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Article
Publication date: 2 August 2024

Yang Liu, Yuefan Hu, Dongxiang Xie, Yongjie Zhang and Jianqiang Chen

The paper aims to propose a generation approach for unstructured surface mesh to speed up mesh generation.

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Abstract

Purpose

The paper aims to propose a generation approach for unstructured surface mesh to speed up mesh generation.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper proposes a lightweight interactive generation approach for unstructured surface mesh and presents several key technologies to support this approach.

Findings

The experimental results show that the proposed approach is feasible for unstructured meshes and it can accelerate the mesh generation process.

Research limitations/implications

More geometric defects should be covered, and more convenient and efficient interactive means need to be provided.

Practical implications

The proposed approach and key technologies are implemented in NNW-GridStar.UG, which is the unstructured version of the mesh generation software of National Numerical Windtunnel (NNW).

Originality/value

This paper proposes a lightweight interactive approach for unstructured surface mesh generation, which can speed up mesh generation.

Details

Engineering Computations, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0264-4401

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 25 July 2024

Trilok G., N. Gnanasekaran and Moghtada Mobedi

Despite the reputation of the metal-based porous media for their ability to augment heat transfer as widely witnessed in the literature and practically operating heat exchanging…

Abstract

Purpose

Despite the reputation of the metal-based porous media for their ability to augment heat transfer as widely witnessed in the literature and practically operating heat exchanging applications, the coexisting penalty of the increased pressure drop demanding increased pumping power poses a major concern that invites the need for an alternate solution to handle this unsought outcome. Therefore, this study aims at providing a better solution to the existing cost and benefit scenarios to benefit a plethora of engineering applications including energy transfer, energy storage and energy conversion.

Design/methodology/approach

This work highlights on the property of stacked woven wire mesh porous media such as their stacking types, porous conditions and thickness scenarios that can potentially result in distinct trade-off scenarios. A vertical channel is numerical modelled by using REV scaled modelling technique using Darcy-Forchheimer and local thermal non-equilibrium models to illustrate the possibilities of this variety of trade off scenarios between the desirable heat transfer and the unsought flow resistance.

Findings

This work illustrates the advantages of wire mesh-based porous medium and its distinct potential in controlling the existing trade-offs between the cost and benefit aspects. It is found that by varying the features of wire mesh porous media, the interplay between the conflictingly existing characteristics can be much easily handled specific to distinct requirements associated with variety of engineering applications.

Originality/value

The study emphasizes on a new solution or methodology to handle the penalty of pressure drop associated with metal-based porous media. Through this study, a novel approach to control the ultimately costing pumping power at the benefit of increased heat transfer is provided considering various requirements that could be associated with any thermal management systems. Various possibilities and potentials of wire mesh porous media are illustrated highlighting on their benefit of ease with which the mentioned goals can be achieved.

Details

International Journal of Numerical Methods for Heat & Fluid Flow, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0961-5539

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 27 June 2024

Xian Zhang, Changming Zhang, Peng Wang, Fan Yang and Chunlei Peng

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the stiffness reliability of harmonic drive (HD) considering contact pairs wear.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the stiffness reliability of harmonic drive (HD) considering contact pairs wear.

Design/methodology/approach

In terms of theoretical calculation, the contact pairs wear of HD are calculated based on Archard wear formula and the relative motion characteristics of contact pairs. According to the motion trajectory of flexspline teeth, the teeth backlash and the number of meshing teeth, the meshing stiffness and overall stiffness of HD are analyzed considering the wear and its randomness of contact pairs. Combined with Monte Carlo Simulation, the stiffness reliability evaluation method considering contact pairs wear is proposed, and the result of this method is verified by the stiffness reliability result deduced from the stiffness degradation measurement data.

Findings

Considering contact pairs wear, during operation, the teeth backlash increases, the number of meshing teeth decreases, the meshing stiffness decreases, ultimately leading to a gradual decrease in the overall stiffness of HD. When only one type of contact pair wear is considered, the influence of flexspline and circular spline contact pair wear on HD stiffness reliability is greater. Compared with the stiffness reliability evaluation results obtained from the stiffness degradation data in the literature, the mathematic expectation of stiffness degradation failure life distribution obtained from the proposed method is relatively bigger.

Originality/value

The stiffness reliability evaluation method of HD considering contact pairs wear is firstly proposed. The stiffness reliability evaluation result from theoretical calculation is verified by the stiffness reliability results deduced from HD stiffness degradation measurement.

Details

Engineering Computations, vol. 41 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0264-4401

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 13 June 2024

Maria Francisca Reis Rabaça Vaz, Maria Elisabete Silva, Marco Parente, Sofia Brandão and António Augusto Fernandes

Develop biodegradable meshes as a novel solution to address issues associated with using synthetic meshes for POP repair.

Abstract

Purpose

Develop biodegradable meshes as a novel solution to address issues associated with using synthetic meshes for POP repair.

