Abstract: A bipolar plate with an enhanced fluid flow field design is provided for improved flow uniformity. The bipolar plate includes an inlet, an outlet, and a flow field having a pattern defining a plurality of microchannels configured to provide fluid communication between the inlet and the outlet. The pattern includes a plurality of channels with discrete areas of discontinuity to direct fluid from the inlet to the outlet. The pattern is designed using an inverse permeability field and is based on a reaction-diffusion algorithm to model channel spacing, thereby providing a variable pitch microchannel pattern. In various aspects, Gray-Scott reaction-diffusion equations may be used to obtain an anisotropic microchannel layout. Methods may include optimizing a porous media model domain for one of: a minimum flow resistance across the domain, a uniform velocity across a direction of the domain, and a minimum velocity across a direction of the domain.

Abstract: A method is disclosed and includes determining at least one of a height field and an orientation field of a fiber-reinforced structure. The fiber-reinforced structure includes a plurality of fiber portions and a polymer matrix. The method includes generating a reaction-diffusion representation of the fiber-reinforced structure. The reaction-diffusion representation indicates a concentration of at least one of the polymer matrix and the plurality of fiber portions. The method includes designating a reference fiber deposition path based on the reaction-diffusion representation. The method includes generating a continuous fiber deposition path based on the reference fiber deposition path. The method includes transmitting a signal representing the continuous fiber deposition path to a deposition device, the deposition device using the continuous fiber deposition path to deposit a fiber of the fiber-reinforced structure.

Abstract: Elastic metamaterial designs are provided, such as an acoustic radiator or sound partition, with non-spherical shapes or apertures defined in unit cells of an elastic medium. A method for making the same includes determining a set of boundary conditions for a plurality of non-spherical shapes/apertures defined in the elastic medium, and using a gradient-based algorithm to optimize a porous media model domain for the elastic medium, where porosity is related to size dimensions of the non-spherical shape/aperture and an anisotropic elastic modulus is related to an angle of orientation of the non-spherical shape/aperture. The method may include optimizing an objective function, and obtaining a grayscale design that relates to the porosity and the anisotropic elastic modulus. Reaction diffusion equations may be used with the grayscale design to obtain a pattern for the non-spherical shapes/apertures. Methods of manufacturing may include multi-material additive manufacturing techniques.

Abstract: Methods for combinatorial choice in topology optimization are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of performing combinatorial choice in a non-linear programming problem for designing a structure includes establishing, by one or more processors, a set of K variables, wherein the set of K variables defines an K-dimensional unit cube in a normal coordinate system. The K-dimensional unit cube includes a plurality of desired vertices representing a plurality of desired combinations that satisfy a constraint and a plurality of undesired vertices representing a plurality of undesired combinations that do not satisfy the constraint. The method further includes transforming the K-dimensional unit cube into a transformed shape in a transformed coordinate system using a shape function. Values of the set of K variables cannot have a combination represented by the plurality of undesired combinations.

Abstract: System, methods, and other embodiments described herein relate to a photonic apparatus. The photonic apparatus including a phase alignment waveguide including waveguide inputs and waveguide outputs. The waveguide inputs being operably connected with a light source to provide a light wave into the phase alignment waveguide and the waveguide outputs providing a plurality of light waves from the optical waveguide. The phase alignment waveguide modulates the light wave to generate the plurality of light waves with different phases. The photonic apparatus includes a transmit switch operably connected with the waveguide inputs to selectively connect at least one of the waveguide inputs with the light source to provide the light wave into the phase alignment waveguide. The photonic apparatus includes control circuitry operably connected with the transmit switch, the control circuitry dynamically activating the at least one of the waveguide inputs according to an electronic control signal.

Abstract: Methods are provided for designing a structure with developable surfaces using a surface developability constraint. The surface developability constraint is developed based on the discovery of a sufficient condition for surface piecewise developability, namely surface normal directions lie on a small, finite number of planes. Automated methods and algorithms may include providing a design domain and a characteristic function of a material in the design domain to be optimized. The methods include defining a nodal density of the material, and determining surface normal directions of a plurality of planes. A density gradient that describes the surface normal directions is then determined. The methods include performing a topology optimization process on the design domain using a surface developability constraint that is based, at least in part, on the characteristic function. A geometric domain is then created for the structure using results from the topology optimization.

