A strategy for strengthening chaotic mixing of dual shaft eccentric mixers by changing non-Newtonian fluids kinetic energy distribution

Efficiently modulating the velocity distribution and flow pattern of non-Newtonian fluids is a critical challenge in the context of dual shaft eccentric mixers for process intensification,posing a significant barrier for the existing technologies.Accordingly,this work reports a convenient strategy that changes the kinetic energy to controllably regulate the flow patterns from radial flow to axial flow.Results showed that the desired velocity distribution and flow patterns could be effectively obtained by varying the number and structure of baffles to change kinetic energy,and a more uniform velocity distribution,which could not be reached normally in standard baffle dual shaft mixers,was easily obtained.Furthermore,a comparative analysis of velocity and shear rate distributions is employed to elucidate the mechanism behind the generation of flow patterns in various dual-shaft eccentric mixers.Importantly,there is little difference in the power number of the laminar flow at the same Reynolds number,meaning that the baffle type has no effect on the power consumption,while the power number of both unbaffle and U-shaped baffle mixing systems decreases compared with the standard baffle mixing system in the transition flow.Finally,at the same rotational condition,the dimensionless mixing time of the U-shaped baffle mixing system is 15.3%and 7.9%shorter than that of the standard baffle and the unbaffle mixing system,respectively,which shows the advantage of the U-shaped baffle in stirring rate.

A Multiscale Reliability-Based Design Optimization Method for Carbon-Fiber-Reinforced Composite Drive Shafts

Carbon fiber composites,characterized by their high specific strength and low weight,are becoming increasingly crucial in automotive lightweighting.However,current research primarily emphasizes layer count and orientation,often neglecting the potential of microstructural design,constraints in the layup process,and performance reliability.This study,therefore,introduces a multiscale reliability-based design optimization method for carbon fiber-reinforced plastic(CFRP)drive shafts.Initially,parametric modeling of the microscale cell was performed,and its elastic performance parameters were predicted using two homogenization methods,examining the impact of fluctuations in microscale cell parameters on composite material performance.A finite element model of the CFRP drive shaft was then constructed,achieving parameter transfer between microscale and macroscale through Python programming.This enabled an investigation into the influence of both micro and macro design parameters on the CFRP drive shaft’s performance.The Multi-Objective Particle Swarm Optimization(MOPSO)algorithm was enhanced for particle generation and updating strategies,facilitating the resolution of multi-objective reliability optimization problems,including composite material layup process constraints.Case studies demonstrated that this approach leads to over 30%weight reduction in CFRP drive shafts compared to metallic counterparts while satisfying reliability requirements and offering insights for the lightweight design of other vehicle components.

Early Treatment Outcome of Humeral Shaft Fracture Non-Union in Adults: Comparative Study of Plating versus Interlocking Nailing

Background: Fractures of humeral shaft in adults are common injuries. Humeral shafts non-union either from late presentation after initial treatment by traditional bone setters or failed non-operative orthodox care is a major problem in this part of the world. This non-union is a major treatment challenge with increased cost of care and morbidity in this part of the world. Humeral shaft non-union can be treated with locked intra-medullary nailing (LIMN) or dynamic compression plating (DCP). Study on comparison of these methods of fixation in this part of the world is scarce in literature search, hence the reason for this study. Objective: The objectives of this study are: (1) to compare early clinical outcome following fixation of humeral shaft fracture nonunion with DCP versus LIMN;(2) to compare the time of radiologic fracture union of DCP with LIMN;(3) to compare complications following fixation of humeral shaft fracture nonunion with DCP versus LIMN. Patients and Methods: This was a randomized control study done for 2 years in which fifty adult patients with humeral shaft non-union were recruited. The patients were grouped into 2 (P = DCP & N = LIMN). Forty five of the patients completed the follow up periods of the study and then analyzed. The P group had ORIF with DCP while the N group had ORIF with LIMN. Both groups had grafting with cancellous bones. Each patient was followed up for a period of 6 months at the time which radiographic union is expected. Any patient without clinical and/or radiographic evidence of union after six months of surgery was diagnosed as having recurrent non-union. The data generated was analyzed using SPSS Version 23. The results were presented in charts and tables. The paired t-test was used while considering p value Result: Forty five patients completed follow up. There was a male preponderance (4:1), right humerus predominated (3:2). Motor vehicular accidents were the commonest cause of the fractures (62%). Most non-union fractures occurred at the level of the middle 3rd of the humeral shaft (60%). Failed TBS treatment was the commonest indication for the osteosynthesis (71%). More patients had plating (53%) compared to 47% who had LIMN. Most patients (93.4%) had union between 3 to 6 months irrespective of fixation type with no significant statistical difference between the union rate of DCP and LIMN (p value 0.06) with similar functional outcome and complication rates irrespective of the type of fixation. Conclusion: This study showed that the success rates in term of fracture union, outcome functional grades and complication rates were not directly dependent on the types of the fixation: plating or locked intra-medullary nailing.

