Abstract: A method for predicting a remaining useful life of a lithium battery based on a wavelet denoising and a relevance vector machine, relating to a method for estimating health condition and predicting remaining useful life of lithium battery, includes steps of: (1) obtaining health condition data of each of charge-discharge cycles of the lithium battery by measurement; (2) processing capacity data measured of the lithium battery with wavelet double denoising; (3) calculating a capacity threshold where the lithium battery fails; (4) referring to capacity data and charge-discharge cycle data of the lithium battery, applying a differential evolution algorithm for optimizing a width factor of the relevance vector machine; and (5) predicting the remaining useful life of the lithium battery with the relevance vector machine optimized by the differential evolution algorithm. The method is simple and effective, which can accurately predict remaining useful life of lithium battery.

Abstract: A quantum evolution method includes steps of: according to the quantum evolution method, initializing a generation number t=0, and initializing a population Q(t)={q1t, q2t, . . . , qnt}; observing Q(t) and generating P(t)={x 1t, x2t, . . . , xnt}, wherein represents strings comprising 0 or 1 with a length of m; evaluating each xit with an evaluation function, and inputting evaluating results into a fitness function F(t), F(t)={f1t, f2t. . . , fnt}, wherein fit represents a fitness of each individual; selecting an elite group E(t) from P(t) according to the fitness; evolving Q(t) through U(??ijt); inputting an optimal solution b of P(t) into B(t), wherein if the optimal solution is better than an original optimal solution in B(t), then replacing the original optimal solution; otherwise remaining the original optimal solution; and judging a shutdown condition, if satisfied, outputting the optimal solution; otherwise returning to the step (2) for further evolution.

Abstract: An energy generating device utilizing mechanical vibration power is provided. The energy generating device includes a first body for reciprocating according to vibration motions; an anchored second body; a rack coupled to one of the first body and the anchored second body; a gear assembly engaged with the rack and coupled to the other one of the first body and the anchored second body such that the gear assembly drives a generator via a rotational movement in a single direction according to each of upward and downward movement of the rack relative to the gear assembly; and the generator engaged with the gear assembly for receiving the rotational movement output from the gear assembly and outputting a direct current according to the rotational input from the gear assembly.

Abstract: An energy generating device utilizing mechanical vibration power is provided. The energy generating device includes a first body for reciprocating according to vibration motions; an anchored second body; a rack coupled to one of the first body and the anchored second body; a gear assembly engaged with the rack and coupled to the other one of the first body and the anchored second body such that the gear assembly drives a generator via a rotational movement in a single direction according to each of upward and downward movement of the rack relative to the gear assembly; and the generator engaged with the gear assembly for receiving the rotational movement output from the gear assembly and outputting a direct current according to the rotational input from the gear assembly.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure include an apparatus and methods for using a piezoelectric device, that includes an outer flextensional casing, a first cell and a last cell serially coupled to each other and coupled to the outer flextensional casing such that each cell having a flextensional cell structure and each cell receives an input force and provides an output force that is amplified based on the input force. The apparatus further includes a piezoelectric stack coupled to each cell such that the piezoelectric stack of each cell provides piezoelectric energy based on the output force for each cell. Further, the last cell receives an input force that is the output force from the first cell and the last cell provides an output apparatus force In addition, the piezoelectric energy harvested is based on the output apparatus force. Moreover, the apparatus provides displacement based on the output apparatus force.

Abstract: An electricity generating shock absorber includes a coil assembly having a length of electrically conducting material wrapped around an outside perimeter, and along a length, of a hollow tube formed of electrically resistant material; a magnet unit formed of at least one annular axial magnet; a central shaft having a magnetic reluctance on which a plurality of the magnet units are mounted, the central shaft dimensioned for insertion through a central opening of the at least one annular axial magnet, the central shaft combined with the plurality of magnet units forming a magnet assembly dimensioned to slideably insert into a central cavity of the hollow tube; and a cylindrical shell having a first end attached to a terminal end of the magnet assembly, the cylindrical shell extending a length of the magnet assembly, the cylindrical shell having an inner diameter sized to slideably accommodate an outside diameter of the coil assembly.

Abstract: An electricity generating shock absorber includes a coil assembly having a length of electrically conducting material wrapped around an outside perimeter, and along a length, of a hollow tube formed of electrically resistant material; a magnet unit formed of at least one annular axial magnet; a central shaft having a magnetic reluctance on which a plurality of the magnet units are mounted, the central shaft dimensioned for insertion through a central opening of the at least one annular axial magnet, the central shaft combined with the plurality of magnet units forming a magnet assembly dimensioned to slideably insert into a central cavity of the hollow tube; and a cylindrical shell having a first end attached to a terminal end of the magnet assembly, the cylindrical shell extending a length of the magnet assembly, the cylindrical shell having an inner diameter sized to slideably accommodate an outside diameter of the coil assembly.

