International Journal of Vehicle Structures and Systems
International Journal of Vehicle Structures and Systems (IJVSS) is a bi-monthly journal and is published by MechAero Foundation for Technical Research & Education Excellence (MAFTREE), Chennai, India from 2009 to 2022. Since January 2023, the publication has been fulfilled by Carbon Magics Ltd, UK. IJVSS will endeavour to publish high quality original research and review papers, case studies, technical notes and book reviews. All published papers in this journal will have undergone rigorous peer review.
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Numerical Investigation of Heat Transfer Enhancement in a Copper Sphere-based Decay Heat Exchanger with Paraffin Wax using CFD Simulation
A detailed numerical analysis of the heat transfer performance of a passive decay heat exchanger system is carried out in the present study. Two different configurations that are taken into consideration in the study are spheres filled with paraffin wax and spheres that are constructed of solid copper. Numerical simulations were carried out with the assistance of ANSYS Fluent. The thermal behaviour and efficiency of the heat exchanger system are evaluated under a variety of conditions with the intention of maximising the efficiency of the processes that are involved in the transfer of heat within the system. The temperature contours revealed dynamic phase change progression, with elevated temperatures near the heating element and nuanced thermal interactions with the copper spheres and phase change material.
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Dynamic Crash Analysis of Car Frontal Zone using Ansys Workbench for Predetermined Materials
This paper presents the car frontal zone crash analysis and simulation of using ANSYS Explicit Dynamics. Aluminium alloy AA6061 is considered for the outer shell of the car. The impact target considered is a titanium alloy. Total deformation, equivalent elastic strain, equivalent stress, shear stress and shear elastic strain are all assessed. The outcomes of AA6061 were compared with those of SAE J403 grade 1008, a commonly used material for car outer shells, under the same multiple boundary conditions. It was concluded that AA6061 is a much lighter, cost-effective and has a better strength-to-weight ratio than SAE J403 grade 1008.
Lateral Stability Control of Electric Sightseeing Vehicle based on Fuzzy Control Kalman Filter
Electric sightseeing vehicles suffer from weak lateral stability due to their unique body structure and gravitational forces. In order to solve the problems, this paper proposes a new method based on Kalman filter fuzzy PD controller to improve the stability of electric sightseeing vehicle roll. Firstly, a mathematical model of the motion state and lateral force of the electric sightseeing vehicle was established, revealing the relationship between its lateral stability and the body force, speed and inclination angle. Then, a Kalman filter fuzzy PD control algorithm was proposed, which controls the state in the fuzzy domain using a PD controller and eliminates interference using a Kalman filter. The paper provides the circuit diagram and working principle of the key components of the stability system of the controller. Finally, an electric sightseeing vehicle lateral test platform was constructed and experiments were conducted. The practical results showed that the electric sightseeing vehicle based on the method proposed in this paper can quickly maintain self-balance within a tilt angle of 20Rad, with a maximum adjustment time of less than 1.0S and good stability performance.
Influence of Injection Timing on Surface Ignition using Ethanol: Fuzzy Prediction of DI Engine Performance Analysis
The present study focuses on performance analysis of a Compression Ignition (CI) engine, fuelled with ethanol at three different injection timings (20 deg, 23 deg and 26 deg bTDC). Experiments are carried out on a single cylinder constant speed direct injection diesel engine under various load circumstances. The obtained experimental data are used to analyse the performance analysis of the CI engine by using fuzzy prediction and response surface methodology (RSM) optimization. The predicted fuzzy model and RSM results offered the average correlation coefficient (R) of 0.9876 and the average coefficient of a determination (R2) of 0.9227 correspondingly.
Effect of Ceramic Coating on Performance, Emission and Combustion Characteristics of Safflower Methyl Ester in Diesel Engine
In this work, partially stabilised Zirconium of approximately 0.5 mm was coated by the plasma spraying over the piston crown. The effects of Safflower Methyl Ester (SAME) in the Low Heat Rejection (LHR) engine, along with Retarded Timing (RT), are compared to a conventional CI engine. The results show that the LHR engine's Brake thermal efficiency was more than that of the diesel CI engine. The emission levels of Carbon monoxide and unburnt hydrocarbons are lower on the LHR engine in comparison with the uncoated engine.
