This paper shows the capability of current spreadsheets to define, analyse and optimise models of systems and processes. Specifically, the Microsoft spreadsheet, Excel®, is used with its built-in solver, to analyse and to optimise systems and processes of medium complexity whose mathematical models are expressed by means of non-linear systems of equations. Two hydraulic and thermal engineering-...

Models that characterize the displacement instability of the thermally grown oxide (TGO) found in some thermal barrier systems are reviewed, consolidated and extended. It is demonstrated that the simulations are only consistent with the observations whenever the bond coat and TGO both undergo plastic deformation. The TGO yields at the peak temperature, during growth, while the bond coat yields ...

Prognostics is a process of assessing the extent of deviation or degradation of a product from its expected normal operating condition, and then, based on continuous monitoring, predicting the future reliability of the product. By being able to determine when a product will fail, procedures can be developed to provide advanced warning of failures, optimize maintenance, reduce life cycle costs, ...

This paper discusses the commonly accepted method for life-time prediction for power converters in traction. The method is based on junction temperature estimation and thermal cycles on a given duty cycle. The predicted numbers of thermal cycles are compared to the curves giving the number of cycles to failure versus temperature cycles. These curves are extrapolated from power cycling tests. Po...

the principal effects of mass degradation on polymer matrix composites (pmcs) are the decay of mechanical properties such as strength, elongation, and resilience. this degradation is a common problem of the pmcs under thermal cycling conditions. in this article, composite degradation was investigated by measurement of total mass loss (tml) using the taguchi approach. thermal cycling tests were ...

Introduction. Adolescents with cerebral palsy (CP) often have difficulty participating in exercise at intensities necessary to improve cardiovascular fitness. Functional electrical stimulation- (FES-) assisted cycling is proposed as a form of exercise for adolescents with CP. The aims of this paper were to adapt methods and assess the feasibility of applying FES cycling technology in adolescent...

The purpose of the study was to describe cyclists and cycling trips, and to explore correlates, time trends and health consequences of cycling in São Paulo, Brazil from 1997 to 2012. Cross-sectional analysis using repeated São Paulo Household Travel Surveys (HTS). At all time periods cycling was a minority travel mode in São Paulo (1174 people with cycling trips out of 214,719 people). Poisson ...

In digital color imaging, it is of interest to transform the color scene of an image to the other. Some attempts have been done in this case using, for example, lαβ color space, principal component analysis and recently histogram rescaling method. In this research, a novel method is proposed based on the Resenfeld and Kak histogram matching algorithm. It is suggested that to transform the color...

Policy seeks to support cycling as a form of sustainable and active travel, yet, cycling levels in the UK remain low and evidence about interventions mixed. Data from a qualitative sociological study is used here to explore the difference that cultural meanings make to cycling practices in four different English urban areas. Specifically, we discuss differences between places with established c...

In a modern three-dimensional integrated circuit (3D IC), vertically stacked dies are interconnected using through silicon vias. 3D ICs are subject to undesirable temperature-cycling phenomena such as through silicon via protrusion as well as void formation and growth. These cycling effects that occur during early life result in opens, resistive opens, and stress induced carrier mobility reduct...