Design of all electric secondary power system for future advanced MALE UAV

SAvE (Systems for UAV Alternative Energy) is a research project funded in 2007 by Piemonte Regional Government, Italy, and assigned to Politecnico di Torino and Alenia Aeronautica. Aim of the project is the study of new, more efficient, more effective and more environmentally friendly on board systems for future advanced Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV), particularly for future advanced MALE UAVs. The paper deals with the analysis and design of the all electric Secondary Power System of a future advanced MALE UAV, that we consider as "reference aircraft". After a thorough trade-off analysis of different configurations of the Secondary Power System, the hybrid configuration, characterized by generators (or better, starter/generators), fuel cells and traditional and innovative batteries, has been selected as the most promising. Detailed investigations to find the best way to apportion the supply of secondary power, considering the various power sources (generators or starter/generators, batteries and fuel cells) in the different modes of operations, have been performed thanks to an integrated simulation environment, where physical, functional and mission scenario simulations continuously exchange data and results

INCREASING THE VALUE OF THE TYPICAL WINE PRODUCTION IN NATIONAL TERRITORY: A PILOT PROJECT IN THE PROVINCE OF BERGAMO

Le caratteristiche di un vino dipendono dalla cantina, dai vitigni utilizzati per la produzione delle uve, e dal terroir: quella combinazione magica di geologia, morfologia, clima, coltura e cultura che caratterizza l’ambiente dove il vino nasce. Un sistema informativo geografi co è uno strumento potentissimo al servizio della qualificazione del terroir perché aiuta gli esperti nell’elaborazione dei dati e nella loro analisi. La tecnologia WebGIS si rivela essere un valido strumento di ausilio per l’analisi e la valorizzazione del territorio. Attraverso l’uso di queste soluzioni tecnologicamente avanzate, WineGIS fornisce in maniera integrata strumenti di carattere tecnico e scientifico, in grado di rappresentare in modo unitario la complessa e ricca realtà delle zone di produzione tipiche dei vini italiani. E di rappresentare un punto di partenza per una moderna politica di valorizzazione del territorio.The characteristics of a wine depend on the cellar, the grapevines used in the production of the grapes and the terroir: that magical combination of geology, landscape, climate culture that characterize the environment in which the wine is born. GIS is a powerful instrument in providing accurate terroir information because it helps experts in the elaboration of data and their research. Web GIS technology is a powerful tool to support landscape analysis and promotion. Through the use of these technologically advanced solutions, WineGIS offers, in an integrated manner, scientific and technical instruments able to represent in a unified way, a complex and rich view of areas of production typical to the Italian wine industry. And to represent a starting point for a modern political evaluation of the zone

Design of a blow off valve for turbocharged engine applications

On a turbo engine, the Blow of Valve (BOV) is used to relieve the pressure from the turbo output when the throttle is closed. Without the BO y, when the throttle is closed the turbo is suddenly trying to pump air against a closed throttle plate. This creates pressure spike in the turbo output hose and will send back the pressure to the turbine and can damage the turbo engine. When the throttle is opened again, the turbo has to spin up again, creating turbo lag. So, the present of the BOY will opened when the throttle is closed and pressurized the pressure spike to the air to avoid those phenomena. So, good flow of the air inside the BOV is important, the air will smoothly pressurized to the atmosphere if there is no back pressure inside the system. Computer aided design (CAD) and computational fluid dynamic (CFD) software were used as a tool for the design. This design is the improvement of the aftermarket design. The piston surface, size of vent, inlet ports, outlet ports, and also spring plays the role in the BOy. The design analyzed using CFD so can see the flow trajectories of the air inside the BOy

Is the global response to Covid-19 justified?

Here we analyse the legitimacy of government actions during the Covid-19 pandemic (lockdowns, social distancing, and masks) and the way they restrict individual choice and derail society by appealing to the masses. Rather than focusing on scientific research on the actual virus, we focus on the set of arguments typically provided by pro-measures individuals to show that they are based on the concepts of cognitive misery, lazy option, and problem substitution. We discuss some of the most notorious slogans and provide counterarguments to show that governments, media, experts, and other institutions have been led by the inertia of a confusing problem based on arbitrary and entangled grounds. Our conclusion is that governments, media, and industry are forcing “one-liners” (slogans) upon the true minority under attack: the single individual. Only when the single individual manages to become a sufficiently strong power, consideration of personal choice is granted

