Significant efforts have been made in the last decades to decrease the world’s dependency to fossil fuels. One of the fronts which has shown major improvement is gas turbine efficiency. To this end, components such as recuperators have been developed to recover heat that is usually trapped and wasted in the exhaust gases of combustion processes. Brayton Energy Canada has recently developed a promising compact heat exchanger that could be used as a recuperator in gas turbines. Nevertheless, this novel type of wire mesh heat exchanger still has room for improvement, especially regarding the way that its fin arrays are manufactured due to the fact that the technique presently used is time consuming and consequently costly. The present research aims to manufacture near-net shaped pin fin arrays using cold gas dynamic spray as an additive manufacturing technique by selectively covering the substrate by the means of a mask. Moreover, this research work studies the feasibility of using CGDS as an additive manufacturing technique to produce pin fin arrays, the thermal and hydrodynamic performances of this new type of pin fin created, the effect of geometric parameters such as fin density and height on the performances, the viability of the sprayed pin fins in a real environment by means of finding mechanical properties such as adhesion strength, the possibility of producing a streamwise material anisotropic fin arrays, and finally the different adhesion mechanisms by means of numerical modeling of the relevant impact physics.

Thanks to their capability of transmitting light with low loss, optical fibers have found a wide range of applications in illumination, imaging, and telecommunication. However, since the light guided in a regular optical fiber is well confined in the core and effectively isolated from the environment, the fiber does not allow the interactions between the light and matters around it, which are critical for many sensing and actuation applications. Specially shaped optical fibers endow the guided light in optical fibers with the capability of interacting with the environment by modifying part of the fiber into a special shape, while still preserving the regular fiber’s benefit of low-loss light delivering. However, the existing specially shaped fibers have the following limitations: 1) limited light coupling efficiency between the regular optical fiber and the specially shaped optical fiber, 2) lack special shape designs that can facilitate the light-matter interactions, 3) inadequate material selections for different applications, 4) the existing fabrication setups for the specially shaped fibers have poor accessibility, repeatability, and controllability. The overall goal of this dissertation is to further the fundamental understanding of specially shaped fibers and to develop novel specially shaped fibers for different applications. In addition, the final part of this dissertation work proposed a microfluidic platform that can potentially improve the light-matter interactions of the specially shaped fibers in fluidic environments. The contributions of this dissertation work are summarized as follows: 1) An enhanced fiber tapering system for highly repeatable adiabatic tapered fiber fabrications. An enhanced fiber tapering system based on a novel heat source and an innovative monitoring method have been developed. The novel heat source is a low-cost ceramic housed electric furnace (CHEF). The innovative monitoring method is based on the frequency-domain optical transmission signal from the fiber that is being tapered. The enhanced fiber tapering system can allow highly repeatable fabrication of adiabatically tapered fibers. 2) A lossy mode resonance (LMR) sensor enabled by SnO2 coating on a novel specially shaped fiber design has been developed. The developed LMR sensor has a D-shape fiber tip with SnO2 coating. It has the capability of relative humidity and moisture sensing. The fiber-tip form factor can allow the sensor to be used like a probe and be inserted into/removed from a tight space. 3) Specially shaped tapered fibers with novel designs have been developed for integrated photonic and microfluidic applications. Two novel specially tapered fibers, the tapered fiber loop and the tapered fiber helix have been developed. The tapered fiber loop developed in this work has two superiority that differentiated itself from previous works: a) the mechanical stability of the tapered fiber loop in this work is significantly better. b) the tapered fiber loops in this work can achieve a diameter as small as 15 ?m while still have a high intrinsic optical quality factor of 32,500. The tapered fiber helix developed in this work has a 3D structure that allows it to efficiently deliver light to locations out of the plane defined by its two regular fiber arms. Applications of the tapered fiber helices in both integrated photonic device characterizations and microparticle manipulations have been demonstrated. 4) Developed an acrylic-tape hybrid microfluidic platform that can allow function reconfiguration and optical fiber integration. A low-cost, versatile microfluidic platform based on reconfigurable acrylic-tape hybrid microfluidic devices has been developed. To the best of the author’s knowledge, this is the first time that the fabrication method of sealing the acrylic channel with a reconfigurable functional tape has been demonstrated. The tape-sealing method is compatible with specially shaped fiber integrations.

The project elaborated design of injection mould with a cold runner system for a creation of component type Pall ring made of polypropylene. Pursuant to of the literary pursuit a problem, the injection technology has been selected as the most suitable method of manufacturing. The proportions of the component along with the placement of the parting line determined the creation process of shaped cavity. The quantity of a manufacturing batch specified two-cavity as the most advantageous variant. The calculation of vent channel’s measurements, the choice of befitting injection machine and a basic simulations had been conducted. The economic part of the thesis has confirmed the suitability of usage cold runner system instead of hot runner system.

