Digital Commons Network^™

The Role Of The Dendritic Growth Models Dimensionality In Predicting The Columnar To Equiaxed Transition (Cet), M. Seredynski, Marek Rebow, J. Banaszek

Articles

The dendrite tip kinetics model accuracy relies on the reliability of the stability constant used, which is usually experimentally determined for 3D situations and applied to 2D models. The paper reports authors` attempts to cure the situation by deriving 2D dendritic tip scaling parameter for aluminium-based alloy: Al-4wt%Cu. The obtained parameter is then incorporated into the KGT dendritic growth model in order to compare it with the original 3D KGT counterpart and to derive two-dimensional and three-dimensional versions of the modified Hunt’s analytical model for the columnar-to-equiaxed transition (CET). The conclusions drawn from the above analysis are further confirmed through …

Probabilistics Risk Assessment Of Power Quality Variations And Events Under Temporal And Spatial Characteristic Of Increased Pv Integration In Low Voltage Distribution Networks, Shivananda Pukhrem, Malabika Basu, Michael Conlon

Articles

Integration of PVDG reduces the voltage unbalance as compared with no or low PVDG penetration. There is a higher probability of observing deep sag at the site as PVDG integration increases. This probabilistic approach can be used as a tool to assess the likely impacts due to PVDG integration against the worst-case scenarios.

Adaptive Linear Prediction For Optimal Control Of Wind Turbines, Mahinsasa Narayana, Keith Sunderland, Ghanim Putrus, Michael Conlon

Articles

In order to obtain maximum power output of a Wind Energy Conversion System (WECS), the rotor speed needs to be optimised for a particular wind speed. However, due to inherent inertia, the rotor of a WECS cannot react instantaneously according to wind speed variations. As a consequence, the performance of the system and consequently the wind energy conversion capability of the rotor are negatively affected. This study considers the use of a time series Adaptive Linear Prediction (ALP) technique as a means to improve the performance and conversion efficiency of wind turbines. The ALP technique is introduced as a real …

Dye-Sensitised Solar Cell Antenna, Oisin O'Conchubhair, Patrick Mcevoy, Max Ammann

Articles

Dye-sensitised solar cells are proposed as a solarantenna in the form of a proof-of-concept dipole operating at 1.1 GHz. Comprised of glass plates in basic rectangular shapes, various material properties are considered for impact on antenna performance at three phases of assembly. Simulated and empirical analyses indicate how such low-cost solar cells can also realise viable concurrent antenna designs.

Design And Investigation Of De Vries Liquid Crystals Based On 5-Phenyl-Pyrimidine And (R,R)-2,3-Epoxyhexoxy Backbone., S.P. Sreenilayam", D. Rodriguez-Lojo, V. P. Panov, V. Swaminathan, J. K. Vij, Yuri Panarin, E. Gorecka, A. Panov, P.J. Stevenson

Articles

Calamitic liquid crystals based on 5-phenyl-pyrimidine derivatives have been designed, synthesized, and characterized. The 5-phenyl pyrimidine core was functionalized with a chiral (R,R)-2,3-epoxyhexoxy chain on one side and either siloxane or perfluoro terminated chains on the opposite side. The one involving a perfluorinated chain shows SmA^{*} phase over a wide temperature range of 82 °C, whereas the siloxane analog exhibits both SmA^{*} and SmC^{*} phases over a broad range of temperatures, and a weak first-order SmA^{*}-SmC^{*} transition is observed. For the siloxane analog, the reduction factor for the layer shrinkage R (relative to its thickness at the SmA^{*}-SmC^{*} transition temperature, …

Development Of Ferroelectricity In The Smectic Phases Of 4-Cyanoresorcinol Derived Achiral Bent-Core Liquid Crystals With Long Terminal Alkyl Chains, Sithara Pavithran Sreenilayam, J. K. Vij, Yuri Panarin, Anne Lehman

Articles

Bent-core molecules can form numerous polar and symmetry broken liquid crystalline phases with fascinating properties. Here we report the characteristics of a previously unknown polar synclinic smectic phase, Sm C S P X , found in the phase sequence of an achiral bent-core material with a 4-cyanoresorcinol bisbenzoate core, terminated by long linear alkyl chains ( n = 18 ) on both ends. This phase exists over a narrow range of temperatures and is sandwiched in between the random polar synclinic smectic phase ( Sm C S P R ) and polar synclinic ferroelectric ( Sm C S P F …

