Thesis--Utrecht. / Vita. Summary in Dutch. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (p. 363-392).

Thesis--Utrecht. / Vita. Summary in Dutch. Includes bibliographical references (p. 363-392).

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Thesis (M.S.)--University of Akron, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, 2008. / "December, 2008." Title from electronic thesis title page (viewed 12/9/2009) Advisor, Jiang John Zhe; Faculty Readers, Joan Carletta, Dane Quinn; Department Chair, Celal Batur; Dean of the College, George K. Haritos; Dean of the Graduate School, George R. Newkome. Includes bibliographical references.

Zinc is an essential mineral that has many biological and structural functions in the cells. In Sweden, zinc analysis is performed with different methods and test tubes. The recommended value of zinc is between 11-17 µmol/L together with normal albumin rate. The aim of this study was to validate the colorimetric method for analysis of S-Zinc by comparing the results from two Beckman Coulter AU680 instruments for the insertion of these at the Department of Clinical Chemistry and Transfusion Medicine, Country council of Kalmar. Precision study, correlation study and comparison study was made between the kinds of test tubes BD Vacutainer® Blood Collection Tubes, one consisting of a gel separator, one without contents and the last type contained silica particles. A correlation study was made by comparing patient samples obtained from the department of clinical chemistry, Country council of Jönköping. In the comparison study, serum probes were provided by the staff at the Department of Clinical Chemistry, Kalmar. The blood samples were taken in two kinds of blood collection tubes without contents (one containing silica particles) and one blood collection tubes with gel. The serum tests were analyzed for 4 days and the test results were studied and compared between the collection types. The conclusion of the study was that S-Zink on the Beckman Coulter AU680 instrument with reagents from Sentinel Diagnostic was acceptable. Both Beckman Coulter AU680 instruments provided equivalent results. The correlation between Beckman Coulter AU680 and Thermo Konelab Prime 30i was acceptable. The correlation coefficient showed a high correlation rate between the different methods (r=0, 93). The sustainability of the serum samples, that was poured in new tubes and stored in 2-8°C for 4 days, was good. The study showed distinct differences when analyzing different blood collection tubes, were the collection tube containing gel showed a higher zinc rate. When insertion of the new method, S-Zink, it is recommended that blood collection tubes without contents are used, because of the risk of zinc contamination from collection tubes with gel and plastic stoppers.