Impact of Different Lip Thicknesses on Overexpanded Coaxial Jets
In this work, the effects of lip thickness (LT) on coaxial supersonic jet decay at overexpansion level of NPR5 have been studied numerically. Studies have also been conducted on coaxial supersonic jets from main supersonic C-D nozzles and secondary convergent nozzles with LT of 5 mm (mid), 10 mm (thick) and 15 mm (ultra-thick). A coaxial jet with LT of 1.7 mm (thin lip) was also examined for comparability. Grid independence study and turbulence comparison analyses were conducted for the 1.7 mm lip based on experimental results from the literature. The evaluation included the primary jet centreline pitot pressure decline, Mach number contour, and the density contours. The findings demonstrate that the thick lip and ultra-thick lip coaxial jet mixing has greater advantages than the thin lip coaxial jet used in this investigation. Also, the thickness of the lips variation has a strong impact on the mixing of jets. Coaxial jets of LT of 10mm and 15mm achieve a mixing that is noticeably greater than the lip having thickness of 1.7mm jet. Axial centreline total pressure decay was studied to analyse shock structures, potential core length and characteristic decay. Velocity and streamline contours were also examined.
Decision Tree Model based Fault Diagnosis Method for New Energy Vehicles
The fault diagnosis method for new energy vehicles faces the dual problems of unstable accuracy and slow response speed, which restricts the practicality of its online intelligent diagnosis. This article applies a decision tree model and optimizes it based on a strategy that combines feature importance sorting with cost complexity pruning (CCP). This study combines the information gain rate and the Gini coefficient to comprehensively evaluate the multidimensional features and screen out the key features with the most discriminative power for fault diagnosis. On this basis, the minimum leaf node sample number limit and CCP strategy are adopted to simplify the decision tree structure. Finally, multiple sub-models with limited depth are constructed based on the simplified single decision tree, and the diagnosis results of each sub-model are fused to improve robustness and response speed. Experiments show that this method achieves more than 93.6% accuracy on the test set, and the model complexity is significantly reduced. The model maintains an average accuracy of 93.5% on different vehicle types, and the accuracy ranges from 92.52% to 94.72% under different working conditions, verifying its high precision, low latency, and generalization ability.
Analysis of Subsonic Flow Over Delta Wing
The current study examines the aerodynamic characteristics of Delta wing designs which are especially useful for high-speed aircraft. Within subsonic analysis, the Delta wing has numerous benefits. Strong vortices are created at the tips of its wings by its unique design, which increases lift and improves manoeuvrability at low speeds. The model of Delta wing without aerofoil is created and analysis of the same model is carried out using ANSYS. The Delta wing using NACA 64-206 is also modelled and analysis is performed and aerodynamic parameters are calculated. On comparing the results, Delta wing with aerofoil performs better as compared to Delta wing without aerofoil, Hence, pressure distribution and vortex breakdown are assessed for the Delta wing with aerofoil. Using Fusion Deposition Modelling (FDM) process the wing model is fabricated using Polylactide (PLA) material. Fabricated wing model is utilized for flow visualization by varying the angle of attack (AoA) and vortex formation is visualized near the trailing edge and wing tips. It was found that the experimental results correlate well with the analytical results. The fabricated model is then used to determine the lift. The results show that after 18( AoA, the stalling takes place as observed by the numerical method.