Clinical effect of operative vs nonoperative treatment on humeral shaft fractures:Systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials

BACKGROUND Whether operation is superior to non-operation for humeral shaft fracture remains debatable.We hypothesized that operation could decrease the nonunion and reintervention rates and increase the functional outcomes.AIM To compare the clinical efficacy between operative and nonoperative approaches for humeral shaft fractures.METHODS We searched the PubMed,Web of Science,ScienceDirect,and Cochrane databases from 1990 to December 2023 for clinical trials and cohort studies comparing the effects of operative and conservative methods on humeral shaft fractures.Two investigators independently extracted data from the eligible studies,and the other two assessed the methodological quality of each study.The quality of the included studies was assessed using the Cochrane risk bias or Newcastle-Ottawa Scale.The nonunion,reintervention and the overall complications and functional scores were pooled and analyzed using Review Manager software(version 5.3).RESULTS A total of four randomized control trials and 13 cohort studies were included,with 1285 and 1346 patients in the operative and nonoperative groups,respectively.Patients in the operative group were treated with a plate or nail,whereas those in the conservative group were managed with splint or functional bracing.Four studies were assessed as having a high risk of bias,and the other 13 were of a low risk of bias according to the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale or Cochrane risk bias tool.The operative group had a significantly decreased rate of nonunion[odds ratio(OR)0.30;95%CI:0.23 to 0.40,reintervention(OR:0.33;95%CI:0.24 to 0.47),and overall complications(OR:0.62;95%CI:0.49 to 0.78)].The pooled effect of the Disabilities of Arm,Shoulder,and Hand score showed a significant difference at 3[mean difference(MD)-8.26;95%CI:-13.60 to-2.92],6(MD:-6.72;95%CI:-11.34 to-2.10),and 12 months(MD:-2.55;95%CI:-4.36 to-0.74).The pooled effect of Visual Analog Scale scores and the Constant-Murley score did not significantly differ between the two groups.CONCLUSION This systematic review and meta-analysis revealed a trend of rapid functional recovery and decreased rates of nonunion and reintervention after operation for humeral shaft fracture compared to conservative treatment.

Functional Outcomes of Adult Tibia Shaft Fractures Treated with Solid Intramedullary Nails versus Hollow Nails: A Systematic Review

