Engineering Commons^™

The People: The Least Accountable Branch, Marci A. Hamilton

Articles

No abstract provided.

Termes De Signes Positif Et Négatif En Analyses Exergétiques Des Flux De Chaleur, Jim Mcgovern, Pierre Le Goff

Articles

In various technical plants there are heat transfer rates at temperatures above that of the environment and other simultaneous heat transfer rates at temperatures below the temperature of the environment. This is the case in cryogenic industrial processes where a cooling effect is produced from a heat source. This is also the case for all absorption refrigeration plants or absorption plants that provide refrigeration and heat pumping, notably for air-conditioning of buildings. In these cases exergetic analysis leads to equations in which some terms are positive and others are negative. This can pose problems in the definition of exergetic, or …

Knowledge-Based System For Casting Process Selection, Ahmet Er, Edward Sweeney, Voya Kondic

Articles

Design of casting entails the knowledge of various interacting factors that are unique to casting process, and, quite often, product designers do not have the required foundry-specific knowledge. Casting designers normally have to liaise with casting experts in order to ensure the product designed is castable and the optimum casting method is selected. This two-way communication results in long design lead times, and lack of it can easily lead to incorrect casting design. A computer-based system at the discretion of a design engineer can, however, alleviate this problem and enhance the prospect of casting design for manufacture. This paper proposes …

Theoretical Investigations Of Electro-Optical Synchonisation Of Self-Pulsating Laser Diodes, A. Egan, P. Rees, J. O'Gorman, M. Harley-Stead, Gerald Farrell, Joe Hegarty, P. Phelan

Articles

The synchronisation mechanism of selfpulsating laser diodes is determined and it is shown how this results in a frequency-dependent phase difference between the electrical input and optical output. The time-to-lock of the electrical input to the optical output is examined, particularly with regard to the importance of the initial phase difference between the signals. The effect of synchronisation on timing jitter in self pulsating lasers is also investigated.

Chp And Energy Conservation, Jim Mcgovern

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The principles of the use of 'combined heat and power' (CHP) for the achievement of fuel energy conservation, minimisation of environmental impact and economic advantage are explained. A distinction is made between the two types of outputs: heat and work. It is argued that an efficiency value that is defined as the sum of the heat and work outputs divided by the energy of the fuel used is not very meaningful. An alternative, rational, efficiency is explained. It is concluded that CHP is an option to be considered where both heating and power are required, but is not a general …

Instability In Self-Pulsation In Laser Diodes And Its Effect On All-Optical Synchonization, Jonathan Hyland, Gerald Farrell

Articles

The effect of short- and long-term frequency instability in self pulsation on all-optical synchronization using a twin-section laser diode is experimentally investigated. Short-term frequency instability broadens the unlocked full width at half maximum (FWHM) of the fundamental of the rf spectrum of the self-pulsating laser diode. We show experimentally that the value of the unlocked FWHM, and thus the level of short-term instability, has a direct effect on the optical power required to maintain synchronization. A novel means of reducing the FWHM is presented based on a reflective transmission line stub connected to the absorber of the twin-section self-pulsating laser …

Fuzzy Knowledge-Based Approach To Treating Uncertainty In Inventory Control, Dobrilla Petrovic, Edward Sweeney

Articles

Inventory control in complex manufacturing environments encounters various sources of uncertainity and imprecision. This paper presents one fuzzy knowledge-based approach to solving the problem of order quantity determination, in the presence of uncertain demand, lead time and actual inventory level. Uncertain data are represented by fuzzy numbers, and vaguely defined relations between them are modeled by fuzzy if-then rules. The proposed representation and inference mechanism are verified using a large numbers of examples. The results of three representative cases are summarized. Finally a comparison between the developed fuzzy knowledge-based and traditional, probabilistic approaches is discussed.

Comparison Of Self Pulsation In Multisection Lasers With Distributed Feedback And Intracavity Satuarable Absorbers, P. Phelan, D. Mcdonald, A. Egan, Joe Hegarty, R. O'Dowd, Gerald Farrell, S. Lingren

Articles

The authors report a comparison of the self-pulsing characteristics of two types of semiconductor laser. They show that the self-pulsing frequency of the DFB laser is decoupled from the resonance frequency. They discuss the various characteristics, their significance in relation to optical synchronisation, and use the results to suggest a possible explanation for the mechanism for self-pulsation in the DFB laser.

