BER analysis of arbitrary QAM for MRC diversity with imperfect channel estimation in generalized ricean fading channels

Imperfect channel estimation (ICE) can severely degrade the bit error rate (BER) of digital modulations with maximum ratio combining (MRC) diversity reception. The resulting performance analysis problem in its most general setting has not been addressed before. In this paper, the effect of ICE on the BER of an arbitrary square/rectangular Gray-coded quadratic amplitude modulation (QAM) in generalized Ricean fading channels when MRC reception is employed is analyzed. A general expression for the bit error probability of an arbitrary square/rectangular QAM scheme is first derived. This general formula requires a number of conditional probabilities, which is derived in closed form for independent and nonidentically distributed (i.n.d.) Rayleigh-fading channels with MRC and ICE. An efficient numerical method is also presented to compute the conditional probabilities for i.n.d. and correlated Ricean fading. In addition, extensive Monte Carlo simulations that agree excellently with the analytical results are presented.     

The rate of dynamic recrystallization in 17-4 PH stainless steel

The hot working behavior of 17-4 PH stainless steel (AISI 630) was studied by hot compression test at temperatures of 950–1150 °C with strain rates of 0.001–10 s⁻¹. The progress of dynamic recrystallization (DRX) was modeled by the Johnson–Mehl–Avrami–Kolmogorov (JMAK) kinetics equation. The flow softening was directly related to the DRX volume fraction and the DRX time was determined by strain rate. For quantification of recrystallization rate, the reciprocal of the time corresponding to the DRX fraction of 0.5% or 50% was used. Analysis of the sigmoid-shaped recrystallization curves revealed that the rate of DRX increases with increasing deformation temperature and strain rate. The Zener-Hollomon parameter (Z) was found to be inappropriate for analysis of DRX kinetics. Therefore, the dynamic recrystallization rate parameter (DRXRP) was introduced for this purpose. The DRXRP may be determined readily from the Avrami analysis and can precisely predict the rate of DRX at hot working conditions.     

Analysis of autoignition of a turbulent lifted H2/N2 jet flame issuing into a vitiated coflow

Due to energy crisis and concern regarding the environmental emission, hydrogen as an alternative clean fuel has received more attention. To develop new devices or upgrade the conventional combustion systems for hydrogen flames, fundamental concepts necessary for burner design need to be investigated. In the present work, characteristics of flame stabilization for a turbulent lifted H₂/N₂ jet flame issuing into a hot coflow of lean combustion are investigated using the Scalar probability density function (PDF) approach. Calculations are carried out for different coflow temperatures, concentrations of species and equivalence ratio. Reaction rate analyses are used to investigate the dominant chemistry at the flame base for a variety of conditions. The results show the occurrence of autoignition at the flame base that is responsible for the stabilization of the lifted turbulent flame. The coflow temperature plays an important role in the relative contribution of elementary reactions and the determination of the dominant chemistry at the flame base. This leads to a high sensitivity of lift-off height to the coflow temperature. Oxygen and water content in the hot coflow could affect the ignition process and lift-off height depending on the dominant chemistry at the flame base. Furthermore, the effect of oxygen content in hot coflow is found to be very important on the reactions controlling the high temperature combustion.     

Chemical structure of autoignition in a turbulent lifted H2/N2 jet flame issuing into a vitiated coflow

In the present paper autoignition is studied as the main stabilization mechanism in turbulent lifted H₂/N₂ jet flames issuing into a vitiated hot coflow. The numerical study is performed using the joint scalar PDF approach with detailed chemistry in a two dimensional axisymmetric domain. The SSG Reynolds stress model is used as a turbulence model in the simulation. Chemical structure and characteristics of autoignition are investigated using various methods and parameters. Reaction rate analysis is made to analyze the ignition process at the flame base. The results show the occurrence of a chain branching reaction preceding thermal runaway, which boosts the chain branching process in the flame. This demonstrates the large impact of autoignition at the flame base on the stabilization of the lifted turbulent flame. Further investigation using the scatter-plots of scalars reveals the characteristics of the ignition. The relation between the behavior of temperature and of key intermediate species demonstrates the formation of OH through consumption of HO₂ at nearly isothermal conditions in a very lean-fuel mixture at the flame base. Flux analyses in the conservation equations of species are used to explore the impacts of mass transport on ignition process. Ignition is found to be mainly controlled by chemical features rather than the mixing processes near the flame base. Characteristics of autoignition are also investigated in terms of Damköhler number and progress variable.     

The effect of cold rolling regime on microstructure and mechanical properties of AISI 304L stainless steel

In this paper, the effect of different thickness reductions by cold rolling on the microstructure and mechanical properties of AISI 304L austenitic stainless steel were investigated. The hot rolled steel strips were subjected to cold rolling at 0 °C from 10 to 90% thickness reduction. Microstructures, strain-induced martensitic transformation and mechanical properties of the cold-rolled specimens were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Feritscope measurements, optical metallography, hardness and tensile tests. The resulting transformation curve showed a sigmoidal shape with the saturation value of strain-induced martensite of approximately 100%. A good agreement was found between the experimental results and the Olsen–Cohen model. The results indicated that formation of strain-induced martensite clearly resulted in a significant strengthening of the steel.     