Moon-shaped idols constitute very specific and variable category of ceramic, in rare cases also of stone artefacts. Beginning of their occurrence and spreading in the middle Europe can be associated with the Middle-Danube and North-Alpine Urnfield culture. Their development consequentially continues in the Early Iron Age when they spread outside central European region down to the north east of Spain and the north of Italy. The current total number of findings is higher than estimate from 2004, which was approximately 2000 pieces. The main objective of the thesis lay in overall processing of results of the research up to now concerning the given issue. At the same time there was an attempt made about critical assessment of the artefact features and the excavation environment with regard to the potential function of the Moon-shaped idols. The excavation environment of these products is quite variable. As a rule they appear in settlements as secondary refuse, but also in the situations, which can be considered as demonstration of cult behaviour. In northeast France and south Germany, parts of Moon- shaped idols are to be found also in context of the final Bronze Age. From there the custom is spread in a modified form to the east. Such equipped graves can be noticed in the burial sites of Bylany and...

Thanks to their capability of transmitting light with low loss, optical fibers have found a wide range of applications in illumination, imaging, and telecommunication. However, since the light guided in a regular optical fiber is well confined in the core and effectively isolated from the environment, the fiber does not allow the interactions between the light and matters around it, which are critical for many sensing and actuation applications. Specially shaped optical fibers endow the guided light in optical fibers with the capability of interacting with the environment by modifying part of the fiber into a special shape, while still preserving the regular fiber’s benefit of low-loss light delivering. However, the existing specially shaped fibers have the following limitations: 1) limited light coupling efficiency between the regular optical fiber and the specially shaped optical fiber, 2) lack special shape designs that can facilitate the light-matter interactions, 3) inadequate material selections for different applications, 4) the existing fabrication setups for the specially shaped fibers have poor accessibility, repeatability, and controllability. The overall goal of this dissertation is to further the fundamental understanding of specially shaped fibers and to develop novel specially shaped fibers for different applications. In addition, the final part of this dissertation work proposed a microfluidic platform that can potentially improve the light-matter interactions of the specially shaped fibers in fluidic environments. The contributions of this dissertation work are summarized as follows: 1) An enhanced fiber tapering system for highly repeatable adiabatic tapered fiber fabrications. An enhanced fiber tapering system based on a novel heat source and an innovative monitoring method have been developed. The novel heat source is a low-cost ceramic housed electric furnace (CHEF). The innovative monitoring method is based on the frequency-domain optical transmission signal from the fiber that is being tapered. The enhanced fiber tapering system can allow highly repeatable fabrication of adiabatically tapered fibers. 2) A lossy mode resonance (LMR) sensor enabled by SnO2 coating on a novel specially shaped fiber design has been developed. The developed LMR sensor has a D-shape fiber tip with SnO2 coating. It has the capability of relative humidity and moisture sensing. The fiber-tip form factor can allow the sensor to be used like a probe and be inserted into/removed from a tight space. 3) Specially shaped tapered fibers with novel designs have been developed for integrated photonic and microfluidic applications. Two novel specially tapered fibers, the tapered fiber loop and the tapered fiber helix have been developed. The tapered fiber loop developed in this work has two superiority that differentiated itself from previous works: a) the mechanical stability of the tapered fiber loop in this work is significantly better. b) the tapered fiber loops in this work can achieve a diameter as small as 15 ?m while still have a high intrinsic optical quality factor of 32,500. The tapered fiber helix developed in this work has a 3D structure that allows it to efficiently deliver light to locations out of the plane defined by its two regular fiber arms. Applications of the tapered fiber helices in both integrated photonic device characterizations and microparticle manipulations have been demonstrated. 4) Developed an acrylic-tape hybrid microfluidic platform that can allow function reconfiguration and optical fiber integration. A low-cost, versatile microfluidic platform based on reconfigurable acrylic-tape hybrid microfluidic devices has been developed. To the best of the author’s knowledge, this is the first time that the fabrication method of sealing the acrylic channel with a reconfigurable functional tape has been demonstrated. The tape-sealing method is compatible with specially shaped fiber integrations.

Globally the amount of electricity produced each year is increasing significantly. Between 1980 and 2010 the average increase was 407 billion kWh per year. To be able to meet this increasing electricity demand, without burdening the environment in a too large extent, the research and development of renewable energy production techniques is of great importance. In the light of this we wanted to dedicate our master thesis to help SubseaTechnology Scandinavia AB with the development of a vertical axis tidal current turbine. The project set out to do the initial design proposal of a 2 x 4 meter H-shaped Darrieus turbine by applying the Double Multiple Streamtube model. The optimization process was performed with the aid of MATLAB for four different foils. The study included two symmetrical foils; NACA 0012 and S-1046 together with two asymmetrical foils; S-1210 and E216. The parameters studied were the number of blades, chord length, tip speed ratio, fixed pitch and the operational range. In the project, effects such as blade to wake interaction, torque fluctuations etc. were also considered. From the simulations the two bladed turbine fitted with the S-1046 hydrofoil showed the highest performance but was struggling with an unfavorable oscillating torque. In the light of this the three bladed turbine fitted with the S-1046 hydrofoil with a chord of 0.13 m and an optimal tip speed ratio of 3.2 was determined. From the simulations the power coefficient reached 53.47 % for this case. This configuration also showed good performance in a relatively wide range of both tip speed ratios and free stream velocities. The model does not include several effects causing losses and the power coefficients calculated in this model are to be used as a comparison between the different turbine configurations and not as absolute values of performance. The simulations showed good potential for the use of asymmetrical foils in vertical axis turbines. The performance was evaluated for the upstream half of the turbine where the E216 foil exceeded the symmetrical foils in the range of ten percentage points.

