Occlusion-Aware Path Planning to Promote Infrared Positioning Accuracy for Autonomous Driving in a Warehouse

Infrared positioning is a critical module in an indoor autonomous vehicle platform. In an infrared positioning system, the ego vehicle is equipped with an infrared emitter while the infrared receivers are fixed onto the ceiling. The infrared positioning result is accurate only when the number of valid infrared receivers is more than three. An infrared receiver easily becomes invalid if it does not receive light from the infrared emitter due to indoor occlusions. This study proposes an occlusion-aware path planner that enables an autonomous vehicle to navigate toward the occlusion-free part of the drivable area. The planner consists of four layers. In layer one, a homotopic A* path is searched for in the 2D grid map to roughly connect the initial and goal points. In layer two, a curvature-continuous reference line is planned close to the A* path using numerical optimal control. In layer three, a Frenet frame is constructed along the reference line, followed by a search for an occlusion-aware path within that frame via dynamic programming. In layer four, a curvature-continuous path is optimized via quadratic programming within the Frenet frame. A path planned within the Frenet frame may violate the curvature bounds in a real-world Cartesian frame; thus, layer four is implemented through trial and error. Simulation results in CarSim software show that the derived paths reduce the poor positioning risk and are easily tracked by a controller.

Numerical analysis of the equipment position influence on the premises thermal regime under gas infrared emitter operation and mixed convection conditions

The analysis of mathematical modeling results on premise heating by a gas infrared emitter (GIE) during supply and exhaust ventilation operation is presented in this article. The model is presented in a one-dimensional non-stationary setting for an incompressible medium with allowances for the radiant heat flux transfer between opaque solid surfaces in the air. The air is transparent to thermal radiation. The traditional k-ε model is used for turbulence modeling. The possibility for creating comfortable conditions in the area of a horizontal surface with different heights, imitating laboratory equipment, is analyzed.

The heat supply object thermal regime under conditions of gas infrared emitter and air exchange system joint operation

The paper presents the results of experimental studies on the formation of thermal comfort conditions in large premises with the joint operation of gas infrared emitters and air exchange ventilation system. The values of temperatures and heat fluxes on the clothing surface under natural and mixed convection conditions were obtained. It has been established that the air exchange system operation in the premises reduces the temperature drop of the person clothes surface, respectively, a more favorable temperature condition is achieved in the working area.

Heat transfer under conditions of operation of a gas infrared emitter and an air exchange system

In this work, the processes of heat transfer in a premise heated by a gas infrared emitter (GIE) are studied on the basis of numerical solution of the heat and mass transfer equations in a two-dimensional formulation. Calculations are carried out taking into account the presence of supply and exhaust ventilation in the considered area. Ventilation is required during the operation of high-intensity type GIE. The analysis of the main heat and mass transfer parameters by radiant and convective flows is carried out.