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de Faoite, Daithí
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de Faoite, Daithí
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de Faoite, Daithí
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Now showing 1 - 10 of 10
- PublicationAccurate measurement of nanofluid thermal conductivity by use of a polysaccharide stabilising agentMeasuring the thermal conductivity of low viscosity fluids such as aqueous nanofluids is challenging due to the formation of convection currents. In the current work, a modification of the transient hot-wire thermal conductivity measurement technique was investigated to address this problem. The polysaccharide agar was used as a gelling agent to prevent the formation of convection currents, thereby enabling measurement of thermal conductivity. The experimental method was validated by comparison of experimentally measured thermal conductivity values with published reference values over a range of temperatures for two reference fluids stabilised by agar: water and an ethylene glycol/water solution. The precision of thermal conductivity measurements was found to be significantly improved by use of this gelling agent. These findings indicate that agar, or a similar gelling agent, can be used to enable accurate measurement of the thermal conductivity of aqueous fluids. This measurement technique was utilised to accurately measure the thermal conductivity enhancements of copper and alumina aqueous nanofluids with low nanoparticle concentrations, over a range of temperatures. The thermal conductivities of these nanofluids were found to be within ± 2 % of those predicted by the Maxwell model.
360Scopus© Citations 4 - PublicationRegression analysis of temperature-dependent mechanical and thermal properties of dielectric technical ceramicsRegression analysis is performed on a dataset of temperature-dependent material properties of several ceramic materials. The materials considered are alumina, aluminium nitride, beryllia, fused quartz, sialon and silicon nitride. The properties considered are density, Young's, bulk and shear moduli, Poisson's ratio, tensile, flexural and compressive strength, thermal conductivity, specific heat capacity, and thermal expansion coefficient. The dataset, previously reported by de Faoite et al. (J Mater Sci 47(10):4211, 2012), was compiled to facilitate the materials selection and design of a ceramic component for the Variable Specific-Impulse Magnetoplasma Rocket (VASIMR®). Temperature-dependent material property data are required for accurate thermo-structural modelling of such ceramic components which operate over a wide temperature range. The goal of this paper is to calculate a set of regression coefficients to reduce this dataset to a tractable format for use in the materials selection and design of such components. Regression analysis could not be performed for all material properties for all of these materials, due to a lack of data in the literature, and these gaps in the available data are highlighted.
801Scopus© Citations 15 - PublicationDevelopment of the Ground Segment Communication System for the EIRSAT-1 CubeSat(2021-05-05)
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; The Educational Irish Research Satellite (EIRSAT-1) is a student-led project to design, build and test Ireland’s first satellite. As part of the development, a ground segment (GS) has also been designed alongside the spacecraft. The ground segment will support two-way communications with the spacecraft throughout the mission. Communication with the satellite will occur in the very high frequency (VHF) and the ultra high frequency (UHF) bands for the uplink and downlink respectively. Different modulation schemes have been implemented for both uplink and downlink as part of the GS system. Uplink incorporates an Audio Frequency Shift-Keying (AFSK) scheme, while downlink incorporates a Gaussian Minimum Shift-Keying (GMSK) scheme. In order for the spacecraft to successfully receive a telecommand (TC) transmitted from the ground station, a framing protocol is required. AX.25 was selected as the data link layer protocol. A hardware terminal node controller (TNC) executes both the AX.25 framing and the AFSK modulation. Keep It Simple Stupid (KISS) framing software was developed to allow data to be accepted by the TNC. A software defined radio (SDR) approach has been chosen for the downlink. GNURadio is software that allows flowcharts to be built to undertake the required signal processing of the received signal, the demodulation of the signal and the decoding of data. This paper provides a detailed account of the software developed for the ground segment communication system. A review of the AX.25 and KISS framing protocols is presented. The GNURadio flowcharts that handle the signal processing and data decoding are broken down and each constituent is explained. To ensure the reliability and robustness of the system, a suite of tests was undertaken, the results of which are also presented.285 - PublicationDevelopment and Validation of the Operations Procedures and Manual for a 2U CubeSat, EIRSAT-1, with Three Novel Payloads(2021-05-05)