京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(情報学) / 甲第21209号 / 情博第662号 / 新制||情||114(附属図書館) / 京都大学大学院情報学研究科知能情報学専攻 / (主査)教授 河原 達也, 教授 鹿島 久嗣, 教授 田中 利幸, 講師 吉井 和佳 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Informatics / Kyoto University / DFAM

Forest fires cause a significant amount of damage and destruction each year. Optimally dispatching resources reduces the amount of damage a forest fire can cause. Models predict the fire spread to provide the data required to optimally dispatch resources. However, the models are only as accurate as the data used to build them. Satellites are one valuable tool in the collection of data for the forest fire models. Satellites provide data on the types of vegetation, the wind speed and direction, the soil moisture content, etc. The current operating paradigm is to passively collect data when possible. However, images from directly overhead provide better resolution and are easier to process. Maneuvering a constellation of satellites to fly directly over the forest fire provides higher quality data than is achieved with the current operating paradigm. Before launch, the location of the forest fire is unknown. Therefore, it is impossible to optimize the initial orbits for the satellites. Instead, the expected cost of maneuvering to observe the forest fire determines the optimal initial orbits. A two-stage stochastic programming approach is well suited for this class of problem where initial decisions are made with an uncertain future and then subsequent decisions are made once a scenario is realized. A repeat ground track orbit provides a non-maneuvering, natural solution providing a daily flyover of the forest fire. However, additional maneuvers provide a second daily flyover of the forest fire. The additional maneuvering comes at a significant cost in terms of additional fuel, but provides more data collection opportunities. After data are collected, ground stations receive the data for processing. Optimally selecting the ground station locations reduce the number of built ground stations and reduces the data fusion issues. However, the location of the forest fire alters the optimal ground station sites. A two-stage stochastic programming approach optimizes the selection of ground stations to maximize the expected amount of data downloaded from a satellite. The approaches of selecting initial orbits and ground station locations including uncertainty will provide a robust system to reduce the amount of damage caused by forest fires.

The focus of this thesis is Roman bird-shaped glass vessels from the 1 st and 2 nd centuries AD. The vessels were containers for cosmetics and distinguished themselves from other types of unguentaria in that once they had been filled with cosmetic powder, the vessels were reheated and sealed shut by fire. The only way to extract the content was to break the tip of the bird’s tail; only then could the powder be sprinkled out. While ancient glass is a well-established field of research, studies concerning bird-shaped vessels are scarce. The present study, situated in Roman age Greece, is concerned with the sensory experiences that these objects evoked in their users and attempts to reflect the ancient lived experience of the vessels. In order to speculate on possible sensory stimuli, contextual aspects concerning where, why, and by whom these vessels were used are explored. Based on these contextual aspects, the bird-shaped vessels are studied in hypothetical scenarios where potential multisensory experiences are explored.

A recent development and innovation in elevator technologies have sprawled interest in how these technologies would affect the forms and shapes of future high-rise buildings. The elevator that uses linear motors instead of ropes and can thus travel horizontally and on inclines is of particular interest. Once the vertical cores are no longer needed for the elevators, new and radical building forms and shapes are anticipated. It is expected that the buildings will have bridges and/or the buildings themselves will structurally perform more like bridges than buildings, therefore this study addresses the following topic - structural design and performance of tube mega frame in arch-shaped high-rise buildings. Evidently, for a structure of an arched shape, the conventional structural system used in high-rise buildings does not address the structural challenges. On the other hand, The Tubed Mega Frame system developed by Tyréns is designed to support a structural system for high-rise building without the central core, in which the purpose is to transfer all the loads to the ground via the perimeter of the building, making the structure more stable by maximizing the lever arm for the structure. The system has not yet been realized nor tested in realistic circumstances. This thesis aims at evaluating the efficiency of the Tubed Mega Frame system in arched shaped tall buildings. Multiple shapes and type of arches are evaluated to find the best possible selection. Structural behavior of different arch structures is studied using analytical tools and also finite element method in software SAP2000. The most efficient arch shape is sought to distribute the self-weight of the structure. The analysis shows that it is possible to accurately determine efficient arch shape based on a specific load distribution. Furthermore, continuing with the arch shape found in previous steps, a 3D finite element model is built and analyzed for linear static, geometric non-linearity (P-Delta) and linear dynamic cases in the ETABS software. For the given scope, the results of the analysis show that the Tubed Mega Frame structural system is potentially feasible and has relatively high lateral stiffness in the plane of the arch, while the out-of-plane lateral stiffness is comparatively smaller. For the service limit state, the maximum story drift ratio is within the limitation of 1/400 for in-plane deformations, while for out-of-plane the comfort criteria limit is exceeded.