Abstract: A fuel cell stack for providing uniform fluid flow through a plurality of plates is provided. The fuel cell stack includes a plurality of plates that define a plurality of fuel cells stacked with each other, each plate having a fuel inlet hole for receiving fuel and a fuel outlet hole for discharging fuel. The fuel cell stack includes a fuel inlet insert extending into the fuel inlet hole of at least some of the plurality of plates. The fuel inlet insert has an upstream end and a downstream end relative to a direction of fuel flow through the fuel inlet holes. The upstream end of the fuel inlet insert has a porosity and permeability less than a porosity and permeability of the downstream end of the fuel inlet insert such that the fuel insert provides uniform fuel flow through the plurality of plates.

Abstract: A method is disclosed and includes determining at least one of a height field and an orientation field of a fiber-reinforced structure. The fiber-reinforced structure includes a plurality of fiber portions and a polymer matrix. The method includes generating a reaction-diffusion representation of the fiber-reinforced structure. The reaction-diffusion representation indicates a concentration of at least one of the polymer matrix and the plurality of fiber portions. The method includes designating a reference fiber deposition path based on the reaction-diffusion representation. The method includes generating a continuous fiber deposition path based on the reference fiber deposition path. The method includes transmitting a signal representing the continuous fiber deposition path to a deposition device, the deposition device using the continuous fiber deposition path to deposit a fiber of the fiber-reinforced structure.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and other embodiments described herein relate to an antenna formed by a silicon photonic two-dimensional grating. In one embodiment, a phased-array light detection and ranging (LIDAR) device includes a phase shifting array that separately shifts a phase of a source light wave to produce separate light waves with distinct phases. The LIDAR device includes optical inputs operably connected with the phase shifting array to receive the separate light waves. The LIDAR device includes a photonic grating operably connected with the optical inputs to receive the separate light waves and having a body that is disposed within a substrate with a face of the body exposed within the substrate. The photonic grating including grating structures exposed within the face. The grating structures redirect the separate light waves to emit the light waves from the photonic grating to form the beam of light.

Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein describe manifold microchannel heat sinks having a gridded microchannel assembly with free-form fin geometries for cooling heat-generating devices in the electronics modules. In an embodiment, a manifold microchannel heat sink includes a target surface and a gridded microchannel assembly comprising a plurality of microchannel cells. Each microchannel cell is surrounded by thermally-conductive sidewalls and includes a fluid inlet, a microchannel structure fluidly coupled to the fluid inlet and a fluid outlet. The microchannel structure extends from the target surface and defines a microchannel extending in a normal direction with respect to the target surface. The microchannel structure includes a base plate disposed on the target surface and a three-dimensional fin structure disposed on the base plate. The three-dimensional fin structure has a shape optimized for thermal performance and fluid performance.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure relate to apparatuses for enhanced thermal management of a planar inductor assembly. In one embodiment, a cooling package for an inductor assembly includes a cold plate and a heat-spreading bracket mechanically coupled to the cold plate at a first end of the heat-spreading bracket. The cold plate has a slotted recess for mounting a first inductor core along a first end thereof. The heat-spreading bracket is configured to apply a clamping force to a second inductor core at a second end opposite to the first end of the heat-spreading bracket.

Abstract: Methods are provided for designing and generating a tool path for three-dimensional printing of a fiber composite part. The method includes defining a three-dimensional domain model and determining a set of boundary conditions for the three-dimensional domain model. The methods include applying a gradient-based algorithm to a predetermined stress state located within the three-dimensional domain model in order to: (1) optimize the three-dimensional domain model for minimum deflection or stress using a structural mechanics algorithm for a composite article, and (2) provide a topologically optimized fiber composite part design and fiber orientation field. The methods include using the topologically optimized fiber composite part design and fiber orientation field as an input to solve Gray-Scott reaction diffusion equations to generate an anisotropic tool path for three-dimensional printing of the fiber composite part.

Abstract: An occupant protection device including a seat belt that includes a shoulder belt and a lap belt, a locking tongue that is capable of switching between an unlock state and a lock state, a shoulder-belt puller that is capable of pulling the shoulder belt, a lap-belt puller that is capable of pulling the lap belt, a side-collision detector that detects a side collision or a precursor thereof, and a control unit that changes a state of the locking tongue into the lock state and a state of the lap-belt puller into a first pulling state in which the lap-belt puller pulls the lap belt and that subsequently changes a state of the shoulder-belt puller into a second pulling state in which the shoulder-belt puller pulls the shoulder belt when the side-collision detector detects the side collision that occurs opposite an occupant or the precursor thereof.