Experimental Analysis of Single Cylinder Diesel Engine Blended with Biodiesel from Rubber Seed Oil under Variable Compression Ratio
This study presents an optimized approach to biodiesel production from rubber seed oil. In this work, an enhanced way for biodiesel production from rubber seed oil was implemented using methyl acetate instead of methanol as the acyl acceptor, which improved the stability of the immobilized lipase. The research further investigates the performance and exhaust emission characteristics of a four-stoke single cylinder CI diesel engine operating on various biodiesel blends. The study examines blends B10, B20, B30 and B40 at compression ratios of 16 and 17.5. The experimental results show that lowest BSFC and maximum efficiency were obtained for B10 blend. Increasing the biodiesel blend percentage reduced the NOx, CO2 and CO emissions, although B20 blend showed higher hydrocarbon emissions. Higher compression ratios boosted the engine performance, yielding increased horsepower, improved thermal efficiency and lower fuel consumption.
Emission Analysis of Blended Pyrolysis Oil Derived from Waste HDPE and Coconut Shell in CI Engines
This research examines the emissions characteristics of Compression Ignition (CI) engines utilizing a blend of diesel fuel and pyrolysis oil derived from discarded high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and coconut shells. The emissions from the CI engine, encompassing hydrocarbons (HC), carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO) and nitrogen oxides (NOx), were systematically analysed utilising an RS232 exhaust gas analyser in conjunction with a smoke meter. The findings pertaining to the engine performance under loading conditions of 30%, 60% and 90% were derived from the utilization of a fuel mixture comprising pyrolysis oil blend in the ratios of HDPE oil, coconut shell oil and diesel, specifically 5:5:90, 5:10:85, 10:5:85 and 10:10:80. The emissions profile exhibited variability contingent upon the pyrolysis blending ratios employed. The CI engine operating with a fuel blend of 5:10:85 demonstrated a reduction in NOx and HC emissions. Concurrently, the emissions of CO and CO2 were decreased with the 10:5:85 and 5:5:90 blends, respectively, when compared to 100% Diesel fuel. The optimal fuel blend comprising a ratio of 5:5:90, integrated with nano-additives, aims to mitigate emission behaviour associated with the automotive industry.
Optimizing Fabrication Parameters for Sisal and Abaca Fiber Reinforced Bio-composites: A Taguchi and RSM Approach
Natural fibre composites made of woven sisal (SF) and abaca (AF) are fabricated in this study utilizing the vacuum-assisted resin infusion (VARI) technique. For this study, the optimal parameters of manufacturing were determined using Taguchi experimental design approach, with L27 orthogonal array matrix. To get the best response values, researchers employed Response Surface Methodology (RSM). Fiber type (AF, SF, AF-SF), water absorption test duration (8, 16, 24 hours) and NaOH treatment percentage (2, 4, 6 wt %) were the factors considered. According to the study's findings, a mix of A1B3C1 parameters and RSM optimization of manufacturing parameters resulted in a flexural strength of 94.865 MPa and an impact strength of 0.241 J/mm2.
Effects of Prospis Juliflora Oil Biodiesel with Exhaust Gas Recirculation in Diesel Engines
In this paper, an experimental study was conducted on a Kirloskar four stroke, water cooled DI diesel engine fuelled with neat Prospis Juliflora-biodiesel operating with diaphragm Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR). The fresh air entering the combustion chamber is partially displaced by exhaust gas during EGR operation. The experimental procedure was adopted for evaluating the performance, emission and combustion parameters of a diesel engine with 5%, 10% and 15% EGR rates. The required parameters were measured for different loads for all tested fuels. The experimental results revealed that, B20 (biodiesel 20%) blend at different EGR flow rates performed closer to those of diesel. B20 blend at 15% EGR produced closer efficiency along with decreased NOx emission when compared to diesel.
Eco-Friendly Flax Fiber Composites Reinforced with Nanofillers for Enhanced Mechanical and Acoustic Performance
The creation of environmentally friendly materials, such as composites made of flax fiber is crucial in the race to achieve zero net carbon emissions. Impregnating flax fiber with bio-based materials is the first step in the production process. Nanofillers made of silver (Ag), activated carbon (AC) and graphene (Gr) are mixed with epoxy resin using magnetic agitation to guarantee an uniform distribution. This strengthened composite is sandwiched between two flax fiber mat layers. In this study, the optimum nanofiller weight percentages are calculated in several test specimens through Response Surface Methodology (RSM). The combination of 18% wt. AC, 7% wt. Ag and 8% wt. Gr have the best tensile strength as 45.31 MPa. While 12% wt. AC, 5% wt. Ag and 6% wt. Gr have the best noise reduction coefficient as 0.559.
