Engineering and Technology Journal

Failure of traditional brakes occurs due to raised temperatures and the formation of structural fractures caused by wear and strain. For resolving mechanical brake problems, consider employing contactless braking technology, also known as eddy current braking, which offers a smoother deceleration. This research aims to assess the suitability of multi-materials for designing brake discs (ECBs) for use in automobiles. The choice of material for the rotor disc is crucial in the design of eddy current brakes. Different material factors impact the performance of these brakes. Therefore, there is a need for a material that possesses superior mechanical properties, high electrical conductivity, and efficient power dissipation capabilities. An extensive analysis was conducted to identify the optimal materials for implementing this technology in lightweight vehicles to achieve maximum braking efficiency and reduce general brake issues. This study assesses the impact of three different non-ferromagnetic materials (copper, aluminum, and steel) on the performance of the ECB system. The operation of the (ECB) is meaningly influenced by material properties such as permeability, electrical Conductivity, and thermal Conductivity. The investigation was carried out by finite element analysis (FEA) simulation. Findings demonstrated that copper is the more conductive material for eddy current braking. Due to its good electrical conductivity, it creates eddy currents, leading to important braking force and efficiency. Moreover, copper exhibits a force of 116.130 N, aluminum shows a force of 104.6 N, and steel showcases a force of 94.25 N, as indicated by the statistics. The percentage increase in braking strength is higher for copper than aluminum and steel, with values of 10.3% and 18.9%, respectively.

Surface waves are electromagnetic waves propagating along the interface between a metal and an insulator. Surface waves break the diffraction limits and enable light to propagate in sub-wavelength structures. That opens the field of electro-opto devices. The main drawbacks of surface waves that move in the Plasmonic Waveguides (PWs) are propagation loss and low light confinement. Using a combination of the plasmonic waveguide and a Dielectric Waveguide (DW), the defect of the surface waves can be enhanced, and the Hybrid Plasmonic waveguide (HPW) is introduced. In this research, the design of an all-optical flip flop with 400 nm × 400 nm nano-scale dimensions, 1310 nm operating wavelength, and a transmission threshold (Tthreshold) of 30% is shown using hybrid plasmonic waveguides (HPWGs) for Electro-Opto applications. It offers the basic structure for creating optical computers. The results of this structure are evaluated in a term of Contrast Ratio (CR), Modulation Depth (MD), and Insertion Losses (IL). The D-flip flop had an Insertion Loss of -1.4 dB, a CR of 7.45 dB, and a MD of 97.67%. The T-flip flop had an IL of -2.07 dB, a CR of 11.2 dB, and a MD of 95.29%. The mechanism that governs the operation of the suggested circuits depends on the constructive and destructive interferences between input ports and control ports. The simulation is based on the finite element method utilizing COMSOL software package version 5.5.

Bio-implanted medical devices with electronic components play a crucial role due to their effectiveness in monitoring and diagnosing diseases, enhancing patient comfort, and ensuring safety. Recently, significant efforts have been conducted to develop implantable and wireless telemetric biomedical systems. Topics such as appropriate near-field wireless communication design, power use, monitoring devices, high power transfer efficiency from external to internal parts (implanted), high communication rates, and the need for low energy consumption all significantly influence the advancement of implantable systems. In this survey, a comprehensive examination is undertaken on diverse subjects associated with near-field wireless power transfer (WPT)-based biomedical applications. The scope of this study encompasses various aspects, including WPT types, a comparative analysis of WPT types and techniques for medical devices, data transmission methods employing WPT-based modulation approaches, and the integration of WPT into biomedical implantable systems. Furthermore, the study investigates the extraction of research concerning WPT topologies and corresponding mathematical models, such as power transfer, transfer efficiency, mutual inductance, quality factor, and coupling coefficient, sourced from existing literature. The article also delves into the impact of the specific absorption rate on patient tissue. It sheds light on WPT's challenges in biomedical implants while offering potential solutions.