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; The CubeSat standard, relatively short launch timescale, and orders of magnitude difference in cost in comparison to large scale missions, has allowed universities and smaller institutions to develop space missions. The Educational Irish Research Satellite (EIRSAT-1) is a 2U CubeSat being developed in University College Dublin (UCD) as part of the second round of the European Space Agency (ESA) Education Office’s Fly Your Satellite! (FYS) Programme. EIRSAT-1 is a student-led project to build, test, launch and operate Ireland’s first satellite. CubeSats typically use commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components to facilitate new teams in developing a satellite on a rapid timescale. While some of the EIRSAT-1 subsystems are COTS procured from AAC Clyde Space, EIRSAT-1 has three novel experiments on-board which have been developed in UCD. The spacecraft’s Antenna Deployment Module has also been designed and built in-house. The on-board computer (OBC), procured from AAC Clyde Space, has been adapted to interface with these novel hardware components, accompanied by in-house developed software and firmware. All of these innovative subsystems complicate the CubeSat functionality making it essential to document and rigorously test the operations procedures for EIRSAT-1. In preparation for launch with these novel spacecraft subsystems, the EIRSAT-1 Operations Manual is being developed and incrementally verified. The Operations Manual contains the procedures to command and control the satellite, account for nominal and non-nominal scenarios and guide the operator in determining the cause of any anomalies observed during the mission and facilitate recovery. A series of operations development tests (ODTs) have been designed and conducted for a robust verification process. Each procedure is written up by a member of the EIRSAT-1 Operations Team in the EIRSAT-1 Operations Manual format. During an ODT, an in-flight scenario is considered in which the procedure under test is required. The procedure is then followed by a team member who has not been involved in the procedure development process. The feedback from these tests and from the operators is used to improve the procedures and continually update the Operations Manual. This paper will present the approach to operations development used by the EIRSAT-1 team and discuss the lessons learned for CubeSat operations development, testing and pre-flight verification.287 - PublicationEIRSAT-1 - The Educational Irish Research Satellite(ESA, 2018-08-01)
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; The Educational Irish Research Satellite, "EIRSAT-1", is a collaborative space project that aims to build, launch and operate the first ever Irish satellite. The EIRSAT-1 spacecraft is a 2U CubeSat incorporating three novel experiment payloads: GMOD, a gamma-ray detector; EMOD, a thermal management coating demonstration; and WBC, an attitude control algorithm. The spacecraft is currently under construction at University College Dublin and will be delivered to ESA in late 2019.427 - PublicationInverse estimate of heat flux on a plasma discharge tube to steady-state conditions using thermocouple data and a radiation boundary condition(Elsevier, 2014-10)
; ; ; The heat flux incident upon the inner surface of a plasma discharge tube during a helicon plasma discharge was estimated using an inverse method. Temperature readings were taken from the outer surface of the tube using thermocouples, and the temperature data were interpolated over the tube surface. A numerical inverse procedure based on the Alifanov iterative regularisation method was used to reconstruct the heat flux on the tube inner surface as a function of space and time. In contrast to previously-used inverse models for this application, the current model implements a thermal radiation boundary condition to realistically model the energy exchange in the device. Additionally in these experiments, steady-state operation was reached, and the accurate modelling of the steady-state condition was facilitated by the thermal radiation boundary condition. The variation of heat flux with helicon discharge power, propellant flowrate, and electromagnet current was studied, and it was found that the waste heat flux increased with applied RF power and propellant flowrate, and decreased with current supplied to the electromagnets, over the range of parameter variation tested.329Scopus© Citations 11 - PublicationThermo-structural modelling of a plasma discharge tube for electric propulsion(Elsevier, 2016-04-05)
