Searching for the Most Suitable Loss Model Set for Subsonic Centrifugal Compressors Using an Improved Method for Off-Design Performance Prediction

This work investigates loss model sets based on empirical loss correlations for subsonic centrifugal compressors. These loss models in combination with off-design performance prediction algorithms make up an essential tool in predicting off-design behaviour of turbomachines. This is important since turbomachines rarely work under design conditions. This study employs an off-design performance prediction algorithm based on an iterative process from Galvas. Modelling of ten different loss mechanisms and physical phenomena is involved in this approach and is thoroughly described in this work. Geometries of two subsonic compressors were reconstructed and used in the evaluation of individual loss correlations in order to obtain a suitable loss model. Results of these variations are compared to experimental data. In addition, 4608 loss model sets were created by taking all possible combinations of individual loss estimations from which three promising candidates were selected for further investigation. Finally, off-design performance of both centrifugal compressors was computed. These results were compared to experimental data and to other loss model sets from literature. The newly composed loss model set No. 2137 approximates experimental data over a 21.2% better in relative error than the recent Zhang set and nearly a 36.7% better than the outdated Oh’s set. Therefore, set No. 2137 may contribute to higher precision of centrifugal turbomachines’ off-design predictions in the upcoming research.

Emergent ecology: Creating inclusive cities through speculative interaction

<p>Many cities within developing countries are facing an increased demand for space to work and live as contemporary top-down urbanisation strains to facilitate the rising urban population. Future projections estimate that the world’s population will transition from rural to urban living within a relatively short period of time, causing concern towards transition and facilitation of culturally specific demographics and their values within the existing socioeconomic condition of a city. This research proposes a speculative bottom-up approach to urban design which utilises the behavioural tendencies of various demographics within a cultural context to inform how a city can facilitate inclusivity through diverse social and economic interaction. Inclusive cities are paramount to the socioeconomic success of developing countries, with the potential to provide over 80% of the country’s economic growth. This investigation looks at New Delhi, India as a context within which to test the proposed emergent model for urban design (behaviour driven approach) using a simulation-based methodology to test how New Delhi’s various demographics can diversely interact to invoke an inclusive future city in response. The speculative design investigation of this research will highlight the potential of bottom-up urban design and the merit of using behaviour-based, emergent methodologies for urban planning, creating diverse interaction and an alternative to contemporary top-down urban planning. The aim of the research is to develop a methodology for simulating how agent behaviour can be utilised to inform urban design. The methodology will simulate an urban population by utilising individual and collective behaviour to inform the organisation of density within an urban scale. The data will form a “pre-geometry state” in which typology, infrastructure and other key nodes can be instanced to create an emergent, urban ecology informed by agent interactions.</p>

Emergent ecology: Creating inclusive cities through speculative interaction

<p>Many cities within developing countries are facing an increased demand for space to work and live as contemporary top-down urbanisation strains to facilitate the rising urban population. Future projections estimate that the world’s population will transition from rural to urban living within a relatively short period of time, causing concern towards transition and facilitation of culturally specific demographics and their values within the existing socioeconomic condition of a city. This research proposes a speculative bottom-up approach to urban design which utilises the behavioural tendencies of various demographics within a cultural context to inform how a city can facilitate inclusivity through diverse social and economic interaction. Inclusive cities are paramount to the socioeconomic success of developing countries, with the potential to provide over 80% of the country’s economic growth. This investigation looks at New Delhi, India as a context within which to test the proposed emergent model for urban design (behaviour driven approach) using a simulation-based methodology to test how New Delhi’s various demographics can diversely interact to invoke an inclusive future city in response. The speculative design investigation of this research will highlight the potential of bottom-up urban design and the merit of using behaviour-based, emergent methodologies for urban planning, creating diverse interaction and an alternative to contemporary top-down urban planning. The aim of the research is to develop a methodology for simulating how agent behaviour can be utilised to inform urban design. The methodology will simulate an urban population by utilising individual and collective behaviour to inform the organisation of density within an urban scale. The data will form a “pre-geometry state” in which typology, infrastructure and other key nodes can be instanced to create an emergent, urban ecology informed by agent interactions.</p>

Implementation and sustainability of upper limb constraint-induced movement therapy programs for adults with neurological conditions: an international qualitative study

PurposeConstraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT) is an effective intervention for arm recovery following acquired brain injury; however, there is an evidence-practice gap between research and CIMT use in practice. The aim of this study was to identify individual, organisational and social factors enabling implementation and sustained delivery of CIMT programs internationally.Design/methodology/approachDescriptive qualitative design. Purposive sampling was used to recruit occupational therapists and physiotherapists with previous experience delivering CIMT. Semi- structured interviews were conducted, using an interview schedule informed by the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) to explore individual factors (such as knowledge, skills and beliefs), organisational factors (such as organisational culture and resources) and social factors (such as leadership) influencing CIMT implementation. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed and managed using NVivo. The TDF guided data analysis and identification of key influences on CIMT implementation and sustainability.FindingsEleven participants (n = 7 [63.6%] occupational therapists and n = 4 [36.4%] physiotherapists) were interviewed from six countries, working across public (n = 6, 54.6%) and private health (n = 5, 45.5%). Six key domains influenced CIMT implementation and sustainability. Clinicians needed knowledge and opportunities to apply their skills, and confidence in their ability to implement CIMT. Within their workplace, supportive social influences (including broader team support), the environmental context (including organisational culture and resources) and reinforcement from seeing positive outcomes contributed to implementation and sustainability. Other important influences included community demand and tailoring of programs to meet individual needs.Originality/valueThis is the first study to examine therapists' experiences of CIMT implementation and sustainability across multiple countries. Factors related to capacity building, social and organisational support and resources enabled CIMT program implementation and ongoing sustainability. These findings can be used to design behaviour change interventions to support CIMT use in practice.

The Let's Talk toolkit: developing a theory-informed complex intervention to improve nurse-patient therapeutic engagement on an acute mental health ward by employing Experience-based Co-design and the Behaviour Change Wheel

Background Lack of high-quality nurse-patient therapeutic engagement is a longstanding problem on acute mental health wards, with a dearth of interventions to address this. A collaborative, theory-driven approach to developing and implementing complex interventions is more likely to be effective and sustainable. This paper describes an integrated co-design-behaviour change approach which developed the Let’s Talk intervention toolkit for improving the quality of therapeutic engagement on acute mental health wards. Methods We describe a theory-driven approach to co-designing an intervention by adapting and integrating Experience-based Co-design (EBCD) with the Behaviour Change Wheel (BCW). Fieldwork was informed by the results of a systematic integrative review and was guided by our co-design-behaviour change approach. It was conducted over 12-months at an acute mental health organisation in England. We undertook semi-structured interviews with 14 service users (seven of which were filmed), two carers and 12 clinicians, 80 hours of non-participant observations and a facilitated intervention co-design process that involved two feedback workshops, one joint co-design workshop and seven small co-design team meetings. Data analysis comprised the identification of touchpoints and use of the BCW and behaviour change technique taxonomy to inform intervention development. Results The co-designed Let’s Talk toolkit addressed four joint priorities for change: 1) improve communication with withdrawn people; 2) nurses to help service users help themselves; 3) nurses to feel confident when engaging with service users; 4) improving team relations and ward culture. Intervention functions included training, education, enablement, coercion and persuasion; 14 behaviour change techniques supported these functions. We detail how we implemented our integrated co-design-behaviour change approach with service users, carers and clinicians to co-design the toolkit to improve nurse-patient therapeutic engagement. Conclusions Our theory-driven approach enhances both EBCD and the BCW. It introduces a robust theoretical approach to guide intervention development within the co-design process and sets out how to meaningfully involve service users and other stakeholders when designing and implementing complex interventions.

SIMULATION OF GRADIENT-BASED INDIVIDUAL DESIGN BEHAVIOUR IN DISTRIBUTED DEVELOPMENT PROCESSES

As current vehicle development processes in the automotive industry are highly distributed, the interaction between design teams is limited. In this paper we use a simulation in order to investigate how the rate of design team interaction affects the solution quality and development cost. Results show, that in case of no limiting constraints, a low rate of interaction yields the best results regarding solution quality and development cost. If design activities are affected by constraints, however, the rate of interaction is subject to a conflict between solution quality and development cost.

INVESTIGATING THE IMPACT OF SCALE IN DESIGN SESSIONS SUPPORTED BY A SPATIAL AUGMENTED REALITY (SAR) TOOL

Spatial Augmented Reality (SAR) differs from other forms of AR by allowing the projection of digital images onto a model. This allows the AR to be more tangible and for interaction to be more realistic. The scale of the model plays a role in the realism but may be constrained by technical factors. This study attempts to understand the influence scale has on a design session by analysing the concept generation process, the ease of designing and the design behaviour. Understanding how these factors are influenced by the model scale betters the understanding of how SAR can influence design.