Whilst the energy efficiency of wheeled vehicles is fast improving, negotiating rough terrain still presents a significant problem. The alternative of using legged walking and running may provide a more versatile and possibly more efficient solution. Despite muscles only converting approximately 20% of chemical energy into mechanical work, animals achieve very efficient running gaits through st...

To improve the primary frequency response in future low-inertia hybrid power system a fuzzylogic based frequency controller (FFC) for wind farms augmented with energy storage systems(wind-storage system) and intelligent PV farms for the frequency stabilization is proposed inthis paper. Using system frequency deviations the proposed controller provides bidirectionalreal p...

Carbon fibre reinforced flame-retarded bioepoxy composites were prepared from commercially available sorbitol polyglycidyl ether (SPE) cured with cycloaliphatic amine hardener. Samples containing 1, 2, and 3% phosphorus (P) were prepared using additive type flame retardants (FRs) resorcinol bis(diphenyl phosphate) (RDP), ammonium polyphosphate (APP), and their combinations. The fire performance...

Three-dimensional (3D) graphene-based composites have drawn increasing attention for energy applications due to their unique structures and properties. By combining the merits of 3D graphene (3DG), e.g., a porous and interconnected network, a high electrical conductivity, a large accessible surface area, and excellent mechanical strength and thermal stability, with the high chemical/electrochem...

Harvesting energy from ambient vibration is proposed as an alternative to storage based power supplies for autonomous systems. The system presented converts the mechanical energy of a vibration into electrical energy by means of a variable capacitor, which is polarized by an electret. A lumped element model is used to study the generator and design a prototype. The device has been micromachined...

Elastic strain in bulk metallic materials is usually limited to only a fraction of 1%. Developing bulk metallic materials showing large linear elasticity and high strength has proven to be difficult. Here, based on the synergistic effect between nanowires and orientated martensite NiTi shape memory alloy, we developed an in-situ Nb nanowires -orientated martensitic NiTi matrix composite showing...

In order to facilitate locomotion and limb movement many animals store energy elastically in their tendons. The formation of crosslinked collagen fibers in tendons results in the conversion of weak, liquid-like embryonic tissues into tough elastic solids that can store energy and perform work. Collagen fibers in the form of fascicles are the major structural units found in tendons. The purpose ...

The Honigmann process is a thermochemical energy storage converting low temperature heat into mechanical work. To control and optimize the operation of the storage, the Honigmann process is simulated numerically using a set of differential-algebraic equations (DAEs) as governing equations. We analyze this DAE regarding its solvability, the uniqueness of solutions and the efficiency of numerical...