

Emotionswahrnehmung für Fahrradsicherheit und Mobilitätskomfort Analyse von humansensorischen Messungen und Korrelation mit Umgebungsparametern = Emotion Sensing for Bicycle Safety and Mobility Comfort Analysis of Human Sensor Measurements and Correlations with Contextual Parameters

Wie sicher sich Menschen beim Radfahren fühlen, hat einen Einfluss darauf, ob sie sich dafür entscheiden, das Fahrrad zu nutzen. Dabei existieren eine Reihe von Faktoren, die das Sicherheitsempfinden beeinflussen. Neben externen Einflüssen sind es fehlende oder schlechte Radverkehrsanlagen, die entweder zu wenig Platz oder Schutz bieten. Im Rahmen des Forschungsprojektes ESSEM, gefördert vom Ministerium für Digitalisierung und Verkehr, wird ein innovativer Forschungsansatz realisiert, bei dem mithilfe zu erhebender Daten das Stresslevel von Fahrradfahrer:innen quantifiziert wird. Die Datengrundlage bietet weitreichende Potenziale, um Implikationen für die Radinfrastrukturoptimierung, aber auch Produktentwicklung und -evaluation zu ermitteln