This project was designed to determine the feasibility of constructing a multichamber proportional counter. A multi-chamber detector is designed to increase the total surface area which will increase the number of radiation interactions that occur per unit dose. Surface area can be changed without changing the detector volume by subdividing the active volume into several smaller volumes that can then be used as mini detectors whose data can be summed and used to determine the absorbed dose. This will allow the total surface area to remain the same as that of the more common 12.5 cm (5 in.) spherical detector and a decreased total volume resulting in a more compact detector design. However, subdividing those volumes causes problems with electric field fringing at the ends of the mini detectors. In order to correct this, guard ring and field tube designs which operate at a lower voltage than the detector cathode were tested. Results from this study showed that the field tube design provided the best overall resolution but it only outperformed the other designs by a maximum of 5%. However the field tube design doubles the length of the detector which would result in a larger overall detector package. The performance of the single and double ring configurations was suitable for radiation monitoring applications. These findings show that it is feasible to use an array of subdivided detector volumes instead of a spherical detector.

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The focus of the present contribution is hydraulic energy recovery by means of hydropneumatic multi-chamber accumulators. A simulation study is presented comparing two different multi-chamber accumulator concepts for energy recovery in an exemplary load case involving a forklift mast. The first concept is based on the “Double Piston Accumulator” /1/. It is compared to the so-called “Digital Accumulator” /2/. Both similarities and differences of the two concepts are discussed in the presentation.

The focus of the present contribution is hydraulic energy recovery by means of hydropneumatic multi-chamber accumulators. A simulation study is presented comparing two different multi-chamber accumulator concepts for energy recovery in an exemplary load case involving a forklift mast. The first concept is based on the “Double Piston Accumulator” /1/. It is compared to the so-called “Digital Accumulator” /2/. Both similarities and differences of the two concepts are discussed in the presentation.

No description available.

No description available.

La sécurité des biens et des personnes est, de nos jours, une préoccupation première, en particulier lorsqu'elle concerne l'usage des explosifs. Afin de répondre à ces exigences de sécurité, il est nécessaire de pouvoir prédire le comportement des ondes de pression issues d'une explosion, que ce soit à l'intérieur ou à l'extérieur du bâtiment, et leur interaction avec leur environnement. Une importante quantité d'informations sur les ondes de choc se propageant en champ libre est disponible dans la littérature, de sorte que leur comportement est maintenant bien connu. Toutefois, il y a très peu de données disponibles en littérature ouverte sur les explosions en milieu confiné. Les travaux présentés dans ce mémoire de thèse s'inscrivent dans le cadre de l'étude du comportement des ondes de choc en milieu confiné multi-chambres et de l'effet de différents paramètres tels que le volume des cellules ou la largeur du couloir sur les profils de pression à l'intérieur d'un bâtiment. La propagation de l'onde de choc est analysée par l'évolution de certains paramètres du choc (temps d'arrivée, surpression maximale et impulsion positive).Plusieurs essais à échelle réduite ont été réalisés à l'aide d'une maquette modulable, représentative d'un bâtiment pyrotechnique de plein pied, composé de quatre pièces alignées et reliées entre elles par un couloir. / Security is nowadays a real and major concern, especially when explosives are involved. To address this security issue, an accurate prediction of the behavior of shock waves caused by a detonation propagating inside or outside a building and interacting with the surrounding environment is required. Extensive knowledge regarding shock waves in free field can be found in the literature so that their behavior is now well known. However, there is very few information available in the open literature for confined configuration. This study focuses on the behavior of a shock wave within a confined multi-chamber system and on the impact of different parameters such as the size of the rooms and the width of the corridor on the pressure history inside the building. The shock wave propagation is analyzed through the evolution of some of the shock parameters (arrival time, maximum overpressure and positive impulse). Several small-scale experiments have been carried out using an adjustable model of a four-roomed single-story building. The rooms are connected to a single corridor and all on the same side. This model is representative of a pyrotechnic workshop.

The submitted diploma thesis is focused on finding optimal inside arrangement of multi-chamber septic tank using the conductive method. The diploma thesis brings detailed description and measuring results, including the testing of several different arrangements of the standard circular three chamber septic tank in the project TAČR with the working title "Anasep" and newly developed four-chamber septic tank with several innovative features. The results are then categorized according to own terminology for ease application in the practice. The described method may be a suitable alternative for other technically and economically less available methods. The method shows very clearly whether the inner space of the septic tank sufficient use its volume to the velocity field distribution which has a direct impact on the rate of sedimentation of suspended solids and therefore affect the life of the downstream filtration equipment. Measured data processing and graphical outputs were processed in the programme Minitab. Graphical display of all variants of septic tanks was carried out using SketchUp. Visualization of a septic tank in 2D and 3D space plane was solved in COMSOL Multiphysic with the application of CFD module. The conclusion is based on achievements discussed the applicability of the described method and it presented hydraulically efficient multi-chamber septic tank, which is currently copyrighted solution, developed by a team of solvers in the project ANASEP.

One of the largest energy losses in an excavator is the compensation loss. In a hydraulic load sensing system where one pump supplies multiple actuators, these compensation losses are inevitable. To minimize the compensation losses the use of a multi chamber cylinder can be used, which can control the load pressure by activate its chambers in different combinations and in turn minimize the compensation losses.  For this proposed architecture, the control of the multi chamber cylinder systems is not trivial. The possible states of the system, due to the number of combinations, makes conventional control, like a rule based strategy, unfeasible. Therefore, is the reinforcement learning a promising approach to find an optimal control.  A hydraulic system was modeled and validated against a physical one, as a base for the reinforcement learning to learn in simulation environment. A satisfactory model was achieved, accurately modeled the static behavior of the system but lacks some dynamics.  A Deep Q-Network agent was used which successfully managed to select optimal combinations for given loads when implemented in the physical test rig, even though the simulation model was not perfect.