Search Results (10)

This paper presents a literature review of low-power hybrid wind–photovoltaic (PV) systems and introduces a 3 m diameter prototype rotor featuring twelve PV-coated pivoting blades stiffened by a peripheral rim. Existing solutions—foldable umbrella concepts, Darrieus rotors with PV-integrated blades, and morphing blades—are surveyed, and current gaps in simultaneous wind + PV co-generation on a single moving structure are highlighted. Key performance indicators such as power coefficient (C_p), DC ripple, cell temperature difference (ΔT), and levelised cost of energy (LCOE) are defined, and an integrated assessment methodology is proposed based on blade element momentum (BEM) and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modelling, dynamic current–voltage (I–V) testing, and failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA) to evaluate system performance and reliability. Preliminary results point to moderate aerodynamic penalties (ΔC_p ≈ 5–8%), PV output during rotation equal to 15–25% of the nominal PV power (P_PV), and an estimated 70–75% reduction in blade–root bending moment when the peripheral ring converts each blade from a cantilever to a simply supported member, resulting in increased blade stiffness. Major challenges include the collective pitch mechanism, dynamic shading, and wear of rotating components (slip rings); however, the suggested technical measures—maximum power point tracking (MPPT), string segmentation, and redundant braking—keep performance within acceptable limits. This study concludes that the concept shows promise for distributed microgeneration, provided extensive experimental validation and IEC 61400-2-compliant standardisation are pursued. This paper has a dual scope: (i) a concise literature review relevant to low-Re flat-blade aerodynamics and ring-stiffened rotor structures and (ii) a multi-fidelity aero-structural study that culminates in a 3 m prototype proposal. We present the first evaluation of a hybrid wind–PV rotor employing untwisted flat-plate blades stiffened by a peripheral ring. Using low-Re BEM for preliminary loading, steady-state RANS-CFD (k-ω SST) for validation, and elastic FEM for sizing, we assemble a coherent load/performance dataset. After upsizing the hub pins (Ø 30 mm), ring (50 × 50 mm), and spokes (Ø 40 mm), von Mises stresses remain < 25% of the 6061-T6 yield limit and tip deflection ≤ 0.5%·R acrosscut-in (3 m s⁻¹), nominal (5 m s⁻¹), and extreme (25 m s⁻¹) cases. CFD confirms a broad efficiency plateau at λ = 2.4–2.8 for β ≈ 10° and near-zero shaft torque at β = 90°, supporting a three-step pitch schedule (20° start-up → 10° nominal → 90° storm). Cross-model deviations for C_p, torque, and pressure/force distributions remain within ± 10%. This study addresses only the rotor; off-the-shelf generator, brake, screw-pitch, and azimuth/tilt drives are intended for later integration. The results provide a low-cost manufacturable architecture and a validated baseline for full-scale testing and future transient CFD/FEM iterations. Full article

Axially moving wing aircraft can better adapt to the flight environment, improve flight performance, reduce flight resistance, and improve flight distance. This paper simplifies the fully unfolded axially moving wing into a stepped cantilever plate model, analyzes the structural nonlinearity of the system, and studies the influence of aerodynamic nonlinearity on system vibration. The model is affected by aerodynamic forces, piezoelectric excitation, and in-plane excitation. Due to Hamilton’s principle of least action, the mathematical model is established based on Reddy’s higher-order shear deformation theory, and using Galerkin’s method, the governing dimensionless partial differential equations of the system are simplified to two nonlinear ordinary differential equations, and then a study of the influence of the various engineering parameters on the nonlinear oscillations and frequency responses of this model is conducted by the method of multiple scales. It was found that the different values of $a_5$, $a_6$, $b_6$ and $b_8$ can change the shape of the amplitude–frequency response curve and size of the plate, while different symbols $a_7$ and $b_7$ can change the rigidity of the model. The excitations greatly impact the nonlinear dynamic responses of the plate. Full article