Mechanical Analysis of Cu90Ni10 Alloy Processed by Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing using an L9 Orthogonal Array
This study focuses on the processing of Cu90Ni10 alloy using Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM) and employs an L9 orthogonal array to optimise the mechanical properties of the resulting components. Cu90Ni10 alloy is known for its excellent corrosion resistance and electrical conductivity, making it a critical material in various industries like aerospace and electronics. In this research, a systematic approach based on the L9 orthogonal array is utilised to investigate and optimise the key process parameters of WAAM, such as welding current, Robot/travel speed, gas flow rate and distance between tip and nozzle to achieve desired mechanical properties in the Cu90Ni10 alloy. The L9 orthogonal array is a statistical design of experiments method that enables efficient experimentation with a minimal number of trials, making it a cost-effective and time-saving approach for process optimization. The mechanical properties under consideration include tensile strength, hardness and impact energy. By systematically varying the process parameters according to the L9 orthogonal array design, a comprehensive dataset is generated. The findings of this study contribute to the advancement of Cu90Ni10 alloy processing via WAAM, enabling the production of components with enhanced mechanical performance.
Investigating the Combined Effect of DEE and Neltuma Juliflora Biodiesel with Diesel Fuel in a Compression Ignition Engine
In this study, diesel fuel, Juliflora biodiesel blend (JFB20) and ignition improver diethyl ether (DEE) is examined in compression ignition engine. After undergoing a transesterification procedure, the Juliflora biodiesel is tested in a four-stroke, single-cylinder CI engine. The prepared biodiesel is blended with pure diesel to prepare blend B20 (D80% with biodiesel 20% by vol.). With the prepared blend JFB20, DEE and diesel is added to prepare the blends B20DEE5D75, B20DEE10D70 and B20DEE15D65 and tested in the engine. Properties of the biodiesel, DEE, biodiesel blends are tabulated. The effect of addition of DEE with diesel were observed that BTE in JFB20DEEE5 combination is almost same as diesel at 50% loading whereas JFB20, FB20DEE10 and JFB20DEE15 are having slightly lower (less than 1%) BTE of the pure diesel. The percentage increase of BSFC of JFB20, B20DEE5D75, B20DEE10D70 and B20DEE15D65 is considerably more than 1%. Further the emission characteristics are also analysed and compared with diesel. CO emission in JFB20 and JFB20DEE5 are higher than diesel by 1.73% and 1.72% respectively, whereas the JFBDEE10 and JFB20DEE15 blends have shown a closer CO emission value to that of diesel. For all blends of biodiesel, the UBHC is significantly lower than diesel. The smoke is higher than diesel for the blends of biodiesel. It is found that NOx considerably reduced in all the blends except JSB20.
Experimental Analysis of CRDI Diesel Engine with Multi-Layered YSZ-Al2O340TiO2 Coated Piston and Powered by MgO-Doped Karanja Biodiesel
This work details the combined effect of using a piston with a multi-layered thermal barrier coating (TBC) comprising 250 microns of Al₂O₃40TiO₂ and 250 microns YSZ as well as two concentrations of MgO nanoparticle-doped Diesel-Karanja oil methyl ester blend in a single-cylinder CRDI engine. The TBC piston increased in cylinder temperature and thermal efficiency (BTE), decreased brake specific fuel consumption (BSFC) and HC, CO and smoke emissions and slightly increased NOx and CO2 emissions for biodiesel blend C-KJME20. However, the addition of MgO nanoparticles to biodiesel slightly increased CO2 emissions and BTE with reductions in BSFC and emissions of HC, CO, NOx and smoke. 100 ppm MgO nanoparticle infused blend (C-KJME20MgO100) has resulted in 1.02% increase in BTE, 9.91% decrease in BSFC compared to uncoated engine with KJME20 at maximum load. The emissions of HC, CO, NOx and smoke are decreased by 17.03%, 21.73%, 4.91% and 47.92% respectively when compared to KJME20.
