A new visualisation and measurement technology for water continuous multiphase flows

This paper reports the performance of a research prototype of a new multiphase flow instrument to non-invasively measure the phase flow rates, with the capability to rapidly image the flow distributions of two- and three-phase (gas and/or oil in water) flows. The research prototype is based on the novel concepts of combining vector Electrical Impedance Tomography (EIT) sensor (for measuring dispersed-phase velocity and fraction) with an electromagnetic flow metre (EMF, for measuring continuous-phase velocity with the EIT input) and a gradiomanometer flow-mixture density metre (FDM), in addition to on-line water conductivity, temperature and absolute pressure measurements. EIT–EMF–FDM data fusion embedded in the research prototype, including online calibration/compensation of conductivity change due to the change of fluids' temperature or ionic concentration, enables the determination of mean concentration, mean velocity and hence the mean flow rate of each individual phase based on the measurement of dispersed-phase distributions and velocity profiles. Results from first flow-loop experiments conducted at Schlumberger Gould Research (SGR) will be described. The performance of the research prototype in flow-rate measurements are evaluated by comparison with the flow-loop references. The results indicate that optimum performance of the research prototype for three-phase flows is confined within the measuring envelope 45–100% Water-in-Liquid Ratio (WLR) and 0–45% Gas Volume Fraction (GVF). Within the scope of this joint research project funded by the UK Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), only vertical flows with a conductive continuous liquid phase will be addressed.     

An approach for real world data modelling with the 3D terrestrial laser scanner for built environment

Capturing and modelling 3D information of the built environment is a big challenge. A number of techniques and technologies are now in use. These include EDM, GPS, and photogrammetric application and also remote sensing applications. In this paper, we discussed 3D laser scanning technology, which can acquire high density point data in an accurate, fast way. Besides, the scanner can digitize all the 3D information concerned with a real world object such as buildings, trees and terrain down to millimetre detail Therefore, it can provide benefits for refurbishment process in regeneration in the Built Environment.

A series of scans externally and internally allows an accurate 3D model of the building to be produced. This model can be sliced through different planes to produce accurate 2D plans and elevations. This novel technology improves the efficiency and quality of construction projects such as maintenance of buildings or group of building that are going to be renovated for new services in the Built Environment. In addition, the laser scanner technology can be used in integration with differential GPS for terrain modelling for the analysis and inspection of terrain structure accurately.

In this paper, two case studies are introduced to demonstrate the use of laser scanner technology in Built Environment. These case studies are the Jactin House Building in East Manchester and the Peel building in the campus of University Salford. Through these case studies, while use of laser scanners are explained, the integration of it with various technologies and systems are also explored for professionals in both Built and Natural Environment.     

Using sonification

The idea behind sonification is that synthetic non-verbal sounds can represent numerical data and provide support for information processing activities of many different kinds. This article describes some of the ways that sonification has been used in assistive technologies, remote collaboration, engineering analyses, scientific visualisations, emergency services and aircraft cockpits. Approaches for designing sonifications are surveyed, and issues raised by the existing approaches and applications are outlined. Relations are drawn to other areas of knowledge where similar issues have also arisen, such as human-computer interaction, scientific visualisation, and computer music. At the end is a list of resources that will help you delve further into the topic.     

Visualisation and animation in a CAL package: anchors or misconceptions?

Abstract Various studies have shown that visualisation and animation in CAL packages offer students with effective 'conceptual anchors' to hook their thinking onto. This paper examines the role of these visual representations of a CAL package in an economics course, and argues for the design and organisation of instructional activities to exploit the cognitive opportunities and address the limitations of these representations. In other words, a holistic approach to visualisation and animation is required to serve as conceptual anchors rather than sources of misconceptions.     

Feedback Architecture

The specialist research and design unit in Aedas' London office focuses on three principal areas of research: computational design, advanced modelling and sustainable design. Christian Derix, Judit Kimpian, Abdulmajid Karanouh and Josh Mason of Aedas R&D explain how this cross-pollination of interests has led the practice to develop innovative approaches, exemplified by the design for Al Bahr Towers, the Abu Dhabi Investment Council Headquarters and the Digital Masterplanning (Digma) tool. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Space on Earth: A Virtual Portal Between the Earth and Outer Space

Every time you text or call from your mobile phone, you may be unknowingly providing essential data that is being captured for public or commercial research. Valentina Croci describes how The Senseable City Lab at MIT and the Estonian group Positium LBS with the Department of Geography at the University of Tartu have been developing projects that enable us to sense the city, dynamically mapping social movement. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Drying air-induced disturbances in multi-layer coating systems

A range of new experimental techniques is developed to quantify drying-air induced disturbances on low viscosity single and multi-layer coating systems. Experiments on prototype slide-bead coating systems show that the surface disturbances take the form of a wavelike pattern and quantify precisely how its amplitude increases rapidly with wet thickness and decreases with viscosity. Heat transfer measurements show that the redistribution of water to form an additional lower viscosity carrier layer while increasing the solids concentration of the upper layer or layers enables the maximum drying rate, for which drying-air induced surface disturbances are acceptably small, to be increased with significant commercial benefits.     

ScholOnto: an ontology-based digital library server for research documents and discourse

The internet is rapidly becoming the first place for researchers to publish documents, but at present they receive little support in searching, tracking, analysing or debating concepts in a literature from scholarly perspectives. This paper describes the design rationale and implementation of ScholOnto, an ontology-based digital library server to support scholarly interpretation and discourse. It enables researchers to describe and debate via a semantic network the contributions a document makes, and its relationship to the literature. The paper discusses the computational services that an ontology-based server supports, alternative user interfaces to support interaction with a large semantic network, usability issues associated with knowledge formalisation, new work practices that could emerge, and related work. Published online: 22 September 2000     

Computational steering of a multi-objective evolutionary algorithm for engineering design

The execution process of an evolutionary algorithm typically involves some trial and error. This is due to the difficulty in setting the initial parameters of the algorithm—especially when little is known about the problem domain. This problem is magnified when applied to many-objective optimisation, as care is needed to ensure that the final population of candidate solutions is representative of the trade-off surface. We propose a computational steering system that allows the engineer to interact with the optimisation routine during execution. This interaction can be as simple as monitoring the values of some parameters during the execution process, or could involve altering those parameters to influence the quality of the solutions produced by the optimisation process. The implementation of this steering system should provide the ability to tailor the client to the hardware available, for example providing a lightweight steering and visualisation client for use on a PDA.