An exact solution for buckling of functionally graded circular plates based on higher order shear deformation plate theory under uniform radial compression

In this research, mechanical buckling of circular plates composed of functionally graded materials (FGMs) is considered. Equilibrium and stability equations of a FGM circular plate under uniform radial compression are derived, based on the higher order shear deformation plate theory (HSDT). Assuming that the material properties vary as a power form of the thickness coordinate variable z and using the variational method, the system of fundamental partial differential equations are established. A buckling analysis of a functionally graded circular plate (FGCP) under uniform radial compression is carried out and the results are given in closed-form solutions. The results are compared with the buckling loads of plates obtained for FGCP based on the first order shear deformation plate theory (FSDT) and classical plate theory (CPT) given in the literature. The study concludes that HSDT accurately predicts the behavior of FGCP, whereas the FSDT and CPT overestimates buckling loads.     

Nuclear microbeam studies of silicon–germanium heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBTs)

SiGe HBTs are very attractive devices to be used in space communication applications. This technology combines the high speed of the III–V semiconductors with the well-established and easy manufacturing processes of silicon, which allows the manufacturing of RF, analog, and digital devices on the same wafer. In addition, SiGe HBTs were found to be extremely radiation hard in the context of total ionizing dose and displacement damage. However, it was shown through experiments and simulations that these devices are vulnerable to single event effects (SEEs). SEEs are changes in the normal operation of the device (its logical state, currents, transients, etc.) due to the induced currents in the electrodes by the movement of carriers created by the incident ions. We used four electrode (base, emitter, collector, and substrate) IBIC measurements at the Sandia Heavy Ion Nuclear Microprobe Facility. SiGe HBTs are usually designed using deep trench isolation (DTI) to minimize parasitic capacitances from the subcollector to the substrate (faster speed), as well as allow devices to be fabricated much closer together. It is an added bonus that the DTI does not let carriers from outside hits to diffuse into the junction and induce current. Our experiments and TCAD simulations showed that while the above goal was accomplished by this design, it increased the amount of induced charge for ion hits in the active area. Single event transients (SETs) were investigated in both standard and radiation hardened by design (RHBD) bandgap voltage reference (BGR) circuits.     

Vibration of functionally graded cylindrical shells based on different shear deformation shell theories with ring support under various boundary conditions

In the present work, study of the vibration of thin cylindrical shells with ring supports made of a functionally gradient material (FGM) composed of stainless steel and nickel is presented. Material properties are graded in the thickness direction of the shell according to volume fraction power law distribution. Effects of boundary conditions and ring support on the natural frequencies of the FGM cylindrical shell are studied. The cylindrical shells have ring supports which are arbitrarily placed along the shell and which imposed a zero lateral deflection. The study is carried out using different shear deformation shell theories. The analysis is carried out using Hamilton’s principle. The governing equations of motion of a FGM cylindrical shells are derived based on various shear deformation theories. Results are presented on the frequency characteristics, influence of ring support position and the influence of boundary conditions. The present analysis is validated by comparing results with those available in the literature. This paper was recommended for publication in revised form by Associate Editor Eung-Soo Shin M. M. Najafizadeh received his BS degree in 1995 from Azad University (Arak) and the Ms Degree in 1997 from Azad University (Arak), and his Ph.D. degree in 2003 from Science and Research Branch Islamic Azad University (Tehran, Iran), all in mechanical Engineering. He is member of faculty in Islamic Azad University (Arak) since 1998. He teaches courses in the areas of dynamics, theory of plates and shells and finite element method. He has published more than 20 articles in journals and conference proceeding. Mohammad Reza Isvandzibaei received his Ms Degree from Azad University (Arak), and now he is the student of Ph.D. in university of Pune, (India) all in mechanical Engineering. He is member of faculty in Islamic Azad University (Andimeshk).     

Role of Chemical Driving Force in Martensitic Transformations of High-Purity Fe-Cr-Ni Alloys

The main objective of the present work is to point out the respective roles of chemical driving force and stacking fault energy (SFE) in the occurrence of martensitic transformations in high-purity Fe-Cr-Ni alloys. For this purpose, the transmission electron microscope (TEM), X-ray diffractometer, thermal differential microanalyzer (TDA), and tension test were employed to report M _s temperatures, austenite stacking fault energies, and driving forces for the concerned alloys. It was observed that the martensitic transformations in the studied alloys occur through the γ → ε → α′ steps. As a remarkable result, it was shown that a low SFE, if necessary to ε-phase nucleation, is not a sufficient condition for nucleation of α′ phase. In fact, the formation of stable α′ nuclei from α′ embryos occur if the required chemical driving force is provided. Also, an equation was proposed for the kinetics of spontaneous martensitic transformation as a function of driving force.     

Mechanical buckling of two-dimensional functionally graded cylindrical shells surrounded by Winkler–Pasternak elastic foundation

In this research, buckling analysis of a two-dimensional, functionally graded, cylindrical shell that has been embedded in an outer elastic medium in the presence of combined axial and transverse loading based on third-order shear deformation shell theory is numerically investigated. Variations of the shell properties are considered to be continuous through length and thickness. Winkler–Pasternak foundation and simply supported boundary conditions have been applied. The problem has been solved using the generalized differential quadrature method. Geometrical, load, and foundation parameters beside functionally graded power indexes effects on the critical buckling load have been studied.