Analysis of Performance and Emissions Characteristics of Diesel and SME B20 Fuels at Varying Start of Main Injection and Pilot Injection Timings
This study presents a comprehensive analysis of the performance, emissions and combustion characteristics of diesel and simarouba methyl ester (SME B20) fuels at various injection timings and load conditions. The investigation covers key parameters such as brake thermal efficiency (BTE), brake specific fuel consumption (BSFC) and emissions of carbon monoxide (CO), hydrocarbons (HC), nitrogen oxides (NOx) and smoke opacity. Experiments were conducted using different Start of Main Injection (SoMI) and Start of Pilot Injection (SoPI) timings, specifically 18 deg, 20 deg, 30 deg and 35d eg before top dead center (BTDC), across brake power levels ranging from 0 to 5.2 kW. Results indicate that SME B20 consistently exhibits lower emissions and improved performance characteristics compared to diesel, largely due to its higher oxygen content, which promotes better performance. In terms of performance, diesel demonstrates higher BTE, especially at lower injection timings, while SME B20 performs efficiently at higher loads. CO, HC and smoke opacity emission levels were significantly reduced in SME B20 blends, particularly at optimized injection timings. NOx emissions, although higher at increased loads for both fuels, were consistently lower for SME B20 compared to diesel, especially at the SoMI 20 deg BTDC.
Design, Modelling and Analysis of Variable Span Wing
This paper elaborates the working principle of the aircraft wing with variable wing span particularly for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). This concept is applied to create prototypes which could be used for wind tunnel testing and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis. The aerodynamic characteristics for fixed span wing (FSW) and variable span wing (VSW) are analysed computationally. From the simulation, it is concluded that the VSW has provided at least 68% improvement in lift force at 5( angle of attack, as expected owing to the increased aerodynamic surface area with VSW.
Experimental Investigation of AA2024 Reinforced with Titanium Silicon Carbide and Fly Ash using Ultrasonic Stir Casting
Aluminum is a commonly utilized material in numerous industrial applications because of its outstanding characteristics, including corrosion resistance, lightweight nature and strong thermal conductivity. The Ultrasonic stir casting method (USCM) is a highly efficient process for creating metal matrix composites, which blend the qualities of both the metal matrix and the reinforcement. The present research work focuses on producing aluminum matrix composites through the USCM. A mixture of Titanium (Ti), Silicon (Si) and Carbide (C) in a ratio of 3:1:2 is used as a single reinforcement material, in conjunction with a set percentage of fly ash as part of the reinforcement. All the reinforcements added to the aluminum are in nano-sized particles, ranging from 50 nm to 100 nm. The percentage variations include 3%, 6% and 9% of Ti, Si and C, along with 6% of fly ash in the composite material. The effects of the reinforcements on the microstructure, mechanical and lubrication characteristics were studied in the investigation. Hardness, tensile strength, compressive strength and wear resistance are all considerably improved in the composite that incorporates AA2024 reinforcement compared to the component without reinforcement.
Formation of Machine Cells and Product Families using Genetic Algorithm with Local Search Heuristic
Deriving solutions to the problems of intricacy in a manufacturing batch shop is a vital task to reduce lead times, throughput time, part changing time and part moving time from one machine to another. Grouping of machines into a cell and allocating vehicle parts of similar design characteristics or processing features are two difficult tasks in an industry to achieve proper machine utilisation and reduction of unnecessary movements of parts. Forming a group of machines into a cell and parts into a family can be done using cellular manufacturing technique. Cellular manufacturing is a primary application of Group Technology. In this paper a new algorithm for the formation of machine cells and part families has been developed. Search algorithm for allocating part families to the machine cells in an efficient manner has also been developed.
