Knowledge Based Engineering for Hydrogen Gas Turbines and Burners Design: a review

Hydrogen gas turbines and burners need high attention and their appropriate realization, yet during their design, can lead important benefits for the whole sector. Realizing the best design, the first time, reduces reworks and requests of design changes from the manufacturing departments. In this field, Knowledge Based Engineering is a good strategy for embedding, in an automatic way, experts’ knowledge into CAD models during the design of a component. It enables a reduction of human errors and costs in several design tasks and improving the final quality of a component model. With these premises, the aim to the study is to lead improvements and appropriate actions in the design and re-configuration of hydrogen power generation systems (i.e. gas turbines and burners) by means of KBE, leading improvements yet in this early phase of the global race for hydrogen. A systematic literature review is carried out to explore the current state of art for the application of KBE for the design of turbines and burners in different industrial sectors. Evidences from the practice are collected in a structured classification and elaborated and summarized for application in the design of gas turbines and burners for the hydrogen production.

Distance and Rotational Speed Analysis of Coaxial Rotors for UTHM C-Drone

The prototype of UTHM C-Drone use a coaxial hexacopter concept for its propulsion system. A coaxial rotor consists of two motor and two propellers mounted above each other and aligned in relation to their axis of rotation. The propellers are based on the T-Motor U15XXL KV29 model used in UTHM C-Drone. The distance between the two propellers is usually relative to the radius of the propeller or can be lesser. The objectives for this study are to investigate the effect of distance between upper and lower propeller in a coaxial rotors system and the effect of rotational speed. This study is important to ensure the C-Drone power efficient and capable to lift 180 kg payload. The CAD model of the propeller and coaxial rotors system were designed based on the specification from T-Motor company by Solidworks software and the flow simulations were conducted using Solidworks Flow Simulation module. The total of six CAD models; one for a single propeller and five for coaxial rotors with five difference of distance cases were constructed. For each model, the total thrust was tested from 50% throttle power up to the 90% throttle power. It was found that the coaxial rotors system can generate more thrust than a single propeller but less than double. It was also found that if the lower propeller rotates faster than the upper propeller, the increment of total thrust is very small. However, if the upper propeller rotates faster than the lower propeller, the total thrust increase significantly. For the case of faster upper propeller, as the higher the throttle applied, the thrust increment ratio will decrease, and the efficiency of the thrust produced will be affected. In addition, for same rotation speed, the thrust generated was lesser when both propellers rotate in a same direction compared to when each propeller rotates in the opposite directions of each other.

3D virtual fit assessment and modeling: liquid cooling and ventilation garment

PurposeThe suboptimal fit of a spacesuit can interfere with a crewmember's performance and is regarded as a potential risk factor for injury. To quantify suit fit, a virtual fit assessment model was previously developed to identify suit-to-body contact and interference using 3D human body scans and suit CAD models. However, ancillary suit components and garments worn inside of the suit have not been incorporated.Design/methodology/approachThis study was conducted to predict a 3D model of the liquid cooling and ventilation garment (LCVG) from an arbitrary person's body scan. A total of 14 subjects were scanned in a scan wear and LCVG condition. A statistical model was generated using principal component analysis and random forest regression technique.FindingsThe model was able to predict the geometry of the LCVG layer at the accuracy of 5.3 cm maximum error and 1.7 cm root mean square error. The errors were more pronounced for the arms and lower torso, while the thighs and upper torso regions, which are critical for suit fit assessments, show more accurate predictions. A case study of suit fit with and without the LCVG model demonstrated that the new model can enhance the scope and accuracy of future spacesuit assessments.Originality/valueThe capabilities resulting from these modeling techniques would greatly expand the assessments of fit of the garment on various anthropometries. The results from this study can significantly improve the design process modeling and initial suit sizing efforts to optimize crew performance during extravehicular activity training and missions.

User Generated Content for Site Based Training in Virtual Reality

Objectives/Scope Through a partnership with Global Projects and the ExxonMobil IT, we set out to change the way enabling enhanced site specific operator training and model reviews are done on large complex models. The concept was to have the ability to view and navigate complex green-field 3D CAD models in VR (virtual reality) technology to aid in training, model reviews, procedure development, rounds development, maintenance planning and execution, emergency response planning / drills, and project planning. The automated toolset can be used to conduct model reviews followed by training and preparing operators for commissioning before and after site construction is completed. Methods, Procedures, Process Leveraging the 3D CAD files from Engineering Procurement & Construction (EPC) contractors, the feature set allows the ability to create a fully textured 3D Model walk-through (annotated model review), and a content creation application to easily create user generated training scenarios (similar to PowerPoint drag and drop). In the past few months, 20 onsite stations were setup and over 100 first and second line supervisors and operators leveraged the toolset. Baseline metrics were captured with an overwhelming success. Ongoing metrics collections will continue for several months to drive further adjustments on the toolset to ensure high value capture. This toolset, once fully refined, will allow other capital & global projects the ability to train operators prior to the unit being built and ongoing for operations activities bringing pieces of the Digital Twin concept to life. Results, Observations, Conclusions Technical Benefits Business Benefit Novel/Additive Information

User-Driven Computer-Assisted Reverse Engineering of Editable CAD Assembly Models

This paper introduces a novel reverse engineering technique for the reconstruction of editable CAD models of mechanical parts' assemblies. The input is a point cloud of a mechanical parts' assembly that has been acquired as a whole, i.e. without disassembling it prior to its digitization. The proposed framework allows for the reconstruction of the parametric CAD assembly model through a multi-step reconstruction and fitting approach. It is modular and it supports various exploitation scenarios depending on the available data and starting point. It also handles incomplete datasets. The reconstruction process starts from roughly sketched and parameterized geometries (i.e 2D sketches, 3D parts or assemblies) that are then used as input of a simulated annealing-based fitting algorithm, which minimizes the deviation between the point cloud and the reconstructed geometries. The coherence of the CAD models is maintained by a CAD modeler that performs the updates and satisfies the geometric constraints as the fitting process goes on. The optimization process leverages a two-level filtering technique able to capture and manage the boundaries of the geometries inside the overall point cloud in order to allow for local fitting and interfaces detection. It is a user-driven approach where the user decides what are the most suitable steps and sequence to operate. It has been tested and validated on both real scanned point clouds and as-scanned virtually generated point clouds incorporating several artifacts that would appear with real acquisition devices.