A Modular Comprehensive Assessment Platform for Aircraft Maintenance
We were very curious about whether the aircraft will suffer lightning damages during flight, so we tried to search the answer on the internet. According to the searching results, we realized that during flight departure, passenger planes can suffer lightning damage. As a result, there will be lightning strike points, which needs immediate solutions for safety concerns. Besides, we found out that the exterior aircraft components, such as aircraft body, wings, tail, turbine engine and other areas, are vulnerable to corrosion, which also needs immediate solutions. Luckily, we came across a chance to chat with the engineer who works in the airport. Through that meeting, we knew that the maintenance of the aircraft is very important. However, the maintenance of the components depends on professional technicians, weather, the surrounding noise level, and other environmental effects. As a result, we think that it is initial for us to develop a device that can automatically complete the missions of aircraft maintenance. Below are two objectives that we need to complete: 1. Complete a non-destructive testing for aircraft damage, including corrosion and lightning strike points. Assessment areas include: Aircraft body, airplane wings, tail of the aircraft and the turbine engine 2. Engage in scanning results to analyze and predict for flight readiness. The collected results will proceed to the aviation company for inspection and maintenance. Based on these two objectives, we designed an automatic platform for aircraft maintenance. Below are four innovations of this platform: 1. we developed a method to replace the current stage based on the manual operation of the aircraft maintenance, the use of AGV (Automated guided vehicle) and the robotic arm combination. 2. Design a modular platform based on this method, including telescopic four-wheel independent rotating chassis and locking mechanism, scissors lifting mechanism, double sided synchronous belt forward detection telescopic mechanism, etc. The platform can shrink at the minimum height of A320, convenient access to the machine abdomen. 3. The positioning algorithm of the platform relative to the aircraft is proposed.
費馬多邊形數定理之延伸探討
本研究旨在研究費馬多邊形數定理(任意非負整數必可表成k個k邊形數的和)的一般化情況,也就是說,任意非負整數是否能表成給定的二次多項式數列中所選取的γ項和。以數學模型敘述,就是探討對一個已知的二次多項式an2+bn+c,是否可找到一正整數γ,滿足∀x∈N∪{0},∃α1,α2,…αγ,使得x=∑γi=1(aαi2+bαi+c)。 本作品主要探討若此探究模型存在,那麼數列〈an 〉的一般式an2+bn+c與γ值之間會存在什麼關係,並期望能運用一個簡潔明瞭又一般化的數學式表示。本文亦提供另一個數學模型,探討γ值與某些特殊係數a,b,c之間的關聯性。而本文探尋[a/2]n2+[b/2]n+1,a∈N,b∈Z,a+b≡0(mod 2)(此為本文主要探討的二次式),求得此二次式所對應之γ值的方法為先令p=[2a/(a+b)]+2,再藉由所建立的模型二,求出[(p-2)/2] n2+[(4-p)/2] n的γ值,接著再用所建立的模型一來求得[a/2]n2+[b/2]n+1的γ值,進而依循此方法最後得出任意形如[a/2]n2+[b/2]n+1的二次式之γ值。
Gannet Investigation: Survivng an Unnatural Disaster
For a unique marine bird, so magnificent and accessible to the public, the Australasian Gannet (Morus serrator) colony found at Cape Kidnappers, 紐西蘭, significantly lacks research. Knowledge of gannet behaviour and how humans could best sustain a relationship with them remains unstudied. M. serrator are colonial monogamous breeders and produce a single chick each breeding season (Ismar, S.M.H. 2013). With the same mate over breeding seasons, pairs work cooperatively sharing the energy input into a single chick. Such parental care leads to highly territorial behaviour (McMeekan, C. P. & Wodzicki, K. A. 1946). This suggests more dominant gannets would claim larger territories to have a greater distance between nests of other birds, to increase the survival of their offspring. With a land-based colony this means the gannets are at risk from land and airborne predators, suggesting more dominant birds will claim territories in the central area as it offers greater safety from predator pressures (Minias, P. 2014). It was hypothesised that birds in the centre will have a greater distance between their nests and have a smaller height compared to those around the periphery of the Plateau Colony. The distances between nests and the heights of nests were recorded in the centre and around the periphery of the colony to determine if there was a correlation between the variables. It was found that centre nests had a greater distance between them and were of a smaller nest height when compared to those around the periphery. Anthropogenic influences from tourism and conservation has the potential to change the evolutionary trajectory of managed populations. This colony is protected by predator control programs. Altering this significant selection pressure has the potential to change the nesting behaviour of this species. Monitoring annual nesting distribution patterns and colony numbers over time, may enable informed development of more sustainable ecotourism and protection of the colony. This investigation provides baseline data to support further research on this colony.