Design, Fabrication and Mechanical Characterization of Composite Plate
The study examines the design, fabrication and analysis of carbon fiber reinforced epoxy (CF/Ep) composite plates enhanced with silicon carbide (SiC) microparticles. Composites with varying SiC content (0%, 5% and 10%) were produced using vacuum bagging and tested for density, hardness, impact strength, tensile strength and flexural strength. SiC addition increased the density and hardness, with maximum hardness at 10% SiC. However, impact strength decreased due to brittleness. Tensile strength and Young's modulus peaked at 3% SiC, while flexural strength was highest at 10% SiC, as confirmed by ANSYS 2024 R2 analysis of total deformation and normal elastic strain. These findings highlight the need for optimal SiC content to balance strength and toughness in CF/Ep composites.
Production of Silica based Catalyst from Rice Husk for Biodiesel Production
Global energy scenario is changing from the time the scarcity of fossil fuels has become prominent. High level of pollution caused by the abrupt use of petroleum and coal has caused unrepairable damage of the environment in a small-time span which has triggered global warming. To mitigate this problem there was a necessity of alternate eco-friendly fuels which can be used in existing IC engines in the transport sector. Biodiesel produced from inedible oil and waste oil is a good alternative to petroleum diesel fuel. To make it more effective and pocket friendly, heterogeneous catalysts were deployed for biodiesel engenderment. In this research work, rice husk was used to produce silica-based catalyst and then the same was used for biodiesel production from waste cooking oil. Rice husk was treated at 450 degC for 2 hrs and then dissolved in basic solution of 1N KOH and 1N NaOH, separately and mixed with 600 rpm for 2hrs at 60(C in a ratio 1:6 to extract Si. Calciumoxide (CaO) derived from eggshells, commercially obtained CaO, lithium carbonate (Li2CO3) and silica produced from rice husk were mixed and treated at 80°C for 4 hours. The mixture was then subjected to drying and calcination to create the catalyst. Biodiesel was synthesized from waste cooking oil using this heterogeneous catalyst with a 6:1 molar ratio, 1.75% catalyst concentration, 135°C reaction temperature and 120 minutes reaction time. The properties of the produced biodiesel met the specifications outlined in ASTM and BIS standards.
Experimental Investigation on Tribological Properties of AA7085 - Titanium Carbide Metal Matrix Composites
This study focuses on fabricating Titanium Carbide (TiC) as a bonding agent in AA7085 alloy with proportions by weight of 0%, 0.5%, 1%, and 1.5% using the stir casting technique. Tribological properties were assessed via wear and microstructural tests under as-cast conditions. Optical microscopy revealed a uniform distribution of reinforcements within the AA7085 metal matrix. Findings demonstrate improved tribological behaviour in composites across assessment of the base alloy, with reductions in friction and wear. Nevertheless, surpassing a certain threshold in TiC ratio may result in agglomerations at grain boundaries, leading to decreased wear rate values.
Monitoring and Diagnosis of Motor Operation State Fault by LBP-SVM
Motors as a major power source are highly influential to current development and the wide application of intelligent devices. However, considering common use in experimental environments or construction sites, such a more complex working environment is not feasible for basic diagnosis of conventional fault operations. In this paper, the time-frequency thermogram detection method is adopted, the best wavelet base is selected to obtain the wavelet time-frequency two-dimensional image and then Tamura texture feature extraction on the best time-frequency image is conducted. In addition, the time-frequency image features are strengthened by local binary feature extraction and then the diagnostic experiments on the motor faults using the support vector machine. According to the final experimental results, the correct rate of fault detection is more than 93.7% when the value of LBP is 2. The average accuracy of SVM and PNN classification algorithms for motor fault detection both exceed 90%, but SVM averages are higher than PNN averages, which proves the superior performance of the LBP-SVM-based model.
