A parametric data handling evaluation framework for autonomous lunar networks

Different and exciting exploration opportunities toward the Moon are opening in this decade. In particular, the major space agencies are putting a considerable effort in designing and studying a broad spectrum of missions that will bring back the humans on the Moon. During the evaluation of Lunar mission concepts, having a tool that can quickly assess the best communication and data-handling architecture given a set of satellites and a site of interest is mandatory. In this work, a novel parametric framework is presented and applied to the study of the expected connectivity of Lunar networks. The framework comprises bent-pipe, store-and-forward and store-carry-and-forward networking approaches, covering most common data management options. The methodology is designed to determine the best communication architecture given an arbitrary set of available satellites, ground stations, point of interest, and data volume. The proposed algorithm has been applied in a motivating case study of a networked mission devoted to observing lava tubes sites on the Moon surface. Results validate the approach which can identify the inflection points where different data handling techniques outperform each other.

Pipe Performance in Long Term Operation Framework: Ageing Issues

The Long-Term Operation (LTO) process involves a full screening of structures, systems, and components (SSCs), for ageing assessment in order to verify their residual safety margin is still acceptable. At today, 46% of the operating Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) has lifetime between 31 and 40 years, while 19% is in operation since more than 40 years. LTO currently represents the highest priority for all the nuclear industry. To propose and plan suitable management strategies, first step is to intensify the efforts for studying phenomena that influence the performance of SSCs and, in turn, may threat the plant safe operation. This study deals with the investigation of the performance of a primary piping (Class 1 component of a 2nd Generation PWR) subjected to the effects of alteration of material properties as caused by ageing. In this study it is proposed a numerical investigation of a piping characterized by a complex geometry. Numerical analyses were performed by means of MSC©MARC FE code. The (quantitative) influence of ageing and corrosion processes onto bent pipe are so studied. Particularly, corrosion effects generated from an operation of beyond 35 years are considered. The methodology and results may have an influence on future issues about LTO of NPPs.

One-Dimensional Gas Flow Analysis of the Intake and Exhaust System of a Single Cylinder Diesel Engine

In order to design a diesel engine system and to predict its performance, it is necessary to analyze the gas flow of the intake and exhaust system. Gas flow analysis in a three-dimensional (3D) format needs a high-resolution workstation and an enormous amount of time for analysis. Calculation using the method of characteristics (MOC), which is a gas flow analysis in a one-dimensional (1D) format, has a fast calculation time and can be analyzed with a low-resolution workstation. However, there is a problem with poor accuracy in certain areas. It was assumed that the reason was that 1D could not implement the shape. The error that occurs in the shape of the bent pipe used in the intake and exhaust ports of the diesel engine was analyzed and to find a solution to the low accuracy, the results of the experiment and 1D analysis were compared. The discharge coefficient was calculated using the average mass flow rate, and as a result of applying it, the accuracy was improved for the maximum negative pressure by 0.56–1.93% and the maximum pressure by 3.11–7.86% among the intake pipe pressure results. The difference in phase of the exhaust pipe pressure did not improve. It is considered as a limitation of 1D analysis that does not improve even by applying the discharge coefficient. In the future, we intend to implement a bent pipe that cannot be realized in 1D using a 3D format and to prepare a method to supplement the reliability by using 1D–3D coupling.

Plastic-yielding analysis in the pipe-bending process of AZ31 and AA7050 using the normalized Cockcroft and Latham criterion

Compared with other sheet-metal-forming processes, the deformation conditions of pipe bending are affected by the material, equipment, die, and multiple other factors. Therefore, it is urgent to explore methods that avoid forming defects and improve the bend-forming quality. Wall-thinning induced ductile fracture is one of the dominant defects in the pipe-bending process, especially for materials with lower ductility. In this study, the normalized Cockcroft and Latham criterion is embedded into the user subroutine USDFLD within the Abaqus finite element (FE) software to predict the fracture tendency of a bent pipe. Through a comparison of theoretical calculations and simulation results, a simplified FE model of rotary draw bending was established, and the damage evolution and distribution of bent pipes composed of AZ31 and AA7050 materials were investigated. The results show that the two materials have similar regularity, and damage mainly generates and accumulates in the outer surface of the deformation zone due to wall thinning. The damage value remains at a certain level after the bending deformation enters the stable stage. This study provides a concept and strategy for more efficiently predicting the fracture tendency of a bent pipe.