Introduction: The management of fractures of the tibia shaft is an important aspect of orthopaedic care, and the selection of the surgical method for fixation can substantially impact patient outcomes. The current review aims to compare the outcomes of adult tibia fractures treated with solid nails to those treated with hollow nails. Methods: A search on Scopus, PubMed, and Cochrane Library, using three keywords (Outcome, Tibia shaft fractures, Nail) was conducted in April 2023. Results were compiled and two independent reviewers screened and selected eligible articles After removing duplicates, titles and abstracts were read to exclude ineligible studies. Full-text articles of the remaining papers were read to select eligible studies which were further critically appraised to ascertain their methodological quality. The data extracted from the selected papers were synthesized using a combination of pooling of results, tests of statistical difference (t-test and chi-square) and narrative synthesis methods. Results: A total of 2295 articles were obtained from the databases and citation searching. A total of 9 papers were identified as eligible and included in the review. Findings revealed that there is no statistical difference in the outcomes of tibia fractures treated with either solid or hollow nail groups such as duration of surgery (p = 0.541), rate of delayed and non-union (p = 0.342), and rate of surgical site infections (p = 0.395). Conclusion: Intramedullary nailing of tibia shaft fractures with either solid or hollow nails have similar functional outcomes.

Beyond p-y method:A review of artificial intelligence approaches for predicting lateral capacity of drilled shafts in clayey soils

In 2023,pivotal advancements in artificial intelligence(AI)have significantly experienced.With that in mind,traditional methodologies,notably the p-y approach,have struggled to accurately model the complex,nonlinear soil-structure interactions of laterally loaded large-diameter drilled shafts.This study undertakes a rigorous evaluation of machine learning(ML)and deep learning(DL)techniques,offering a comprehensive review of their application in addressing this geotechnical challenge.A thorough review and comparative analysis have been carried out to investigate various AI models such as artificial neural networks(ANNs),relevance vector machines(RVMs),and least squares support vector machines(LSSVMs).It was found that despite ML approaches outperforming classic methods in predicting the lateral behavior of piles,their‘black box'nature and reliance only on a data-driven approach made their results showcase statistical robustness rather than clear geotechnical insights,a fact underscored by the mathematical equations derived from these studies.Furthermore,the research identified a gap in the availability of drilled shaft datasets,limiting the extendibility of current findings to large-diameter piles.An extensive dataset,compiled from a series of lateral loading tests on free-head drilled shaft with varying properties and geometries,was introduced to bridge this gap.The paper concluded with a direction for future research,proposes the integration of physics-informed neural networks(PINNs),combining data-driven models with fundamental geotechnical principles to improve both the interpretability and predictive accuracy of AI applications in geotechnical engineering,marking a novel contribution to the field.

Short-term warning and integrity monitoring algorithm for coal mine shaft safety

A new short-term warning and integrity monitoring algorithm was proposed for coal mine shaft safety. The Kalman filter (KF) model was used to extract real global positioning system (GPS) kinematic deformation information. The short-term warning model was built by using the two-side cumulative sum (CUSUM) test, which further improves the warning system reliability. Availability (the minimum warning deformation, MWD), false alarm rate (the average run length, ARL), missed rate (the warning delay, WD) and the relationships among them were analyzed and the method choosing warning parameters is given. A test of a deformation simulation platform shows that the warning algorithm can be effectively used for steep deformation warning. A field experiment of the Malan mine shaft in Shanxi coal area illustrates that the proposed algorithm can detect small dynamic changes and the corresponding occurring time. At given warning thresholds (MWD is 15 mm and ARL is 1000),the detected deformations of two consecutive days’ deformation sequences with the algorithm occur at the 705th epoch (705 s) and the 517th epoch (517 s), respectively.

Smoke distribution in naturally ventilated urban transportation tunnels with multiple shafts

The smoke spreading law of urban transportation tunnels with multiple shafts under natural ventilation is studied.A full-scale burning experiment is conducted in an actual tunnel.The study shows that smoke temperatures below the tunnel ceiling reduce rapidly along the longitudinal towards the tunnel exits. A noticeable temperature stratification is observed near the fire source.Most fire smoke is exhausted out of the shafts while the number of the smoke shafts in the downstream is more than that in the upstream.Large eddy simulation LES based on computational fluid dynamics CFD is carried out using the fire dynamics simulator FDS software with parallel processing in which the grid size of the fire-domain is set to be 0.083 m.The simulation results of temperatures under the ceiling the smoke fronts and the shafts＇smoke exhaust or air supply agree reasonably with the experimental data. Further simulations indicate that the decreasing ambient temperature or shaft spacing might reduce smoke temperatures under the tunnel ceiling and increase mass flow rates out of the shafts.This study provides technical scientific evidence and supports for the design and construction of such kinds of tunnels.

