In the present study, a computational investigation of thermohydrodynamic lubrication in pivoted-pad thrust bearings exhibiting different types of surface treatment is presented. Five different types ...of pivoted-pad thrust bearings are cross-evaluated for operation at different combinations of thrust load and rotational speed: (a) a pocket bearing, (b) a bearing with circumferential grooves, (c) a bearing with radial grooves, (d) a bearing with rectangular texturing, and (e) a hydrophobic bearing. A parametric analysis is conducted to identify the effect of the main design parameters (machining depth, radial/circumferential machining extents, slip length, radial/circumferential hydrophobic extents) on bearing performance. The performance gains obtained by each surface treatment type are evaluated against the performance of a conventional plain bearing of the same principal dimensions.
•Substantiall performance improvements for textured/hydrophobic pivoted thrust bearings.•Superior tribological behavior of pocket and circumferentially grooved bearings.•Minimum film thickness increases up to 24% for certain textured bearings.•Hydrophobicity shows great potential for load capacity increase and friction reduction.
A performance optimisation study of a thrust bearing with surface texturing has been addressed. Bearing response calculations have been performed with a thermohydrodynamic modelling approach. A ...THD-optimal bearing design has been calculated, and a sensitivity analysis has been performed. The optimal design has been evaluated utilising a thermoelastohydrodynamic model, in order to quantify the effects of thermal deformations on tribological characteristics, and a sensitivity analysis demonstrated a small difference on the parameter set of the optimal geometry. However, bearing performance is substantially affected by thermal deformations, leading to a reduction of thrust load by 13% and an increase of friction coefficient by 10%. The presented results highlight the importance of modelling thermal deformation on the design of textured thrust bearings.
•THD optimisation of textured thrust bearing.•TEHD evaluation of optimal results.•Comparison of THD and TEHD modelling.•Importance of thermal deformation on textured thrust bearing design.
Borrvall and Petersson (2003) developed the first model for the topology optimization of fluids in Stokes flow. They proved the existence of minimizers in the infinite-dimensional setting and showed ...that a suitably chosen finite element method will converge in a weak(-*) sense to an unspecified solution. In this work, we prove novel regularity results and extend their numerical analysis. In particular, given an isolated local minimizer to the infinite-dimensional problem, we show that there exists a sequence of finite element solutions, satisfying necessary first-order optimality conditions, that strongly converges to it. We also provide the first numerical investigation into convergence rates.
Abstract
A critical challenge during volcanic emergencies is responding to rapid changes in eruptive behaviour. Actionable advice, essential in times of rising uncertainty, demands the rapid ...synthesis and communication of multiple datasets with prognoses. The 2020–2021 eruption of La Soufrière volcano exemplifies these challenges: a series of explosions from 9–22 April 2021 was preceded by three months of effusive activity, which commenced with a remarkably low level of detected unrest. Here we show how the development of an evolving conceptual model, and the expression of uncertainties via both elicitation and scenarios associated with this model, were key to anticipating this transition. This not only required input from multiple monitoring datasets but contextualisation via state-of-the-art hazard assessments, and evidence-based knowledge of critical decision-making timescales and community needs. In addition, we share strategies employed as a consequence of constraints on recognising and responding to eruptive transitions in a resource-constrained setting, which may guide similarly challenged volcano observatories worldwide.
The severe acute respiratory coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection demonstrates a highly variable and unpredictable course. Several reports have claimed a smoker’s paradox in coronavirus disease 2019 ...(COVID-19), in line with previous suggestions that smoking is associated with better survival after acute myocardial infarction and appears protective in preeclampsia. Several plausible physiological explanations exist accounting for the paradoxical observation of smoking engendering protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection. In this review, we delineate novel mechanisms whereby smoking habits and smokers’ genetic polymorphism status affecting various nitric oxide (NO) pathways (endothelial NO synthase, cytochrome P450 (CYP450), erythropoietin receptor (EPOR); β-common receptor (βcR)), along with tobacco smoke modulation of microRNA-155 and aryl-hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) effects, may be important determinators of SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 course. While transient NO bioavailability increase and beneficial immunoregulatory modulations through the above-mentioned pathways using exogenous, endogenous, genetic and/or therapeutic modalities may have direct and specific, viricidal SARS-CoV-2 effects, employing tobacco smoke inhalation to achieve protection equals self-harm. Tobacco smoking remains the leading cause of death, illness, and impoverishment.
Efficient power generation from low to medium grade heat is an important challenge to be addressed to ensure a sustainable energy future. Organic Rankine Cycles (ORCs) constitute an important ...enabling technology and their research and development has emerged as a very active research field over the past decade. Particular focus areas include working fluid selection and cycle design to achieve efficient heat to power conversions for diverse hot fluid streams associated with geothermal, solar or waste heat sources. Recently, a number of approaches have been developed that address the systematic selection of efficient working fluids as well as the design, integration and control of ORCs. This paper presents a review of emerging approaches with a particular emphasis on computer-aided design methods.