Kolesterol transporteras i blodet med hjälp av lipoproteinpartiklar. Höga nivåer av low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-kolesterol i blodet är en riskfaktor för kardiovaskulär sjukdom. Koncentrationen av LDL-kolesterol kan beräknas med hjälp av Friedewalds formel men det finns även metoder där LDL-kolesterol kan analyseras direkt. Syftet med arbetet var att verifiera metoden direkt LDL-kolesterol på analysinstrumentet Beckman Coulter AU680. Metodens inomserie- och totalimprecision analyserades. Två korrelationsstudier utfördes mellan direkt LDL-kolesterol och beräknat LDL-kolesterol, en med 43 patientprover med triglycerider < 4,5 mmol/L och en med 11 patientprover med triglycerider > 4,5 mmol/L. Friedewalds formel ska egentligen inte användas vid triglycerider > 4,5 mmol/L, men i detta fall användes formeln ändå för att utvärdera eventuella skillnader mellan metodernas resultat vid höga triglyceridkoncentrationer. Vid analys av metodens inomserieimprecision blev variationskoefficienten (CV) omkring 0,5 % vid analys av både den låga kontrollen (A1) och den höga kontrollen (A2). CV för totalimprecisionen blev 1,21 % vid analys av A1 och 1,11 % vid analys av A2. Korrelationsstudierna visade ett linjärt samband mellan metoderna men den direkta metoden gav något högre resultat vid lägre koncentrationer och något lägre resultat vid högre koncentrationer jämfört med beräknat LDL-kolesterol. Vid triglycerider > 4,5 mmol/L gav den direkta metoden betydligt högre resultat än beräknat LDL-kolesterol. Slutsatsen blev att metoden hade god precision. Överensstämmelsen mellan metodernas resultat var relativt bra för proverna med triglycerider < 4,5 mmol/L. Vid triglycerider > 4,5 mmol/L var differensen mellan metoderna stor, troligtvis på grund av falskt för låga resultat från beräknat LDL-kolesterol. / Cholesterol is transported in the blood by lipoproteins. High levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol in the blood is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. The concentration of LDL-cholesterol can be calculated using the Friedewald formula but there are also methods that measure LDL-cholesterol directly. The aim of this study was to verify the method P-LDL-cholesterol on a Beckman Coulter AU680 analyzer. Within-run imprecision and total imprecision were analyzed. The correlation between direct LDL-cholesterol and calculated LDL-cholesterol was examined using 43 patient samples with triglyceride levels < 4,5 mmol/L and 11 patient samples with triglyceride levels > 4,5 mmol/L. The Friedewald formula is not supposed to be used on triglyceride levels > 4,5 mmol/L, but in this case the formula was used anyway to evaluate differences between the methods at high triglyceride concentrations. The coefficient of variation (CV) for the within-run imprecision was about 0,5 %, both for the low control (A1) and the high control (A2). Total imprecision had a CV of 1,21 % for A1 and 1,11 % for A2. There was a linear relationship between the methods, but the direct method gave slightly higher results at low concentrations and slightly lower results at high concentrations compared to calculated LDL-cholesterol. At triglyceride levels > 4,5 mmol/L the results from the direct method was considerably higher than calculated LDL-cholesterol. The conclusion is that the precision of the method was good. The correlation between the results from direct LDL-cholesterol and calculated LDL-cholesterol was relatively high for samples with triglyceride levels < 4,5 mmol/L. At triglyceride levels > 4,5 mmol/L there was a big difference between the methods, probably because of falsely low results from calculated LDL-cholesterol.

L'objectif de cette thèse est d'améliorer la compréhension des phénomènes jouant un rôle dans la mesure effectuée dans un analyseur sanguin, en particulier le comptage et la mesure de volumétrie d'une population de globules rouges reposant sur l'effet Coulter. Des simulations numériques sont effectuées dans le but de prédire la dynamique des globules rouges dans les zones de mesure et pour reproduire la mesure électrique associée, servant au comptage et à la volumétrie des cellules. Ces simulations sont effectuées à l'intérieur de configurations industrielles d'analyseur sanguin, en utilisant un outil numérique développé à l'IMAG, le solveur YALES2BIO. En utilisant la méthode des frontières immergées avec suivi de front, un modèle de particule déformable est introduit, celui-ci prend en compte le contraste de viscosité ainsi que les effets mécaniques de la courbure et de l'élasticité sur la membrane. Le solveur est validé grâce à de nombreux cas tests parcourant différents régimes et effets physiques. L'écoulement fluide dans cette géométrie d'analyseur sanguin est caractérisée par un fort gradient de vitesse axial dans la direction de l'écoulement, impliquant la présence d'un écoulement extensionnel au niveau du micro-orifice, là où a lieu la mesure. La dynamique des globules rouges est étudiée par des simulations numériques pour différentes conditions initiales, telles que sa position ou son orientation. Il est observé que les globules rouges vont se réorienter selon l'axe principal de l'analyseur sanguin dans tous les cas. Pour comprendre le phénomène, des modèles analytiques sont adaptés au cas des écoulements extensionnels et reproduisent correctement les tendances de réorientation.Cette thèse présente également la reproduction de la mesure électrique utilisée pour le comptage et la mesure de la distribution des volumes de globules rouges. De nombreuses simulations de la dynamique des globules rouges sont effectuées et utilisées pour générer l'impulsion électrique correspondant au passage du globule rouge dans le micro-orifice. Les amplitudes d'impulsions électriques résultantes permettent la caractérisation de la réponse électrique en fonction des paramètres initiaux de la simulation par une approche statistique. Un algorithme de Monte-Carlo est utilisé pour la quantification des erreurs de mesure liées à l'orientation et la position des globules rouges dans le micro-orifice. Ceci permet la génération d'une distribution de volume mesurée pour une population de globules rouges bien définie et la caractérisation des erreurs de mesure associées. / The aim of this thesis is to improve the understanding of the phenomena involved in the measurement performed in a blood analyzer, namely the counting and sizing of red blood cells based on the Coulter effect. Numerical simulations are performed to predict the dynamics of red blood cells in the measurement regions, and to reproduce the associated electrical measurement used to count and size the cells. These numerical simulations are performed in industrial configurations using a numerical tool developed at IMAG, the YALES2BIO solver. Using the Front-Tracking Immersed Boundary Method, a deformable particle model for the red blood cell is introduced which takes the viscosity contrast as well as the mechanical effects of the curvature and elasticity on the membrane into account. The solver is validated against several test cases spreading over a large range of regimes and physical effects.The velocity field in the blood analyzer geometry is found to consist of an intense axial velocity gradient in the direction of the flow, resulting in a extensional flow at the micro-orifice, where the measurement is performed. The dynamics of the red blood cells is studied with numerical simulations with different initial conditions, such as its position or orientation. They are found to reorient along the main axis of the blood analyzer in all cases. In order to understand the phenomenon, analytical models are adapted to the case of extensional flows and are found to reproduce the observed trends.This thesis also presents the reproduction of the electrical measurement used to count red blood cells and measure their volume distribution. Numerous dynamics simulations are performed and used to generate the electrical pulse corresponding to the passage of a red blood cell inside the micro-orifice. The resulting electrical pulse amplitudes are used to characterize the electrical response depending on the initial parameters of the simulation by means of a statistical approach. A Monte-Carlo algorithm helps quantifying the errors on the measurement of cell depending on its orientation and position inside the micro-orifice. This allows the generation of a measured volume distribution of a well defined red blood cell population and the characterization of the associated measurement errors.