All Optical Timing Extraction With Frequency Division Using A Twin Section Laser Diode, Gerald Farrell, P. Phelan, Joe Hegarty, J. A. Shields

Articles

All-optical timing extraction from a coded line signal with division of the extracted clock frequency is demonstrated using a single twin-section self-pulsating laser diode. Either the bit-rate clock or a submultiple of the bit-rate clock can be extracted, depending only on the dc biases applied to the self-pulsating laser diode. Timing extraction is carried out for the first time without optical injection locking of the self-pulsating laser diode by the optical data source.

Repointing Mortars For Conservation Of A Historic Stone Building In Trinity College, Dublin, Aidan Duffy, Tim P. Cooper, Simon H. Perry

Articles

With atmospheric pollution causing building stone to decay at accelerated rates, conservation of historic stone monuments is becoming an increasingly important issue. Mortar joints have a marked effect on how moisture moves in a wall and, hence, on how the wall weathers. Not only does mortar bind stones together, but also a good mortar will prevent the ingress of moisture (and pollutants), enable the buildings to dry out, accommodate movement and will not act as a source of harmful chemicals capable of attacking the surrounding stone. Thus, poor mortar can have deleterious effects on the stonework. This paper, which is …

The Influence Of The Unlocked Characteristics Of A Self-Pulsating Laser Diode On Synchronisation, Gerald Farrell, P. Phelan, Joe Hegarty

Articles

All-optical synchronization and timing extraction based on self-pulsating twin section lasers has been demonstrated. We investigate the variation of the unlocked full-width at- half-maximum of the fundamental of the RF spectrum of a self-pulsating laser diode. We show for the first time that the value of the unlocked FWHM has a direct influence on the power required to maintain synchronization. We also show that the variation of the FWHM with frequency is dependent on the slope of the absorber bias versus self-pulsation frequency characteristic. The results have important implications for the design and selection of self-pulsating laser diodes for synchronization …

All-Optical Timing Extraction With Frequency Division Using A Twin-Section Laser Diode, Gerald Farrell, Paul Phelan, Joe Hegarty, J. Shields

Articles

All-optical timing extraction from a coded line signal with division of the extracted clock frequency is demonstrated using a single twin-section self-pulsating laser diode. Either the bit-rate clock or a submultiple of the bit-rate clock can be extracted, depending only on the DC biases applied to the self-pulsating laser diode. Timing extraction is carried out for the first time without optical injection locking of the self-pulsating laser diode by the optical data source

Hysteresis And Anchoring Energy In Ferroelectric Liquid Crystals, Yuri Panarin

Articles

The frequency dispersion of the coercive force of Ferroelectric Liquid Crystals (FLC) cells has been detected and examined in the range of infralow (lower than 0.1 Hz) frequencies. To clarify the low-frequency dispersion, the model has been suggested, based on the arrangement of free charges and well describing the experimental curves. The method for determination of the energy of FLC anchoring at the surface, developed on the basis of the static hysteresis loop, has been proposed. The dependence of bistability and the anchoring energy upon the orientant layer thickness has experimentally been investigated.

All Optical Synchronisation With Frequency Division Using A Self Pulsating Laser Diode, Gerald Farrell, P. Phelan, Joe Hegarty

Articles

A master optical clock from a mode locked laser is distributed to two slave twin section lasers. One slave laser divides the optical modulation frequency by 2, the other slave laser multiplies the frequency by 2. It is also possible to vary the multiplication4ivision ratio in a slave laser using only DC control of the absorber of the twin section laser.

All Optical Clock Distribution With Synchronous Frequency Division And Multiplication, Gerald Farrell, P. Phelan, Joe Hegarty

Articles

A master optical clock from a mode locked laser is distributed to two slave twin section lasers. One slave laser divides the optical modulation frequency by 2, the other slave laser multiplies the frequency by 2. It is also possible to vary the multiplication4ivision ratio in a slave laser using only DC control of the absorber of the twin section laser.

All-Optical Synchronisation And Multiplication Of The Frequency Of Mode-Locked Signals, P. Phelan, Gerald Farrell, Joe Hegarty

Articles

We report all-optical synchronized multiplication by rational fractions of the modulation frequency of optical signals in self-pulsing two-section semiconductor laser diodes. The effect is based on the overlap of harmonics of the input signal with harmonics of the self-pulsation. We illustrate this new generic function with modelocked inputs rich in harmonics were fractions of 1,2, and 3 / 2 are generated, and we identify a number of applications for this effect.

Self-Pulsation Operating Regime For The Absorber Of A Twin Section Laser Diode, Gerald Farrell, P. Phelan, Joe Hegarty

Articles

The voltage-current characteristic of the absorber of a twin section laser diode is investigated as a function of the gain section current. For self pulsation to occur the absorber must be operated within a specific region of the voltage-current characteristics. This region only exists for absorber voltage current characteristics which contain an S-shaped negative resistance.