Subharmonic excitation in amplitude modulation atomic force microscopy in the presence of adsorbed water layers

In ambient conditions, nanometric water layers form on hydrophilic surfaces covering them and significantly changing their properties and characteristics. Here we report the excitation of subharmonics in amplitude modulation atomic force microscopy induced by intermittent water contacts. Our simulations show that there are several regimes of operation depending on whether there is perturbation of water layers. Single period orbitals, where subharmonics are never induced, follow only when the tip is either in permanent contact with the water layers or in pure noncontact where the water layers are never perturbed. When the water layers are perturbed subharmonic excitation increases with decreasing oscillation amplitude. We derive an analytical expression which establishes whether water perturbations compromise harmonic motion and show that the predictions are in agreement with numerical simulations. Empirical validation of our interpretation is provided by the observation of a range of values for apparent height of water layers when subharmonic excitation is predicted.Peer Reviewe

Hypothesis for Hypersonic Flight development

The aim of this work is to promote the hypersonic flight in order to improve both the affordability of the access to space and the terrestrial flight transportation increasing flight range and reducing flight time. A strategic air vehicle is envisaged partially employing state-of-the-art technologies focusing on configuration and feasibility studies. The purpose is obviously to indicate the technologies on which concentrating the design efforts. To enable the development of future spacecraft, it is believed that the effort have to focused on the development, at low cost, of new technology demonstrator aircraft based on suborbital “tourism spacecraft” and fighter aircraft. An important goal would be the development of small and affordable aircraft able to perform the hypersonic cruise

Oscillations:Linear theory and applications in AFM

The theory of oscillations can be studied from a mathematical point of view in terms of differential equations. The differential equation is written and then the solution or solutions worked out and mathematically analysed. Provided physical, economic, social, or other phenomena can be modelled in terms of equivalent differential equations, the solutions and results are applicable to all phenomena all the same. On the other hand, it is sometimes easier to learn a topic by having an experimental topic in mind. It is otherwise maybe surprising that a large body of phenomena in many fields of application will be easily understood if the equations are understood for a given case. The experimental analysis that forms the basis of this book is cantilever dynamics in dynamic atomic force microscopy (AFM). In a nutshell, the motion of the cantilever in dynamic AFM can be approximated to a perturbed driven oscillator. The generality of the analysis presented here can be confirmed by noting that much of what is covered in this book, particularly when dealing with the linear equation in section 1, is similar to what is covered in generic expositions such as that by Tipler and Mosca1 or the Feynman’s lectures on physics2 . Maybe the main advantage of this exposition is that the linear and nonlinear theories of oscillators, particularly phenomena that can be reduced to the analysis of a point-mass on a spring, are discussed in detail and differences in terminology that could lead to doubt, clarified. This means that this book can be used as a textbook to teach oscillation theory with a focus on applications. This is possible because oscillations are present generally in physics, engineering, biology, economics, sociology and so on. In summary, all phenomena dealing with oscillations can be reduced, to a first approximation, to a restoring parameter, i.e., force in mechanics, following Hooke’s law

"GenotypeColour™": colour visualisation of SNPs and CNVs

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The volume of data available on genetic variations has increased considerably with the recent development of high-density, single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) arrays. Several software programs have been developed to assist researchers in the analysis of this huge amount of data, but few can rely upon a whole genome variability visualisation system that could help data interpretation.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We have developed <it>GenotypeColour™ </it>as a rapid user-friendly tool able to upload, visualise and compare the huge amounts of data produced by Affymetrix Human Mapping GeneChips without losing the overall view of the data.</p> <p>Some features of <it>GenotypeColour™ </it>include visualising the entire genome variability in a single screenshot for one or more samples, the simultaneous display of the genotype and Copy Number state for thousands of SNPs, and the comparison of large amounts of samples by producing "consensus" images displaying regions of complete or partial identity. The software is also useful for genotype analysis of trios and to show regions of potential uniparental disomy (UPD). All information can then be exported in a tabular format for analysis with dedicated software. At present, the software can handle data from 10 K, 100 K, 250 K, 5.0 and 6.0 Affymetrix chips.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We have created a software that offers a new way of displaying and comparing SNP and CNV genomic data. The software is available free at <url>http://www.med.unibs.it/~barlati/GenotypeColour</url> and is especially useful for the analysis of multiple samples.</p