Recent advances in soft polymer materials have enabled the design of soft machines and devices at multiple scales. Their intrinsic compliance and robust mechanical properties and the potential for a rapid scaling of the production process make them ideal candidates for flexible and stretchable electronics and sensors. Large-area electronics (LAE) made from soft polymer materials that are capable of sustaining large deformations and covering large surfaces and are applicable to complex and irregular surfaces and transducing deformations into readable signals have been explored for structural health monitoring (SHM) applications. The authors have previously proposed and developed an LAE consisting of a corrugated soft elastomeric capacitor (cSEC). The corrugation is used to engineer the directional strain sensitivity by using a thermoplastic styrene-ethylene-butadiene-styrene (SEBS). A key limitation of the SEBS-cSEC technology is the need of an epoxy for reliable bonding of the sensor onto the monitored surface, mainly attributable to the sensor’s fabrication process that comprises a solvent that limits its direct deployment through a painting process. Here, with the objective to produce a paintable cSEC, we study an improved solvent-free fabrication method by using a commercial room-temperature-vulcanizing silicone as the host matrix. The matrix is filled with titania particles to form the dielectric layer, yielding a permittivity of 4.05. Carbon black powder is brushed onto the dielectric and encapsulated with the same silicone to form the conductive stretchable electrodes. The sensor is deployed by directly painting a layer of the silicone onto the monitored surface and then depositing the parallel plate capacitor. The electromechanical behavior of the painted silicone-cSEC was characterized and exhibited good linearity, with an R${}^2$ value of 0.9901, a gauge factor of 1.58, and a resolution of 70 $\mathsf{\mu }\mathsf{\epsilon }$. This resolution compared well with that of the epoxied SEBS-cSEC reported in previous work (25 $\mathsf{\mu }\mathsf{\epsilon }$). Its performance was compared against that of its more mature version, the SEBS-cSEC, in a network configuration on a cantilever plate subjected to a step-deformation and to free vibrations. Results showed that the performance of the painted silicone-sCEC compared well with that of the SEBS-cSEC, but that the use of a silicone paint instead of an epoxy could be responsible for larger noise and the under-estimation of the dominating frequency by 6.7%, likely attributable to slippage. Full article

Over the last couple of decades, numerous piezoelectric footwear energy harvesters (PFEHs) have been reported in the literature. This paper reviews the principles, methods, and applications of PFEH technologies. First, the popular piezoelectric materials used and their properties for PEEHs are summarized. Then, the force interaction with the ground and dynamic energy distribution on the footprint as well as accelerations are analyzed and summarized to provide the baseline, constraints, potential, and limitations for PFEH design. Furthermore, the energy flow from human walking to the usable energy by the PFEHs and the methods to improve the energy conversion efficiency are presented. The energy flow is divided into four processing steps: (i) how to capture mechanical energy into a deformed footwear, (ii) how to transfer the elastic energy from a deformed shoes into piezoelectric material, (iii) how to convert elastic deformation energy of piezoelectric materials to electrical energy in the piezoelectric structure, and (iv) how to deliver the generated electric energy in piezoelectric structure to external resistive loads or electrical circuits. Moreover, the major PFEH structures and working mechanisms on how the PFEHs capture mechanical energy and convert to electrical energy from human walking are summarized. Those piezoelectric structures for capturing mechanical energy from human walking are also reviewed and classified into four categories: flat plate, curved, cantilever, and flextensional structures. The fundamentals of piezoelectric energy harvesters, the configurations and mechanisms of the PFEHs, as well as the generated power, etc., are discussed and compared. The advantages and disadvantages of typical PFEHs are addressed. The power outputs of PFEHs vary in ranging from nanowatts to tens of milliwatts. Finally, applications and future perspectives are summarized and discussed. Full article

Mine pressure at the working face is severe due to it being directly covered by a thick hard roof. To further investigate the technology of controlling the mine pressure of a thick hard roof, the upper working face of 13,121 in Gubei mine of Huainan mining area was used as the engineering background, and similar simulation experiments, mechanical analysis, numerical simulation, and engineering applications were used to obtain the structure of a pre-cracked cut roof cut falling body, as well as establishing the mechanical model of hydraulic brace support resistance and direct covering. The results of the numerical simulation combined with the 20 m step pre-cracked top cutting showed that the cantilever length of the roof plate in the mining area was shortened by 25.61%, the stress concentration was reduced by 31.74%, and the stress level of the hydraulic brace was reduced by 26.59–28.38%, destroying the integrity of the thick hard rock body. According to the field monitoring data analysis, the working face’s initial pressure step and periodic pressure step were reduced, and the average dynamic load coefficients of the initial pressure and periodic pressure were 1.43 and 1.33, respectively, with a small dispersion of the dynamic load coefficient of the bracket. The pressure at the working face is regulated, and the chosen support equipment, in conjunction with the roof cutting scheme, can meet the thick hard roof’s support needs. Full article

The realization of a c-axis oriented aluminum nitride thick film on aluminum substrates is a promising step in the development of transducers for applications with a working temperature up to about 600 °C. The present paper deals with the realization of AlN thick films by means of reactive magnetron sputtering with a pulsed DC power supply, operating in continuous mode for 50 h. Two values (0.4 and 0.8) of nitrogen concentration were used; operative pressure and power were set at 0.3 Pa and 150 W, respectively. The thickness of the obtained aluminum nitride films on the aluminum substrate, assessed with a profilometer, varied from 20 to 30 µm. The preferential orientation of AlN crystals was verified by X-ray diffraction. Finally, as the main focus of the investigation, the films underwent electrical characterization by means of an LCR-meter used on a parallel plate capacitor set-up and a test system based on a cantilever beam configuration. AlN conductivity and ε₃₃ permittivity were derived in the 100 Hz–300 kHz frequency range. Magnetron sputtering operation with nitrogen concentration equal to 0.4 resulted in the preferred operative condition, leading to a d₃₁ piezoelectric coefficient, in magnitude, of 0.52 × 10⁻¹² C/N. Full article