NUMERICAL ANALYSIS ON INCREASE OF SECTIONAL STRESS OF A SHAFT WITH RUB－IMPACT CONDITION

The numerical analysis on a shaft with rub-impact condition is done by using the finite difference method. The bending modes and the moment yaring along the shaft are described,to reveal the in crease pattern of sectional stress of the shaft. The result obtained in this paper can be used in explaining the phenomena of many breaking sections appeared in destructive failures of actual rotating machinery.

Study of LDBPs Shaft Skin Friction for Piles in Cohesiove Soils

The methodology of predicting pile shaft skin ultimate friction has been studied in a systematic way. In the light of that, the analysis of the pile shaft resistance for bored and cast in situ piles in cohesive soils was carried out thoroughly in the basis of field performance data of 10 fully instrumented large diameter bored piles (LDBPs) used as the bridge foundation. The undrained strength index μ in term of cohesive soils was brought forward in allusion to the cohesive soils in the consistence plastic state, and can effectively combine the friction angle and the cohesion of cohesive soils in undrained condition. And that the classical ' α method' was modified much in effect to predict the pile shaft skin friction of LDBPs in cohesive soils. Furthermore, the approach of standard penetration test (SPT) N value used to estimate the pile shaft skin ultimate friction was analyzed, and the calculating formulae were established for LDBPs in clay and silt clay respectively.

Simulation Study on Reinforcing Overburden to Prevent and Cure the Rupture of Shaft Lining

For preventing and curing the rupture disaster of shaft lining effectively, according to the additional force theory of shaft lining fracture, more than forty tests were carried out on the large scale test rig on the basis of simulating theory. The influence of the position of aquifer, the reinforcing scope of aquifer, reinforcing distance and the strength of grouting cemented mixture on the value and variation law of the axial additional force on shaft lining is studied. The relationships between the reinforcing parameters and the axial additional force on shaft lining are obtained, which provides the theoretic foundation and construction design parameters for the method of reinforcing strata by grouting to prevent and cure tbe rupture disaster of shart lining.

Effects of Flexibility and Suspension Configuration of Main Shaft on Dynamic Characteristics of Wind Turbine Drivetrain

The current research of wind turbine drivetrain is mainly concentrated in dynamic characteristics of gearbox with a specific suspension of main shaft, such as one-point and two-point suspension. However, little attention is paid to the e ects of these suspension configurations on the dynamic responses of wind turbine gearbox. This paper investigates the influences of suspension configurations of main shaft on the dynamic characteristics of drivetrain. For evaluating the dynamic behaviors of drivetrain with multi-stage transmission system more realistically, a dynamic modeling approach of drivetrain is proposed based on Timoshenko beam theory and Lagrange's equation. Considering the flexibility and di erent suspension configurations of main shaft, time-varying mesh sti ness excitation, time-varying transmission error excitation and gravity excitation, etc., a three-dimensional dynamic model of drivetrain is developed, and the dynamic responses of drivetrain are investigated. Results show that with the one-point suspension of main shaft, the resonance frequencies in gearbox, especially at the low-speed stage, obviously shift to the higher frequency range compared to the gearbox without main shaft, but this trend could be inversed by increasing main shaft length. Meanwhile, the loads in main shaft, main shaft bearing and carrier bearing are greatly sensitive to the main shaft length. Hence, the load sharing is further disrupted by main shaft, but this e ect could be alleviated by larger load torque. Comparing to the one-point suspension of main shaft, there occurs the obvious load reduction at the low-speed stage with two-point suspension of main shaft. However, those advantages greatly depend on the distance between two main bearings, and come at the expense of increased load in upwind main shaft unit and the corresponding main bearing. Finally, a wind field test is conducted to verify the proposed drivetrain model. This study develops a numerical model of drivetrain which is able to evaluate the e ects of di erent suspension configurations of main shaft on gearbox.