A Novel Spectroscopic-Chemical Sensor Using Photonic Crystals
Detection of harmful chemicals used in industrial complexes is crucial in order to create a safer environment for the workers. Presently, most chemical detectors used in workplaces are expensive, inefficient, and cumbersome. In order to address these deficiencies, a novel sensor was fabricated to produce a unique spectroscopic fingerprint for various toxic chemicals. The sensor was fabricated by depositing several layers of silica spheres (diameter ~250 nm) on a glass substrate using evaporation-based self assembly. As the spheres assemble to form a photonic crystal, they also create void (i.e., air) spaces in between them. Once the spheres assemble as a photonic crystal, a spectrometer was used to monitor the reflectivity. The spectrum had a high reflectivity at a specific wavelength, which is governed by the average index of refraction between the spheres and the void spaces. As a foreign chemical infiltrates into the photonic crystal, it occupies the void space, which results in an increase of the average index of refraction of the structure. Consequently, the peak wavelength of the reflectivity spectrum red-shifts, which then confirms the presence of a foreign substance. While the as-grown photonic crystal is able to detect chemicals, it is unable to differentiate between chemicals that have similar indices of refraction, such as ethanol and methanol. In order to detect chemicals with similar indices of refraction, five pieces of a single photonic crystal (i.e. five pixel device) were exposed to different silanes, which changed the surface chemistry of the silica spheres in the photonic crystal. In turn, the five pixel device was able to produce a unique chemical fingerprint for several chemicals, which can be calibrated to detect toxins in the workplace.
Studies of Hydrogen Evolution Reactions from Aluminum Foil using Waste Materials and Their Reaction Mechanism
Nowadays, the most of waste materials are incinerated and generated the toxic gases in 日本. On the other hand, the Hydrogen gas (H2) has attracted attention as clean energy due to no emissions of toxic gases. In this work, we investigated that the new hydrogen evolution system using waste materials, such as aluminum (Al) foil and lime desiccant, and also investigated their reaction mechanism. The grinded desiccant was added to Erlenmeyer flask containing 300 mL of water. After dissolution the desiccant, the Al foil was added to the solution to begin the reaction. Generated gas was determined by water displacement method. The gas components are identified by gas chromatography. We found that the waste material reaction combined with waste lime desiccant and Al foil could be used for one of the hydrogen evolution system. This reaction is depended on solubility of lime desiccant, thus mean solubility of CaO in water. The Al foil is reacted with the desiccant more than 20 times of reaction stoichiometry. The calcium ion or calcium complex ions are involved with the excess reaction of Al foil.
Sustainable Graphene Oxide Support for Ruthenium Catalysts to Improve the Efficiency of the Hydrodesulfurization of Thiophenes
沙烏地阿拉伯 is the largest oil exporter in the world. 64,000,000 tons of sulfur oxides are produced every year through the combustion of organic sulfur compounds in the oil industry. This leads to several environmentally serious problems, including air pollution. This research provides a novel strategy to utilize natural-based Graphene Oxide (GO) as a support for ruthenium (Ru/GO) to functionalize as a green catalyst for hydrodesulfurization. Physical activation of camel bone samples was carried out by carbonizing them at 500oC to produce camel bone charcoal. Modified hammer’s method was employed for GO production, followed by doping of ruthenium in a simple synthesis step. The prepared catalyst has been characterized by XRD, SEM and EDX techniques. Thiophene and 3-methylthiophene were used as model compounds in the hydrodesulfurization process. The catalytic reactions were carried out at atmospheric pressure in a continuous up-flow fixed-bed quartz reactor. The composition of the sulfur containing gaseous products was analyzed by gas chromatography. The product distribution achieved for thiophene was 3-6% butadiene and 76-77% butane. And for 3-methylthiophene, it was 32.3% of pentaned 1-pentene and 2-pentene and the selectivity percentage was 45%. Ru/GO has been found to be an excellent catalyst of thiophene and 3- methylthiophene hydrodesulfurization and is a considerable improvement when compared to the commercially available catalysts. The prepared catalyst shall potentially lead to the reduction of sulfur pollution in the future. The positive effect on the environment could be substantial.