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Full-Text Articles in Mechanical Engineering
High Temperature Fusion Reactor Cooling Using Brayton Cycle Based Partial Energy Conversion, Albert Juhasz, Jerzy Sawicki
High Temperature Fusion Reactor Cooling Using Brayton Cycle Based Partial Energy Conversion, Albert Juhasz, Jerzy Sawicki
Jerzy T. Sawicki
For some future space power systems using high temperature nuclear heat sources most of the output energy will be used in other than electrical form, and only a fraction of the total thermal energy generated will need to be converted to electrical work. The paper describes the conceptual design of such a “partial energy conversion” system, consisting of a high temperature fusion reactor operating in series with a high temperature radiator and in parallel with dual closed cycle gas turbine (CCGT) power systems, also referred to as closed Brayton cycle (CBC) systems, which are supplied with a fraction of the …
The Optimal Control Of A Flexible Hull Robotic Undersea Vehicle Propelled By An Oscillating Foil, David Barrett, Mark Grosenbaugh, Michael Triantafyllou
The Optimal Control Of A Flexible Hull Robotic Undersea Vehicle Propelled By An Oscillating Foil, David Barrett, Mark Grosenbaugh, Michael Triantafyllou
David Barrett
Determining the optimal swimming motion for a flexible hull robotic undersea vehicle propelled by an oscillating foil is an acutely complex problem involving the vehicle's body kinematics and the hydrodynamics of the surrounding water. The overall intractability of the hydrodynamics of a flexible body precludes a purely analytical solution. The immense size of the experimental variable space prevents a purely empirical one. In order to overcome both difficulties, we have developed a self-optimizing motion controller based on a genetic algorithm. This controller effectively uses evolutionary principles to exponentially optimize swimming performance.