Design/methodology/approach

Computational models were created with variations in the pore geometry, pore size, filament thickness, and inclusion of filaments around specific mesh regions. Subsequently, one of the meshes was 3D printed to validate the results obtained from the simulations. Following this, a uniaxial tensile test was carried out on the vaginal tissue of a sow to compare with the simulations, to identify meshes that displayed behaviour akin to vaginal tissue. Finally, the most promising outcomes were compared with those of the uterosacral ligament and a commercially available mesh.

Findings

Following a comprehensive analysis of the results, the mesh that most accurately replicates the behaviour of the vaginal tissue showcases a smaller pore diameter (1.50 mm), filaments in specific areas of the mesh, and variable filament thickness across the mesh. Nevertheless, upon comparing the outcomes with those of the uterosacral, the meshes do not exhibit similar behaviour to the ligament. Finally, the commercially available mesh does not represent the behaviour of both the vaginal tissue and the uterosacral ligament and in this sense may not be the best treatment option for POP repair.

Originality/value

Their biocompatibility and biomechanical properties make them a potential solution to the disadvantages of synthetic meshes. Personalized/customized meshes could be part of the future of surgical POP repair.

Details

Engineering Computations, vol. 41 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0264-4401

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 30 April 2024

Jungang Wang, Xincheng Bi and Ruina Mo

The electromechanical planetary transmission system has the advantages of high transmission power and fast running speed, which is one of the important development directions in…

Abstract

Purpose

The electromechanical planetary transmission system has the advantages of high transmission power and fast running speed, which is one of the important development directions in the future. However, during the operation of the electromechanical planetary transmission system, friction and other factors will lead to an increase in gear temperature and thermal deformation, which will affect the transmission performance of the system, and it is of great significance to study the influence of the temperature effect on the nonlinear dynamics of the electromechanical planetary system.

Design/methodology/approach

The effects of temperature change, motor speed, time-varying meshing stiffness, meshing damping ratio and error amplitude on the nonlinear dynamic characteristics of electromechanical planetary systems are studied by using bifurcation diagrams, time-domain diagrams, phase diagrams, Poincaré cross-sectional diagrams, spectra, etc.

Findings

The results show that when the temperature rise is less than 70 °C, the system will exhibit chaotic motion. When the motor speed is greater than 900r/min, the system enters a chaotic state. The changes in time-varying meshing stiffness, meshing damping ratio, and error amplitude will also make the system exhibit abundant bifurcation characteristics.

Originality/value

Based on the principle of thermal deformation, taking into account the temperature effect and nonlinear parameters, including time-varying meshing stiffness and tooth side clearance as well as comprehensive errors, a dynamic model of the electromechanical planetary gear system was established.

Details

Engineering Computations, vol. 41 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0264-4401

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 28 June 2024

Kou Takenouchi, Shingo Hiruma, Takeshi Mifune and Tetsuji Matsuo

The purpose of this study is to apply the topology and parameter optimization (TPO) to interior permanent magnet (IPM) motors to obtain the optimized shape with higher torque…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to apply the topology and parameter optimization (TPO) to interior permanent magnet (IPM) motors to obtain the optimized shape with higher torque, lower ripple and sufficient mechanical strength.

Design/methodology/approach

The constraints regarding the maximum stress, connectivity and mesh quality were considered to achieve not only high electrical performance but also high mechanical strength. To enhance the accuracy of the finite element analysis of the elastic analysis, this paper used body-fitted mesh adaptation technique to avoid the stress concentration.

Findings

The proposed method in this study resulted in feasible shapes with sufficiently high strength compared to previous studies. It is also shown that TPO yielded IPM motors with higher torque compared to topology optimization (TO) with fixed parameters.

Practical implications

Different from the existing studies on topology optimization of IPM motors, the mechanical strength is even considered by evaluating the stress values. Therefore, in the practical phase, geometries can be designed that are less likely to be damaged due to deformation, even in the high-speed rotation range.

Originality/value

This paper performed TO and parameter optimization (PO) simultaneously, considering not only the electrical performance but also the mechanical strength. Furthermore, the mechanical strength was evaluated more precisely by devising the elastic analysis conditions and mesh generation.

Details

COMPEL - The international journal for computation and mathematics in electrical and electronic engineering , vol. 43 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0332-1649

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 7 May 2024

Tian-Yu Wu, Jianfei Zhang, Yanjun Dai, Tao-Feng Cao, Kong Ling and Wen-Quan Tao

To present the detailed implementation processes of the IDEAL algorithm for two-dimensional compressible flows based on Delaunay triangular mesh, and compare the performance of…

Abstract

Purpose

To present the detailed implementation processes of the IDEAL algorithm for two-dimensional compressible flows based on Delaunay triangular mesh, and compare the performance of the SIMPLE and IDEAL algorithms for solving compressible problems. What’s more, the implementation processes of Delaunay mesh generation and derivation of the pressure correction equation are also introduced.

Design/methodology/approach

Programming completely in C++.

Findings

Five compressible examples are used to test the SIMPLE and IDEAL algorithms, and the comparison with measurement data shows good agreement. The IDEAL algorithm has much better performance in both convergence rate and stability over the SIMPLE algorithm.

Originality/value

The detail solution procedure of implementing the IDEAL algorithm for compressible flows based on Delaunay triangular mesh is presented in this work, seemingly first in the literature.