Vehicle-to-Grid Technology of Transportation and Energy Fusion: Comprehensive Review, Research Advances and Application Practice
Vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology of transportation and energy fusion has become a realistic need and inevitable choice to crack the resource and environmental constraints, enhance the efficiency of resource utilization, and improve the way of resource utilization. In this paper, we first introduced the fundamental connotations of network communication technology, network security and privacy, orderly charging and discharging control strategy, and the V2G standardization and interoperability. Then, we studied energy management strategies such as power auxiliary service, integration of renewable energy, microgrid, and community energy management, and incentives for business models to users of the V2G technology. An outlook for the future V2G technology of transportation and energy fusion by combining the V2G application practices and cases is put forward.
Localised Web Buckling Strength Analysis of Parallel Flange Steel Beam due to Geometric Imperfections
The structural performance of parallel flange I-section steel beams is significantly influenced by localized web buckling, particularly under compressive and shear forces. Geometric imperfections, including initial out-of-plane web deformation, flange waviness, web thickness variation, residual stresses and welding distortions, can exacerbate web buckling, leading to premature failure. This study investigates the localized web buckling strength of a parallel flange I-section steel beam with widths ranging from 210 mm to 350 mm and depths ranging from 600 mm to 1750 mm by incorporating these geometric imperfections into numerical models using IDEA StatiCa and Abaqus. A nonlinear finite element analysis (FEA) approach is adopted, where IDEA StatiCa is utilized for structural stability assessment and section capacity verification, while Abaqus is employed to conduct detailed nonlinear buckling simulations. The study examines the influence of imperfection magnitudes, varying web slenderness ratios and different loading conditions. The primary objective is to establish a correlation between imperfection effects and web buckling resistance, providing insights into critical buckling loads and post-buckling behavior. The study is conducted in accordance with the provisions of the Indian Standard IS 800:2007 - General Construction in Steel. The provisions related to web slenderness, buckling coefficients and effective width calculations are incorporated into the analysis to validate the numerical results against theoretical predictions.
Ergonomic Workspace Design for Wheelchair Users
This article details the ergonomic study of workplace, especially for the wheel chair users. Virtual environment assessment tools are used to study the musculoskeletal burdens for wheelchair users having disabilities in motion. To view and assess the interaction between the wheelchair and the working area, DELMIA V5 software was utilized to electronically construct human individuals with anthropometric parameters. For the comfort of wheelchair users and to lower their risk of developing musculoskeletal diseases (MSD), three different types of ergonomic wheelchair seats have been developed and two modified VDT (virtual display terminal) workstations were provided, and the performance of the modified and commercial VDT workstations were compared.
Investigation on Performance, Emission and Failure Analysis of Piston using Thermal Barrier Coatings: A Review
The primary purpose of the thermal barrier coating (TBC) is to shield the metallic components above 1000 degC. Also, it can reduce emissions, improve efficiency, mitigate damage and abrasion in internal combustion engines. To evaluate and improve the durability and reliability of TBC, it is important to understand the fundamental degradation and failure mechanisms of TBC. To create a low heat rejection engine, the TBCs have been sprayed on top of the piston. TBC develops a complication in the morphology and the uneven cooling leads to pores and microcracks in the coating. Oxidation occurs, when TBCs are exposed to high temperatures. Various failure mechanisms of TBCs are analyzed due to oxidation, hot corrosion, phase transitions, residual stresses and sintering effect. Few strategies are outlined in order to mitigate the negative consequences as above and to increase the life span of TBCs.
Environmental Assessment of Diesel Engine Performance using Neem Biodiesel Blended with Al2O3 Nanoparticles
This study examines the performance, combustion characteristics and environmental impact of Neem biodiesel blends (B10, B20, B30) enhanced with 50 ppm Al₂O₃ nanoparticles in a 3.5 kW single-cylinder stationary diesel engine, compared to conventional diesel. The addition of Al2O3 nanoparticles notably improved combustion efficiency and reduced emissions. The results revealed a slight decrease in Brake thermal efficiency (BTE), with reductions of 5.8% for B10, 3.1% for B20, and 4.5% for B30 compared to diesel, while Specific Fuel Consumption (SFC) increased by 12.5%, 4.2%, and 9.8%, respectively. The environmental performance showed significant benefits, including a 26.7% reduction in carbon monoxide (CO) emissions, a 35.4% reduction in hydrocarbon (HC) emissions and an 18.9% lower smoke opacity for B30. However, concentration of nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions increased by 21.8% for B30 in comparison to diesel. These findings underscore the potential of Neem biodiesel blends, particularly when enhanced with Al₂O₃ nanoparticles, as a sustainable alternative fuel.