Due to its excellent energy efficiency and broad speed range, the variable-speed electro-hydraulic drive is an appealing driving principle in many contemporary industrial applications. A primary control of linear motion is via a variable-speed electric motor driving a hydraulic actuator via a constant displacement pump. One of the most commonly used controllers for the speed control of induction motors is the Proportional Integral (PI) type. However, the traditional PI controller has some disadvantages, such as the high starting overshoot, sensitivity to controller gains, and sluggish response due to sudden disturbance. An intelligent controller based on PI Fuzzy logic set theory is introduced to the electro-hydraulic system to overcome these defects. This paper presents a study on the speed control of an indirectly controlled vector-controlled induction motor driving an electro-hydraulic actuator. Various speed control techniques like voltage-frequency control, sinusoidal pulse width modulation PI control, indirect field control, and fuzzy logic PI control were applied in the electro-hydraulic system and simulated by Matlab/Simulink environment for performance analysis and comparison. The results prove that the indirect field-oriented control technique with PI fuzzy logic control provides better speed control of the induction motor, especially with high dynamic disturbances, by reducing the steady state error to (0.024), overshooting to (0.2%) and Settling time to (0.3s). This, in turn, will improve the performance of the proposed electro-hydraulic system.

Wireless charging of electric vehicles (EVs) poses issues like power ripples that reduce battery lifetime. This study proposes a four-quadrant DC/DC chopper controlled by an adaptive neuro-fuzzy controller (ANFIS) for wireless EV charging. The system is modeled and simulated in Matlab/Simulink. Compared to a PI-PSO controller, the proposed ANFIS control reduced the ripple factor in power over half to about 0.7% and optimized stability and efficiency. Though settling time increased, the difference in rise time was negligible. Future work will improve dynamic response. The ANFIS-controlled DC/DC chopper enhances wireless charging performance with minimal power ripples for safe, efficient EV power transfer.

This paper presents a model predictive control (MPC) technique for the control of reactive power flow from a static synchronous compensator (STATCOM) into a weak power system network. The MPC strategy enables the STATCOM to mitigate weak phase voltage magnitudes in a distribution grid. The weak voltage magnitudes usually emanate from large inductive loads connected to the grid’s point of common coupling (PCC). The MPC utilizes a finite control set of voltage vectors to minimize a cost function, which reduces the errors between set references and the corresponding predicted variables. The references in the cost function are set by two outer loop controllers. A time delay compensation strategy is introduced and proposed for selecting the gains of the outer loop controllers. An LC filter was also designed at the STATCOM’s output terminals to confine the harmonics in the injected compensation current to permissible limits. A robust all high pass filter dual second order generalized integrator (AHPF-DSOGI) based phase locked loop (PLL) is developed and proposed for synchronization of the STATCOM into the weak grid. The overall MPC strategy on the STATCOM enables shunt injection of compensation currents at the PCC while mitigating harmonics and consequently improving power quality. The STATCOM effectively regulated the bus voltage when required by switching between the capacitive and inductive modes. Results showing the efficacy of integration of the STATCOM to the grid and robust capabilities of the STATCOM in mitigating voltage swell and dip, as well as harmonics, are presented.

This study presents the design and implementation of a control system for a Pin-on-Disc wear testing machine using a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC). The novel approach employed involves adjusting the applied pressure on the pin, rather than the conventional method of altering weights, to evaluate the impact of varying loads on the wear rate. This method enhanced the accuracy of wear results by 25% compared to traditional techniques. The control system was developed and implemented with a Human-Machine Interface (HMI) that interacts with the PLC to control and monitor key parameters, including applied load, temperature, rotational speed, sliding time, and friction force. Key wear parameters such as the coefficient of friction (COF), wear rate, and temperature were calculated. The wear tests were conducted under varying conditions, with rotational speeds ranging from 300 to 900 rpm, applied loads from 5 to 25 N, and sliding times from 5 to 25 minutes. The results indicated that an increase in applied load led to higher wear rates and temperatures, while the COF decreased. Conversely, an increase in rotational speed reduced the wear rate but increased both the COF and temperature. Prolonged sliding time resulted in higher wear rates and temperatures, while the COF decreased. Additionally, it was observed that the wear rate of the aluminum alloy AA6061 was higher than that of the CK45 steel alloy. The study utilized various software tools, including AutoCAD 2018, SoMove AC Drive Software, EcoStruxure Machine V1.2 VP1, Vijeo Designer 6.2, Ifs – Conf RTD, and MATLAB.