We analyze the power output of a quantum dot machine coupled to two electronic reservoirs via thermoelectric contacts, and to two thermal reservoirs – one hot and one cold. This machine is a nanoscale analogue of a conventional thermocouple heat-engine, in which the active region being heated is unavoidably also exchanging heat with its cold environment. Heat exchange between the dot and the th...

As a clean energy technology, the development of electric vehicles (EVs) is challenged by lightweight design, battery safety, and range. In this study, our simulations indicate that using a flexible structure of battery module has the potential to overcome the limitations in battery-powered EVs, contributing to a new design. Specifically, we focus on optimizing the structure of vehicle battery ...

The evolution of an electromagnetic pulse propagating through a linear, dispersive, and absorbing dielectric (as predicted by the modern asymptotic extension of the classic theory of Sommerfeld and Brillouin) is described in physical terms. The description is similar to the group-velocity description known for plane-wave pulses propagating through lossless, gainless, dispersive media but with t...

Composite materials, especially polymer matrix composites, have been intensively studied for energy absorption applications. When the temperature is close to or higher than the glass transition temperature (Tg), the polymer matrix is usually viscoelastic. With an external loading, either dynamic or quasi-static, the relaxation of the network polymer chains would cause a considerable energy diss...

The electronic conductance of a molecule making contact to electrodes is determined by the coupling of discrete molecular states to the continuum electrode density of states. Interactions between bound states and continua can be modeled exactly by using the (energy-dependent) self-energy or approximately by using a complex potential. We discuss the relation between the two approaches and give a...

OBJECTIVES This study presents an investigation of anti-whiplash features that can be implemented in a car seat to reduce whiplash injuries in the case of a rear impact. The main emphasis is on achieving a seat design with good energy absorption properties. METHODS A biofidelic 50th percentile male multi-body human model for rear impact is developed to evaluate the performance of car seat des...

Energy absorption performance is one of the most important indexes in the vehicle safety during impact. Research on the car frontal structure energy performance and structure optimization was conducted in this paper. Whole vehicle model was established by HyperMesh and simulated in LS-DYNA. Simulation results indicated that modification was need for the original structure to meet requirement. B...