Abstract: Disclosed is a differential scanning nanocalorimeter device, methods of fabricating such a device, and methods of use thereof. The nanocalorimeter contains thermal equilibrium areas for sample and reference liquids, with thermometers, compensation heater, and electric trace elements fabricated on a free-standing polymer diaphragm membrane.

Abstract: An electricity generating shock absorber includes a coil assembly having a length of electrically conducting material wrapped around an outside perimeter, and along a length, of a hollow tube formed of electrically resistant material; a magnet unit formed of at least one annular axial magnet; a central shaft having a magnetic reluctance on which a plurality of the magnet units are mounted, the central shaft dimensioned for insertion through a central opening of the at least one annular axial magnet, the central shaft combined with the plurality of magnet units forming a magnet assembly dimensioned to slideably insert into a central cavity of the hollow tube; and a cylindrical shell having a first end attached to a terminal end of the magnet assembly, the cylindrical shell extending a length of the magnet assembly, the cylindrical shell having an inner diameter sized to slideably accommodate an outside diameter of the coil assembly.

Abstract: An energy generating device utilizing mechanical vibration power is provided. The energy generating device includes a first body for reciprocating according to vibration motions; an anchored second body; a rack coupled to one of the first body and the anchored second body; a gear assembly engaged with the rack and coupled to the other one of the first body and the anchored second body such that the gear assembly drives a generator via a rotational movement in a single direction according to each of upward and downward movement of the rack relative to the gear assembly; and the generator engaged with the gear assembly for receiving the rotational movement output from the gear assembly and outputting a direct current according to the rotational input from the gear assembly.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure include an apparatus and methods for using a piezoelectric device, that includes an outer flextensional casing, a first cell and a last cell serially coupled to each other and coupled to the outer flextensional casing such that each cell having a flextensional cell structure and each cell receives an input force and provides an output force that is amplified based on the input force. The apparatus further includes a piezoelectric stack coupled to each cell such that the piezoelectric stack of each cell provides piezoelectric energy based on the output force for each cell. Further, the last cell receives an input force that is the output force from the first cell and the last cell provides an output apparatus force In addition, the piezoelectric energy harvested is based on the output apparatus force. Moreover, the apparatus provides displacement based on the output apparatus force.

Abstract: A controller f or multi-DOF active vibration isolation accounts for plant uncertainties and payload disturbances using dynamic frequency-shaped sliding control. Modal decomposition rewrites a multi-DOF vibration control problem as a combination of modal problems. Modal parameters can be extracted. Target frequency-domain performance, e.g., a skyhook, is recast as a frequency-shaped sliding surface. Boundary layer approximation is examined. Skyhook can be robustly achieved. The manifold is also extends to adaptive vibration isolation without model reference. Nonlinear target dynamics of the same order as the plant can be attained. Control can be achieved without measuring excitation or knowing mass, stiffness and damping matrices. Control for plants subject to disturbances other than vibration can be achieved for any that can be described by equations the same character as those that describe mechanical dynamic systems. The target dynamics can be any, even non-linear.

Abstract: A robust controller for multi-degree-of-freedom active vibration isolation accounts for plant uncertainties and payload disturbances using frequency-shaped sliding control. Modal decomposition is used to rewrite a multi-degree of freedom vibration control problem as a combination of individual modal control problems in modal coordinates. Modal parameters for decomposition and modelling can be extracted from theoretical or experimental modal analysis. The target frequency-domain performance of isolation, for example a skyhook model, is recast as a frequency-shaped sliding surface. Boundary layer approximation is examined. The ideal skyhook effect can be robustly achieved. The frequency-shaped manifold is also extended to adaptive vibration isolation without model reference, which has been verified by experiments, and demonstrated to be very effective for vibration isolation. Nonlinear target dynamics of the same order as the nominal plant can also be attained.

Abstract: A packing spring for a steam turbine comprising a flat, elongated spring body of specified length, width and thickness dimensions; a flange at one end of the main spring body; and at least one bend in the main spring body, located substantially midway along the length dimension of the spring body.

Abstract: A packing spring for a steam turbine comprising a flat, elongated spring body of specified length, width and thickness dimensions; a flange at one end of the main spring body; and at least one bend in the main spring body, located substantially midway along the length dimension of the spring body.