Darbo tikslas – ištirti žemės dirbimo ir sėjos mašinų darbo procesą įtakojančių rudeninių ir peržiemojusių žieminių kviečių, vasarinių miežių šiaudų nutraukimo ir nukirpimo jėgas. Taikant aplinką tausojančias žemės dirbimo technologijas sudėtingėja žemės dirbimas ir sėklų įterpimas. Žemės dirbimo mašinų darbą įtakoja šie pagrindiniai veiksniai: dirvos fizikinės-mechaninės savybės, klimatinės sąlygos, augalinės derliaus liekanos, jų rūšis ir savybės, dirvos reljefas, kitos technologinės operacijos ir mašinos. Vienas iš svarbiausių veiksnių yra augalinės derliaus liekanos dirvos paviršiuje. Jos trukdo žemės dirbimo ir ypač sėjos noragėlių darbui. Energetiniu požiūriu svarbiausia yra žemės dirbimo mašinų ir sėjamosios noragėlio horizontalioji pasipriešinimo jėga, kuri sudaro 80–90% visos žemės dirbimo mašinos ar sėjamosios pasipriešinimo jėgos. Ji priklauso nuo noragėlio konstrukcijos, augalinių derliaus liekanų savybių ir kt. Analizuojant noragėlių darbą, nustatyta, kad augalinės liekanos dirvos paviršiuje gali būti perpjautos, nukirptos arba nutrauktos. Klimatinės sąlygos bei augalų savybės įvairiose pasaulio šalyse yra labai skirtingos. Iki šiol nėra ištirta, kokios jėgos reikalingos žemės dirbimo ir sėjos mašinų darbo procesą įtakojančių rudeninių ir peržiemojusių žieminių kviečių, ir vasarinių miežių šiaudų nutraukimui, ir nukirpimui mūsų regiono klimatinėmis sąlygomis. Eksperimentiniais tyrimais nustatyta, kad rudeninio žieminio kviečio šiaudo nutraukimo jėga yra 68%... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / The aim of the research - to investigate the cultivation of soil and work process of tillage machinery affecting the autumn and overwinter wheat, summer barley straw and the forces of cutting and tearing the straw. The environmentally friendly soil cultivation technologies were applied for the complex soil tillage and sowing. Soil physical-mechanical properties, climatic conditions, crop plant residues, their types and characteristics, soil texture, the other technological operations and machines affect the work process of sowing. One of the most important factors influencing the tillage is crop residues on the soil surface. They make the cultivation of soil and plowing with coulter process particularly difficult. From the energetic point of view the horizontal drag force of tillage machinery and sowing coulter are the most important factors, which comprise the 80-90% of the total resistance forces. It depends on the coulter design, kind of crop residues and other features. The analysis of the coulter work revealed that the crop residues can be cut, snipped or teared. The climatic conditions and plant characteristics differ greatly around the world. No thorough research has been carried out on forces required for cutting and tearing of the autumn and overwinter wheat and the straw of summer barley straw under the regional climatic conditions. The experimental studies have shown that the force required for tearing the straw of the autumn wheat is 68% higher than the force... [to full text]