Enhancing NOx Reduction in CI Engines: Optimised EGR Strategies for Hevea Brasiliensis Biodiesel
The increasing demand for sustainable fuel alternatives and stringent emission regulations have prompted extensive research into biodiesel and Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) systems. This study investigates the effects of varying EGR percentages on the combustion performance and emission characteristics of Hevea Brasiliensis Biodiesel (HBBD20) blended with 120 ppm Carbon Nanotubes (CNT) in a Compression Ignition (CI) engine. The experiment was conducted using HBBD20 with different EGR ratios (10%, 20% and 30%) to evaluate Brake Thermal Efficiency (BTE), Brake-Specific Energy Consumption (BSEC) and key emissions, including Carbon Monoxide (CO), Unburnt Hydrocarbons (UBHC), Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) and smoke opacity. The results indicate that the integration of CNT nanoparticles significantly enhanced combustion efficiency by improving fuel atomisation and thermal conductivity. The optimised blend, 20% EGR with HBBD20 + CNT 120 ppm, demonstrated superior performance, reducing NOx emissions by 14.14% and improving fuel utilisation. However, higher EGR percentages led to increased CO and UBHC emissions due to incomplete combustion. Smoke emissions were effectively reduced, with the highest reduction observed at 20% EGR.
Injection Pressure Optimisation for Enhanced Performance and Emission Control in CI Engines using EGR with Hevea Brasiliensis Biodiesel and CNT
The optimisation of Injection Pressure (IP) in Compression Ignition (CI) engines using 20% Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) with a blend of Hevea Brasiliensis Biodiesel (HBBD20) and Carbon Nanotube (CNT) 90 ppm was investigated to enhance engine performance and emission characteristics. The study examined the influence of varying IP as 200, 220, 240 and 260 bar on Brake Thermal Efficiency (BTE), Brake Specific Energy Consumption (BSEC) and emissions, including Carbon Monoxide (CO), Unburnt Hydrocarbons (UBHC), Oxides of Nitrogen (NOx) and smoke levels. The results indicate that an IP of 240 bar demonstrated the highest BTE as 29.82%, the lowest BSEC as 12.07 MJ/kW.hr and significantly reduced emissions, making it the optimal setting. Lower IP of 200 bar resulted in inefficient fuel atomisation, leading to incomplete combustion and increased CO and UBHC emissions. On the other hand, excessively high IP of 260 bar caused an increase in NOx emissions due to finer fuel spray and elevated in-cylinder temperatures, while also reducing combustion efficiency. The role of CNT nano-additives in enhancing the fuel blend was evident, as they contributed to better fuel dispersion and improved oxidation, thereby counteracting some of the adverse effects of EGR on combustion efficiency. Additionally, 20% EGR effectively reduced NOx emissions without compromising performance, making it a viable emissions control strategy.
Energy-Efficient Power Electronics for Next-Generation Electric Vehicles
Electrified mobility technology requires power electronic systems which fulfil essential requirements of size efficiency high performance at affordable costs. In the advancement of electric vehicles (EVs), power electronics innovations in inverters and converters and motor drives serve as fundamental elements. It has emerged to allow power systems to achieve better switching frequencies and lower operational losses along with thermal performance improvements that produce heightened system efficiency together with densified power rating. The research investigates modern power electronic developments for their implementation within traction drive systems of future light-duty EV vehicles. Achieving faster charging and extending range alongside better fuel economy represents the main obstacles and chances that enable speedier development of EV that is efficient, dependable and built for mass adoption.