Microstructure Transformation and Mechanical Properties of X80 Large Diameter Thick Wall Induction Heating Bend for Low Temperature Service

For the requirement of pipeline station construction project, Grade X80 Longitudinally Submerged Arc Welded (LSAW) induction bend pipe 1422 mm in diameter and wall thickness greater than 25 mm have been developed for pipeline station service applications at −45 °C. The mother pipe of the bends was welded by Ni-Cr-Cu-Mo-Nb-V micro-alloyed Thermo Mechanical Control Process (TMCP) steel plates. After the heat cycle of the bent pipe manufacturing, the microstructure of the base material of the bent pipe consisted of lath bainite ferrite (LBF) and granular bainite (GB). Therefore, it can obtain high strength and excellent low temperature toughness, which can meet the requirements of the project. On the other hand, the welding of the longitudinal seam-welds of the bend mother pipe uses a typical multi-wire two-pass submerged arc welding (SAW) process, which has a large amount of welding heat input. This results in a coarse columnar weld structure with a large amount of fine acicular ferrite so that the seam weld still has a good low temperature impact toughness. However, after the thermal cycling of the bend, the acicular ferrite in the microstructure of the weld metal was greatly reduced, and the grain size was unevenly distributed, which caused the low temperature toughness of the weld metal to deteriorate significantly. In order to solve this problem, the Gleeble3500 thermal simulation test machine was used to test the phase transition critical point Ac3 of the base material and the seam weld metal of the mother pipe. In order to optimize the induction bend process parameters, the influence of heating temperature, cooling rate and tempering temperature on microstructure and mechanical properties were examined. In addition, on the basis of the existing welding process, the welding wire and flux for pipe-making seam-welding were improved, and the pipe-making welding process of the bent mother pipe was improved.

Shadow-Based Operation Assistant for a Pipeline-Inspection Robot Using a Variance Value of the Image Histogram

This paper presents a shadow-based operation assistant method for a pipeline-inspection robot using a variance value of the image histogram. By displacing the position of the head camera relative to that of the illuminator, a crescent-shaped shadow appears in the images captured in a bent pipe. The size, position, and orientation of the shadow depend on the robot’s orientation around the pipe axis. By applying the pathway direction of the bent pipe obtained from the image processing to the rolling movement, the robot can automatically adjust its roll-orientation. Experiments were conducted in four types of pipeline environments to verify the autonomous navigation. These include a complex winding pipeline, a long straight pipe, and pipelines with replicated dust and dirt.

Effects of Upstream Bend on Aerodynamic Performance of a Transonic Centrifugal Compressor

This paper describes the influence of a bent inlet pipe installed immediately upstream of a transonic centrifugal compressor on the aerodynamic performance and the stability. In order to clarify the influence of the bent inlet pipe, the internal flow fields in the inlet pipe, the impeller, and the diffuser of the compressor have been numerically investigated by a DES (Detached Eddy Simulation). For the purpose of comparison, the simulation was also conducted for the case of uniform axial inflow using a straight pipe. In order to make clear the influence of non-uniform flow with a bent pipe as far as possible, a 90-degree bent pipe was installed immediately upstream of the compressor, that is 0.86 times the inlet inner diameter. In the case of installing the bent pipe on the upstream of the compressor, the pressure ratio decreased on the high flow rate side in the compressor performance characteristic, whereas it increased at the low flow rate side. At the low flow rate operating point, there is a reversed flow occurring in the compressor impeller on the shroud side near the blade leading-edge. Installation of the bent pipe promotes mixing between the reversed flow and the main flow at the inlet of the compressor thanks to occurrence of a secondary flow. Since the reversed flow comes out from inside of the impeller, it has a high circumferential velocity. Therefore, the mixing of the reversed flow makes the compressor inlet flow a pre-swirl flow, and thereby the incidence decreases. As a result, leading-edge separation on the blade tip side of the impeller is suppressed, and the flow field inside the impeller is improved. In the diffuser section, when the bent pipe is installed, the circumferential velocity of the impeller exit flow increases on the hub side, whereas the radial velocity decreases. As a result, the diffuser performance is deteriorated and the diffuser stall tends to occur.