The low incidence of pediatric severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and the associated multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C) lack a unifying pathophysiological ...explanation, impeding effective prevention and therapy. Activation of the NACHT, LRR, and PYD domains-containing protein (NLRP) 3 inflammasome in SARS-CoV-2 with perturbed regulation in MIS-C, has been reported. We posit that, early age physiological states and genetic determinants, such as certain polymorphisms of renin-angiotensin aldosterone system (RAAS) molecules, promote a controlled RAAS hyperactive state, and form an evolutionary landscape involving an age-dependent erythropoietin (EPO) elevation, mediating ancestral innate immune defenses that, through appropriate NLRP3 regulation, mitigate tissue injury and pathogen invasion. SARS-CoV-2-induced downregulation of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE)2 expression in endothelial cells (EC), impairment of endothelial nitric oxide (NO) synthase (eNOS) activity and downstream NO bioavailability, may promote a hyperactive RAAS with elevated angiotensin II and aldosterone that, can trigger, and accelerate NLRP3 inflammasome activation, while EPO-eNOS/NO abrogate it. Young age and a protective EPO evolutionary landscape may successfully inhibit SARS-CoV-2 and contain NLRP3 inflammasome activation. By contrast, increasing age and falling EPO levels, in genetically susceptible children with adverse genetic variants and co-morbidities, may lead to unopposed RAAS hyperactivity, NLRP3 inflammasome dysregulation, severe endotheliitis with pyroptotic cytokine storm, and development of autoantibodies, as already described in MIS-C. Our haplotype estimates, predicted from allele frequencies in population databases, are in concordance with MIS-C incidence reports in Europeans but indicate lower risks for Asians and African Americans. Targeted Mendelian approaches dissecting the influence of relevant genetic variants are needed.
In the present research communication, we report on identification and quantification of four main lactic acid bacteria (LAB) genera (Lactococcus, Lactobacillus, Streptococcus and Leuconostoc), most ...common in Greek cheeses, by a novel culture-independent method. More specifically, new primers were designed to be used in both multiplex PCR for simultaneous identification and in real-time PCR for quantification of the LAB. The method was validated by applying it in parallel to culture-dependent method in a variety of cheeses from different Greek geographical locations, of different animal milk origins and of different production methods. While the standard plate culture method showed absence of Leuconostoc sp. in all cheeses, the culture-independent methods detected all four LAB genera studied. Furthermore, the relative presence of the four genera detected by the culture-independent method showed a pattern present in almost all cheese samples tested, indicating Lactococcus genus as the dominant one.
This paper introduces a rigorous and comprehensive approach to the assessment of marine shafting systems through the utilization of an advanced π-Theorem-based scaling methodology. Integrating ...journal-bearing similarity assessment and shaft-line scaling methodology with advanced dimensional analysis, the study aims to provide a methodology foundation for systematic replication and analysis of marine shafting systems through scaled models. The proposed scaling methodology ensures geometric and mechanical similarity in terms of shaft-line deflection, considering key scaling parameters such as shaft length, diameter, weight, loads, rotational speed, material properties, bearing locations, and offsets. The advanced dimensional analysis computes specific non-dimensional ratios to guarantee a close resemblance between a real-size system and a scaled lab model. The methodology is analytically derived and validated with numerical simulations for a case study, conducting comparative analysis, evaluating discrepancies, and utilizing the integrated framework for experimentation.
Journal and thrust bearings utilise hydrodynamic lubrication to reduce friction and wear between the shaft and the bearing. The process to determine the lubricant film thickness or the actual applied ...load is vital to ensure proper and trouble-free operation. However, taking accurate measurements of the oil film thickness or load in bearings of operating engines is very difficult and requires specialised equipment and extensive experience. In the present work, the performance parameters of journal bearings of the same principal dimensions are measured experimentally, aiming at training a Machine Learning (ML) algorithm capable of predicting the loading condition of any similar bearing. To this end, an experimental procedure using the Bently Nevada Rotor Kit 4 is set up, combined with sound and vibration measurements in the vicinity of the journal bearing structure. First, sound and acceleration measurements for different values of bearing load and rotational speed are collected and post-processed utilising 1/3 octave band analysis techniques, for parametrisation of the input datasets of the ML algorithms. Next, several ML algorithms are trained and tested. Comparison of the results produced by each algorithm determines the fittest one for each application. The results of this work demonstrate that, in a laboratory environment, the operational parameters of journal bearings can be efficiently identified utilising non-intrusive sound and vibration measurements. The presented approach may substantially improve bearing condition identification and monitoring, which is an imperative step to prevent journal bearing failures and conduct condition-based maintenance.
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