Operational Analysis Of Improved Γ-Z-Source Inverter With Clamping Diode And Its Comparative Evaluation, Zeeshan Aleem, Moin Hanif

Articles

Due to a substantial shortage of conventional energy sources, the utilization of renewable energy is gaining attention. Power converters form interfaces to provide power from renewable energy sources to end user systems. Impedance-source inverters (ZSIs) have become a research hotspot and are widely used to overcome the drawbacks of conventional voltage-source inverters and current-source inverters such as two-stage power conversion and less immunity to electromagnetic interference noises. This paper presents various transformer-based ZSIs mainly classified as trans-ZSIs, improved trans-ZSIs, inductor-capacitor-capacitor transformer ZSI, TZSIs, and their comparisons with a new family of ZSIs called Γ-Z-source inverters (ΓZSI). Full operational analysis of …

The Different Stages Of Prpd Pattern For Negative Point To Plane Corona Driven By A Dc Voltage Containing A Ripple, Tobias Dezenzo, Thomas Betz, Andreas Schwarzbacher

Articles

This paper presents the different patterns, which can be observed by means of a phase resolved partial discharge analysis, when a negative dc voltage is applied to a point to plane arrangement in air. The required phase relation is obtained due to the ripple being present on the dc voltage generated by a half-wave rectification. Phase resolved partial discharge patterns are given from corona onset to glow inception. Discharge pulses appearing at the test object are used to support physical explanations of the pattern occurrence. It is shown that five clearly identifiable patterns accompany the evolution of corona discharges when …

Back Diffusion Of Electrons In Argon Subjected To Uniform Time Invariant Orthogonal Electric And Magnetic Fields, M.S. Dincer, Samet Biricik, S.S. Tezcan, S. Bektas

Articles

In this study, the processes of back diffusion in Ar subjected to crossed fields are analyzed by using the Monte Carlo simulation method in the E/N range of 50 to 500 Td (1 Td = 1 × 10^–17 V cm²) for 0 < B/N < 25 × 10⁻¹⁹ T cm³. At a given constant E/N, escape factors decrease with an increasing crossed, reduced magnetic field B/N. This reduction in the escape factor is more pronounced in the lower E/N range. Furthermore, the mean number of collisions of back scattered electrons is quite large, and at a given E/N, the mean …

Magnetic Field Sensor Based On A Combination Of A Microfiber Coupler Covered With Magnetic Fluid And A Sagnac Loop, Fangfang Wei, Arun Mallik, Dejun Liu, Qiang Wu, Gang-Ding Peng, Gerald Farrell, Yuliya Semenova

Articles

This paper proposes a novel magnetic field sensor based on a microfiber coupler (MFC) combined with a magnetic fluid (MF) in a Sagnac loop formed from a polarization maintaining fiber (PMF). Thanks to the small (~2.6 μm) waist diameter of the MFC, the resulting interference is strongly influenced by the presence of the MF and this leads to the desirable high sensitivity of the structure to the applied magnetic field. The maximum magnetic field sensitivities of −100 pm/mT and −488 pm/mT have been experimentally demonstrated with the PMF lengths of 75 cm and 20 cm respectively in the range of …

Applying Analytic Hierarchy Process (Ahp) To Choose A Human Factors Technique: Choosing The Suitable Human Reliability Analysis Technique For The Automotive Industry, Alberto Petruni, Evanthia Giagloglou, Ewan Douglas, Jie Geng, Maria Chiara Leva, Micaela Demichela

Articles

The Automotive industry has been developed into a complex and highly automated sector. This level of automation and complexity has led to the establishment of a work environment, where human machine interface and human reliability are now critical factors of performance especially for safety critical tasks. Many different methodologies for performing risk assessment considering human factors are already available in the literature, but they were often developed for other domains (aviation, nuclear and process industry). Their purpose is to support the root cause evaluation and estimate the probability of faulty human actions. The present paper introduces a method to support …

A Simple Optical Fiber Interferometer Based Breathing Sensor, Xixi Li, Dejun Liu, Rahul Kumar, Wai Pang Ng, Yong-Qing Fu, Jinhui Yuan, Chongxiu Yu, Yufeng Wu, Guorui Zhou, Gerald Farrell, Yuliya Semenova, Qiang Wu