Shadow Casting Phenomena At Newgrange, Frank Prendergast

Articles

A digital model of the Newgrange passage tomb and surrounding ring of monoliths known as the Great Circle is used to investigate sunrise shadow casting phenomena at the monument. Diurnal variation in shadow directions and lengths are analysed for their potential use in the Bronze Age to indicate the passage of seasonal time. Computer-aided simulations are developed from a photogrammetric survey to accurately show how three of the largest monoliths, located closest to the tomb entrance and archaeologically coded GC1, GC-1 and GC-2, cast their shadows onto the vertical face of the entrance kerbstone, coded K1. The phenomena occur at …

Exergy Analysis - A Different Perspective On Energy Part 2: Rational Efficiency And Some Examples Of Energy, Jim Mcgovern

Articles

The concept of exergy having been introduced in the first part of this paper, a universal rational efficiency is now defined and a number of examples of exergy analyses is given.

Bistabiity By Induced Waveguiding In Coupled Semiconductor Lasers, Daniel Heffernan, J. Mcinerney, L. Reekie, D. Bradley

Articles

Recently, McInerney, Reekie, and Bradley observed bistability in twin diode GaAs/GaAlAs injection lasers in an external cavity when both diodes were above threshold. We show that this bistability may be explained by a form of self-focusing which is produced by induced waveguiding in the wide stripe lasers. A detailed analysis is performed on a standard model of these diodes in an external cavity. We have found very good agreement between theory and experiment.

Proposal For A Digital Pseudorandom Number Generator, C. Downey

Articles

A digital hardware implementation of a linear congruential sequence generator using shift and add techniques of multiplication is described. The sequence is of long period, low serial correlation and is rectangularly distributed. The method has certain advantages over conventional feedback shift register techniques.

A Heat Pump Assisted Shower, Jim Mcgovern

Articles

An energy-efficient water-heating system for a shower is proposed consisting of a low-powered heat pump, a storage tank and an instantaneous heater which, it is felt, may yield a favourable overall cost, in addition to reducing the primary energy consumption. Some preliminary work has been carried out in exploring this concept. It was considered at the outset that an overall coefficient of performance (COP) of 2 should be readily achieved. Values close to this have been realised with the first experimental prototype.

Algorithms For The Solution Of Systems Of Coupled Second-Order Ordinary Differential Equations, Brendan O'Shea

Articles

Several step-by-step methods for the computer solution systems of coupled second-order ordinary differential equations, are examined from the point of view of efficiency “time-wise” and “storage-wise”. Particular reference is made to a system arising in the close-coupling approximation of the Schroedinger equation. The stability of the solution is also considered.

The Sun's Wind, Alexei Leonov

Articles

This book is on display here for educational purposes only.

Unless stated otherwise within this repository collection, all materials are shared under the following Creative Commons license: [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License].

Written and illustrated in 1977 by Soviet cosmonaut Alexei Leonov.
Published by Progress Publishers in Moscow

Apollo/Soyuz Tv Guide: "Soyuz, Soyuz, This Is Apollo...", Bob Button

Articles

This is a TV Guide from 1975 that features a story about the televised Apollo/Soyuz mission.

"Thomas Stafford" - Astronauts & Cosmonauts Cultural Exchange Album, Thomas P. Stafford

Articles

This is a photo album of the cultural exchange visit between the American astronauts and Soviet cosmonauts of the Apollo-Soyuz Mission.

The front cover reads "Thomas Stafford"

Apollo Soyuz Test Project - Press Kit, Nasa

Articles

COSMONAUTS, ASTRONAUTS TO MEET IN SPACE

Two manned spacecraft will be launched into Earth orbit July 15 -- one from Merritt Island, Florida, and the other from Central Asia -- to bring into reality the May 1972 agreement between the United States and the Soviet Union to work toward a common docking system for future generations of spacecraft.

Unless stated otherwise within this repository collection, all materials are shared under the following Creative Commons license: [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License].

Postcard: Home Of Astronaut Thomas P. Stafford, Storer's Cards, Inc.

Articles

This is a postcard depicting the childhood home of Gen. Thomas P. Stafford in Weatherford, Oklahoma.

Postcard produced by Storer's Cards, Inc.

Stafford Letter To Astronaut Group - Prestige And Morale, Thomas P. Stafford

Articles

On October 8th, 1969, then Chief of the Astronaut Office at NASA, Thomas P. Stafford, addressed the rest of the astronaut group in a letter about group prestige and morale.