Lightweight Design of Automobile Drive Shaft Based on the Characteristics of Low Amplitude Load Strengthening

There are two kinds of internationally recognized approaches in terms of lightweight design.One is based on fatigue accumulated damage theory to achieve better reliability by optimal structural design; another is to use high performance lightweight materials.The former method takes very few considerations on the structural strengthening effects caused by the massive small loads in service.In order to ensure safety,the design is usually conservative,but the strength potential of the component is not fully exerted.In the latter method,cost is the biggest obstacle to lightweight materials in automotive applications.For the purpose of light weighting design on a fuel cell vehicle,the new design method is applied on drive shafts.The method is based on the low amplitude load strengthening characteristics of the material,and allows the stress,corresponding to test load,to enter into the strengthened range of the material.Under this condition,the light weighting design should assure that the reliability of the shaft is not impaired,even maximizes the strength potential of machine part in order to achieve the weight reduction and eventually to reduce the cost.At last,the feasibility of the design is verified by means of strength analysis and modal analysis based on the CAD model of light weighted shaft.The design applies to the load case of half shaft in independent axle,also provides technological reference for the structural lightweight design of vehicles and other machineries.

Empirical methods for determining shaft bearing capacity of semi-deep foundations socketed in rocks

Semi-deep foundations socketed in rocks are considered to be a viable option for the foundations in the presence of heavy load imposed by high-rise structures, due to the low settlement and high bearing capacity. In the optimum design of semi-deep foundations, prediction of the shaft bearing capacity, rs, of foundations socketed in rocks is thus critically important. In this study, the unconfined compressive strength(UCS), qu, has been applied in order to investigate the shaft bearing capacity. For this, a database of 106 full-scale load tests is compiled with UCS values of surrounding rocks, in which 34 tests with rock quality designation(RQD), and 5 tests with rock mass rating(RMR). The bearing rocks for semi-deep foundations include limestone, mudstone, siltstone, shale, granite, tuff, granodiorite, claystone, sandstone, phyllite, schist, and greywacke. Using the database, the applicability and accuracy of the existing empirical methods are evaluated and new relations are derived between the shaft bearing capacity and UCS based on the types of rocks. Moreover, a general equation in case of unknown rock types is proposed and it is verified by another set of data. Since rock-socketed shafts are supported by rock mass(not intact rock), a reduction factor for the compressive strength is suggested and verified in which the effect of discontinuities is considered using the modified UCS, qu(modified), based upon RMR and RQD in order to take into account the effect of the rock mass properties.

New Measurement Method for Spline Shaft Rolling Performance Evaluation using Laser Displacement Sensor

In order to control the quality of spline shaft in rolling process, an efficient measurement method for rolling performance evaluation is essential. Here, a newly developed on-machine non-contact measurement prototype based on laser displacement sensor and rotary encoder is proposed. The prototype is intended for the automated evaluation of the spline shaft rolling performance by measuring the dimensional change of tooth root, which is correlated with the surface residual stress and micro-hardness. Laser displacement sensor and rotary encoder are used to record the polar radius and polar angle of each point on measuring section. Data are displayed in a polar coordinate system and fitted in a gear. Through multipoint curvature method, the roots of spline shaft are recognized automatically. Then, the dimensional change can be calculated by fitting the radius of the tooth root circle before and after rolling. Systematic error covering offset error is also analyzed and calibrated. At last, measurement test results show that the system has advantages of simple structure, high measurement precision(radius error < 0.6 μm), high measurement efficiency(measuring time < 2 s) and automatic control ability, providing a new opportunity for the efficient evaluation of various spline shafts in high-precision mechanical processing.