Articles

A breathing sensor has been experimentally demonstrated based on a singlemode–multimode– singlemode (SMS) fiber structure which is attached to a thin plastic film in an oxygen mask. By detecting power variations due to the macro bending applied to the SMS section by each inhalation and exhalation process, the breath state can be monitored. The proposed sensor is capable of distinguishing different types of breathing conditions including regular and irregular breath state. The sensor can be used in a strong electric/magnetic field and radioactive testing systems such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) systems and computed tomography (CT) examinations where electrical sensors …

3d Printing Aids Acetabular Reconstruction In Complex Revision Hip Arthroplasty, Andrew J. Hughes, Cathal Debuitleir, Philip Soden, Brian O'Donnchada, Anthony Tansey, Ali Abdulkarim, Colm Mcmahon, Conor J. Hurson

Articles

Revision hip arthroplasty requires comprehensive appreciation of abnormal bony anatomy. Advances in radiology and manufacturing technology have made three-dimensional (3D) representation of osseous anatomy obtainable, which provide visual and tactile feedback. Such life-size 3D models were manufactured from computed tomography scans of three hip joints in two patients. The first patient had undergone multiple previous hip arthroplasties for bilateral hip infections, resulting in right-sided pelvic discontinuity and a severe left-sided posterosuperior acetabular deficiency. The second patient had a first-stage revision for infection and recurrent dislocations. Specific metal reduction protocols were used to reduce artefact. The images were imported into Materialise …

Effect Of Concrete Slats, Three Mat Types And Out-Wintering Pads On Performance And Welfare Of Finishing Beef Steers, Bernadette Earley, John Mcnamara, Stephen Jerrams, Edward G. O’Riordan

Articles

The objective was to investigate the effect of placing mats on concrete slatted floors on performance, behaviour, hoof condition, dirt scores, physiological and immunological variables of beef steers, and to compare responses with animals on out-wintering pads. Continental crossbred beef steers [n = 360; mean (±SD) initial live weight 539 kg (42.2)] were blocked by breed and live weight and randomly assigned to one of five treatments; (1) Concrete slats alone, (2) Mat 1 (Natural Rubber structure) (Durapak Rubber Products), (3) Mat 2 (Natural rubber structure) (EasyFix), (4) Mat 3 (modified ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) foam structure) and (5) Out-wintering …

N-Isopropylacrylamide-Based Photopolymer For Holographic Recording Of Thermosensitive Transmission And Reflection Grating, Tatsiana Mikulchyk, Suzanne Martin, Izabela Naydenova

Articles

In recent years, functionalized photopolymer systems capable of holographic recording are in great demand due to their potential use in the development of holographic sensors. This work presents a newly developed Nisopropylacrylamide(NIPA)-based photopolymer for holographic recording in reflection and transmission modes. The optimized composition of the material is found to reach refractive index modulation of up to 5  10-3 and 1.6  10-3 after recording in transmission and reflection mode, respectively. In addition to fulfilling the requirements for holographic recording materials, the NIPA-based photopolymer is sensitive to temperature and has lower toxicity than acrylamide-based photopolymers. Possible application of the …

Humidity And Temperature Induced Changes In The Diffraction Efficiency And The Bragg Angle Of Slanted Photopolymer-Based Holographic Gratings, Tatsiana Mikulchyk, James Walshe, Dervil Cody, Suzanne Martin, Izabela Naydenova

Articles

This work explores the humidity and temperature response of volume phase slanted gratings recorded in photopolymers with varied chemical composition. Acrylamide and diacetone acrylamide were used as monomers and triethanolamine and N-phenylglycine were used as photoinitiators. The study demonstrates that the response of photopolymer-based holographic gratings to relative humidity (RH) and temperature (T) can be tuned by alteration of the photopolymer composition.Humidity and temperature response of the holograms has been characterized by recording Bragg selectivity curves of transmission gratings and by monitoring the position of the maximum intensity in the spectral response of reflection gratings. Investigation of the humidity response …

Development And Characterisation Of A Bath-Based Vertical Blackbody Cavity Calibration Source For The Range −30 °C To 150 °C, Sam Boles, Igor Pušnik, Dubhaltach Mac Lochlainn, David Fleming, Izabela Naydenova, Suzanne Martin

Articles

Industrial use of Radiation Thermometers (RTs) is becoming increasingly common due to the perceived advantages and wide market availability. Blackbody Cavity Radiation Sources (BCRSs) are typically used for calibration of these instruments, and these cavities are oriented horizontally in most cases. For BCRSs based in thermal baths, this necessitates the use of custom-built baths with side openings. This paper presents a unique design of vertical bath-based BCRS that may be immersed in conventional calibration baths without modifications to the baths. The method, results, and analysis of an international comparison comparing this vertical BCRS, standard horizontal BCRSs, and a previous iteration …