Details

Engineering Computations, vol. 41 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0264-4401

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 3 May 2024

Dong Huan Shen, Shuai Guo, Hao Duan, Kehao Ji and Haili Jiang

The paper focuses on the issue of manual rebar-binding tasks in the construction industry, which are marked by high labor intensity, high costs and inefficient operations. The…

Abstract

Purpose

The paper focuses on the issue of manual rebar-binding tasks in the construction industry, which are marked by high labor intensity, high costs and inefficient operations. The rebar-binding robots that are currently available are not fully mature. Most of them can only bind one or two nodes in one position, which leads to significant time wastage in movement. Based on a new type of rebar-binding robot, this paper aims to propose a new movement and binding control that reduces manpower and enhances efficiency.

Design/methodology/approach

The robot is combined with photoelectric sensors, travel switches and other sensors. It is supposed to move accurately and run in a limited area on the rebar mesh through logical judgment, speed control and position control. Machine vision is used by the robot to locate the rebar nodes and then adjusts the binding-gun position to ensure that multiple rebar nodes are bound sequentially.

Findings

By moving on the rebar mesh with accuracy, the robot meets the positioning accuracy requirements of the binding module, with experimental testing accuracy within 5 mm. Furthermore, its ability to bind four rebar nodes in one place results in a high efficiency and a binding effect that meets building standards.

Originality/value

The innovative design of the robot can adapt itself to the rebar mesh, move accurately to the target position and bind four nodes at that position, which reduces the number of movements on the mesh. Repetitive and heavy rebar-binding tasks can be efficiently completed by the robot, which saves human resources, reduces worker labor intensity and reduces construction overhead. It provides a more feasible and practical solution for using robots to bind rebar nodes.

Details

Industrial Robot: the international journal of robotics research and application, vol. 51 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0143-991X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 29 February 2024

Zhen Chen, Jing Liu, Chao Ma, Huawei Wu and Zhi Li

The purpose of this study is to propose a precise and standardized strategy for numerically simulating vehicle aerodynamics.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to propose a precise and standardized strategy for numerically simulating vehicle aerodynamics.

Design/methodology/approach

Error sources in computational fluid dynamics were analyzed. Additionally, controllable experiential and discretization errors, which significantly influence the calculated results, are expounded upon. Considering the airflow mechanism around a vehicle, the computational efficiency and accuracy of each solution strategy were compared and analyzed through numerous computational cases. Finally, the most suitable numerical strategy, including the turbulence model, simplified vehicle model, calculation domain, boundary conditions, grids and discretization scheme, was identified. Two simplified vehicle models were introduced, and relevant wind tunnel tests were performed to validate the selected strategy.

Findings

Errors in vehicle computational aerodynamics mainly stem from the unreasonable simplification of the vehicle model, calculation domain, definite solution conditions, grid strategy and discretization schemes. Using the proposed standardized numerical strategy, the simulated steady and transient aerodynamic characteristics agreed well with the experimental results.

Originality/value

Building upon the modified Low-Reynolds Number k-e model and Scale Adaptive Simulation model, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, a precise and standardized numerical simulation strategy for vehicle aerodynamics is proposed for the first time, which can be integrated into vehicle research and design.

Details

International Journal of Numerical Methods for Heat & Fluid Flow, vol. 34 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0961-5539

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 26 August 2024

Sarath Radhakrishnan, Joan Calafell, Arnau Miró, Bernat Font and Oriol Lehmkuhl

Wall-modeled large eddy simulation (LES) is a practical tool for solving wall-bounded flows with less computational cost by avoiding the explicit resolution of the near-wall…

Abstract

Purpose

Wall-modeled large eddy simulation (LES) is a practical tool for solving wall-bounded flows with less computational cost by avoiding the explicit resolution of the near-wall region. However, its use is limited in flows that have high non-equilibrium effects like separation or transition. This study aims to present a novel methodology of using high-fidelity data and machine learning (ML) techniques to capture these non-equilibrium effects.

Design/methodology/approach

A precursor to this methodology has already been tested in Radhakrishnan et al. (2021) for equilibrium flows using LES of channel flow data. In the current methodology, the high-fidelity data chosen for training includes direct numerical simulation of a double diffuser that has strong non-equilibrium flow regions, and LES of a channel flow. The ultimate purpose of the model is to distinguish between equilibrium and non-equilibrium regions, and to provide the appropriate wall shear stress. The ML system used for this study is gradient-boosted regression trees.

Findings

The authors show that the model can be trained to make accurate predictions for both equilibrium and non-equilibrium boundary layers. In example, the authors find that the model is very effective for corner flows and flows that involve relaminarization, while performing rather ineffectively at recirculation regions.

Originality/value

Data from relaminarization regions help the model to better understand such phenomenon and to provide an appropriate boundary condition based on that. This motivates the authors to continue the research in this direction by adding more non-equilibrium phenomena to the training data to capture recirculation as well.

Details

International Journal of Numerical Methods for Heat & Fluid Flow, vol. 34 no. 8
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0961-5539

Keywords

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