Theoretical Investigation on Vertical Additional Force on Shaft Lining in Special Stratum

The model of skaft lining under force is developed on the basis of the special stratum condition led to sbart cracking- The model is broken into 3 sub-questions to solve separately. According to the principle of superposition and strain compatibility, a second kind Fredholm integral equation is generated.A theoretical solution to vertical additional force on shaft lining is obtained by numerical method to the integral equation.

Research on Stress and Strength of High Strength Reinforced Concrete Drilling Shaft Lining in Thick Top Soils

High strength reinforced concrete drilling shaft linings have been adopted to solve the difficult problem of supporting coal drilling shafts penetrating through thick top soils. Through model experiments the stress and strength of such shaft linings are studied. The test results indicate that the load beating capacity of the shaft lining is very high and that the main factors affecting the load bearing capacity are the concrete strength, the ratio of lining thickness to inner radius and the reinforcement ratio. Based on the limit equilibrium conditions and the strength theory of concrete under multi-axial compressive stressed state, a formula for calculating the load-beating capacity of a high strength reinforced concrete shaft lining was obtained. Because the concrete in a shaft lining is in a multi-axial compressive stress state the compressive strength increases to a great extent compared to uni-axial loading. Based on experiment a formula for the gain factor in compressive strength was obtained： it can be used in the structural design of the shaft lining. These results have provided a basis for sound engineering practice when designing this kind of shaft lining structure.

A methodology for lining design of circular mine shafts in different rock masses

In this study, the finite element numerical modelling of 2D shaft sections in a Hoek–Brown medium are carried out in a non-hydrostatic stress state in an attempt to predict pressures developing around mine shafts. An iterative process of applying support pressure until observing no failure zone around the shaft is used to simulate the required lining support pressure for different shaft models. Later, regression analysis is carried out to find a generic shaft pressure equation representing the rock mass and the stress state. Finally, the developed pressure equation which shows a good agreement with a case study is used in elastic ‘‘thick-walled cylinder" equation to calculate the lining thickness required to prevent the development of a failure zone around the shaft. At the end of the study, a user-friendly object-oriented computer program ‘‘Shaft 2D" is developed to simplify the rigorous shaft lining thickness calculation process.

Numerical Simulation and Experimental Research on Hydrodynamic Performance of Propeller with Varying Shaft Depths

In order to study hydrodynamic performance of a propeller in the free surface, the numerical simulation and open-water experiments are carried out with varying shaft depths of propeller. The influences of shaft depths of a propeller on thrust and torque coefficient in calm water are mainly studied. Meanwhile, this paper also studies the propeller air-ingestion under special working conditions by experiment and theoretical calculation method, and compares the calculation results and experimental results. The results prove that the theoretical calculation model used in this paper can imitate the propeller air-ingestion successfully. The successful phenomenon simulation provides an essential theoretical basis to understand the physical essence of the propeller air-ingestion.

Profunda femoris artery pseudoaneurysm following revision for femoral shaft fracture nonunion

Femoral artery pseudoaneurysms(FAPs) have been described following internal fixation of intertrocantheric, subtrocantheric and intracapsular femoral neck fractures as well as core decompression of the femoral head. The diagnosis of FAP is usually delayed because of non-specific clinical features like pain, haematoma,swelling, occasional fever and unexplained anaemia.Because of the insidious onset and of the possible delayed presentation of pseudoaneurysms, orthopaedic and trauma surgeons should be aware of this complication. We report a case of Profunda Femoris arterial branch pseudoaneurysm, diagnosed in a 40-year-old male 4 wk after revision with Kuntscher intramedullary nail of a femoral shaft nonunion. The diagnosis was achieved by computed tomography angiography and the lesion was effectively managed by endovascular repair. The specific literature and suggestions for treatment are discussed in the paper.