Beyond Logic And Norms: A Figurational Critique Of Institutional Theory In Organisation Studies, Paddy Dolan, John Connolly

Articles

This paper provides a figurational critique of one of the most dominant theoretical frames within organisation studies - institutional theory. Despite its status as the leading theoretical lens for explaining organisational change, institutional theorists continue to struggle with the so called agencystructure issue and remain divided in how to overcome it. Our primary criticisms concern the propensity to invoke or generate dualisms, the reliance on the sociological frames which sustain this, and the failure to engage in any comprehensive way with Elias’s writings on this subject.

A Discursive Institutionalist Approach To Understanding The Changes To The Irish Social Partnership Policy After 2008., John Hogan, Nicola A. Timoney

Articles

Employing the critical juncture theory (CJT), a discursive institutionalist approach, this paper examines the nature of the changes to social partnership policy at the end of the decade of the 2000s. Did these changes constitute a transformation in social partnership policy, or were they a continuation of a previously established policy pathway? The CJT consists of three elements – economic crisis, ideational change, and the nature of the policy change – that must be identified for us to be able to declare with some certainty if the changes to social partnership policy constituted a critical juncture. In this context, ideational …

The Patient Survey Programme: Transforming The Patient Experience In Irish Healthcare, Vivienne Byers, D. Fahey, C. Mullins, C. Roe

Articles

For more than a decade, health policy in Ireland has pushed the centrality of the patient in the delivery and management of healthcare services, including the development of a National Strategy for Service User Involvement in the Health Service 2008–2013 (Health Service Executive, 2008). More recently, the need to provide a ‘patientcentred’ (Department of Health, 2012, 2013, 2014) or ‘person-centred’ (Department of Health, 2016) service has been a guiding principle of health policy documents. The National Service Plan 2017 (Health Service Executive, 2016) also outlines the importance of increasing the rates of service user engagement and feedback across the health …

Health Care For All In Ireland? The Consequences Of Politics For Health Policy, Vivienne Byers

Articles

The Irish health-care system is a complicated mix of public and private providers, with inequitable and unclear routes for health-service users to access and navigate the system. In 2011, the Irish Government committed to significant health reform to develop a universal single-tier health system. In line with other European nations this was to be underpinned by the principle of social solidarity, with equitable access based on need rather than ability to pay. The road to this reform and its recent collapse highlights the practical implications of political and policy choices in health care, and has implications for financing and delivery, …

How To Use Analogies For Creative Business Modelling, Ryan Rumble, Niall Minto

Articles

Purpose

This paper aims to present a method for interpreting and reinterpreting business models as analogies to support the creation of new business model ideas.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors use the literature on cognitive frames and attention to demonstrate the often-overlooked potential of analogies. From this, the authors derive practical recommendations for the use of analogies in creative business model design.

Findings

Managers can design creative business models by seeking multiple interpretations of the way other businesses create and capture value.

Originality/value

Business model frameworks are commonplace, but there is little discussion on how to use them effectively. Furthermore, while analogies …

Connected Health: An Open Innovation Perspective., Anushree Priyadarshini, Maria Quinlan, Gerardine Doyle

Articles

The concept of connected health has gained traction in recent years as a new technology enabled and networked model of health care delivery. It is often used as an umbrella term for eHealth, digital health, health informatics, telemedicine, mHealth and involves the establishment and management of a network of stakeholders with the aim of improving health care quality and out- comes. Yet a lack of open interactions and knowledge networks and the missing integration of the larger constituency of interdisciplinary experts are limiting the execution of the model and restricting its potential to devise services and interventions around patient’s needs …

Market Dimensions Of Industrial Juice Production, Anushree Priyadarshini

Articles

The juice sector is currently demonstrating positive and dynamic growth mainly due to a change in lifestyle, the tendency of consumers to prefer healthy products, and an increase in purchasing power. Fruit juices form part of what are termed the “new age beverages.” In sync with growing consumer inclination toward healthier choices, manufacturers are moving over to healthier ingredients in their juices. Numerous new and innovative products are being launched globally by manufacturers to stimulate sales through innovations in flavor blends, calorie and sweetness levels, and functional benefits, very much shaped by the major lifestyle trends. This chapter aims to …