Abstract: A bipolar plate with an enhanced fluid flow field design is provided for improved flow uniformity. The bipolar plate includes an inlet, an outlet, and a flow field having a pattern defining a plurality of microchannels configured to provide fluid communication between the inlet and the outlet. The pattern includes a plurality of channels with discrete areas of discontinuity to direct fluid from the inlet to the outlet. The pattern is designed using an inverse permeability field and is based on a reaction-diffusion algorithm to model channel spacing, thereby providing a variable pitch microchannel pattern. In various aspects, Gray-Scott reaction-diffusion equations may be used to obtain an anisotropic microchannel layout. Methods may include optimizing a porous media model domain for one of: a minimum flow resistance across the domain, a uniform velocity across a direction of the domain, and a minimum velocity across a direction of the domain.

Abstract: A two piece adapter for extrusion of cylindrical core-shell structures using conventional biomedical needles includes first and second adapter pieces. The first adapter piece includes first and second (core and shell) inlet ports. The core inlet port leads directly to a male Luer fitting attachable to a core needle and surrounded by a threaded chamber. The shell inlet port is led, via a side chamber, into the side of the threaded chamber. The second adapter piece attaches to the bottom of the threaded chamber and is configured to attach to a shell needle, so that the shaft of the core needle sits inside the shaft of the shell needle.

Abstract: Methods are provided for designing and generating a tool path for three-dimensional printing of a fiber composite part. The method includes defining a three-dimensional domain model and determining a set of boundary conditions for the three-dimensional domain model. The methods include applying a gradient-based algorithm to a predetermined stress state located within the three-dimensional domain model in order to: (1) optimize the three-dimensional domain model for minimum deflection or stress using a structural mechanics algorithm for a composite article, and (2) provide a topologically optimized fiber composite part design and fiber orientation field. The methods include using the topologically optimized fiber composite part design and fiber orientation field as an input to solve Gray-Scott reaction diffusion equations to generate an anisotropic tool path for three-dimensional printing of the fiber composite part.

Abstract: A method for optimizing orientations of an anisotropic material in a component. For example, the method overcomes the non-uniqueness and gimbal locking problems associated with using Euler angles to define the orientation by instead parameterizing the orientation using an orientation tensor that is a self-dyadic product of a direction vector. To avoid non-linear constraints in the mathematical design variables used in the optimization, isoparametric shape functions map the mathematical design variables to physical design variables, and the mapping ensures that various constraints associated with tensor invariants of the orientation tensor are satisfied even though these constraints are not directly imposed on the mathematical design variables. The physical design variables are used to model the component, whereas optimization is performed using the mathematical design variables.

Abstract: A bipolar plate with an enhanced fluid flow field design is provided for a fuel cell. The bipolar plate includes an inlet, an outlet, and a flow field having a pattern defining a plurality of microchannels configured to provide fluid communication between the inlet and the outlet. The pattern is designed using an inverse permeability field, and is based on a reaction-diffusion algorithm to model channel spacing, thereby providing a variable pitch microchannel pattern to direct fluid from the inlet to the outlet. In various aspects, the reaction-diffusion algorithm utilize Gray-Scott reaction-diffusion equations, which may be used to obtain an anisotropic microchannel layout. The variable pitch microchannel pattern may include a channel spacing based on effective medium theory.

Abstract: Methods are provided for designing a microchannel layout for a flow field of a bipolar plate. The methods include defining a fluid flow optimization domain with boundary conditions and loads. Using a gradient-based algorithm together with computational fluid dynamics, the domain is then optimized for minimum flow resistance. The methods include setting the minimum inverse permeability to a non-zero value, and obtaining a grayscale design and fluid velocity field. Using Gray-Scott reaction diffusion equations with the grayscale design and fluid velocity field, the method includes obtaining a microchannel layout. The microchannel layout is then incorporated as a pattern for the flow field of the bipolar plate. In various aspects, anisotropic microchannels are provided; they may be formed using at least one of an additive manufacturing technique, a metal inverse opal electroplating technique, and a hybrid combination thereof.

Abstract: System, methods, and other embodiments described herein relate to directing thermal energy within a photonic device. In one embodiment, the photonic device includes an optical component that is temperature sensitive and that provides a different response to light propagated within the optical component according to a present temperature of the optical component. The photonic device includes a heat source disposed at a separating distance from the optical component and that produces thermal energy within the photonic device. The photonic device includes a first thermal guide disposed proximate to the optical component and the heat source and spanning the separating distance. The first thermal guide concentrating the thermal energy from the heat source to the optical component.