; ; ; Potential thermal management strategies for the plasma generation section of a VASIMR® high-power electric propulsion space thruster are assessed. The plasma is generated in a discharge tube using helicon waves. The plasma generation process causes a significant thermal load on the plasma discharge tube and on neighbouring components, caused by cross-field particle diffusion and UV radiation. Four potential cooling system design strategies are assessed to deal with this thermal load. Four polycrystalline ceramics are evaluated for use as the plasma discharge tube material: alumina, aluminium nitride, beryllia, and silicon nitride. A finite element analysis (FEA) method was used to model the steady-state temperature and stress fields resulting from the plasma heat flux. Of the four materials assessed, aluminium nitride would result in the lowest plasma discharge tube temperatures and stresses. It was found that a design consisting of a monolithic ceramic plasma containment tube fabricated from aluminium nitride would be capable of operating up to a power level of at least 250 kW.380Scopus© Citations 1 - PublicationDevelopment of glass-ceramic scintillators for gamma-ray astronomy(IOP Publishing, 2015-06)
; ; ; ; ; ; Scintillators synthesised as glass-ceramics have several potential benefits compared to the currently-used halide scintillators, including non-hygroscopicity, mechanical ruggedness, ease of producing customisable shapes, and the potential for low-cost synthesis. The use of these scintillators is considered for a gamma-ray telescope operating in the 0.2 MeV¿50 MeV photon range. Inorganic scintillator compounds suitable for incorporation into glass-ceramics are assessed. In addition, several families of glass suitable for use as hosts for scintillating compounds are also reviewed.310Scopus© Citations 18 - PublicationA review of the processing, composition and temperature-dependent mechanical and thermal properties of dielectric technical ceramics(Springer, 2012-05)
; ; ; The current review uses the material requirements of a new space propulsion device, the Variable Specific Impulse Magnetoplasma Rocket (VASIMR®) as a basis for presenting the temperature dependent properties of a range of dielectric ceramics, but data presented could be used in the engineering design of any ceramic component with complementary material requirements. A material is required for the gas containment tube (GCT) of VASIMR® to allow it to operate at higher power levels. The GCT's operating conditions place severe constraints on the choice of material. A dielectric is required with a high thermal conductivity, low dielectric loss factor, and high thermal shock resistance. There is a lack of a representative set of temperature-dependent material property data for materials considered for this application and these are required for accurate thermo-structural modelling. This modelling would facilitate the selection of an optimum material for this component. The goal of this paper is to determine the best material property data values for use in the materials selection and design of such components. A review of both experimentally and theoretically-determined temperature-dependent & room temperature properties of several materials has been undertaken. Data extracted are presented by property. Properties reviewed are density, Young's, bulk and shear moduli, Poisson's ratio, tensile, flexural and compressive strength, thermal conductivity, specific heat capacity, thermal expansion coefficient and the factors affecting maximum service temperature. Materials reviewed are alumina, aluminium nitride, beryllia, fused quartz, sialon and silicon nitride.1174Scopus© Citations 98 - PublicationNanostructured apatite-mullite glass-ceramics for enhanced primary human osteoblast cell response(Elsevier, 2017-12-11)
; ; ; ; ; This work investigates the difference in viability of primary human foetal osteoblast cells on a glass-ceramic surface with nanoscale topography relative to viability on a smooth glass-ceramic surface containing a bioactive phase. Apatite-mullite glass-ceramics containing bioactive fluorapatite (Ca10(PO4)6F2) and bioinert mullite (Si2Al6O13) were synthesised and subsequent heat-treatment was optimised to form nano-sized fluorapatite crystals. Etching was used to selectively remove the bioactive phase, producing a surface with disordered nanoscale topography. Cells were seeded onto a smooth polished glass-ceramic substrate with the bioactive phase intact, an etched nanostructured glass-ceramic with the bioactive phase removed, and a borosilicate glass control. Cell viability after 24 h and 48 h was significantly greater on the nanostructured surface compared to the smooth bioactive surface, while cell viability at both time points was significantly greater on both nanostructured and smooth bioactive surfaces compared to the control.224Scopus© Citations 4