We describe our force-controlled 3D printing method for layer-by-layer additive micromanufacturing (µAM) of metal microstructures. Hollow atomic force microscopy cantilevers are utilized to locally dispense metal ions in a standard 3-electrode electrochemical cell, enabling a confined electroplating reaction. The deflection feedback signal enables the live monitoring of the voxel growth and the consequent automation of the printing protocol in a layer-by-layer fashion for the fabrication of arbitrary-shaped geometries. In a second step, we investigated the effect of the free parameters (aperture diameter, applied pressure, and applied plating potential) on the voxel size, which enabled us to tune the voxel dimensions on-the-fly, as well as to produce objects spanning at least two orders of magnitude in each direction. As a concrete example, we printed two different replicas of Michelangelo’s David. Copper was used as metal, but the process can in principle be extended to all metals that are macroscopically electroplated in a standard way. Full article

This paper proposes a high-strain sensitivity turning dynamometer that combines several thin-film resistor grids into three Wheatstone full-bridge circuits that can measure triaxial cutting forces. This dynamometer can replace different cutter heads using flange connections. In order to improve the strain effect of the dynamometer, the strain film sensor is fixed on the regular octagonal connection plates on both ends of the elastomer by vacuum brazing, and the stepped groove structure is also designed inside the elastomer. The dynamometer model is simplified as a four-segment cantilever beam which has different sections. The measurement mechanism model of the dynamometer system is established by the transformation relationship between deflection and strain, under external force. The standard turning tool of 20 mm square is used as a reference. The influence of the structural dimensions of the dynamometer on its strain sensitivity coefficient K is studied. The applicability of the theoretical model of dynamometer strain is verified by finite element analysis. Finally, the dynamometer with the largest K value is subjected to the bending test and compared with a standard turning tool. The experimental results show that the measurement sensitivity of the dynamometer is 2.32 times greater than that of the standard turning tool. The results also show that this dynamometer can effectively avoid the influence of the pasting process on strain transmission, thus indicating its great potential for measuring cutting force in the future. Full article

Coal is among the most important energy sources, and gob-side entry retention by roof cutting (GERRC) is an innovative non-pillar mining technique that can effectively increase coal recovery rates and avoid coal wastage. To investigate the characteristics of mine strata pressure using the GERRC technique, a field case study under conditions involving a medium-thick coal seam and a compound roof was performed, and the mine strata behavior mechanisms were studied by theoretical analysis. Field monitoring shows that the distributions of the weighting step and strength along the longwall working face are asymmetrical. The periodic weighting length on the entry retaining side is longer than that on the other sides of the longwall working face, and the average increase is appropriately 4 m. Compared to the other sides of the longwall, on the entry retaining side, the periodic weighting strength is weaker, the average pressure is reduced by 2.1 MPa, and the peak pressure is reduced by 10.2 MPa. The lateral distance affected by roof cutting along the longwall is approximately 29.75 m, and the closer to the cutting slit, the more significant the roof cutting effect is. The retained entry becomes stable when it is more than 230 m behind the mining face, and the final cross section of the retained entry can meet the reuse demand of the next mining face. Theoretical analysis shows that the roof pressure mechanism in GERRC can be explained using cantilever beam theory. Within the area affected by roof cutting, the thickness of the immediate roof increases, and the suspension plate length of the roof immediately behind the longwall decreases. Then, the gangue pile in the goaf behind the longwall formed by the immediate roof’s collapse and expansion can support the main roof and other overlying strata much better. Therefore, the rotational breaking angle of the main roof is smaller, the periodic weighting step strength increases, and the periodic weighting decreases. According to the structural state of the surrounding rocks during the entire entry retaining process, the retained entry can be divided into coal support, dynamic pressure and stable entry areas. Full article

In the present study, a new method of predicting the dynamic behavior of a variable thickness (VT) cantilever plate by using a thin plate scaled model is proposed. The thin plate model, defined as the model thin (MT) plate, is designed by using the newly proposed similitude design method. The method is derived based on the transfer matrix of both the stepped thickness (ST) plate that is simplified by the VT plate and the thin plate. The thickness of the MT plate is calculated by introducing the equivalent thickness corresponding to each VT plate’s vibration modals, such that a series of accurate distorted scaling laws are provided to predict each corresponding property. Moreover, an algorithm of designing the MT plate is proposed and a design process is summarized in steps. Finally, an example, where the prototype VT plate is made of 42 CrMo and the MT plate is made of NO. 45 steel, is discussed to validate the proposed design method, showing that the MT plate, which is designed by using the proposed method, can accurately predict the dynamic properties of the prototype VT plate, and showing its significance in engineering practice. Full article