Managing Energy Price Risk Using Futures Contracts: A Comparative Analysis, Jim Hanly

Articles

This paper carries out a comparative analysis of managing energy risk through futures hedging, for energy market participants across a broad dataset that encompasses the largest and most actively traded energy products. Uniquely, we carry out a hedge comparison using a variety of risk measures including Variance, Value at risk (VaR), and Expected Shortfall as well as a utility based performance metric for two different investor horizons; weekly and monthly. We find that hedging is effective across the spectrum of risk measures we employ. We also find significant differences in both the hedging strategies and the hedging effectiveness of different …

Effect Of Atmospheric Transmittance On Performance Of Adaptive Spd-Vacuum Switchable Glazing, Aritra Ghosh, Brian Norton, Aidan Duffy

Articles

Combined suspended particle device (SPD)-vacuum glazing is a potential adaptive glazing for low energy building application. Glazing transmission is an essential parameter to determine indoor comfort level of building due to glazing. In this work, above 0.5 clearness index, a strong correlation between glazing transmission and clearness index (Atmospheric transmission) has been evaluated for south facing vertical plane glazing. Below 0.5 clearness index, isotropic diffuse transmittance was dominant and one single value of glazing transmission was found which is suitable for building energy calculation throughout the year. Below 0.5 clearness index, for south facing vertical plane SPD-vacuum glazing transmission was …

Solar Dryers For Tropical Food Preservation: Thermophysics Of Crops, Systems And Components, Vivek Tomar, G. N. Tiwari, Brian Norton

Articles

Drying reduces the moisture content of harvested crops thus slowing decay processes to enable longerterm storage. Solar dryers contain the crop being dried, to enhance solar energy collection incurring lower crop losses than are associated with open-sun drying and recurrent costs than are inherent to uses of fossil-fuels for drying. The influences of key environmental, operational and design parameters for solar dryers are discussed including: (i) psychrometry of drying processes and ambient conditions, (ii) how initial crop properties are converted to final desired product attributes, (iii) feasibility of using powered components such as fans and (iv) air-heating solar collector selection.

Plasmonic Luminescent Down Shifting Layers For The Enhancement Of Cdte Mini-Modules Performance, Hind Ahmed, S.J. Mccormack, John Doran

Articles

In this investigation, plasmonic coupling between luminescent species (lumogen yellow, and silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) has been exploited to produce significant enhancement in absorption and fluorescence emission of lumogen yellow dye luminescent downshifting (LDS) layers. The optimum dye concentration in a poly(methyl,methacrylate) polymer LDS layer of ∼100μm thickness was established. Subsequently, plasmonic coupling with Ag NPs was introduced and optimum concentration has been determined for the composite plasmonic Luminescent Down-Shifting (pLDS) layers. The optimum plasmonic coupling has been observed to produce fluorescence emission enhancement of up to 81% for the dye-pLDS layers. The pLDS layers were deposited on top of …

Barriers To Glaucoma Case Finding As Perceived By Optometrists In Ireland, Catriona Barrett, Colm O'Brien, John Butler, James Loughman

Articles

Background: This research was designed to provide an in-depth exploration of the perceptions of optometrists relating to the challenges of glaucoma case finding in the Irish health-care system.

Methods: A survey was developed, piloted and distributed for anonymous completion by optometrists registered to practice in Ireland. The survey included 10 five-level Likert items exploring potential barriers to glaucoma detection and a free-text box for participants to comment more broadly.

Results: One hundred and ninety-nine optometrists (27 per cent of registrants) responded to the survey. Among the barriers identified, there was notable agreement (71 per cent) with the need for extra …

Perceived Barriers Of Optometrists To Glaucoma Case Findings In Ireland, James Loughman, Catriona Barrett, Colm O’Brien, John S. Butler

Articles

Background:

This research was designed to provide an in-depth exploration of the perceptions of optometrists relating to the challenges of glaucoma case finding in the Irish health-care system.

Methods: A survey was developed, piloted and distributed for anonymous completion by optometrists registered to practise in Ireland. The survey included 10 five-level Likert items exploring potential barriers to glaucoma detection and a free-text box for participants to comment more broadly.

Results: One hundred and ninety-nine optometrists (27 per cent of registrants) responded to the survey. Among the barriers identified, there was notable agreement (71 per cent) with the need for extra …