This report presents the work on improving the lateral stability of the seed coulters of Väderstad seed drill model Spirit. The work lasted ten weeks and was carried out at Väderstad AB spring 2019. The basic problem was analyzed with a number of different methods, and tests were carried out both in the field and in the test rig. With the results from these, it was found that the suspension of the seed coulters allowed both torsional and lateral movements at low loads.   The work started with a root cause analysis which was then used to produce a requirement specification. This was then used to develop concepts. After evaluation, the best concepts were selected, analyzed, modeled and calculated. When the concepts were deemed to be sufficiently functional, several manufacturing analyses were made to assess the suitability for serial production.   Three concepts were developed. One is a final concept that can be mounted directly on existing machines in the form of injection-molded plastic blocks on the seed coulters. One is a concept for future year models were flanges are mounted on the fall of the seed coulters. This concept is available in two parts, either in the form of a welded steel profile or as part of a sand cast reconstruction of the seed coulters. The third and final concept is a reconstruction of the machine's seed coulters with a spring to control the bill pressure. In addition, a method for evaluating the side stability of the seed coulters has been developed.   The reason for the Nordic model's problems is that the seed coulters tend to track the grooves of the fertilizer carriers. This can be solved by having the seed coulters support each other in the lateral direction.   As a continued work, a more thorough examination of the sand cast flange concept is recommended. This is in line with Väderstad's philosophy of making built to last products.

Modified design of a planter to be attached to a mobile robot, was the main objective of this project. This research project was part of a larger project, called “Developing robotics assisted technology for farming”. The main motivation for this research project is the fact that mobile robot, is an electric powered vehicle with limited power and pulling force. Thus, a customized planter with a customized connection mechanism should be designed. Besides, it should require less draft force compared to existing planters so that it can be pulled by the mobile robot. The developed planter should have the same efficiency as the existing planters in seeding. To find the forces between soil engagement tool (disc coulter) and soil, experiments were designed and performed in the Linear Soil Bin at University of Saskatchewan. Disc and tilt angle of a disc coulter was changed and draft, vertical and side forces applied to it were measured to find the disc and tilt angle combinations that results in minimum draft force. Experiments showed that 7° disc angle and 25° tilt angle provides the least draft force compared to other disc angle and tilt angle combinations. Then, using the knowledge obtained from literature and the soil bin experiments, a planter was designed conceptually and in detail, based on the existing CNH planter. For further analyses computer modeling was performed. The whole planter was modeled in 3D, using SolidWorks. Stress analysis was performed in ANSYS Workbench to calculate safety factor of the designed parts. Two prototypes were fabricated and were attached to the mobile robot for field tests. Tests were performed in indoor settings to measure the total draft force required to pull developed planters. Draft force was very close to the value that was calculated in design stage. Results showed that an average of 460 N pulling force is required to pull one row planter for 50 mm depth of cut, which can be compared to n existing CNH corn planter that requires a pulling force of between 900 N to 1300 N. Seed drop accuracy and function of the developed planters in opening and closing a packed soil in presence of residue, were also observed in outdoor tests.